TRANSGENDER people in the Borders will have a new place they can meet and share their experiences thanks to a new group.

TransGen, which was created through Scottish Borders LGBT Equality, will be a support group for trans and non-binary people in the region.

Founded by Pippa Laughton, she told the Border Telegraph that the service is essential.

She said: "It's going to be a supportive group.

"There's basically nothing for trans people in the Borders yet.

"I myself have spent many going up to Edinburgh to access this sort of stuff, so I thought we really need one in the Borders.

"It's really difficult in rural areas to get this sort of thing together and get people in."

TransGen won't just be a standard meeting place for trans/non-binary people, Pippa has also arranged for there to be different activities each month for people to join if they like.

These activities are aimed at supporting people's mental health and could include board games, colouring, or having topical conversations on a variety of subjects, such as the recent enactment by the UK Government of Section 35 (Scotland Act 1998) to prevent the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from proceeding to Royal Assent.

Pippa added: "A lot of people might not want to [discuss that] because it might be a bit triggering, but we'll just have to see what people think.

"[There will also be] trans specific things, in terms of when we have Visibility Day, Trans Day of Remembrance, we'll wrap things in to that."

The group is open to any trans/non-binary people over the age of 18.

The monthly group will also offer refreshments, with food provided on its first night.

TransGen is a new addition to the groups supported by Scottish Borders LGBT Equality.

The charity, which also provides Café Polari (an LGBTQ+ group which meets at Café Recharge), Queer Borders Film Festival and is overseeing the first Pride event in the Borders, is proud to be help open a safe space for trans/non-binary people in the region.

Susan Hart, one of the trustees of Scottish Borders LGBT Equality, said: "The organisation has recognised for years that some sort of support for trans people is needed in the Scottish Borders.

"But because we had no one who identifies as trans in the organisation, we didn't feel it was appropriate for one us to start.

"But when Pippa joined us as a trustee, and her expertise is in trans [issues] and she was very keen to start the group.

"It's not that we haven't known that that support is needed.

"And with the Borders being such a large area, the fact we could get funding from the Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund was extremely important so we can offer people subsided travel and a safe space."

The group will operate under a safe space policy which people will be asked to follow.

TransGen will begin today (Monday, February 13) at 5-8pm at the Focus Centre in Galashiels.

For more information on TransGen, visit the Scottish Borders LGBT Equality website or its Facebook page.