I came to Lancaster with my partner in January 2020, just before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. As you probably don't need to imagine, it was an experience. Working from home together, bumping into each other with desks too close to one another. Just us, not knowing anyone, or able to make friendships in that time. 

It took 3 years before a new neighbour introduced me to Queer By Gum's craft club, where I met a group of other queer folks in Lancaster for the first time. Thanks to them, I finally had people to be around.

Not long after that, during Pride Month, I had the initial spark of an idea for lancaster.gay - what I like to describe as a trans-inclusive directory of all things queer in Lancaster. I was able to develop lancaster.gay in craft club, with the collaboration of Queer By Gum; they proved to be the first people to support the project.

I wanted to help other people like me find the strong queer community we have in Lancaster. We have so much here, from little queer indie shops, to musicians, artists, potters, charities, and everyone in-between. 

Almost a year and a half later, lancaster.gay has grown so much. At first it just held events, but now you can also find social and support groups, non-profits, and businesses. I started the monthly newsletter, which has been received so well by the community.

The website has received over eleven thousand (11,000) visitors since June 2023. The newsletter brings in around a hundred (100) views each month, and over twenty (20) contributors. For a small, local resource, that is an amazing achievement.

lancaster.gay has grown and has potential for so much more growth, but I think it needs to stay a focused directory. Which is why I started Queer in Lancaster CIC!

Queer in Lancaster will operate lancaster.gay as I always have, while bringing the newsletter, merch, and anything else under the Queer in Lancaster name.

It's so exciting to think of the possibilities, which we've already started on building upon. For example, we recently started our own Community Discord Server in collaboration with Queer By Gum CIC. It already has 52 members and is an active digital social space for queer folks in Lancaster.

You can join the Discord here.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the last year and a half. I'm so grateful for what you've helped me built, and I'm overjoyed by how much the local community use the things I've built. 

I'd like to thank in particular, Queer By Gum and The Gregson Arts and Community Centre, who have both been early supporters and offered continued support.

There's a lot more planned for the future, so please look forward to it!