West Gippsland Healthcare Group has welcomed Gippsland Pride Initiative Inc. to its community health centre in Trafalgar.

Gippsland Pride Initiative will launch its first ‘Pride Hub’ out of Trafalgar House at the corner of Kitchener and Contingent streets.

A small morning tea to launch the new hub was held on Friday 25 August on Wear It Purple Day.

The space will be open two days a week in one of the rooms at the centre and will provide support and resources to the LGTBIQA+ community.

Minister for Equality Harriet Shing MP attended the opening along with West Gippsland Healthcare Group Board Chair Jo-Anne Moorfoot, Chief Executive Officer Dan Weeks, members of the Executive, and the Gippsland Pride Initiative Inc. Committee.

Representatives from Aussie Broadband, Uniting Vic Tas and Thorne Harbour Health were also in attendance.

“Our new little home base is humble, and there’s a little work to do to get set up and ready, but it’s truly perfect for us,” Co-Founder of Gippsland Pride Initiative Caitlin Grigsby said.

“While this isn’t a first in the state, for Gippsland it is an important and exciting step forward.”

West Gippsland Healthcare Group CEO Dan Weeks attended the opening on Friday on Wear It Purple Day.

“Wear It Purple strives to foster supportive, safe, empowering and inclusive environments for rainbow young people, and this is something West Gippsland Healthcare Group continues to strive for in all of our healthcare settings for all in our community,” he said.

“We welcome Gippsland Pride Initiative to this space and hope their new home base allows the committee to continue to support our community.”

Minister for Equality Harriet Shing MP says the Gippsland Pride Initiative has worked tirelessly with a number of partner organisations who share the same values of inclusion, respect and connection.

“The brand-new Pride Hub in Trafalgar will enable even more LGBTIQ+ Gippslanders to access the care, recognition and support that they deserve.

“Launching it on Wear It Purple Day is perfect, it’s an opportunity for all of us to recommit to supporting LGBTIQ + young people and accepting them exactly as they are.

“All LGBTIQ+ Victorians deserve dignity and respect, and the right to feel safe.”

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