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The People Behind The Curtain

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Ross Jameson Laffey

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Steven Oakden-Howell

Our Mission

Behind the Curtain's mission is to benefit the LGBTQI+ community, providing a range of support and wellbeing activities tailored to their specific needs. Our offerings include social interactions that blend both traditional and unconventional scenes, educational and entrepreneurial workshops to promote self-awareness and address skills mismatch, helping individuals build resilience and pursue positive career paths. 

The activities provided by Behind the Curtain bring together people from diverse backgrounds, promoting healthier lifestyles, family cohesion, and community enhancement.

 

Ross and team are committed to making a positive impact and empowering others through Behind the Curtain. Together, we will create a brighter and more inclusive future for everyone in our community.

About Ross

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Behind The Curtain (BTC) CIC was born from a powerful vision from founder Ross Jameson-Laffey. With his background in supporting businesses and his personal struggles as a young gay man, Ross set out to create a safe haven for individuals from all walks of life.

Since 2007, Ross has dedicated himself to helping people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Seeing these individuals flourish brings him and his team immense joy and satisfaction. Together with his partner Lee, they have fostered 11 children, breaking the norms as the first same-sex couple to foster in South Tyneside and Sunderland. Their goal was to create a warm, safe, and supportive environment for these children, offering an alternative family setup that goes beyond the traditional norms.  

One of their most meaningful experiences during fostering was supporting a young trans boy. In the time he spent with Ross and Lee, they provided a space where he could truly be himself, fully embraced and celebrated for being him.​

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About Steve

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Steven and Ross have been friends for over two decades, having met at Manchester Metropolitan University. Steve is an avid technology enthusiast, particularly drawn to the rapidly evolving field of Artificial Intelligence and its potential applications. However, his true passion lies in traditional crafts. He finds joy in rediscovering the fundamentals of creating wholesome food, products, and a cleaner lifestyle. Whether it’s making homemade jams, chutneys, cheeses, and sausages, or crafting wreaths, he relishes the entire process.

 

Over the past 25 years, Steven has had a successful career in retail and retail management, with a specific focus on operations and processes. However, in recent years, he transitioned behind the scenes to IT and project management.

 

Steven earned his degree in Human Nutrition and further developed his knowledge by obtaining a Level 3 trainer’s certificate and also attended courses at Wiltshire College to enhance his counselling skills and gain awareness of men’s mental health issues.

He holds certificates in data protection and services. He has recently completed courses in Generative AI and its applications in business.

 

Steven is known for his expertise in cottage kitchen produce and is a go-to resource for anyone interested in this area. He also enjoys walking, nature, and self-sustainability.

With a diverse range of skills and interests, he is passionate about sharing his knowledge and teaching others how and why things are done with a true back to basics approach.

Join The Community

Subscribe to receive updates, support resources, and news about our latest events, workshops & retreats for the LGBTQ+ community in the North East. Together, we can continue to create a safe, inclusive space where everyone belongs.

Join The Community 

Subscribe to receive updates, support resources, and news about our latest events, workshops & retreats for the LGBTQ+ community in the North East. Together, we can continue to create a safe, inclusive space where everyone belongs.

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