As part of Pride Month, we're shining a light on some of the people and organisations helping create spaces where people feel seen, heard and connected.
Read time: approximately 3 minutes
In 2025, our Community Cares Fund helped support a dedicated LGBTQ+ aged 60+ cohort of A Life Written, an established creative writing programme delivered by the National Centre for Writing.
A year later, participants are still meeting, writing together and preparing to launch a second anthology.
For Lilly Newton, a participant on the programme and organiser of Oasis Norfolk, one of the UK's longest-running trans support groups, the course offered something far more meaningful than the opportunity to improve her writing.
Lilly Newton
It offered the chance to preserve stories.
“I'd already written my own story” Lilly explains, "What I really wanted to do was tell the story of Oasis through the experiences of the people who make up Oasis, so the A Life Written course came along at a perfect time for me."
Writing hadn’t always come easily. As a teenager, Lilly struggled with reading, writing and spelling and never imagined she would one day be contributing to published anthologies.
“At 16, I would have been the last person you'd expect to be doing this. Maths was my saving grace and I became an engineer.”
Over time, writing became a creative outlet and a way of capturing memories, experiences and community history. Through A Life Written, participants were encouraged to explore memoir writing, uncovering stories that may otherwise have remained untold.
For Lilly, those stories ranged from memories of growing up around vintage cars and music to reflections on identity, family and the experience of coming out to her mum at the age of 62.
Supported by tutors and fellow participants, the group developed not only their writing but also the confidence to share deeply personal experiences with one another.
A Life Written participants and East of England Co-op colleagues
One of Lilly's proudest moments came when participants were invited to read their work aloud.
“I dedicated my reading to my late parents. They would never have believed I could do something like this.”
What began as a ten-week programme soon became something much bigger.
As the weeks passed, participants found connection through shared experiences, creativity and conversation. When the programme ended, nobody wanted those relationships to disappear.
“We always said we'd like to continue. It felt too important to lose.”
Nearly a year later, fifteen of the sixteen participants are still meeting regularly. Naming themselves Biro Diversity, the group continues to write together, support one another and is now preparing to launch a second anthology.
For Lilly, that lasting community reflects something at the heart of Pride itself.
“Community, celebration and protest.”
While Pride is often associated with celebration, Lilly also recognises the importance of creating spaces where people feel safe, connected and heard.
“A lot of people are choosing to self-isolate. That's why we need community. We need spaces where people can come together and have a voice.”
That's why programmes like A Life Written matter.
They help preserve stories that might otherwise be lost. They create opportunities for people to share experiences, build confidence and connect with others. And sometimes, as this group has shown, they create communities that continue long after the final session ends.
As Lilly puts it:
“It's not a phase. I spent a lot of my life hoping it was and that I'd grow out of these feelings. Now, in my sixties, I can tell you it isn't a phase. I'm living my life the way I want to and living my absolute best life without a shadow of doubt.”
For East of England Co-op, Lilly's story is a powerful reminder that community investment is about more than funding activities. It's about creating opportunities for people to connect, share their experiences and ensure important stories continue to be told for generations to come.
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