ONE News
OUT North East joins Become the Bridge to tackle racism
OUT North East is proud to announce that we have signed up to Become the Bridge, a regional initiative led by the North East Anti-Racism Coalition (NEARC), bringing organisations together to challenge racism and build a fairer, more inclusive North East.
Become the Bridge encourages organisations to move beyond statements of support and take meaningful, practical action against racism. Participating organisations commit to developing an anti-racism strategy or action plan within 12 months, sharing learning and reviewing their progress. For OUT North East, this commitment reflects our belief that everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and valued, regardless of their racial, ethnic, cultural or religious background.
Why anti-racism matters:
Racism remains a significant issue across the North East. Research undertaken by Newcastle University for NEARC, involving 639 respondents, found that 78% considered racism an everyday or regular issue, while 69% believed it was getting worse. The research also found that 54% had directly experienced racism and 73% had not reported their experiences to the police. These findings reinforce the importance of organisations creating welcoming spaces, challenging discrimination and ensuring people know where they can seek support.
Peter Darrant, CEO of OUT North East, said:
"At OUT North East, we believe that everyone deserves to feel safe, welcomed and respected. Signing up to Become the Bridge is an important commitment for us as an organisation, but it is only the beginning. We want to look carefully at our own practices, listen to the communities we serve and make meaningful improvements. Anti-racism must be something that influences how we work every day, not simply something we talk about."
Developing our anti-racism strategy:
As part of our commitment, OUT North East is developing an Anti-Racism Strategy and Action Plan for 2026 to 2029. The draft strategy will be shared for consultation, particularly with Global Majority members of our organisation and communities, alongside our wider staff, volunteer and trustee teams.
Our proposed priorities include improving representation and participation, developing anti-racism learning opportunities, strengthening partnerships with Global Majority organisations and ensuring that our services recognise the intersectional experiences of LGBTQ+ people. We also intend to participate in wider anti-racism events, peaceful protests, campaigns and learning opportunities across the region. Importantly, we want this work to be shaped by the people it affects.
Drew Dalton, Outreach and Volunteer Manager at OUT North East, said:
"Anti-racism is not an event, a poster or a month. It is a continuous commitment to ensuring every member of our community feels seen, heard, valued and able to thrive. As an LGBTQ+ organisation, we know that racism can intersect with homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and other forms of discrimination. We cannot talk about LGBTQ+ inclusion without also talking about racial equality. We want our Global Majority members to help shape this strategy, challenge our thinking and tell us where we can improve. But the responsibility for tackling racism belongs to all of us. This is about listening, learning and making changes that genuinely matter."
The ONE Centre as a safe reporting space:
An important part of our commitment will be reinforcing the role of the ONE Centre as a safe reporting centre for hate incidents, including racism. With research indicating that many people do not report racism to the police, accessible community spaces have an important role in helping people feel confident about seeking support.
We want people experiencing racism or other forms of hate to know that they can approach the ONE Centre, be listened to without judgement and receive information about their reporting and support options. We will review how we communicate this role, strengthen staff and volunteer awareness, and ensure that appropriate reporting and signposting information is available.
Moving from commitment to action:
Joining Become the Bridge is an opportunity for OUT North East to work alongside other organisations across the region, share learning and contribute to collective efforts to challenge racism. Our draft strategy will include practical actions, named responsibilities and regular progress reviews. We will also create opportunities for feedback so that our approach continues to develop. We recognise that anti-racism is an ongoing commitment rather than something that can be completed through a single strategy.
By signing up to Become the Bridge, we are taking another step towards ensuring that OUT North East and the ONE Centre are places where everyone feels they belong.
Find out more about Become the Bridge and the North East Anti-Racism Coalition:
