Teach Solais, the LGBTQ+ resource centre for AMACH! LGBT+ Galway has launched an ambitious campaign, #SaveOurTeachSolais after they were forced in late August this year to close its doors “due in part to COVID-19 but mainly due to the lack of a sustainable funding stream affecting our capacity to manage the work we are doing.”
Despite the significant setbacks, the organisers never stopped hoping to secure a forever home and so this expression of interest in the vacant Salthill property to Galway City Council is an exciting development.
The Galway Advertiser reports that the former Tourist office has ‘lain idle for almost a decade’
Cllr Donal Lyons explained to the Advertiser that ‘Any proposal should benefit Salthill, the community on the west of the city, and have a positive impact on the economic, tourism and community benefit of Galway’
We have some exciting news this evening! As you know, back in August, we were forced to announce the closure of our location on Victoria Place, the former home of Teach Solais. Since then, we have continued to provide an online meeting place for the community over zoom. (thread) pic.twitter.com/VSp2gTGk9l
— Teach Solais (@TeachSolaisLGBT) November 5, 2020
Teach Solais has been reaching out to community groups who used the resource centre at its former location to ask them to offer their support and emphasize the importance of this kind of resource for the LGBTQ+ community in Galway and are reporting lots of positive responses so far.
They continue on their Twitter thread, “We want to extend an invitation to others to share their thoughts with us! We are asking people to post their memories, stories and photos across social media and share with us why securing a forever home for Teach Solais is important to you using the hashtag, #SaveOurTeachSolais”
Teach Solais provides supports essential to the welfare of local LGBTQ+ people – its health and wellbeing services include the Galway branch of the national LGBTQ+ Helpline, mental health talks and panel discussions, peer support groups such as trans group GOSSIP, and free HIV testing by AIDS West.
It also provided an invaluable social outlet for the queer community, with meditation sessions, yoga classes, a book club, photography, creative writing, and sporting activities including a running club and soccer team.
© 2020 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
Support GCN
GCN has been a vital, free-of-charge information service for Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community since 1988.
During this global COVID pandemic, we like many other organisations have been impacted greatly in the way we can do business and produce. This means a temporary pause to our print publication and live events and so now more than ever we need your help to continue providing this community resource digitally.
GCN is a registered charity with a not-for-profit business model and we need your support. If you value having an independent LGBTQ+ media in Ireland, you can help from as little as €1.99 per month. Support Ireland’s free, independent LGBTQ+ media.
comments. Please sign in to comment.