British Commercial Vehicle Museum
Our trip to the British Commercial Vehicle Museum was very enjoyable. Thirty of us travelled by coach from Manchester and two people met us there.
At this unique motor museum we took a nostalgic trip into the past and learnt about the history of transport.
Horses have pulled carts and carriages since time immemorial. Until the 1700’s journeys were made over little more than cattle tracks. From the 1800’s early steam driven vehicles had cart type wheels, black smoke and were noisy as they passed over cobbled streets.
From the 1900’s lorries and buses using petrol or diesel started to carry bigger loads. Roads were improved and greater distances were travelled. From 2000 new technologies, in the form of hybrid and electric vehicles, are helping to improve performance and at the same time reduce harmful exhaust emissions.
We got on board the Merryweather Fire Engine, the Popemobile and the very comfortable East Kent coach before visiting the Leyland Heritage Café.
More photos can be seen here.
LGBT Foundation Joint Winners at Film Festival
The LGBT Foundation were joint winners in the “Best Charity Film – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” category at the Big Syn International Film Festival 2026 Awards held on 6 November in London.
This is the world’s biggest sustainability film festival, funded by the UN and showcasing films that promote environmental causes and human rights.
In this short film, older LGBT+ community members share their experiences of growing up in a different world, the rights they fought for, and why many feel those hard-won gains cannot be taken for granted.
Their stories are a powerful reminder of how far we’ve come, and why we must continue working towards a future where every LGBT+ person can live a vibrant, connected and authentic life. Protecting progress matters now more than ever.
Albrecht Becker
One of the last surviving gay men who lived to tell the tale … Albrecht Becker (14 November 1906 – 22 April 2002) was a German production designer, photographer and actor who was imprisoned by the Nazi regime for the charge of homosexuality.
At age eighteen, Albrecht began a relationship with the older Joseph Friedrich Abert, which lasted ten years. In the 1930’s his neighbour, Dr Leopold Obermayer, complained to the local police department that his mail was being opened. The complaint was investigated by the Gestapo, who took the liberty to search his home and discovered a number of photographs of young men in his safe.
One of these photographs was of Albrecht Becker. Becker was brought in for questioning in 1935 on suspicion of violating Paragraph 175. “Everybody knows I’m a homosexual.” declared Albrecht. Both he and Obermayer, were put on trial. Albrecht was sentenced to three years in prison. Obermayer was also convicted of violating Paragraph 175, but as a Jew was sent to Dachau concentration camp.
Becker was able to return to working in the film industry after the war where he became well known internationally. He died in 2002.
