Founding Cara-Friend Panel Discussion

To complement the Founding Cara-Friend exhibition, which celebrates the legacy of Northern Ireland’s oldest LGBTQIA+ charity, join us for an informal lunchtime panel discussion about the experiences of the volunteers whose courage created a lifeline for thousands of gay, lesbian, bi and trans people during some of the darkest days of the Troubles.

In discussion will be Brian Gilmore, Heather Fleming and Richard Kennedy, volunteer activists who helped set up Cara-Friend’s services, including letter-writing, telephone helpline and befriending support both pre- and post-decriminalisation of homosexuality. The panel will be joined by Dr Molly Merryman from Kent State University, who has been interviewing Cara-Friend volunteers about their past experiences as part of the exhibition.