Gay area in edinburgh

It was the early summer of By now it was obvious to me that I was attracted to other men. I called the Samaritans and they referred me to the Scottish Minorities Group (SMG).

I called the SMG Befriending Service, which was well established and, as I recall, operated most evenings. Two of their team met me in town and we went for tea where we talked about being gay and what it meant for me. It was really helpful and professional and obviously a well-established non-directive counselling service with trained volunteers (the Samaritans clearly saw fit to recommend it and I assume they had done their due diligence). My befrienders were John Compass (who was an established estate agent and also the person who had project-managed the acquisition of the gay centre in Broughton Street) and a guy called Ted who was a teacher. I remained friends with John for many years. Both of these wonderful men have now long since passed away. I saw many others come into the community via the Befrienders. I joined the Befriending team myself some years later.

Shortly after I me