West London Queer Project hosts many and varied events for LGBTQIA+ people in West London. Being social is at the heart of everything they do. Still, after all that partying and overindulging over Christmas and New Year, it’s important to remember our physical and mental well-being. This January, WLQP has several events that we can participate in to help get us into shape for what may be a challenging year ahead. QX spoke to Joe, who gave us all the details for an energetic January.
WLQP has a strong wellbeing element to it. What is the organisation’s ethos around mental health and general wellness?
WLQP’s primary goal has always been to improve the lives of all LGBTQ+ people living in West London. In terms of mental health and general wellness, we believe that this begins with giving LGBTQ+ people the opportunity to meet new people, feel safe, and be a part of a community.
Every month, we provide hundreds of people the opportunity to improve both their physical and mental health by participating in physical activities, being outside, and joining workshops alongside other members of the West London LGBTQ+ Community.
Starting a new sport or going to the gym can be incredibly daunting for a lot of our community. We aim to provide opportunities for people to get involved in sport and fitness in a relaxed, non-judgemental environment with like-minded people. Over the past 2-3 years, we have seen incredible results, not just in people’s physical fitness but in their personal journeys, where their mental health has improved, social circles have increased, and friendships have developed.
What kind of events do you put on that may help us feel better in the New Year?
We have something for everyone, whether they want to increase their fitness and work up a sweat, get involved in a team sport, learn how to dance, take a relaxed walk with us or attend workshops aimed at helping to manage social anxiety. The majority of these activities are all available at no cost, and where fees do apply, we work hard to secure funding to keep them as low as possible.
What kind of people come to these events?
All our events attract a diverse mix of people of all ages, genders and fitness levels – all our events are welcoming of new people that have never been involved in any of these activities before, to regulars who have been attending for years.
We know that times can be hard for people, and if costs are preventing people from joining any of our events, we are more than happy to waive these fees to enable everyone to participate.
Upcoming events at West London Queer Project:
LGBTQ+ Gym Workouts:
Circuits – every Monday @ 8 pm
Yoga – every Tuesday @ 7:30 pm
Spin – every Friday @ 6 pm
Dance Taster:
11 January @ 10am
Touch Rugby Taster Session:
18 January @ 9:30am
Festival of Football:
15 February @ 10am
West London Walks:
5 January – Richmond to Ham @ 10 am
25 January – Boston Manor to Brentford @ 10 am
Overcoming Social Anxiety 2 Part workshop:
13 & 20 January
