CHE 50th anniversary

The plaque on Church House

The 50th anniversary of the founding of CHE was celebrated in Manchester on 7 October 2014, 50 years to the day from the first public meeting of the North Western Homosexual Law Reform Committee, which in due course became the Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE).

Plaque unveiling

The unveiling ceremony at Church House. From left to right: The Lord Mayor, the Bishop, Paul Martin and Peter Scott-Presland

The Bishop of Manchester (Rt Revd David Walker), together with the Lord Mayor (Councillor Susan Cooley), unveiled a plaque outside Church House, Deansgate, Manchester, where the original meeting had taken place on 7 October 1964. Also taking part were Paul Martin, CEO of the Lesbian and Gay Foundation and Peter Scott-Presland, who is writing the official history of CHE.

Tea with the Lord Mayor

In the afternoon, representatives of CHE and the local LGBT community were entertained to tea by the Lord Mayor in Manchester Town Hall. There were speeches from the Lord Mayor, the Bishop, Paul Martin, Peter Scott-Presland and others. The Bishop paid tribute to Ted Wickham, who had been his inspiration in the area of industrial chaplaincy, and as Bishop of Middleton had facilitated the early meetings at Church House.

Homo Heroes Awards

Left to right, Cllr Carl Austin, Paul Fairweather, Cllr Bev Craig (holding certificate), Ross Burgess (holding trophy), Peter Naughton

And in the evening during the annual Homo Heroes Awards ceremony, organised by the Lesbian and Gay Foundation, CHE received the Alan Turing Memorial Award 2014.