We provide a range of services for the lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) community. These begin with our award-winning telephone helpline which provides much needed support and information.

This phenomenal service was extended with the launch of queery.org.uk, a public access search facility that enables anyone to look for support or services catering to the LGB community.

We have recently formed a new and exciting partnership with the charity Broken Rainbow. This partnership allows specially trained LLGS volunteers to provide a dedicated support and information line for people experiencing domestic violence in same-sex relationships.

Our services received two prestigious awards in 2007; the Queens Award for Voluntary Services 2007 and the Barclays / Stonewall, Community Group of the Year.

You can call us between 10am and 11pm any day of the week, 365 days a year to talk to a fully trained volunteer who will be helpful, friendly and supportive. Operated entirely by lesbian, gay and bisexual volunteers, we offer support and information to any caller on any subject to do with sexuality.

You might need specific information where's the nearest gay bar? How to find a gay friendly solicitor or you may want to talk through something that has been on your mind such as: -

Coming out? – Call us if you want to talk about your feelings; are frightened, confused or isolated. Falling in or out of love. Coming to terms with your sexuality, or feelings for a classmate or workmate .

Going out? – Find out where to go; bars, clubs, saunas, social and sports groups or support groups etc – we have comprehensive London listings as well as most of the regional options.

Staying in! – You can ask us anything you like about sex; wanting sex, having sex, safer sex, sexual health and where to go if you have an itch or a sore. Perhaps you're worried about HIV and AIDS - we'll tell you what the risks are and what precautions you can take

Our volunteers will listen, without judging and offer signposting to other relevant organisations or sources of information that may be of help.

You don't have to be lesbian, gay or bisexual to call us, perhaps you have questions or concerns about your child, or your parent, or you may even want to talk about your friend, partner or spouse.

Oh by the way – this is what we won't do:

• We won't tell you what to do
• We won't judge you
• We won't tell anyone else about your call.
  

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Our comprehensive database, collected over the years and continually updated by our volunteers, is available for you to search whenever you need it at queery.org.uk

Maybe you need information about a local lesbian or gay venue, or you need to find a gay friendly solicitor, or maybe the address of your local Sexual Health clinic, or you may just want to know the date of your local Pride.

Queery.org.uk provides the answers to all of these questions including listings of forthcoming LGBT events, a comprehensive list of venues around London and the UK, detailed information on other LGBT organisations and agencies as well as contact details for many gay friendly companies.

If something needs updating or if you cannot find the information that you need then please call the helpline to let us know.

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In December 2007 we formed a pioneering partnership with Broken Rainbow; the LGBT domestic violence charity. We have launched a new helpline service dedicated to providing support to people in same sex relationships who are experiencing domestic violence.

The Broken Rainbow Helpline number is: 08452 60 44 60.

What is domestic violence?
‘Domestic violence' is a general term to describe a range of behaviour often used by one person to control and dominate another with whom they have, or have had, a close or family relationship and in which the abuser operates from a position of perceived power.

It includes forms of violent and controlling behaviour such as: physical assault, sexual abuse, rape, threats and intimidation, harassment, humiliating and controlling behaviour , withholding of finances, economic manipulation, deprivation, isolation, belittling and constant unreasonable criticism.

Why have we set up a separate helpline?
People who are experiencing domestic violence can still call the standard LLGS helpline and receive the high standard of support that our volunteers provide. However domestic violence can be a complex issue, and volunteers answering calls on the Broken Rainbow helpline have undergone additional training on the subject of domestic violence.

Therefore by setting up a separate help line we are able to ensure that the volunteer who answers calls to the Broken Rainbow Helpline will be able to provide relevant and appropriate support to people experiencing domestic violence.

When does it operate ?
Opening times

Mondays & Thursdays 2pm - 8pm
Wednesdays 10am - 1pm

The Broken Rainbow Helpline number is: 08452 60 44 60

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Sexual health is an important issue for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, men who have sex with men (MsM ) and women who have sex with women (WsW ). Much of the limited sexual health education provided in schools and most public health campaigns focus on people who are straight (heterosexuals).

Yet gay and bisexual men are one of the groups most affected by the sexual transmission of HIV in the UK. Lesbians and bisexual women need to access the same high quality health services as other women but they may be less likely to access them because of concerns about coming out to health care providers.

In the 1980s, we were the leading source of information on the then new and unknown disease HIV/AIDS. London Lesbian & Gay Switchboard volunteers went on to set some of the up the UK's leading HIV charities, such as THT and NAM.

We continue to provide information and support around sexual health to all callers, regardless of gender or the reason for their call. Our confidential one-to-one service provides callers with the environment to ask questions that they may not feel comfortable asking a medical or sexual health professional face to face.

We are always very happy to talk about sexual health or HIV, so if you have questions or would like to discuss any of these issues please call us in confidence on 020 7837 7324 . Or visit queery.org.uk which contains links to web sites that provide sexual health information.

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If you have experienced or know of any anti-LGBT hate crime or incident but do not feel able to report this directly to the police LLGS provides a Hate Crime Reporting Service in partnership with GALOP (London's LGBT Community Safety Charity).

The service enables people who have experienced, witnessed or know of a hate crime incident in the greater London area to report it to our volunteers. We can report the information you tell us to the Police on your behalf; whilst keeping your details confidential and, if you wish, you can remain anonymous Additionally details of the incident are shared with GALOP, to help them identify patterns in hate crime activity and campaign for a better understanding of hate crime. If you would rather report an incident online you may do so by clicking here.