Young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender will be supported by a new project launching in Thanet this week.

The charity Just Like Us is starting the new scheme in Margate on Thursday evening with a free pizza and movie night screening the film Love, Simon.

It aims to challenge a "legacy of homophobic and exclusionary policies" in Kent, after a series of controversial statements and policy decisions in the mid-2000s by Kent County Council.

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The Just Like Us Hub aims to help young people aged 18 to 25 in the district and will meet twice a month to provide a fun and safe space for young LGBT members in the community to socialise and share their experiences.

It opens at the Tom Thumb Theatre in Margate on Thursday evening from 7pm.

The venue and format will alter each session - ranging from drop-in sessions to make friends, workshops on coming out and planning the Pride parade later this year.

The charity also supports people by giving them employment training and mentoring at its headquarters in London.

It also aims to give personal support and ease the pressure of having no support or anyone to talk to with LGBT people at higher risk of committing suicide than their straight peers.

Amy Redmond, Margate Pride organiser said: "The community, social, sharing and togetherness of groups like this are essential for Thanet’s next generation to grow up comfortable and proud of who they are.

"We are over the moon with pride that this is happening in town."

'Groups like this are essential for Thanet’s next generation to grow up comfortable and proud of who they are.' Amy Redmond, Margate Pride organiser

Life in the UK remains a challenge for many people, according to the charity, which reports that nine in 10 LGBT people hear homophobic language and one in two are self-harming.

But Just Like Us says life in Kent for LGBT people has been harder than in other parts of the country, as KCC introduced a policy banning "the intentional promotion of homosexuality" in schools in 2005.

The policy was controversial because it reversed a law passed by Parliament two years earlier which had made teaching about homosexuality in schools legal.

It also only recognised marriage between a man and a woman as the "firm basis for nurturing of children" and was only ruled out by the Equality Act in 2010.

Just Like Us chief executive, Tim Ramsey said: "We’re incredibly excited to launch our Just Like Us Hub in Thanet and meet this new group of young people and support and empower them to be confident in their identity."

Find out more by visiting www.justlikeus.org/events.