Just Like Us is a UK-based charity that supports young LGBT+ people, and they turn 5 this year.  In honor of our big 5th birthday bash, I am planning on running, cycling and swimming 55k (each) over the next 5 weeks, to make a total of 165k. 5 is an important age for young children as they start school, and in 5 years we aim to reach 3 in 4 of these schools in order to educate the future generations about LGBT+ identities. 

Growing up LGBT+ can be unacceptably tough. Right now, LGBT+ young people are twice as likely as their non-LGBT peers to be feeling lonely and separated from the people they are closest to on a daily basis. 3 in every 4 young LGBT+ will face bullying, and many LGBT+ people have stories of the hardships they faced growing up in non-accepting or unaware environments, we aim to turn this around. Sharing our own stories about growing up LGBT+ and providing education about gender, sexuality and how to be a good ally can provide vital support environments for young LGBT+ people, which we would have loved at school. By supporting us today you will help to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying and make sure that LGBT+ young people across the UK know that being LGBT+ is something to be celebrated!