Hi my name is Karen MacLean and I am a male to female transsexual living in Derby. For quite some time now several of my friends have been saying why can't we have a support group for transgender people in the Derby area? Where can we go to socialise with others like ourselves who live in the city and county?

There has not been a support group in the area for a few years now. There is a need for a support group as many who are transgendered suffer from verbal and sometimes physical abuse and because they are transgendered feel that they are unable to report such happenings. Also if they wish to socialise and meet others finding somewhere safe can be a problem too.

Support groups offer not only a social outlet but also advice from those who are more experienced, especially to anyone just taking their first steps out in public. True there is a web based help site but the person who runs that site does not, as far as I know run organised meetings.

Having never run such a group and not being that confident of my organisational skills I contacted derbyshireFRIEND (df) who gave me some very sound advice. At the same time Carl Willis who I had met through being a member of a.r.c was also encouraging me to start a group. With this in mind Carl and I started to look for suitable premises where we could hold meetings. Initially I contacted a possible venue, which df had suggested to me but despite several phone calls we were unable to get fixed up. At this point we were then offered the facility of using the DACP offices in the city centre to arrange an informal meeting to gauge possible support.

The meeting was advertised in several places and within a week or so the phone was ringing most days of the week asking about details and how to get there. The group held it's first meeting on 15th December 2004 at the Derby Tenants Resource Centre (DACP), Gower Street, Derby.

Since this initial meeting we have had one more meting at the DACP before finding the premises we are hopefully going to make our permanent base. We have now been allowed to use the Community Room, Streatham Road, Mackworth, Derby on a monthly or if there is sufficient demand twice monthly basis.

There was a very favourable reaction to our new meeting place after the first meeting there and since we last met I have had eight more people asking if they can come along. At this point I feel I should point out that we are a completely open group, not only do we welcome male to female trans people but also female to male, as well as their supportive family and friends if they wish to join in.

The Derby Trader local newspaper has also given us valuable support and has asked me to keep them informed of the group's progress.

If you are reading this and feel you would like to know more I can be contacted via email k.maclean@ntlworld.com or the groups mobile phone 07969 448916. Don't have any worries about ringing, as it will be me who answers. If you do wish to come along to the meetings contact me and I can tell you when that will be and if you are at all worried about whether to get changed or not don't be. We do have changing facilities at the venue or if you are at all nervous and feel it more appropriate not to dress then that's fine too.

Finally a big thank you to df for their help and advice and for putting this article on their website.