Hailsham Queers was founded in 2023 to provide a social network for LGBT+ people in one of the more rural parts of East Sussex.

We currently have members located throughout Hailsham District and Eastbourne, so naturally the majority of our meetups occur within the local area although we do occasionally travel outside. More details of upcoming activities available on the MeetUp site.

One of the most gender-affirming things most trans people do is changing their name. There are two ways to do this, enrolled or unenrolled, both of which can be used to change your ID documents. An enrolled deed poll is put on public record through the court system and costs around £50, whilst an unenrolled deed poll can be done at home and costs nothing. We've recommended a useful site below for printing your own unenrolled deed poll document.

You can also find a guide here, created by us, with some useful information on who you need to notify of your new name and when this needs to be done!

There are many resources available online, however these are two we have found particuly useful. From querying what medications do to tips on getting the most from your meds, these sites have you covered.

Although we're not recommending the DIY method, we do recognise that there are a number of issues affecting whether trans+ people receive NHS or private healthcare. If you DO decide to go down the self-care route, make sure you have the right support. This organisation offers blood tests and other medication-related help.

Transitioning is a difficult task to undertake and is fraught with risks and potential harm, yet many GPs in the UK are seldom likely to help you. However in Sussex, we are fortunate to have access to Sussex Gender Service which is picking up referrals to GICs from the Sussex area. They have many useful resources and is part of the NHS Sussex Partnership. Unfortunately this service is only picking up from the GIC referral list in chronological order at this time so there is still a long wait to be seen.

For more immediate medical support, there is the WellBN Clinic in Brighton which has a Trans Health Hub. You can register as an outpatient and they may be able to offer you help with prescriptions and monitoring while you are waiting for access to a Gender Identity Clinic.

You can also check the well-known spreadsheet Trans* Friendly General Practitioners to see if a GP in your area has been marked as "safe".

While you're transitioning, it can be hard to feel "at home" in your body. Especially when most clothing is made with cisgender heights and body types in mind. One of the easiest ways to feel more confident in yourself is to customise your clothing to fit, and it doesn't need to cost a fortune! The Trans Sewing Project contains a wealth of tips and designs on tailoring your clothes to fit a trans+ body shape in a flattering way.

Our friends at Transcend also run a regular clothes swap for TNBI people in the Hastings/Bexhill area.