Kaleidoscope Trust

Kaleidoscope Trust
Formation13 September 2011; 13 years ago (2011-09-13)[1]
Legal statusNon-profit organisation
PurposeLGBT+ rights
HeadquartersLondon, EC2A
United Kingdom
Region served
Director
Alex Farrow
WebsiteKaleidoscope Trust

Kaleidoscope Trust is a nonprofit organisation that campaigns for the human rights of LGBT+ people around the world. Its mission is to help create a world where LGBT+ people are free, safe and equal everywhere.[2] The Rt Hon. the Lord Fowler is President of the Trust, and Simon Millson is the current Chair of the Trust Board.[3]

History

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Kaleidoscope Trust was founded in 2011, and launched with a reception held by then Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow MP. Kaleidoscope Trust has received support from former Prime Minister David Cameron, former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, and former Leader of the Opposition Ed Miliband. Elton John and George Michael were also supporters. Its current patrons are champion diver and TV personality Tom Daley; screenwriter, director and producer Dustin Lance Black; model and activist Munroe Bergdorf; fashion designer and stylist Kyle De'Volle; and former professional swimmer and media personality Michael Gunning. [4][5][1][6]

Phyll Opoku-Gyimah joined Kaleidoscope Trust as Executive Director in August 2019.[7] Opoku-Gyimah made history when she became the first black woman to head a leading LGBT+ organisation in the UK.[8] A community builder and organiser, with strong ties to emergent LGBT+ movements around the world, Opoku-Gyimah is also the co-founder and executive director of UK Black Pride, dedicated to promoting "unity and co-operation among all Black people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Latin American descent, as well as their friends and families, who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender." Opoku-Gyimah stepped down in December 2023 to take up the role of CEO at UK Black Pride.[9]

In June 2024, Alex Farrow was appointed CEO of Kaleidoscope Trust.[10]

Kaleidoscope Trust solicits public donations and receives funding from the UK, Canadian and Australian governments for its work in the Commonwealth.[11][12][13]

Activities

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The organisation works with existing groups campaigning for LGBT+ groups in other countries by using international lobbying in order to better enable groups to achieve their aims.[14] It is based in the UK, which places it ideally for campaigning for LGBT rights across all the Commonwealth countries,[2] where (as at 2023) 32 of 54 states criminalise homosexual activity.[15]

In March 2012, Kaleidoscope Trust was announced as the Official Charity Partner for World Pride 2012.[16]

In 2018, Kaleidoscope Trust was instrumental in persuading then British Prime Minister Theresa May to express "deep regret" for the colonial-era laws that criminalise LGBT+ people.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b Jessica Geen, Speaker Launches New Gay Rights Group Kaleidoscope, Pink News, 14 September 2011
  2. ^ a b About The Kaleidoscope Trust Accessed 13 January 2023
  3. ^ Kaleidoscope's team (about us) Archived 30 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine kaleidoscopetrust.com, Accessed 13 January 2023
  4. ^ Jessica Geen, David Cameron Backs new International Gay Rights Charity, Pink News, 12 September 2011
  5. ^ Oliver Wright, Elton John Tells World Leaders: Stop Anti-Gay Discrimination, The Independent, 12 September 2011
  6. ^ "Five high profile patrons join Kaleidoscope Trust". www.kaleidoscopetrust.com. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Phyll Opoku-Gyimah Appointed Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Trust". Kaleidoscope Trust. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  8. ^ "Lady Phyll makes history | The Voice Online". archive.voice-online.co.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Phyll Opoku-Gyimah steps down from leadership of Kaleidoscope Trust". 16 November 2023.
  10. ^ "Kaleidoscope Trust welcomes new CEO". 26 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Kaleidoscope Trust – Freedom, Safety and Equality for LGBT+ People – Get Involved". www.kaleidoscopetrust.com. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Kaleidoscope Trust joins new consortium to lead UK Government-funded £12 million programme to promote LGBT+ inclusion across Africa" (PDF). Kaleidoscope Trust. 29 March 2019. Archived from the original on 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  13. ^ "Changing Hearts and Minds in Commonwealth Africa". Kaleidoscope Trust. 15 July 2022. Archived from the original on 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  14. ^ Saeed Kamali Dehghan, Africa and Middle East in spotlight as group launched to tackle homophobia, The Guardian, 12 September 2011
  15. ^ Numbers of states quoted from The Commonwealth Equality Network (TCEN) at commonwealthequality.org Accessed 11 September 2017
  16. ^ Kaleidoscope Trust selected as charity partner for World Pride 2012, kaleidoscopetrust.com, 8 March 2012
  17. ^ "Kaleidoscope Trust – Freedom, Safety and Equality for LGBT+ People – Our History". www.kaleidoscopetrust.com. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
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