Left Side Up Fundraiser

Left Side Up was established in January 2020 as a podcast. Andrew and Michael simply wanted to provide an alternative voice in NI theology. Since then, Left Side Up has organised, expanded and set up shop in the heart of South Belfast. We are now an eight person team, and Andrew, Michael, Lindsay and June run a variety of courses, research, and community projects all aimed towards making Northern Ireland more inclusive and welcoming, arguing the case for progressive faith by putting the Christian virtues of grace and hospitality into practice. Below is just some of the things we have been doing since you last supported us. 

To date we have had thirty people take our popular Reconstructions Course. This six-week course is designed to provide space for questions and doubt, and to establish community for those who feel isolated by their faith-based anxieties. 

Time to Unwind, our weekly craft group, will recommence once Lockdown finally ends. It will continue to be a safe, relaxed place to knit, crochet and craft over a cuppa and a chat. Similarly, Proud Parents, our monthly meet up of parents and families of LGBTQ+ community, will soon be back in the LSU training room. We can't wait to see everyone back!

In late 2020, LSU launched The Faith and Mental Health Project. The project seeks to explore the intersections between faith communities and mental health and wellbeing. This research segment of the project, winding up in mid-March, has heard from over 150 individuals with lived experience, and we will soon be moving on to act on the results of the research, creating programmes, resources and courses to equip the church to do even better when it comes to mental health and wellbeing.