A funding crisis has left Aberdeen-based Four Pillars warning that its LGBT+ support services across Grampian could close within days. The charity says it needs £50,000 to bridge the gap, after months of difficulty securing funding, sponsorship and donations. The warning follows the cancellation of Grampian Pride for 2026, but the stakes now reach far beyond one event.
Four Pillars says its doors could close within days
Four Pillars is facing the possibility of closing its services from 6pm on Monday, 16 November, unless it can find urgent financial support. The charity says it needs £50,000 to get through the immediate crisis, after 18 months of struggling to secure funding, sponsorship and donations.
The scale of the work behind the appeal is striking: Four Pillars recorded 9,384 engagements with people in its most recent year, including at its Regent Quay drop-in hub. For people who rely on a welcoming place to seek support, the prospect of losing that connection is more than a line in a charity statement.
A decade of support, now under strain
Four Pillars has operated in north-east Scotland since 2016. Its work is not limited to Pride: the charity’s website lists a community hub and café, outreach, one-to-one support, groups, mental health provision, sexual health resources and help related to gender identity services.
The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator lists Four Pillars as an Aberdeen-based charity supporting LGBT+ people and allies in matters including mental, emotional, physical and sexual health. The breadth of that remit helps explain why the funding crisis has consequences well beyond a single public event.
Why Grampian Pride was cancelled
The pressure had already forced a major choice. Four Pillars decided not to organise Grampian Pride in 2026, which it had organised since the event began in 2018, so it could prioritise year-round services and the charity’s stability.
The Press and Journal reported that staging a large Pride event takes substantial resources, some of which could otherwise support frontline work. The BBC also reported that the charity wanted to remain available throughout the year, amid concerns about hate incidents and their effect on the community. Pride’s absence is visible; the day-to-day support it helps protect can be less so.
What losing the service could mean
Four Pillars’ services span practical help and community connection, from one-to-one support and groups to health resources and outreach. The Grampian Regional Equality Council’s directory also describes support that includes help reporting hate crime, while the charity’s own website offers routes to volunteering, membership and donations.
Vice-chair John Doran said the loss would be particularly serious in a northern part of Scotland far from the wider support networks available in larger cities. He also said the need for the service had not disappeared, and that sustainable funding opportunities may exist if the charity can get through its immediate crisis.
How to help, and what to check
Four Pillars is appealing for donations to bridge its £50,000 shortfall and keep its services open. The charity’s website provides donation options, alongside information about its work and ways to get involved.
If you’re considering supporting the appeal, use the charity’s own website to check its latest information and donation routes. The regulator’s public register provides official background on the organisation, but it does not independently confirm the specific shortfall or proposed closure deadline.
The need remains, even as funding tightens
The immediate question is whether Four Pillars can secure enough support to stay open. The charity’s earlier decision to cancel Pride shows how financial pressure had already reshaped its work; the new warning puts its ongoing services at risk too.
For a community organisation, keeping a door open can mean more than maintaining a building. It can preserve a place where people find practical help, connection and a sense of belonging.
A donation or share could help Four Pillars reach people able to support its appeal.
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