Murray’s Initiative shortlisted as finalist for Herald Inspiring City Awards
Murray’s Initiative is delighted to announce that our LGBTQ+ Health and Wellbeing Service has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Herald Inspiring City Awards for the Community Impact Award – Neighbourhood & Grassroots – sponsored by Allied Vehicles.
The recognition is a huge achievement for Murray’s Initiative and, most importantly, for the LGBTQ+ people whose courage, resilience and lived experience are at the heart of our work.
Our LGBTQ+ Health and Wellbeing Service was created in response to a significant gap in support for LGBTQ+ people affected by alcohol and/or drug use. While Glasgow has a vibrant LGBTQ+ community, many social opportunities remain centred around licensed venues, while mainstream recovery services do not always reflect or understand the experiences of LGBTQ+ people. Our service aims to change that.
Through one-to-one support, peer groups, wellbeing activities, community outings, creative sessions and informal opportunities to connect, we provide a safe and welcoming environment where people can build confidence, strengthen their recovery and develop meaningful relationships without feeling that they have to compromise who they are.
For many of the people who use our service, it is the first place where they have felt able to be openly LGBTQ+ and in recovery without fear of judgement. That sense of belonging is something we are incredibly proud of.
The service has grown into a community where participants support one another, build friendships and increasingly take on leadership roles themselves. People who may initially have needed intensive one-to-one support have progressed to attending groups independently, supporting their peers and helping shape the future direction of the programme. That is the legacy we want to create.
We believe people with lived experience should not simply be recipients of services — they should have a voice in designing them, influencing them and helping others. Participants from the service have shared their experiences through podcasts and awareness initiatives, contributed to conversations about LGBTQ+ recovery and helped co-produce LGBTQ+ awareness and inclusion training delivered to partner organisations.
In doing so, their experiences are helping to influence practice beyond Murray’s Initiative and encouraging a more inclusive approach to recovery and wellbeing across Glasgow.
The service also works closely with recovery organisations, LGBTQ+ services, community groups and statutory partners, helping people access wider support around mental and physical health, housing, employability, counselling and other areas of their lives.
Being shortlisted for the Herald Inspiring City Awards is a wonderful recognition of what can happen when community, lived experience and compassionate support come together.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone, participants, staff, volunteers, partners and supporters, who has contributed to the service and helped make it what it is today. Most of all, we want to celebrate the people who use our service. Their stories, strength and determination are what inspire us every day.
This finalist recognition belongs to them.
We are incredibly proud to be part of a Glasgow where LGBTQ+ people affected by alcohol and/or drug use can find support, friendship, belonging and hope and we are excited to continue building on that work.
Whatever happens on the night, being recognised as a finalist is something we will celebrate with enormous pride.