# Where to live??



## Belbs (Aug 3, 2009)

Hi Ladies,

My partner and I would like to move out of London to be closer to both of our familes now  that we have little Arthur and hopefully another little bean in the next  two years.We were both brought up in the North. My DW from the NW and me from the NE but we'd rather not move back to either of our home towns. Around Leeds seems to be a good idea but we don't know much about the area. 

Any suggestions of gay family friendly places? We are really worried about Arthur being teased at school for having two mummies   and I know that people are not open to gay people where I was brought up. 

Cheers,

Belbs xxx


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## b&amp;l (Oct 8, 2009)

Were in leeds. Pm us if you want. X


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## mintyfaglady (Aug 25, 2007)

Hebden Bridge, of course (or surrounds)! It's great here - lots of lesbian mums. We have regular meet ups - http://lesbianparentsgroup.com/

/links


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## Belbs (Aug 3, 2009)

Thanks b&l and mintyfaglady.

mintyfaglady - thanks for the website - how nice to have such a group. My DW had mentioned Hebden Bridge but I've never been there. We must visit the area next time we are up.


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## lucky2010 (Jan 10, 2006)

One of my close friends live in Hebden and we go every few weeks. We love it and would live there if our jobs weren't so far away. Definitely the place if you want gay friendly!

Good luck!

Rach x


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## Belbs (Aug 3, 2009)

Thanks Rach.


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## Han2275 (Oct 3, 2010)

Am I either very naive or very ignorant   Do places still exist in the UK that are not ok with gay people?   I grew up in a village in Oxfordshire and have lived in Essex and now Wiltshire. DP and I have been together for 11 years and have never had any negative attitudes from anyone. Infact people in our lives couldn't be more positive that we have had children and want to know all about it  . I am a nurse working in lots of different areas so I regularly meet nursing teams that I have not worked with before. Everytime it is like a coming out party   but everyone just wants to see pictures of the boys on my phone and more often than not someone starts telling me about their gay daughter/son etc. We are planning to move to Northern Ireland this year and I did have some concerns about how our family would be received over there but I like to think that our happy and positive attitude as a family will get us through any problems. 
I hope you and your family find somewhere lovely to settle, and that you NEVER come across any sort of prejudice from ignorant people


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## Me and Her (Jan 21, 2010)

Han - my DP is from Northern Ireland and so we spend a lot of time there. It does seem to be a bit more interesting to people over there and they love a gossip! Where we live (Cambridgeshire no-one even raises an eyebrow!) But we have never had any negativity at all, infact everyone is always very nice and asks a few questions. When our nephew who is six and lives in East Belfast was told that we were expecting a baby, his mummy said won't the baby be lucky to have two mummies and he said yes - like 'x' in my class - she has two mummies. He was very blase about the whole thing! I think his generation will wonder what all the fuss was about! I hope your move goes well.

Belbs - I hope you find somewhere lovely to live. I have to say that wherever I have lived (Liverpool, Lancashire, Nottingham, Leicester, Cambridge, Essex) I have never faced any prejudice - obviously I have never had a family before but I hope it will be the same in the future. Best of luck.

xx


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## Han2275 (Oct 3, 2010)

Thanks for that lovely and reassuring story about NI  
DP is from a little village in Cavan where everyone knows everyone and no one really leaves and her parents were shocked that we could actually have children and took a while to come to terms with it all, but a baby will melt the hardest of hearts  
I was a little concerned at first about the move as DP's family was all I knew of Ireland but we are now out and proud   in the emerald isle and presents and money get sent for the boys from all sorts of extended family over there :0)


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## Me and Her (Jan 21, 2010)

I can imagine your little boys melted everyone's hearts! My DP is from a village not too far from belfast so I guess things might be a bit more enlightened in more urban areas but I'm sure you'll be just fine.

When we had our civil partnership we were showered with gifts from tons of friends and family I had never even met. People are very generous over there!

xx


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## Han2275 (Oct 3, 2010)

I love the way the irish always know someone who will do something for you and they just help out because they can  . Us English are always so stiff and proper about everything  
We are planning to move to Enniskillen. Didn't want to be too close to the inlaws   and we both want to stay working in the NHS for some   reason!


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## Me and Her (Jan 21, 2010)

Thats a lovely part of the country. We had an 'interesting' joint hen do on Lusty Beg Island in Lough Erne! It was a beautiful place.

I hope it all goes well for you.

xx


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## Belbs (Aug 3, 2009)

Han & El, thanks so much for those lovely positive messages. It has made me feel much more confident about our move. 

Han - good luck with your move.

Just a few years ago my brother was beaten up in the town where I was brought up because a bloke thought he was gay! My poor little baby brother isn't gay but the bloke heard one his friends talking about his boyfriend. Terrible! But I am so glad to hear your experiences.

Cheers, Belbs xxx


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## snagglepat (Sep 13, 2004)

Just to add that we had an extremely positive experience of moving to a very rural community 18 months ago (Shropshire/Welsh borders). We were really quite nervous about it but it's been marvellous! It really is bizarrely stereotypical rural society, lots of farmers/farming types, very middle class and everyone knows everyone (and half of them are related to each other). When we first moved in we were given nearly a year's supply of home made jam by the various neighbours who dropped by to introduce themselves and only one couple showed any negative reaction to our family set up. They've basically chosen not to interact much with us since, though we still mutually nod and acknowledge each other when we pass in the street. Good old English politeness! Otherwise, we've been welcomed beautifully. We have thrown ourselves into it somewhat: I now co-run the local toddler group and sit on the committee of the village play group while Rae goes to the area gardening club and we've both given the local WI a go (but haven't actually joined yet - a step too far for now) which has probably helped, but no-one has batted an eyelid. We've had so many cards since Bren's birth we've run out of mantlepiece/shelf/sideboard space tp put them on!

I guess I just wanted to give another positive story from the sticks. If you enter your new community with openness and positivity you will most likely get it back tenfold in return.  

Gina.


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