TODAY marks the first anniversary of the Open Table Network Coordinator taking on the role full-time.

Thanks to a grant of £15,570 from the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, distributed by The National Lottery Community Fund, our Co-ordinator Kieran Bohan began a six-month contract on 1st October 2021 to help our communities respond to the crisis, and raise our online presence to reach more isolated LGBTQIA+ folk.

This was the Open Table Network’s first major funding bid, which enabled us to increase peer support we offer to LGBTQIA+ Christians, to support our communities with their online outreach, and enable emerging communities to join the Network more easily.

Our Coordinator also secured a further £7500 from the Allchurches Trust Hope Beyond grant scheme, and £2000 from the LGBT Consortium Intersections Fund, plus one-off and regular donations from several supporters. This enabled him to extend this programme of development for the Open Table Network for the rest of the year.

During the last 12 months, we:

• became a charity

• supported two new communities to begin meeting in person and online despite lockdown restrictions (Reading & Northallerton)

• guided churches through joining the Network - three communities are launching in October 2021 (Guildford & South Manchester, plus the relaunch of St Helens).

• built this website to offer resources for our members and friends, including personal stories, safeguarding guidance, and regular blog posts reflecting the diversity of issues and experiences we face across and beyond our Network.

• reached almost 30,000 people between October 2020 and March 2021 (figures for the full 12 months are not yet available).

• surveyed our members and volunteers and published this research which showed how being part of an Open Table community is having a huge impact.

• published seven worship services, including British Sign Language and captions, to make inclusive worship accessible to more people. These are still available on our YouTube channel.

• hosted webinars with our Patrons, Coordinator, and Co-Chairs, PLUS an interview with It’s A Sin actor and HIV activist Nathaniel Hall, and a discussion between Methodists Barbara Glasson and Mark Rowland on the recent Methodist Conference votes for same-sex marriage and inclusive language, and against conversion therapy.

• published responses to the Church of England’s Living In Love & Faith resources on identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage, the Vatican’s statement that blessing same-sex relationships is ‘illicit’, and the UK Government’s consultation on banning conversion therapy.

• gave media interviews, including BBC local radio stations across England, and the United Reformed Church’s Reform magazine,

• took part in online partnerships with other LGBT+ Christian organisations, including SpaceToBe reflective gatherings, the Gathering Voices conference, and Stories with Solidarity, a powerful story-telling event for International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia & Transphobia in May.

• committed to working in partnership with other Christian organisations to ‘proactively seek opportunities to work together to challenge inequality, pursue justice, and provide teaching and resources, for the good of the Kingdom of God’.

OTN Coordinator Kieran Bohan said:

It’s been an extraordinary year - on behalf of the trustees of the Open Table Network, we’re grateful to all our members, volunteers, supporters, donors and funders who have made all this - and more - possible. Thank you!