Seaside trips and ice hockey with Rainbow Friends

Rainbow Friends is a vibrant and friendly group for LGBT+ people over the age of 50, and recent events have included trips to the seaside and a memorable day with Telford Tigers Ice Hockey team.

‘The Telford Tigers connection came about because Telford Tigers themselves decided they wanted to support an LGBT+ charity and so we benefited from their kindness and generosity,’ said Paul, the Rainbow Friends treasurer.

‘They kindly presented our club with £500. We went along to see the ice hockey and I was invited onto the ice to have my photograph taken with the players. They said would I like to join the players for a photo. Well, of course I’m going to! I’m almost 70 years of age and registered blind. These opportunities don’t come along every day!’

Melanie, the group's secretary, said: ‘We’re also delighted that the female team at Telford Tigers, an amateur team, have also nominated us as their charity and are keen to support us.’

Rainbow Friends sits under the umbrella of local charity Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin, and meet monthly at Palmer’s of Shrewsbury, providing a safe and comfortable space for older LGBT+ people, underpinned by a social network and mutual support.

Paul said that other recent events had included a trip to Aberystwyth, ‘ice creams and a walk along the prom, very nice’ and a day out in Porthmadog.

Formed in the summer of 2023, Rainbow Friends grew out of SAND (Safe Aging No Discrimination), a community organisation whose goal is to improve the experiences and increase the expectations of LGBT+ people as they age in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.

If you’d like to find out more about Shropshire Senior Rainbow Friends, call Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin on 01743 233 123 or email the group direct at ssrainbowf@hotmail.com