As we take a break before the New Year, we’re looking back on what’s happened in the last 12 months. (Hint: we've been busy!)

Publishing new health guides and reports

One of the core parts of our work at Black Beetle Health is to develop evidence-based healthcare resources for LGBTQ+ Black and People of Colour. 

That work didn’t stop this year, as we published four new health guides:

• LGBTQ+ BPoC Health Equity and Advocacy Toolkit
• Understanding STIs
• Contraception, STIs and Abortion
• LGBTQ+ BPoC Signposting Guide

We also released three reports on programmes we’ve run:

• A Guide to Accessible Working in a Remote Workplace
• H.E.A.T Pilot Programme
• Inside Out (easy to read version)

There are more guides to come in 2023, including around breast cancer.

Took the Black Beetle Health mission around the UK

We travelled around the UK (and even went to Brussels!) to spread the mission of Black Beetle Health. 

We haven’t been able to attend many events over the last few years, so 2022 was a chance for us to connect with communities in person again.

Creating downloadable posters for clinic, surgeries and community spaces

We’re always looking to find ways for our resources to reach LGBTQ+ Black and People of Colour.

This year, we created a page for all our healthcare posters. They can be downloaded right from our website and printed to display at your clinic, surgery or community space. 

The posters have scannable codes, so whichever ones you decide to download will link back to its guide.

Launching our first magazine 

We launched two issues of our first ever magazine, The Beetle Feed!

Each issue explores healthcare, mental health, chronic illness and reproductive health and wellbeing for LGBTQ+ BPoC.

Catch up on issue one and two before the next edition is out in March 2023. 

And get in touch at admin@blackbeetlehealth.co.uk if you’d like to contribute or be featured!

Launching our podcast

Another big launch for us this year was our podcast, hosted by Elliss Lewin-Turner and Patrick Ettenes. 

Elliss and Patrick interview LGBTQ+ Black and People of Colour across the UK on topics around healthcare. 

We’re 14 episodes in and the first season is done! Listen back to season one in time for the next season in the new year.

Securing funding from Consortium

We were awarded £25,000 from Consortium’s LGBT Futures grant! 

The funding, supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, will go towards our work to promote health, wellbeing and equality for LGBTQ+ Black and People of Colour.

As a small charity, we rely on funding and donations to keep our work going so we can reach as many LGBTQ+ BPoC. 

We’re really grateful for Consortium’s support and belief in our mission, alongside all our funders and donors. 

Celebrating the Black Beetle Health team

The work at Black Beetle Health wouldn’t happen without our wonderful team. 

There were changes for us in 2022, as we said goodbye to:

• Kevanté, our External Social Media and Comms Officer
• Jina, who supported our admin and team organisation
• Sarah, our Chronic Illness Resource Development Officer & Consultant Peer-reviewer

We welcomed new faces to the BBH mission!

• Cherokee joined as our new External Social Media and Comms Officer
• Iosif came on board to support as a Graphic Designer 
• Ekene and Emi joined as interns from Brunel University for several months

Lanvell, Prajakta and Henock have recently joined us to support our Health Promotions, Operations, and Volunteer Programme. 

We also recruited new Trustees:

• Dr Jaime Garcia-Iglesias, Public Health and Research Trustee
• Nina Kuypers, Health Intervention Design Trustee
• Nadya Same, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Trustee

It’s not often that we're all together in one room, so we were so excited to welcome past and present team members to our meetup at The Proud Trust in Manchester.

Here’s to more in-person meets in 2023!

As we head into 2023, a big, big thank you

Whether you’ve been part of the Black Beetle Health story for many years, or you just discovered us this year, thank you all so much for your support. 

Our mission to promote health through evidence-based, peer-reviewed resources and signposting continues!

Want to support our work?

If you’d like to chip in a donation to help us carry on our work, you can! 

We appreciate all the donations we receive no matter how much you’re able to give.