Oakham Pride Organisers say free meals for LGBTQ+ homeless 'feels like a gimmick'
Deliveroo has teamed up with restaurants to offer free meals to LGBTQ+ rough sleepers
Organisers of Oakham Pride say a trial to offer LGBTQ+ homeless people free meals is "demeaning" and "intrusive".
Deliveroo are funding free meals in over 30 participating restaurants for LGBTQ+ people experiencing homelessness, as part of a three-month trial starting this June.
But the chair and vice-chair of Oakham Pride have criticised the scheme for missing the mark, and have called for more to be done to help raise awareness of the issue.
'I'm a friend of Dorothy'
To qualify for a free meal, homeless LGBTQ+ customers would need to say the phrase "I'm a friend of Dorothy", to signify to staff they're looking for support.
The move comes after new research shows nearly a quarter of LGBTQ+ people (24%) identify as homeless, and that figure is on the rise.
Deliveroo and restaurants taking part will also encourage other customers to support the LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness charity, AKT, by donating through in-restaurant posters and QR codes.
A 'gimmick' during Pride month?
Chair of Oakham Pride, Lucy Slessor, said there must be a better way of raising awareness on the issue:
'People have become homeless as a result of hatred from their own families, and kicked out as a result of identifying as LGBTQ+. There's always a need to highlight these problems but I think there are better ways to do it.'
'I question as to why they are doing it purely through the LGBTQ+ community and not the general homeless. I don't understand why your sexuality gives you the right to have a meal over the next person.'
'Why not, instead, raise the money and create a safehouse that's for LGBTQ+ individuals if you really want to help that particular community . All this is doing is announcing your orientation, and I don't see the relevance to that in order to get a hot meal.'
Vice-chair, Rachel Nealson, said:
'You don't normally announce your sexuality or housing status when you walk into a restaurant. It feels a bit like a gimmick and it's more about advertising during Pride month than it is about offering real help to anyone.'
Lea Duchemin, Co-Lead of Deliveroo’s LGBTQ+ Network, Deloveroo said: “Deliveroo is a proud ally of the LGBTQ+ community, all year round. The focus on homeless and vulnerable people in the LGBTQ+ community comes following extensive consultation with our LGBTQ+ employees, and charity partner, akt, which shared evidence that referrals of LGBTQ+ homelessness have increased by 58% within the last three years, and food insecurity is one of the biggest issues amongst the community that use their services.
This is a cause close to the hearts of our LGBTQ+ employee network who helped create this initiative, and we are proud to be working with a selection of long-standing LGBTQ+-owned restaurants to help feed people at their most vulnerable.”