Lumo welcomes a new world-class community hub

The region’s largest LGBTQ+ community hub opened its doors in Gateshead this week in spectacular style amid disturbing statistics which show hate crime in the North East of England is on the rise.

The ONE Centre will provide a safe and welcoming environment while offering an array of activities and services late into the evening.

Inclusivity and diversity are at the heart of the vibrant hub, the only of its kind in the region.

In an exciting moment, representatives from the National Lottery joined Peter Darrant, CEO of OUT North East, the LGBTQ+ charity behind the project, on stage to announce a surprise grant of£331K.

Peter believes there has never been more of a need for such a centre and the funding making it possible, with statistics and lived experience demonstrating a steep increase in transphobia and homophobia.

At the same time, the 54-year-old says many safe spaces such as cafes and libraries have closed down in the wake of the pandemic, leaving fewer areas for people to come together.

Peter said: "The ONE Centre is an absolutely fantastic hub for people to meet, sit and chat, take part in workshops, produce podcasts, or just to get to know each other in a friendly, welcoming environment.

"We have an amazing venue, with a communal kitchen, a counselling room, a pool table, function spaces, creative studios and comfortable places for people to relax and socialise. The rooms are all named after gay icons."We have areas for local groups to meet, and will be providing a central point for the community to come together.

"Individuals who want to sit on their own and get on with work or quiet reading, are also very welcome here. Above all, it is safe.

"The building is for everybody and we don't want to dictate how people use it. We did an initial survey of 220 community members and asked them what they would want from a centre like this.

"They came back and said they would like a sober space, changing facilities and a location away from the high street.

"We are providing all of this and much more, and we expect the centre to evolve over the coming years depending on the needs of the people who come here.

"There are already many LGBTQ+ organisations out there doing fantastic work. We're not here to replace anybody, we want to work alongside them, and even take the pressure off if possible."We're here to signpost people to organisations who will be able to offer them help. If we don't have the answer, we'll know someone who does. That's the whole point of the ONE Centre, to create a network.

"The National Lottery grant is brilliant news, and will pay for core costs, including staffing and delivery.

"It will enable us to employ four people, including outreach workers and a centre manager."

Dignitaries, including the leaders of Sunderland, Newcastle, South Tyneside and Gatesheads council as well as Labour MP Kate Osbourne, were present at the historic opening today.

Business chiefs were also in attendance, with representatives from Lumo, Nissan and Taylor Wimpey, a presence at the event.

Jen Clare, Service Delivery Director at Lumo, said: “We are incredibly proud to support the opening of the ONE Centre. It’s an incredible facility for the North East of England and a powerful statement that inclusion, safety and community matter.

The creation of a dedicated hub where people can gather, access support and simply be themselves is more important than ever. The ONE Centre provides exactly that.

As a rail company connecting communities across the region with Scotland and London, we believe transport should open doors, not just to destinations, but to opportunity and understanding. We’re proud to support OUT North East as a partner organisation, championing equality and ensuring everyone feels welcome both in our communities and on board our trains.”

Lumo is a long-term supporter of OUT North East and has again committed to supporting the charity in 2026 with Lumo being amongst the first to feature on the centre’s Pride grid in the building’s modern reception area.

The ONE Centre has now become home to OUT North East and Peter's office is based at the building on the Stonehills complex in Gateshead.

The project has been part-funded by a £300K grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, a branch of the Government's levelling up initiative, which aims to bring disused buildings back to life.

The hub was previously The Bradbury Centre, a vision and hearing charity, but had lain empty for two to three years.

It is a stone's throw from Pelaw metro station, and Peter hopes users will take advantage of the transport links to travel to the centre from across the region.

Research conducted by OUT North East and the Northumbria Police Crime Commissioner Susan Dungworth, who attended the opening today, found that a huge 56.4 per cent of those surveyed had experienced LGBTQ+phobia in the past 12 months.

In addition, 32 per cent believe the general climate for LGBTQ+ people is worsening and only 20 per cent feel safe.

Meanwhile, LGBTQ+ related hate crime more than doubled between 2016/17 and 2020/21 across Northumbria, Cleveland and Durham forces, rising from 458 to 951 recorded offences.

Peter, who says OUT North East received 2000 hate messages during the Pride Festival of 2024, added: "Of course, we want to get to the point where there's no Pride, we live in an inclusive society and everyone is an ally.

"We were getting very close to that, but over the past few years, due to a change in the political landscape and the rise of the far right in the UK, it feels like we've almost gone back 40 years, to the 80s.

"The trans community is heavily under attack at the moment in a way that we haven't seen for a long time.

"There's always been a lot of online hate, but more recently people have developed a confidence to walk up to us and be abusive to our faces.

"Trans people who leave their house and get on a bus to go into town for a meal, will experience abuse every hour. It's become normalised. It's not just LGBTQ+ groups, this is felt across all minorities."

Peter added that he has also experienced a reduction in support for the LGBTQ+ community from local businesses in recent years.

He said: "I've seen a 30 per cent decrease in corporate engagement financially, and a 50 per cent visibility drop. I walked through Newcastle in June last year, which is Pride Month. 

Normally, every shop displays a rainbow flag and sells rainbow related products. Hardly anyone did it this year.

"That's why we're so grateful to companies such as the train provider Lumo, who continue to offer us fantastic support.

"They are 360 partners, which means they're not just there for summer, and for Pride - we work closely with them all year round.

"They are brilliant allies, and great for visibility. They even have a Pride train, emblazoned with the rainbow flag, which sends a message that everyone is welcome on board. That's why it was so important to have them at the opening today."

The ONE Centre aims to be open seven days a week from 9am to 9pm, but this may change according to the needs of the community.