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Darren Knight on the LGBT memorial book

Darren Knight from the LGF talks with Dawn Pomfret about the idea for an LGBT memorial book.

Darren, can I just ask you, how did you come up with the idea for a LGBT memorial book?
Well it wasn’t actually my idea, it was a fantastic idea from Dawn Pomfret at a meeting that I was at for the friends of Sackville gardens and it was specifically looking at a trans memorial book.  But when talking I think that it was clear that we needed something that represented the entire Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans community and something that we could all work collaboratively on; because Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans people get battered, bruised and unfortunately every day because of who they are so when we are looking at things like this we should be working together.

So is it only going to be for people who have been killed or is it going to be for ordinary people’s families to memorialise their loved ones who have passed away?
It’s a book and it’s there for people to reflect and to leave their comments on whatever that might be about.  It’s something that doesn’t exist currently and we feel that it needs a space, and when I say we that’s collectively a number of different groups and organisations are now involved.  We just want a space for people to be able to think and write down their thoughts and talk about whatever it is they want to do about someone they want to remember, or someone they want to support, or it might be even best wishes for somebody who is going through something really terrible at the time and you never know what that might be.  It’s just there for people to use from our community and reflect and remember.

So basically this is a first is it...  Is there any other book like this is existence in the world that you are aware of?
I’m certainly not aware of one of the same type.  As far as everyone involved in this is concerned, this is needed and we need it here in Manchester because we want it here and everybody believes in having something like this.  It is positive and that is the important bit.  I haven’t googled it so I don’t know the answer to that, but I am sure that there will be something somewhere similar, but the thing is, it is for us here in Manchester and that’s the important bit.

It is basically a first in Manchester and Manchester sets a trend yet again.  Do you feel that as well?
Manchester always sets the trend, everybody is trailing behind it as far as the city goes.  The LGBT communities are key in that definitely.

Thank you very much indeed Darren.  This is Dawn Pomfret signing off for Gaydio.

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