Our House Closure 2025

After careful consideration and deep reflection, Our House Wakefield will officially close its doors at the end of May 2025. This decision marks the end of a remarkable and heartfelt project that has served Wakefield’s LGBTQ+ community since 2022.

From the beginning, Our House was created in response to a clear need for a dedicated, accessible, and sober space for LGBTQ+ people in Wakefield. Through the dedication of volunteers, staff, and community partners, the space quickly became a vibrant hub—welcoming thousands of visitors and hosting hundreds of free and low-cost events, from support groups and social meet-ups to creative workshops and queer celebrations.

Unfortunately, despite the passion and energy poured into the project, the reality of running a community space has become increasingly difficult. Rising costs and a challenging funding landscape have made it impossible to sustain operations long term. While café income and bookings helped cover some of the running costs, it was not enough to fully fund the space.

Over the years, Our House was proudly subsidised by the income generated through Learnest CIC’s LGBTQ+ inclusion training and consultancy work. Alongside this, generous support from funders—including Wakefield Culture Grants, Prospa, UKSPF, The National Lottery, Postcode Lottery, and Live Well Wakefield—enabled the project to grow and thrive. We are deeply grateful to those funders for their trust and belief in this work.

Sadly, a number of expected funding opportunities and donations fell through in early 2025, and this left the project without a viable way to continue. Despite extensive efforts to find solutions—including fundraising, restructuring, and partnership conversations—the directors of Learnest CIC made the difficult but necessary decision to close the project.

Community programming and events at Our House will end in May. However, the venue itself will remain available for private hire and subletting until the lease concludes in January 2026. We welcome enquiries from local groups, individuals or organisations looking for a well-equipped, central space for meetings, creative use, or events.

In closing, Learnest CIC is committed to winding the project down responsibly. As part of this, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help cover the remaining liabilities—estimated at around £8,000—including rent, staffing, and accountancy costs. This is vital to ensure all debts are settled and the organisation avoids liquidation. Any contributions are deeply appreciated and will go directly towards closing the project with care and integrity.

👉 Click here to support the GoFundMe

Though Our House is closing, its impact will live on. The space has brought together a beautiful, diverse community and helped lay foundations for what’s possible when LGBTQ+ people have access to safety, support, and joy.

To everyone who walked through our doors, shared their time and talents, or stood beside us—thank you.