The Albert Kennedy Trust

The Albert Kennedy Trust is a voluntary organisation based in England, created in 1989 to serve lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) young people who are homeless, living in a hostile environment or in housing crisis. It started in Greater Manchester in 1989 and opened in London in 1996.

History

The Trust is named after Albert Kennedy (31st January 1973 - 30th April 1989), a 16 year old Social Services care leaver from Manchester. He died after falling from a car park roof in Manchester's city centre, while being chased by a group of queerbashers in a car. Albert was a runaway from a children's home in Salford. His short tragic life had been filled with rejection and abuse. Manchester’s gay community was moved into action by the Trust’s founder patron Cath Hall, a heterosexual foster carer who admitted she could not meet the full range of needs of LGBT young people coming through her care.

As a result, in 1990 The Albert Kennedy Trust [ [http://www.akt.org.uk/history.htm The Albert Kennedy Trust ] ] was formed.

Support

The trust was founded on the premise that young LGBT people needed somewhere to go if they were kicked out of their parental home or the care system. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans volunteers (single people, couples and families) who have a spare room can give an lgbt young person a home for a few nights to 2 years. All carers are assessed and trained to ensure they are appropriate and able to take on these roles. There is also a bank of trained volunteer Mentors and Befrienders who can spend a couple of hours a week with an LGBT young person who needs a friendly ear or practical support.

From 2003 AKT also provided services in Brighton but due to funding issues had to withdraw from working in Brighton in May 2006. [http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/politics/2005-1451.html Pink News Article] .

It has traditionally gained funding through individual donations and grants from such bodies as Association of London Government, Comic Relief, The Princess Diana Memorial Fund, and Manchester City Council [http://www.akt.org.uk/funding.htm Albert Kennedy Trust Website - Funding] .

AKT celebrated its 16th anniversity of formally becoming a Trust in 2006 and this was marked by a House of Lords reception by Patron Lord Alli in June 2006. It was also marked by an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons [http://edmi.parliament.uk/edmi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=30782%09%09%09%09%09%09%09&SESSION=875 Early Day Motion]

It currently employs a Chief Executive, two placement workers and an admin team.

On the 5th January 2007 Sir Ian McKellen became a patron of the trust, joining existing patrons Julie Hesmondhalgh and Lord Alli.

References

External links

* [http://www.akt.org.uk The Albert Kennedy Trust]
*UK charity|1093815