RAINBOW FAMILIES CIC

What RAINBOW FAMILIES CIC does

Rainbow Families CIC is a UK-registered Community Interest Company (a social-enterprise legal form) that delivers peer support groups, one-on-one emotional support, educational resources, and advocacy services to LGBT+ individuals, parents, families, and allies. The organisation operates a tiered service portfolio segmented by life stage — Youth, Adult, Seniors, and Parenting — plus general Allies programming, with delivery split between in-person support groups in Kent (Folkestone at The Folkestone Bookshop; Canterbury at Lily's Social Kitchen CIC) and online virtual sessions. A small leadership team — Founding Director Céline Robertson, Co-Director Thomas Abbott (Finance and Marketing), and Group Coordinator Sapphire Barry — runs the operation.

The service portfolio combines free community offerings with two micro-scale paid products: 30-minute one-on-one Emotional Support sessions priced at £12, and educational digital products such as 'The LGBT+ Alphabet' eBook priced at £3.99, sold through an e-commerce store on the organisation's Wix-hosted website. Marketing and reach are driven by organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), an email newsletter, and an online booking system, with donations and sponsorships accepted as a non-earned revenue stream via SumUp.

The business model is community-led and donation-supported rather than venture-scalable: revenue mechanics rely on dispersed micro-transactions plus charitable giving, with no external investment, parent company, or M&A activity disclosed. Geographic footprint is regional (Kent) plus online, and there is no proprietary technology platform beyond the Wix website and SumUp payment integration. As a CIC, the entity is structurally bound to reinvest surplus into community benefit rather than distribute profits.

Name

RAINBOW FAMILIES CIC

Legal name

Rainbow Families CIC

Website

https://www.rainbowfamilies.uk/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Rainbow Families CIC is a UK Community Interest Company that delivers peer support groups, paid one-on-one emotional support sessions, educational workshops, and digital products to LGBT+ individuals, parents, families, and allies across Kent and online.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

LGBT+ Community Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Parent Support Groups & Peer Networks (EDACALAG)

Keywords

• LGBT+ support services
• Peer support groups
• Mental health support
• Community interest company
• LGBT+ family resources

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Emotional Support Sessions: Paid one-on-one emotional support sessions offered at £12 for 30 minutes. Sessions provide non-clinical emotional support and signposting to professional services.
2. eBooks and Digital Products: Sale of educational eBooks including 'The LGBT+ Alphabet' priced at £3.99. Products available through the organization's e-commerce store.
3. Donations and Sponsorship: Organization accepts charitable donations and sponsorships to support operations and mission delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rainbow Families CIC provides peer support groups, one-on-one emotional support sessions, and educational resources for LGBT+ individuals and their loved ones. The organization operates age-segmented programs (Youth, Adults, Seniors, Parenting) with support groups held in-person at partner venues in Kent (Folkestone and Canterbury) and online, complemented by paid 30-minute emotional support sessions (£12) and educational eBooks.

Product overview

Rainbow Families CIC operates as a community interest company offering a comprehensive suite of support services for LGBT+ individuals and their families. The organization provides tiered support programs across different life stages (Youth, Adult, Seniors, and Parenting), complemented by facilitated support groups held both in-person (Folkestone and Canterbury locations) and online. Additional offerings include paid emotional support sessions (30-minute one-on-one chats at £12), educational workshops, and an eBook product (The LGBT+ Alphabet at £3.99). The portfolio is unified by a shared focus on mental health, wellbeing, and community connection, with services designed to build resilience and provide safe spaces for the LGBT+ community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emotional Support Sessions One-on-one friendly chat sessions offering non-clinical emotional support and guidance for individuals struggling with mental health, providing signposting to professional support when needed. Duration: 30 minutes, priced at £12.
• Folkestone LGBT+ Family Support Group In-person support group held at The Folkestone Bookshop, providing a non-judgmental safe space focused on wellbeing and mental health for LGBT+ individuals and families. Duration: 1.5 hours.
• Canterbury LGBT+ Family Support Group In-person support group held at Lily's Social Kitchen CIC in Canterbury, offering a safe space for connection and mental health support for LGBT+ individuals and families. Duration: 2 hours.
• Online LGBT+ Family Support Group Virtual support group providing accessible online sessions for LGBT+ individuals and families to connect and receive mental health support. Duration: 1 hour.
• The LGBT+ Alphabet eBook An educational eBook providing information on LGBT+ terms and definitions, including differences between biological sex and gender identity, sexual orientation, and romantic attraction. Price: £3.99.
• Youth Support Program A safe and inclusive program for young LGBT+ individuals to connect, share experiences, and access support tailored to their needs, focusing on mental health and personal development.
• Adult Support Program Resources and activities designed to help adults in the LGBT+ community connect, engage, and support each other through various life experiences, with focus on wellbeing and mental health.
• Seniors Support Program Specialized support services for senior LGBT+ individuals, ensuring access to resources and connections necessary to maintain wellbeing and quality of life.
• Parenting Support Program A nurturing environment for LGBT+ parents to connect, share knowledge, and access resources for their families' wellbeing.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• The Folkestone BookshopminorOthersVenue partner hosting LGBT+ Family Support Group sessions at 70-72 Tontine Street, Folkestone CT20 1JP. Sessions run monthly with 1 hour 30 minute duration.
• Lily's Social Kitchen CICminorOthersVenue partner in Canterbury hosting LGBT+ Family Support Group sessions at 10 Guildhall St, Canterbury CT1 2JQ. Sessions run with 2 hour duration.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MindOut: UK LGBTQ+ mental health charity offering peer support, online support groups, and one-to-one wellbeing services. Closely comparable to Rainbow Families' mental-health-focused peer support model for the LGBT+ community.
• Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline: Long-standing UK LGBT+ helpline providing emotional support and signposting by phone, chat, and email. Overlaps directly with Rainbow Families' 1:1 emotional support and signposting service.
• PFLAG UK: UK branch of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, running peer support groups for parents, families, and allies of LGBT+ people. Directly comparable to Rainbow Families' family-and-allies support groups.
• The Proud Trust: UK charity supporting LGBT+ youth through youth groups, peer support, and resources. Directly comparable to Rainbow Families' Youth Support Program offering safe spaces and community connection.
• akt (formerly Albert Kennedy Trust): UK charity supporting LGBTQ+ young people facing homelessness or hostile environments, offering mentoring and support services. Comparable audience overlap (LGBTQ+ youth) with mentoring/peer support services.
• Mesmac: UK LGBT+ sexual health and wellbeing charity running peer support, group programmes, and community resources across multiple regions. Comparable community-led peer support model and audience.

Broad incumbents

• Stonewall (UK): Major UK LGBT+ rights and advocacy organization with broad programmes across youth, families, and workplaces. A much larger incumbent serving overlapping audiences including LGBT+ families.
• LGBT Foundation: UK-wide LGBT+ charity delivering support helplines, community programmes, and resources for LGBT+ people and families. Comparable in mission and multi-segment approach, with national scale.

Regional players

• London Friend: London-based LGBT+ charity offering counselling, support groups, and social opportunities. Comparable service mix (peer groups, wellbeing, emotional support) but operates in a different UK region than Rainbow Families.

Others

• Consortium of LGBT+ Voluntary & Community Organisations: UK membership body supporting LGBT+ voluntary and community groups with funding, training, and resources. Ecosystem enabler and potential funder for community-led LGBT+ CICs like Rainbow Families.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJlrOX395jqqJxmW6UVepbQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/rainbowfamiliescic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rainbow-families-cic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RAINBOW FAMILIES CIC