Sept 1989

Formed as Gloucestershire Friend and began a six month period of set up, fundraising and volunteer training.

March 1990
Telephone Helpline and Face to Face support services opened.

June 1990
Affiliated to National Friend Ltd, an umbrella support organisation and registered charity (now disbanded).

October 1994
Organised and hosted the National Friend Conference. Sir Ian McKellen became our patron.

April 1997
Name changed to Gay and Lesbian Friend Helpline (Gloucestershire) to better reflect our work at the time.

January 1998
Launched our website and an email Helpline service. Thought to be the first LGB and T support group in the UK to offer direct email support.

April 2000
Joined the Consortium of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender voluntary and community organisations.

May 2005
Successful Big Lottery bid announced for Development and Rural Outreach Workers.

August 2005
Two year Big Lottery funding commenced.

September 2005
Name changed to GAY GLOS with the strapline “supporting LGBT people, their families and friends”.
This reflected a broader range of services and removed the old link to National Friend Ltd.
Domain name simplified to Gay Glos.

February 2006
First Rural Friendship Groups launched.

February 2010
Website revamped to improve accessibility and meet Disability Discrimination Act requirements.
News content moved to a dedicated page.

April 2010
Rural Friendship Groups brought together into a single Social Calendar of events and activities.

July 2010
Created limited Facebook and Twitter presence.

April 2011
Reduced demand for services led to Helpline hours being reduced from five evenings a week to three.

December 2011
Ended direct provision of the Telephone Helpline, Email Helpline and Face to Face support after a long decline in demand.
Strategic engagement, external training and education work continued.
Planning began for a new youth group following a one year pilot award.

April 2012
Practical arrangements and promotion began for a new social group for young people aged 14 to 18 who were LGBT or exploring their sexual orientation or gender.
Became an accredited Partner Club of the Young Gloucestershire Youth Club Partnership Scheme.

July 2012
First meeting of the GAY GLOS Youth Group.

March 2013
Awarded one year funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Fund.

February 2014
Funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner extended for a further three years to March 2016.

February 2015
Received funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hate Crime work.

March 2015
Closed our PO Box after 25 years due to reduced demand and rising costs.

April 2016
Landline number in use since 1989 replaced by a mobile number.

December 2016
Confirmed four year extension of Police and Crime Commissioner funding for the Youth Group and Hate Crime work, on a reducing scale.

October 2018
Pilot Parents Group launched, meeting monthly in central Gloucester.

May 2019
Secured funding for the Parents Group.

2019
Received Refugee and Asylum funding and launched a new Social Group.

August 2020

New website launched.

2020 to 2025
The charity continued to deliver steady, volunteer led support across Gloucestershire.
This included youth support through the GayGlos Youth Group, Parents Group support, education and training sessions in secondary schools, strategic engagement on Hate Incidents and Crimes, Suicide Prevention partnership work, VCS Alliance involvement, and support for LGBTQ+ refugees and asylum seekers.
2025
A new Board was appointed, strengthening governance and widening the experience guiding the charity’s next phase.
Name changed to Queer Futures Gloucestershire to reflect our values, our community and the breadth of our work.

2026
Aimee Blease Bourne joined as the charity’s paid Youth Development Officer, bringing experience from Queering the Wye and a strong focus on rural inclusion and EDIB practice.
A new website launched to improve accessibility, clarity and support for young people, families and professionals.

If you want, I can also create a short highlights version or a visual timeline for your website.