The Golden Age Big Band treated us with another spectacular afternoon of great big band music in Urmston.
We sang and danced along to the classics. The seventeen member big band honoured musicians such as Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Ted Heath, Nelson Riddle and so many more!
We enjoyed the sandwiches and cakes in the break. Although the concert was sold out and the room was packed, Out In The City members won all three hampers in the raffle (for the second time!)
A date for the diary – The Golden Age Big Band Christmas Show is on Sunday, 13 December from 8.00pm to 10.30pm at LMRCA Railway Club in Altrincham.
Image Credit: ‘Frank & Percy,’ Icon Film Distribution
Frank and Percy
Love can find us when we least expect it. Sir Ian McKellen and Roger Allam star in Frank and Percy, a romantic story about two older men who meet while walking their dogs in London.
Adapted from Ben Weatherill’s West End play of the same name, the film finds the pair of esteemed actors reprising their stage roles: McKellen plays Percy, a proudly gay man who’s in his 80s but is still young at heart – with a fondness for dating guys many years his junior! – while Allam plays Frank, a seventy-something widower still grieving the loss of his wife, and who has always believed he was straight.
Image Credit: ‘Frank & Percy,’ Icon Film Distribution
What begins as casual conversation gradually develops into an unexpected romance which will have you laughing, crying and restoring your faith in humanity.
It’s also a reminder to keep our hearts and minds open even as we get older, much like Frank, who never felt attracted to men before, but doesn’t try to deny how he feels about Percy. While Allam himself has been married to a woman for many years, his casting in the role underscores that sexuality is a spectrum – nothing in the world is so black-and-white, especially when it comes to love.
Image Credit: ‘Frank & Percy,’ Icon Film Distribution
In addition to its esteemed stars, Frank & Percy is stacked with out LGBT+ icons including Stephen Fry, Jessica Gunning, Ncuti Gatwa, Hugh Skinner and the great Sir Derek Jacobi, McKellen’s longtime friend. The cast also includes Dame Joanna Lumley, Dame Siân Phillips, and Rob Brydon.
The film premiered at the BFI London Film Festival on 13 October, offering a heartfelt reminder that love, tenderness, and self-discovery have no age limit. Their story gives older LGBT+ characters the chance to experience romance, uncertainty, and hope on their own terms. Because sometimes, life still has beautiful surprises waiting, even when we think we know our own story.
Watch the preview here:
African Soul Rebels
Last Tuesday a small group of us went to see African Soul Rebels at The Bridgewater Hall.
African Soul Rebels celebrates fearless artists who reshape tradition, challenge borders and put rhythm at the centre of resistance and joy.
We heard Gasper Nali and N’famady Kouyaté before the electrifying Les Amazones d’Afrique.
They are a collective of West African artists whose music fuses ancient roots with urgent, future-facing sounds and a message of strength, unity and change.
We stood up and danced in the joyful celebration of feel good world music.
Over 40 of us enjoyed an afternoon tea at the 1853 Restaurant.
There were savouries and sweets served on a three tier tower, as well as teas and coffees.
The afternoon tea included chicken satay, quiche, sausage roll, salmon sandwiches, chicken sandwiches and more. There were also fruit tartlets, scones, chocolate éclairs and cream cake. Everything was exquisite.
Thursday, 12 November – 6.00pm – 8.00pm – ACT UP at 40 Manchester Calendar Launch: A celebration of 40 years of resistance and collective power!
George House Trust, 75/77 Ardwick Green North, Manchester M12 6FX
In 2027, ‘AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power’ (ACT UP) turns 40. To mark four decades of radical HIV/AIDS activism, The George House Trust will launch the ACT UP at 40: Celebrating Resistance and Demanding Healthcare for All – Calendar 2027, bringing together previously unseen photographs and footage from ACT UP chapters around the world alongside daily reminders of protest.
We will have a short conversation with activists, photographers and filmmakers who documented and participated in the early years of ACT UP Manchester and a new generation of organisers to ask: What can ACT UP teach us now?
1 December – 6.00pm – Documentary film: United in Anger: A History of ACT-UP + Q&A
HOME Cinema, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN
World AIDS Day at HOME. Monica Pearl will be in conversation with Jim Hubbard, ACT UP New York, about his 2012 film.
United in Anger: A History of ACT UP documents the birth and life of ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) from the perspective of those in the trenches, who fought the epidemic, social indifference, government neglect, and corporate greed.
Using remarkably insightful interviews from the ACT UP Oral History Project, as well as rare archival footage that puts the audience on the ground with activists, United in Anger shows how a coalition of the committed, a small group of men and women of all races and classes, came together to change the world and save each other’s lives.
Capturing the profound grief, sexiness, and the incredible energy of ACT UP, United in Anger reveals the group’s complex culture – outlining the meetings, rallies, affinity groups and approaches to civil disobedience that affected a profound shift in government, healthcare policy and society at large.
£11.15 Full Price / £9.15 Concerssions / £7.95 Unwaged
Pension Credit Week of Action 12-16 October 2026
This year’s Pension Credit Week of Action aims to challenge some of the common misconceptions that stop people claiming Pension Credit. Many people mistakenly believe that owning a home, being employed, having savings or receiving a private pension automatically makes them ineligible. It doesn’t. As a result, many people of State Pension age who could be entitled to Pension Credit never make a claim.
Here are some of the common myths:
Own your home? You may still be eligible for Pension Credit. Home ownership is not taken into account when entitlement is calculated.
Have savings? You could still qualify if you have savings. The first £10,000 of savings is ignored. For every £500 of savings above £10,000, DWP assumes you have an extra £1 a week in income when calculating your Pension Credit entitlement.
Receive State Pension? Pension Credit is paid in addition to your State Pension and could provide extra financial support.
Think it happens automatically? Pension Credit is not paid automatically. People need to check their eligibility on GOV.UK and make a claim.
To find out more about Pension Credit and how to apply, visit: gov.uk/pension-credit
Pat Karney
Tributes are being paid to legendary Manchester politician Pat Karney who died at 78.
He served the city for almost half a century, having represented Harpurhey as a councillor since 1979.
Councillor Karney was proud of the role he played in standing up for gay rights and for people living with HIV.
That was especially so in the 1980s, when Manchester City Council fought against Clause 28 of the Local Government Act 1988, which was introduced by the Thatcher government.
The Queens Arms is a historic public house located on Green Lane in Patricroft, Eccles, Greater Manchester. Constructed in 1828, the building was purpose-built in anticipation of the Liverpool-Manchester Railway, which opened in 1830 as the world’s first intercity railway. The pub lays claim to being factually known as the Oldest Passenger Railway Pub in the World, serving excursion traffic from Manchester and becoming a key social hub for railway passengers.
In 1851 Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their children were on a visit to the area, and sailed to Liverpool before travelling by train to Patricroft where they got off at what was then the Patricroft Tavern. Rumour has it the Queen asked to use the facilities at the tavern, after which the royal family went by barge down the canal to stay with the Earl of Ellesmere at Worsley New Hall. After they left, the tavern was renamed the Queens Arms, in honour of the royal visit.
The Queens Arms was Grade-II listed in 1989 due to its range of architectural features, including Edwardian etched glass windows and doors, and fireplaces with Art Noveau surrounds inside.
Patricroft is a short train journey from Manchester and The Queen’s Arms is your local pub with a delicious twist. What truly sets them apart is their Izakaya-style menu – inspired by the casual bars of Japan. We enjoyed teppanyaki fried rice chicken, fried squid, vegetable tempura platter, pan fried gyoza, pork cutlet katsu and more.
We were given a warm welcome. The team prides itself on great service, quality food and making everyone feel at home. We will definitely return.
Gay rights demonstration, including members of the Gay Liberation Front, circa 1972. From London School of Economics Library via Wikimedia Commons.
Out and proud – the legacy of the Gay Liberation Front
The Gay Liberation Front (GLF) originated in America, with the famous Stonewall Riots on 27 June 1969. By 1970, the idea had been brought over to the London School of Economics and the first meeting was held in a basement with 19 people on 13 October 1970. Within a month, after leafleting and more meetings, the crowds of attendees grew.
The movement had grown to 200 attendees by November 1970, adding publications such as Gay News and Come Together and starting to hold ‘gay days’. Other branches of the GLF started popping up across the country, especially in Manchester and Brighton.
The GLF Manifesto was published in 1971. It had radical demands. The lengthy manifesto outlined 10 ways that gay people were oppressed, including in school, employment, the family, law, and self-oppression. Their aims were radical, wanting to abolish the family unit and cultural distinctions between men and women, aiming to end the sexist supremacy of the straight man. They shared a lot of solidarity with feminist movements and believed an end to straight male supremacy would benefit both women and the gay community. They wanted communal living and argued against reform, saying it would not go far enough.
The GLF never gained its demands, and the movement had splintered by 1973. Splits first appeared in 1971, with ideological disputes over socialist revolutionaries who put sexism and sexuality first, then radical lesbian feminists against male chauvinists and single issue gay civil rights men.
Just because the GLF split, did not mean everyone called it a day. New initiatives and new groups formed such as ‘Icebreakers’, a gay befriending network that allowed gay men to come out and learn about activism, and ‘Switchboard’, which still provides support to LGBT+ community over the phone today. In the early years of the AIDS crisis, Switchboard provided support before many joined a separate National AIDS helpline when the gravity of the crisis sunk in.
‘Gay News’ was formed in 1972, many publications followed and a gay publishing house was created; the Gay Men’s Press in 1979. Without the GLF, there would not have been such strong community support for people who were HIV positive at this time. By the 1980s, the organisations, support and activism of the GLF had created a foundation for the LGBT+ community to fight the AIDS crisis and in the 1990s many organisations such as Stonewall and Outrage had GLF activists involved and leading these newer groups.
Another legacy of the GLF is that some people have moved into non-gay organisations. Being out and proud, they felt they could do so again. The Sexual Offences Act was only passed in 1967, which legalised some (not all) homosexual acts – it had to be between two men, in private, consensual and over 21. At the time the GLF emerged, coming out was still very much a big deal. The GLF had made people feel more confident about coming out and being openly gay.
The GLF had been a radical organisation, calling for communal living and the abolition of family and stood up for the rights and opposed capitalism. In 1995 Pride, on the 25th anniversary of the founding of GLF, members spoke of how the gay liberation movement had been subverted into gay capitalism. Gay people had found their voices but had left the socialist ideas behind.
Making Gay HistoryPodcast
Making Gay History: Bringing LGBT+ history to life through the voices of the people who lived. You can explore the LGBT+ trailblazers and stories featured in the 100+ episodes here.
Since 2016 the Making Gay History podcast has been mining Eric Marcus’s decades-old audio archive of rare interviews – conducted for his award-winning oral history of the LGBT+ civil rights movement – to create intimate portraits of both known and long-forgotten champions, heroes and witnesses to history. In addition, they’ve also produced documentary series that explore milestone events and developments in LGBT+ history sourcing content from other archives. Explore the stories and people they’ve featured.
Black History Month 2026 in the UK runs throughout October 2026 with the national theme “Honouring Our Communities”, marking the 39th anniversary of the celebration in Britain.
Key Details & Focus:
Dates: 1 October to 31 October 2026
Theme: “Honouring Our Communities” (also highlighted as Honouring Black Britain), celebrating everyday individuals, local networks, educators, nurses, volunteers and artists who shape Britain.
Anniversary: Marks 39 years since Black History Month was first celebrated in the UK in October 1987.
Official Hub: Find educational materials, event listings and school resources on the Black History Month UK website.
The pianist Vesselin Stanev studied at the Music Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria, at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow and at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique in Paris.
He devotes particular attention to chamber music and we were treated to a concert of Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms and Franz Liszt.
Thanks for an excellent concert.
International Lesbian Day
This 8 October we celebrate International Lesbian Day (ILD), and in honour of our lesbian community members, we wish you a happy, proud and affirming ILD!
International Lesbian Day is a day for lesbians the world over to come together to celebrate lesbian history, diversity and culture. Recognised annually, the day gives an opportunity for women, families and friends to connect, celebrate and also raise awareness about the importance of community.
The exact beginnings are debated, but the concept traces back to Australia and New Zealand in the 1980s and 1990s. New Zealand roots are sometimes linked to a march on 8 March 1980 (International Women’s Day), which later shifted to 8 October to mirror that date, while Australia’s early prominent event took place in Melbourne in October 1990.
National Coming Out Day
National Coming Out Day is celebrated in October, taking place on 11 October 2026. Each year the event grows in popularity, with more and more people celebrating on the 11 of October. Make sure you mark this important day in your diary!
What is National Coming Out Day?
National Coming Out Day is an annual celebration for the LGBT+ community, supporting them in the disclosure of their sexuality or identification. The day allows hundreds of people to celebrate being a member of the LGBT+ community or to openly reveal to their friends, family or colleagues that they are LGBT+.
The day champions the idea that homophobia thrives in silence, and so thousands of members of the LGBT+ community and allies group together to abolish the silence.
When did National Coming Out Day start?
The origins of National Coming Out Day began with a march back in 1987, with 500,000 people participating to advocate Lesbian and Gay rights in Washington on 11 October 1987.
The march generated so much publicity that the advocacy continued, with two individuals, Rob Eichberg and Jean O’Leary, proposing the idea that National Coming Out Day would be celebrated annually. The first official observation of the day took place on the 11 October 1988 and has taken place each year since.
Why is National Coming Out Day important?
National Coming Out Day is important for many reasons, with the most important being that it provides a day of awareness and visibility for members of the LGBT community.
For many, the act of ‘coming out’ to family, friends and colleagues can be daunting. This day provides people with a day on which they can feel safe and accepted for their sexuality or identification, with other LGBT+ people rallying around them in support of their choices.
Many people do not feel as though they can ‘come out’ to those around them. Whether it be because they fear homophobia or they feel that their religion or culture does not align with their feelings, National Coming Out Day can give people the confidence to stop hiding their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Out On The Radio
Out on the Radio Show 11 is now available on Mixcloud.
Alan, Norman and Tony are chatting and playing tunes.
Playlist: Petula Clark – Downtown (Theme song) Hello Dolly by Louis Armstrong The Word Becomes Flesh by Boards of Canada Lom Vava by Jojo Abot Three Wheels on My Wagon by The New Christy Minstrels A Strange Presence by The Night Monitor Reparations For The Dead by Caribbean Issues I Was Born This Way by Valentino Wouldn’t It Be Loverly? By Audrey Hepburn Purged Holy by Tony Morris (ft Adam Morris) The Robbery of the Century by Macka B Manchester by Equiknoxx How Do You Do It by Gerry & The Pacemakers Everything is Beautiful by Ray Stevens.
Please also mark 13 December for the Xmas Carol service in Manchester.
Twenty-one of us went to see this two-hander play at 53two.
George and Lynda Sumner debate the meaning of life, the common bluebottle, sex tapes and the pros and cons of a KFC. But both are carrying a heartbreaking secret …
Terminal Two is a warm, life-affirming comedy drama about love, friendship, grief, life, death and coming out later in life. Expect laughs, tears and probably a renewed appreciation for your next delayed flight.
Anyway, I don’t want to spoil the ending as this was a well-acted play with a great script. If it comes to a town near you – go and see it. It is highly recommended.
Out on the Oche Out in the Oche, founded by professional darts referee and Stonewall ambassador, Huw Ware, are holding an exhibition night showcasing the top two transgender darts players in the world of darts.
Huw WareSamantha LewisNoa Lynn Van Leuven
Samantha Lewis was a regular on the World Darts Championship (WDC) and Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) women’s darts circuit before she was banned from competing.
Noa Lynn Van Leuven has been one of the top players on the PDC women’s tour for a number of years. She has made many TV appearances and recently achieved a televised 9 darter. Only the third female ever to achieve this. This year she was also banned from competing in women’s events.
This exhibition has been put together as a way to highlight the gender diversity within darts and to challenge decision-makers seeking to erase trans women from sport through regulation.
The event will be held on Saturday, 7 November at 7.00pm at the Greater Manchester Community Darts Hub, 55 The Parade, Swinton M27 4BD.
As this will be a first in darts globally we are delighted it will be hosted in Greater Manchester, and we would be keen to welcome people from local LGBTQ+ organisations to come and enjoy a night of darts.
There will be opportunities to meet the players and Huw, play social darts and network with members of the LGBTQ+ darts community.
Spaces are limited so please respond to me as soon as possible if you wish to join us.
Christmas Meal
We are celebrating the end of the year with a Christmas Meal at the 1853 Restaurant, 60 Great Ducie Street, Cheetham Hill, Manchester M3 1LT on Thursday, 10 December at 12.30pm and Friday, 11 December at 12.30pm.
The meal is free of charge, but to secure your place we require a £10 deposit. Please contact me for details if you wish to pay by online banking or pay cash next time you see me. Don’t forget to indicate which date you prefer.
The Missing Picture Survey
The Missing Picture is a joint research programme by Older Queer Voices and LGBT Great, exploring the experiences of LGBTQ+ people as we age.
LGBTQ+ people aged 50+ are at the heart of The Missing Picture, and we particularly want to hear from people in their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond.
Younger LGBTQ+ people aged 18+ are also invited to take part, helping us understand what has changed across generations, what has not, and how experiences of ageing may differ.
The findings will help build a stronger evidence base on LGBTQ+ ageing, strengthen advocacy and help influence future policy, practice, services and communities.
Now we need your voice.
If you are LGBTQ+ and aged 18+, take 10 to 15 minutes to complete the survey.
Have your say. Help build the evidence. Help reveal The Missing Picture.
The network has hundreds of members across Greater Manchester with things to say, experiences worth sharing and issues they want taken seriously. My Generation has a trained team of reporters from the region aged 50+ and years of experience giving older voices a platform.
Together, we can make sure that the views and experiences of older people in Greater Manchester actually get seen and heard on their new website, social media and the press.
