Charity for gay homeless teens rebrands to reach new generation of kids in need

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The Albert Kennedy Trust has unveiled its new corporate identity and logo.

The charity, founded in Manchester in 1989, works with young lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people whose families have rejected them or are unable to care for them.

Ahead of its 20th anniversary AKT has rebranded, incorporating a new ‘urban’ logo. Their website will also be extensively redesigned. The charity helped more than 1,400 young people in 2007.

AKT’s mission is to ensure that all lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans young people are able to live in accepting, supportive and caring homes, by providing a range of services to meet the individual needs of those who would otherwise be homeless or living in a hostile environment.

The Trust provides appropriate homes through supported lodgings, fostering and other specialist housing schemes and enables young people to manage independent living successfully.

“Rejection and ejection from home are the harsh reality for many vulnerable LGBT teens,” said AKT chief executive Tim Sigsworth.

“Demand for our services is growing year on year.

“At present we cannot meet demand for carer homes and our service is bursting at the seams – we need money, volunteers and support to build the capacity we need to help all those young people who turn to us.”

AKT also offers support and information for young people and plans for 2009 include the creation of a quality mark scheme for mainstream housing providers.

The rebranding was planned and overseen for by marketing professional Mark Hardy with assistance from creative agency GR/DD on a pro bono basis.

Later this month Sir Ian McKellen, actor, film star and patron of AKT, will be the guest of honour at a special fundraising event organised by Village Drinks.

The Albert Kennedy Trust was set up in 1989, after 16 year old Albert Kennedy fell to his death from the top of a car park in Manchester while trying to escape a car load of queerbashers.

Albert was a runaway from a children’s home in Salford and was depressed. His short tragic life had been filled with rejection and abuse from society.

Manchester’s gay community was moved into action by the Trust’s founder patron Cath Hall, a heterosexual foster carer who admitted she could not meet the full range of needs of gay & lesbian kids coming through her care.

As a result AKT was formed, and in 1990 became a Trust.

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