The front cover of OTN’s 2023 Impact Report, showing highlights of the year from across our network
Annual Report 2023
Every year, charities have to send a report to The Charity Commission to show that they’re doing everything they’re supposed to do, and not doing anything they’re not supposed to do.
Our full report for 2023 is available to all on the Charity Commission website. For our more colourful, dynamic Impact Report, read below or download the PDF version.
Click the link to jump to each section
Who we are
Map of Open Table communities, December 2023. To see the latest map, visit Our Communities page.
The Open Table Network [OTN] is a growing partnership of communities across England & Wales which genuinely welcome and affirm people who are:
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, & Asexual (LGBTQIA)
+ our families, friends & anyone who wants to belong in an accepting, loving community.
In 2021 we became a charity to sustain the extraordinary growth we have supported across the UK.
In 2023 we celebrated 15 years of the first Open Table community, which began in 2008, and eight years since we began to multiply into a network of communities in 2015.
By the end of 2023 we supported 35 communities across England and Wales, meeting regularly, led by LGBTQIA+ people and our allies.
What we do
The Open Table Network banner in the entrance of Heswall URC, which launched its Open Table community in June 2023.
We resource Open Table communities, churches, individuals, and the wider community, through signposting, training, events, materials and support, to foster understanding between people from diverse backgrounds, promote equality and celebrate diversity.
We maintain an online presence offering solidarity and signposting for LGBTQIA+ people, and raising awareness of the needs of LGBTQIA+ people in faith communities and wider society.
We work in partnership with other LGBTQIA+ affirming Christian organisations to share best practice and amplify marginalised voices.
We train and support Open Table community leaders to provide long-term unconditional welcome to LGBTQIA+ people, our families and friends.
Our communities are relieving mental and emotional distress, reducing social isolation and promoting mental, spiritual and physical well-being for LGBTQIA+ people who seek the potential well-being provided by a faith community but currently find no welcome, affirmation or tolerance in many faith communities.
Read more about how we are answering a great need.
We are building a network of mutually supportive communities hosted by inclusive churches for people who are LGBTQIA+ (the + indicates those who define their gender and / or sexuality in other ways).
Our growing network is reaching across the UK so more people can belong in a community where faith and LGBTQIA+ identities are explored and celebrated in safe, non-judgmental spaces.
We welcome LGBTQIA+ people whose experience of faith communities has been cold or hostile, leaving them isolated at times when they most need affirmation of love, worth and belonging.
Why we do it
OTN works to give LGBTQIA+ people what other people take for granted: a safe space in church if they want it.
“Utter relief at finding... a safe space with a welcoming, non-coercive group of people”
‘Those who are regulars often attend other churches (and are sometimes “out” and sometimes not) but come to be out at Open Table in a place of celebration and acceptance.’
‘Utter relief at finding... a safe space with a welcoming, non-coercive group of people, who allow them to express deeply personal issues around sexuality, gender, identity and belonging, without being judged, excluded, criticised, or controlled.’
‘Some have been deeply hurt psychologically by family, friends, colleagues, and other groups (including church groups) to which they have belonged, where they have been judged, excluded, criticised or controlled, because of who they are as LGBTQIA+ individuals.’
‘Some family members and friends have been able to express solidarity with or grown in their understanding of those they love.’
Open Table community members said:
‘The [gatherings] I have attended have felt so sacred and full of fellowship - and the liturgy is different, and magnificent, because it is inclusive and queer-centred.’
‘Thank you so much for a safe sanctuary where I can be myself.’
‘It is one of the most important church events each month’
“Prior to coming here, I don’t think I had realised the value of a church that is queer affirming, not just one that isn’t actively homophobic.”
‘The only place I feel truly accepted, valued, and able to come to God just as I am, with no fear of recrimination or judgement.’
‘To be able to come to church without being conscious to hide aspects of myself or feeling that not doing so is a statement has only been a positive for my relationship with God.’
‘Prior to coming here, I don’t think I had realised the value of a church that is queer affirming, not just one that isn’t actively homophobic.’
Read more about our impact.
We are growing
We know that these communities are needed, as demand for them continues to grow:
In 2023 we had a 31% increase in monthly contacts, with about 2% new to Open Table.
We supported 31 communities, including one which relaunched under new leadership.
We helped three communities which struggled to meet regularly to be more sustainable, including training and equipping new leaders.
When two communities closed we began conversations with potential new leaders who may revive them in future.
We also launched six new communities, bringing the number of active communities to 35.
One new community meets in an LGBT+ community centre - this is the first time an Open Table community has been hosted outside a church building.
Two new communities are in south-west England. OTN had no communities here until September 2022. Now there are four.
We also have our first community in south Wales, in Cardiff.
Another community is increasing the presence and reach of Open Table across Greater London.
We have another new community in Merseyside, bringing the total in the region where OTN began to seven.
We also supported 35 other churches to explore hosting an Open Table community. We hosted eight consultations, involving around 200 people in conversations about how to create communities that genuinely invite belonging and full participation
for LGBTQIA+ people.
Feedback from a community consultation:
‘What kind of experience do we want to create?’
Six new communities launched in 2023:
Open Table community leaders and volunteers told us:
‘it is a really welcome ministry and has helped people get back to church having had bad experiences in other churches, or not having set foot in church in a long time.’
Launch of Open Table @ Bromley URC, London. February 2023
Launch of Open Table @ Equity Centre, Bradford, March 2023
Launch of Open Table @ Heswall URC, Wirral, June 2023
Launch of Open Table @ All Saints Church, Cyncoed, Cardiff, July 2023
Launch of Open Table @ Southernhay URC, Exeter, September 2023
Launch of Open Table @ Mutley Baptist Church, Plymouth, November 2023.
We are trusted
Photo: cottonbro studio, Pexels
Our partners said:
‘Open Table demonstrates what being inclusive really means, it has grown to be a powerful symbol of inclusion to the wider church.’
- Bob Callaghan, former National Co-ordinator, Inclusive Church
‘It warms our hearts and gives us hope to know that (OTN) has such a strong presence and is growing; offering spaces of community, of safety, healing and love for so many.’
– Gerard Swan, Chair, Quest, charity for LGBT+ Catholics
‘It is… wonderful to be able to signpost those who have been so injured by the church to safe sanctuaries where you know they will receive a Christ-filled welcome.’
– Leader of spiritual directors’ training course, C of E Diocese of Liverpool
'I am grateful that in our diocese we have been at the forefront of inclusion through the work and ministry of the Open Table Network which has provided a safe, welcoming, inclusive, healing place of encounter with the living God.'
- Rt Revd Beverley Mason, Bishop of Warrington
Read more about our partnerships
In 2023 we:
joined 60+ UK organisations in the Ban Conversion Therapy Coalition calling on the UK Government to completely ban practices which seek to change people’s gender identity or sexual orientation, to protect LGBTQIA+ people from psychological and spiritual abuse.
hosted 130 people at a fringe meeting of the Church of England’s governing body, General Synod, (more than ¼ of its membership)
supported the Community of the Cross of Nails, an international reconciliation movement, to share stories of exclusion from Open Table members, and why inclusive language matters.
shared resources for LGBT+ History Month with the Joint Public Issues Team (a partnership between the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church).
took part in a memorial service to commemorate LGBTQIA+ people who have lost their lives to suicide and experienced harm.
contributed to a resource on how to be a good Christian ally in partnership with the Student Christian Movement & OneBodyOneFaith.
PLUS:
Two members of the United Reformed Church [URC]’s Equalities Committee who support local Open Table communities proposed a resolution to recognise the inherent worth of people with diverse gender identities, at the annual meeting of the URC’s governing body, General Assembly. Following this resolution, members of the URC Youth Executive sought OTN’s advice on creating a resource to educate people in the URC on the implications of the above resolution.
We influence
LGBT+ retreat weekend at St Beuno’s Spirituality Centre, November 2023
“This was the most inclusive and
safest space I have ever experienced. Radical inclusivity!”
OTN also worked with:
churches in five traditions (Baptist, Church in Wales, Church of England, Methodist, URC), including two cathedrals
regional police chaplains
a national emergency food aid charity
trainee spiritual directors
a spirituality centre to co-host a retreat weekend.
OTN also took part in:
a panel discussion on a play exploring conversion therapy.
a webinar on safeguarding LGBT+ people in the Methodist Church.
multiple media interviews.
recruitment of research participants.
an art exhibition touring UK churches to promote equality, diversity and inclusion.
a vigil to commemorate murdered trans teenager Brianna Ghey.
We resource
Following a successful pilot in north-west England in 2022, OTN secured funding to offer hospitality training to volunteers from across the network in the south of England in 2024. This will share good practice that will help these communities fulfil OTN’s vision, mission, and values.
OTN also hosted a national gathering on the theme More Than Equal, which 46 people attended. They said:
‘Spending a day in an affirming space with other LGBTQIA+ people and allies is basically the dream!’
‘LGBTQIA+ people have much to offer but have largely been marginalised. We deserve extra care and support so we can flourish.’
Our trustees are responsible for thinking through and putting into practice plans to develop the Open Table Network.
At our 2023 AGM, our trustees were:
Revd Anne Bennett
Revd Dr Augustine Tanner-Ihm
Revd Lucy Berry
Liam Greenbank
Neil Rees, who was elected Secretary to the Trustees.
and our Co-Chairs:
Revd Dr Alex Clare-Young
Sarah Hobbs
PLUS we were joined by:
Revd Andrew Howorth
Roo Stewart
Peter Jones
Revd Rosemary Hill.
The OTN website offers information to the whole of society. It aims to give any interested party (welcoming, curious, cautious, or currently hostile) a chance to better understand LGBTQIA+ people.
Our website’s average monthly visits have increased by 5%, email contacts by 28%, and subscribers to our monthly e-newsletter by 32%.
In July 2023, the OTN blog came third in the FeedSpot Best Christian LGBTQ Blogs and Websites ‘ranked by traffic, social media followers & freshness’. In August 2023, OTN launched ‘This is my story’, an occasional podcast series of short devotions, based around the Bible, the experiences of Open Table members, reflection and prayer.
On social media, Instagram engagement has increased by 7%, while engagement on other platforms has declined. We are considering ways we might respond to this trend (e.g. seeking an alternative to Twitter / X in 2024).
Regional conversations at the OTN national gathering hosted by the Open Table Cambridge community, June 2023.
We are online
OTN’s blog was ranked #3 Best Christian LGBTQ blog in July 2023
Our trustees
Our new trustees in 2023
We said thanks and farewell to Revd Lucy Berry, who helped OTN clearly communicate why creating and sustaining safer spaces for LGBTQIA+ people in our churches matters, and Revd Dr Augustine Tanner-Ihm, who stepped down to join the leadership of a new LGBT+ Christian outreach in Manchester.
Meet our team
If you’re interested in finding out about becoming a trustee, please contact our Director Kieran: network@opentable.lgbt.
Our volunteers
Volunteering with and for marginalised communities is a real asset to our work.
We hugely valued the contributions of 316 volunteers across 35 communities in 2023.
39% (124) were new to volunteering with OTN.
Our volunteers gave around 8,778 hours a month in 2023 - an increase of 37% on 2022.
In 2023, we secured additional funding to resource volunteer training.
In 2023 our income was £43,831, and our expenditure was £43,559.
OTN continued to support significant growth, not yet matched by the resources to sustain it for the long term.
OTN is working hard to grow contributions from individuals, communities, and inclusive churches. We have also begun to sell merchandise through an online shop, and attract more diverse funders.
In March 2023, OTN secured its first large grant (£50,000 over three years), from the URC, which will support the charity’s core work while fundraising continues. This grant has enabled OTN to secure the employment status of its Coordinator, with the new title of Director to represent the way the charity’s lead role has evolved. The URC also offered practical support, including low-cost office space.
By the end of 2023, OTN had received £7,210 in donations, £2,000 more than in 2022.
We aim to significantly grow regular donations, to increase OTN’s financial security, and further develop our mission to welcome, include, affirm and empower LGBTQIA+ people so they can belong as themselves.
Here's how you can support us.
How we're funded
Open Table community volunteers from across Merseyside led a Post-Pride celebration at Liverpool Cathedral in July 2023.
Full accounts available on the Charity Commission website, or contact us.
Reaching further
Although OTN is not an international charity, the substantial growth in enquiries from beyond England and Wales in 2022 was sustained in 2023.
There were 24 enquiries, consistent with 2022, peaking at 7 in one month.
Nine came from Uganda, where LGBT+ people are criminalised and may face the death penalty.
We also had one enquiry each from:
Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland,
PLUS:
Algeria, Canada, Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Pakistan, Portugal, South Sudan, and Zambia.
Two individuals declined to share their country of residence.
In 2021, we asked Open Table community members and leaders, and our trustees, to imagine what OTN could be like in 2024.
Some of these dreams have already been surpassed:
34-35 communities established (we currently have 37);
the geographical spread means Open Tables are far more accessible;
Open Table is more authentically ecumenical.
But some dreams that were shared are still out of reach:
we are not yet self-sustaining financially;
Open Table is still not widely known within LGBTQIA+ networks, whether Christian or secular.
We want to dream big for the next few years.
In a rapidly changing world, LGBTQIA+ people, and LGBTQIA+ Christians in particular, are still facing victimisation and lack of acceptance, and potential moves from government to silence trans and non-binary people in the UK.
The challenge for Open Table communities maintain a witness of love and welcome to all who seek it has never been more significant or important.
OTN Secretary Neil Rees led prayers of solidarity for our LGBTQIA+ siblings worldwide at our National Gathering in June 2023.
OTN’s Secretary to the trustee board, who is experienced in international development, has continued to respond to these enquirers by offering support via email and signposting to local allies.
Imagining our future
The cover of the report Open Table Network: Research and Case for Support 2021 by Simon Pickering and Civil Society Consulting CIC.
Photos
These photos from across the Open Table Network in 2023 appear in the OTN Annual Report:
A rainbow birthday cake for the 15th birthday of the first Open Table community in Liverpool.
David from Nigeria (right) with Open Table Network Director Kieran (left). In Jube 2023 David shared how he found a new home in the UK and in the church with support from Open Table communities.
Evaluation of OTN's 2023 national gathering in craft. A fabric square with a rainbow house below the words Safe Space, and above the words 'inclusion... wellbeing'. A handwritten message has been attached to the house with a needle and thread: 'Thank you to all who were involved in making yesterday's Open Table meeting a lovely (productive) day with friends 🙂.
Bishop of Dover Right Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin celebrated with the Open Table Canterbury community in September 2023.
An image of a priest in vestments celebrating a communion service on an altar draped with a rainbow flag, thanks to Open Table Ormskirk.
'Nativity Tancred' painting by Elizabeth Gray-King at the Open To All art exhibition hosted by Open Table Salford in December 2023.
The Open Table community in Ormskirk, July 2023.
The Open Table community in Warrington at a vigil for murdered trans teenager Brianna Ghey in February 2023.
OTN Co-Chair Revd Dr Alex Clare-Young speaking about why trans theology matters, hosted by Open Table in Liverpool, November 2023.
Screenshot from the video message by OTN Patron and former Bishop of Liverpool Right Revd Paul Bayes for OTN's national gathering in June 2023. Subtitle caption says ‘for delight and courage’.
The Open Table community in Colchester, January 2023.
Open Table member and newly ordained pritest Revd Cate Jacobs celebrating communion for the 15th birthday of the Open Table Liverpool community, June 2023.
