Hailsham Queers was founded in 2023 to provide a social network for LGBT+ people in one of the more rural parts of East Sussex.
We currently have members located throughout Hailsham District and Eastbourne, so naturally the majority of our meetups occur within the local area, although we do occasionally travel outside.
Some of our previous activities have included cinema and art gallery trips, coffee outings, festivals, countryside walks, stargazing, pottery painting, guided fossil hunts, various open days, karaoke, and even a fun afternoon in the kids area at Middle Farm! We occasionally visit other local queer spaces such as The Forbidden Fruit in Hastings, and various Brighton and Hove locations. Follow our socials to see what we're up to next near you!
Our founder, Vic (pronouns: xe/hir), moved to the Hailsham area from West London in 2016. During the COVID-19 pandemic, xe had time to investigate local opportunities for socialising and realised that there were very few options for queer people in the Hailsham District without easy access to Brighton and Eastbourne. Vic decided to change that as soon as time and money allowed, and Hailsham Queers was born at the end of July 2023!
Amongst other things, Vic is passionate about promoting positive mental health practises within the LGBT+ community, especially given the current political climate. Xe is a fully trained Mental Health First Aider (MHFA) with considerable experience dealing with issues commonly faced by queer people.
1. Be respectful of everyone's lived experiences. We will not tolerate any less, and any reports of negative experiences will be taken very seriously so we can ensure all members feel safe.
2. New members will only be added to the WhatsApp chat when they have attended an event in person. Again, we need to put the safety of our members above all else.
3. Be prepared to take part! The whole point of a social group is to meet people, hence why we don't host online events. We would absolutely love to receive suggestions for meetups or invitations to join others.
Is there a membership fee?
Absolutely none! We want the group to be accessible to as many people as possible, regardless of their financial situation. Please check the events though as some venues may charge an entry fee.
I don't yet know how I identify. Will I be welcome?
Everybody in the LGBT+ community is absolutely welcome, regardless of how you identify. Remember the Q stands for Questioning! We already have a wide variety of genders and sexualities in our group, and everyone will respect however you choose to present yourself.
I identify as cis-gender and heterosexual. Will I be welcome?
Unfortunately if you don't consider yourself a part of the LGBT+ community, this probably isn't for you. We are specifically targeted towards an under-represented group that frequently feel very isolated outside of large towns and cities; in fact, to our knowledge we're the only queer-focused group in the district. But there are a whole load of other amazing social groups and charitable organisations out there, some of which we also attend outside of Hailsham Queers!
Can I join even if I don't live in Hailsham?
Of course, but if you don't live locally then you may not feel like an active member of the group. Most of our members live within the Hailsham District or Eastbourne, so naturally our meetups tend to be in these areas, although ccasionally we'll travel outside.
I suffer from social anxieties. Will it matter if I can't join events very often?
There are no expectations on our part, but again, you'll get more out of the group if you do join in person regularly. Our founder is a very passionate Mental Health First Aider with a lot of experience in the issues affecting queer people, and they are always happy to arrange a one-on-one coffee meetup if it will help new members feel more comfortable.
What kind of activities do you do?
We'll try pretty much anything once! Our most popular events tend to be the local Prides (obviously), fossil walks run by our founder, and informal coffee meetups. All our most up to date events can be found on our MeetUp group page, and don't be shy to suggest things!
Do you have any age restrictions?
Nothing official, we mean it when we say EVERYONE is welcome! But if you are under 18, it would probably be a good idea to be accompanied by an adult. We're an entirely voluntary social group and cannot currently afford any levels of insurance or DBS checks for members.
How often do you meet?
Usually weekly, although it very much depends on the events we have listed. At the moment most of our meetups are weekend things but we're hoping to post more weekday evening events as we find them.
I'm transgender, will I be safe at HQ events?
A lot of our members are transgender, including our founder, so we absolutely understand your concerns. Whilst we obviously have no control over non-members, we will ALWAYS ensure you feel safe and supported. Most of our MeetUp locations and events are deliberately chosen because they are known to be queer- and trans-friendly, and we will not tolerate discrimination.
What's the best way to get in touch?
Have a look on our Contact Us page and pick your favourite! You can follow our socials on Instagram and Facebook, or sign up to our MeetUp group to see the most up-to-date event postings. All of these have direct messaging options if you have queries, or you can email us. We also have a group WhatsApp chat but please note this is for active members only, and you can only be added to this when one or more of our members have met you in person.
