Hi there— I’m Louie, the founder and director of Our House Wakefield.

In 2019, after a decade working in the LGBTQ+ charity sector, I launched Learnest CIC alongside some brilliant people. The aim of Learnest CIC is to celebrate trans and neurodiverse people in the workplace, and put our skills to good use by giving back to our communities.

Since its inception, Learnest CIC has worked with over 150 clients to promote inclusive workplace practices, and we’ve reinvested over £250k into LGBTQ+ initiatives. Our House Wakefield emerged from this work and became our flagship project.

In 2020, with funding from Prosper Wakefield, we carried out a series of workshops across the district to understand the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. The feedback was clear: Wakefield needed a dedicated (and dry) LGBTQ+ space. As a trans and queer person familiar with mental health struggles, and as someone with a deep love for Wakefield, I understood how vital that space could be.

In 2021, we secured our first home at 96 Kirkgate through ‘Makey Wakey’, the empty shop scheme run by The Art House. Within a year, we’d welcomed over 3,000 visitors, secured funding for staff, and expanded our creative programmes.

In December 2023, we found out we were losing our venue. What followed was a few intense months of reflection, fundraising and building, and—together with over 30 incredible volunteers—I had the privilege of helping create a brand-new space from scratch. We reopened in May 2024, bigger, brighter, and full of hope for the future.

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, rising costs and a challenging funding landscape have made it impossible to sustain Our House. In May 2025, we announced the closure of the project and the end of our community events and operations.

Although Our House Wakefield is coming to an end, the impact it’s had—and the love, creativity and connection it sparked—will remain. We’re so proud of what we’ve achieved, and grateful to everyone who helped bring this space to life.

With deep thanks and solidarity,
Louie x