WHAT DIFFERENCE does an Open Table community make? Our new short film hears from people across our national network about the safety, belonging and freedom to be themselves they have found – and what would be missing if those spaces didn't exist.

‍OTN congratulates Revd Andrew Howorth on his licensing as LGBTQIA+ Chaplain for the Diocese of Leeds. ‍Andrew, who stepped down as Co-Chair and trustee of Open Table Network at the charity's AGM in April after three years of service, was licensed in June to his new role by the Rt Revd Toby Howarth. The appointment comes alongside his continuing ministry leading the Open Table Bradford community.

FIVE YEARS after our first independent research into the impact of Open Table, we're delighted to publish our new Research & Case for Support 2026. The research paints a powerful picture of a growing network that continues to transform lives through welcome, belonging and inclusive Christian community.

THE OPEN TABLE NETWORK (OTN) has launched an urgent Crowdfunder to raise £16,000 after the charity was unable to secure new funding to replace a three-year national church grant that came to an end in March.

OPEN TABLE marked its 18th birthday on Sunday 21 June as around 85 people gathered at St Bride's Church, Liverpool, and online to celebrate the growth of the movement from a single community into a network of communities across England and Wales. Representatives from around a quarter of those communities joined the celebrations, alongside people from churches interested in exploring the possibility of hosting an Open Table community in their own context.

OUR NEWLY PUBLISHED 2025 Annual Report tells the story of how OTN continues to offer belonging, hope, and safer sacred spaces for LGBTQIA+ people seeking a spiritual home. Across England and Wales, Open Table communities offer genuinely inclusive, affirming welcome for LGBTQIA+ people, their families and friends to ‘come as you are’, as OTN’s slogan says.

JUNE 1st-7th is Volunteers’ Week - a chance to recognise the fantastic contribution volunteers make to our communities and say thank you. The Open Table Network wouldn’t - and couldn’t - exist without the volunteers who give energy, time and talents.

AT OUR AGM on Saturday 25th April 2025 we welcomed two new trustee to our board. Our trustees are responsible for thinking through and putting into practice plans which will develop the Open Table Network (OTN).

The Open Table Network (OTN) stands unequivocally with trans, non-binary and intersex people in response to the UK Government laying the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)’s updated draft Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations before Parliament this month. The draft Code was laid in Parliament on 21st May 2026 but has not yet commenced and does not currently have the force of law.

THE SECOND community in the Open Table Network (OTN) has relaunched with gratitude for all that has gone before, and hope for what is still to come.

FIVE YEARS AGO, the Charity Commission said ‘yes’ to a partnership of LGBT+ affirming Christian communities. What had already been growing organically - support for communities offering welcome, belonging and spirituality for LGBTQIA+ people - was given a new foundation, a new level of recognition, and new possibilities for the future. We’re taking a moment to pause, to give thanks, and to reflect on what that ‘yes’ has made possible.

FEBRUARY is LGBT+ History Month, an annual celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and non-binary history. The Methodist Church in Britain has published resources for this month since 2022. This year they asked a minister who could tell the story of a church that had walked the sometimes difficult journey to becoming truly inclusive and hosting an Open Table community.

2025 was a landmark year for the Open Table Network. With five new communities, our network now stretches across more of the UK than ever before. From Haverfordwest to Canterbury, Sunderland to Weymouth, our network now spans around 300 miles from west to east and north to south.

The Open Table Network is a proud member of the Ban Conversion Practices Coalition, and we’re calling on the Prime Minister to finally follow through on his Government’s manifesto commitment to ban harmful conversion practices.

The Open Table Network (OTN) is celebrating a record-breaking fundraising milestone thanks to the Big Give Christmas Challenge. OTN raised an incredible £11,785 in just seven days, exceeding its £10,000 target and doubling the impact donations will have in 2026.

We’re delighted to introduce Sarah Elizabeth Jones, who supports the Open Table Network on a freelance basis as our Funding and Governance Advisor. Sarah brings a wealth of experience from a lifetime of working with and within the voluntary sector.

The Open Table Network welcomes treasurer Natasha Gonsalves, guiding our charity’s finances to grow inclusive, affirming faith communities across the UK.

NOVEMBER 3rd-7th is Trustees’ Week - a time to celebrate the time, commitment and effort our charity trustees make to the Open Table Network. At our trustee meeting on Saturday 19th July 2025 we welcomed a new trustee to our board - and we still have room for two more!

ARE YOU a member of an Open Table community? If so, we’d really appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to complete a short survey about what your Open Table community and the Open Table Network mean for you.

WE’RE THRILLED to share that the Open Table Network [OTN] has secured the support of a Charity Champion funder for this year’s Big Give Christmas Challenge, the UK’s biggest match-funding campaign!  That means every donation you make during the campaign will be doubled, helping us reach even more LGBTQIA+ communities. Here’s how you can help.