“There are LGBT+ people suffering in silence”
A profile of Link’s 2026 charity parter Galop, with Galop Co-Executive Ben Kernighan
What led to Galop being founded?
In the 1970s and ‘80s, gay men were being targeted and harassed in the street by police. The police also often refused to properly record or even investigate violent homophobic hate crimes. Our community wasn’t being protected, so a group of gay lawyers came together to expose this injustice and formed the Gay London Police Monitoring Group in June 1982.
Why is your work important?
One man came to us after being attacked by a group of men who called him a homophobic slur before assaulting him with a brick. He felt isolated and unsafe, no longer able to be open about his sexuality. Over two years, Galop helped him report to the police, stood alongside him through his case and in court, and helped him access therapy, social support, and compensation. This is the kind of life-changing work we do every day.
Each year, Galop supports around 10,000 LGBT+ people through our services. We run a national helpline, provide advocacy and casework support, and offer therapeutic services for LGBT+ victims and survivors. One staff member will be helping a young lesbian who is now sleeping on the streets because her parents kicked her out, while another is speaking to a Trans+ person who is afraid to go outside in case they are attacked on the street.
Too many LGBT+ people are not safe on the streets and not safe in their homes, and it is only getting harder.
What are the benefits to you of partnering with an organisation like Link?
The rising levels of hate and violence against LGBT+ people in the UK means we need to get the word out to victims and survivors who don’t know about us. We know there are LGBT+ people suffering in silence.
Partnerships like this help expand our reach and tell people that help is out there. Standing alongside us helps make sure LGBT+ victims and survivors of abuse have somewhere to turn, and someone in their corner. These kinds of partnerships also give us a profile to tell people about our work who might be interested in supporting us either financially or pro bono.
How do you spend donations, and where does the money go?
Donations help fund our vital services. They mean we can answer the phone to a young gay man too nervous to give his name after a hate crime. Stand alongside a young Trans person who is no longer safe at home because of who they are through housing, police, and the courts. Offer free therapy to a teenager rebuilding their life after sexual assault. And push for the policy change that makes life safer for LGBT+ people right across the country.
What big successes have you had in 2026 you’d like to share?
In April, our campaign to make anti-LGBT+ hate crimes an aggravated offence succeeded. Now that might not sound like a big deal, but it means hate crimes against LGBT+ people are treated in the same way as crimes motivated by racial, religious, or ableist hate. Every hate crime should be treated equally in the eyes of the law and that’s what we helped make a reality.
A couple months later, the UK government finally announced its draft bill to ban conversion practices. You read that right. Conversion practices that try to “fix” or “cure” LGBT+ people are still legal here. Every day, Galop’s frontline staff support LGBT+ people who have experienced these abusive practices, and so we’re proud to be a part of the campaign that will hopefully turn this draft bill into the law of the land.
Where can people go to find out more about the issues you deal with?
Our website galop.org.uk is the best place to start. You’ll find more information on our services there, along with our research and reports. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram, where we share our latest work, campaigns, and ways to get involved.
What’s the best way to support you long-term, and to get in touch?
Regular or one-off donations are essential because more LGBT+ people are coming to us for support and advice. If your employer offers payroll giving your donation can be tax efficient, and if they match employee gifts your support goes even further.
Or you could run for Team Galop at the Brighton 10K in 2027, hold a bake sale fundraiser, or tell people at work and in your community about Galop. If you’re part of your work’s LGBT+ network, we’d love to talk about what we could do together. You can reach us at fundraise@galop.org.uk.
If you want to learn more about Galop and help support their work – and have a great time networking with likeminded folks in the London insurance community – why not come to the Link x Kennedys Summer Party, where Ben will be giving a talk about Galop. All proceeds from the tickets will be donated to Galop.
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Diversity & Innovation: Perspectives from insurance industry leaders at Insurtech Insights Europe, 2026
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