A new LGBTQ+ estate agency support group has been launched to provide camaraderie, support and advice for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and questioning community that work in property.

LGBTQ+ in Estate Agency has been founded by James Hummerstone-Pope, Danielle Andrews and Caren Gilbert-Weedman – all agents within the eXp UK estate agency.

The group has published a manifesto that sets out five terms of reference:

Mentoring
Mentoring for those who identify as LGBTQ+ and who currently work in estate agency/the property industry. This will also be offered to those who identify as LGBTQ+ and want to start a career in estate agency/the property industry

Up-Skill
A safe space for individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ to up-skill themselves with the help of other members – creating a community of individuals who strive to help each other gain better skills and to improve as a collective

Learning Hub
A learning hub for individuals in agency who do not identify as LGBTQ+ to learn about the community (these learnings will be both virtual and in person where possible and will be recorded so anyone can access the learning as a time that suits them).
Topics such as – Correct use of pronouns, supporting transitions, unconscious bias – etc

Monthly Meets
A monthly meeting for all who are part of the LGBTQ+ in Estate Agency group

Yearly Networking
An event open to anyone who identifies as LGBTQ+ or who wants to support the group. These will include topics challenging LGBTQ+ individuals in the estate agency/property industry and will include guest speakers and interactive learning sessions.

Hummerstone-Pope commented: “In the 2021 census around 1.5 million people identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or question their sexual orientation. If you translate that as a percentage of the population to the hundreds of thousands of people that work in the UK property industry, it’s clear that the LGBTQ+ community needs proper representation and indeed support whether ‘out’ or not.

“This is not a campaign group to start to force gender-free pronouns upon the property industry nor to attempt to promote a political view on gay and trans issues – rather a platform to simply help, support and champion LGBTQ+ people in property”.

“It’s the support for our community that this group is all about and whether it’s professional career advancement through knowledge, mentoring help or just having a few like minded friends to chat to and to meet in order to feel part of something safe, I invite anyone that identifies as LGBTQ+ or that would like to help us help promote our cause, to contact me or one of my colleagues for a welcoming chat”.

The group’s new Facebook page is now live and provides for more information – this will be fully updated from 2 April.