British gay club given government grant to induct lesbians
By IANSTuesday, January 25, 2011
LONDON - A gay squash club in Britain has been given a government grant worth 6,500 pounds ($10,250) to encourage more lesbians to take up the sport.
The 4Play Squash club is using the grant to hold free nights for particular LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) groups.
Other groups at the Finsbury Leisure Centre in North London will be under-25s, over-55s and “friends of LGBT people”, The Sun reported.
The grant was awarded by Sport England, run by the department for culture, media and sport.
The club’s publicity officer John Forni said: “Many of our members are males between 20 and 50 years old. We want to open up squash to experts or novices of any age, gender or sexuality.”
The cash was earmarked to “help develop squash in the gay community, particularly gay women,” he said.
Councillor Terry Stacy, leader of Islington Liberal Democrats, said: “I think it’s important to support minority groups.”
But locals were amazed that money could be found at a time of government cut-backs.
Alison Davies, 43, said: “If I wanted to join a squash club, I’d just turn up. Why they need 6,500 pounds is a mystery to me.”
