September is here and a whole new bunch of fresh, bright new faces are set to join us here in the north-east.

Locals will already be very familiar with the kind of events, gigs, spaces and charities we look to in the north-east’s LGBTQ+ community, but every September we have the opportunity to grow and welcome a new set of freshers to the region by showing them just how proud we can be. Whether you’re attending Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland, Durham or Teesside unis, there’s a society waiting to welcome you with open arms and help you explore the area and make new like-minded friends during one of the most chaotic times of your life, and as a bonus, you can expect to see plenty of events held by respective Student Unions popping up during Fresher’s Week. As someone who moved miles from my small hometown to this lovely region, I am forever impressed by the support and warmth of our queer community, so let that anecdote be your guide as you make your own journey through university life. MW