As with many community LGBTQ+ groups, Nottingham Chameleons history has been handed down through the membership over the years. The group can trace its roots back to the late 1970s, where a group of like minded people came together to form Chameleons.
…in the 1970s several trans people contacted Nottingham Switchboard to ask where they could meet others. The answer was “There’s nothing in this area”. Telephone volunteer Mick Banbury encouraged these callers to keep in touch by phone and told them that when there were enough people interested, he would organise a meeting for them. This took place and the meetings continued, eventually carrying on under their own control. In 1983 this Nottingham trans group found its own premises and named itself the Chameleon Group – it’s still going
Nottingham Rainbow Heritage
The group’s first homes was the Wollaton Grange Community Centre on Tremayne Road between the 1980s to the early 2000s (when the venue closed). We shared the centre with the public and when the centre closed in we relocated to Pond Hills up in Arnold. Pond Hills was a lovely old building but very difficult to travel to, so we relocated to our current location, Temple Centre / Nuthall Community Hall in 2006.
In our time at the Temple Centre, we moved from a smaller upstairs area to the bar – sadly no beer, but plenty of tea! 🫖As our numbers grew, we moved into the larger hall, and then the bar area for discussion group topics. We also had a few nights out at the Liversage Arms on the corner of Alice Street and Nottingham Road, Derby. A fab, old school pub and we enjoyed a Christmas Do there with karaoke. Luckily no video of the performances was kept 🤭
In the 2010s, some of our members got together for form a regular night on the town, and Nottingham Invasion started off in the New Foresters. Great to see that night out still going strong.
As the Centre was redecorated before COVID19, new custom facilities where added to the upstairs rooms, where we find ourselves today. We would like to express our gratitude to the Community Centre staff, around their allyship and help. Their support and guidance to help us keep going during parts of the Pandemic – suitably socially distanced! – made a huge differnce to the transgender community who attend.
Nottingham Chameleons is very much a community with members helping each other. Our members – old & new – are the lifeblood of the group. We take pride in welcoming folk new to the group and those returning. We are grateful for the kind words shared by those attending and do our best to make people feel safe, secure, and supported. We would like to express our thanks to organisers who’ve helped the group over the years. Our thanks to Karen & Sue; Jayne & Rhonda; Tracey & Sandy; and Diane, Val & Lynn for their service and kindness.