LGBTQ+ Wandsworth: Queer Things Happen Here Exhibit

LGBTQ+ Wandsworth: first meet-up

(Battersea Library)

The first LGBTQ+ Wandsworth group was on the 
21st October 2025 at Battersea Library. The first meet-up saw 12 LGBTQ+ people come together, share their experiences of the borough and celebrate meeting other queer people in a safe space. From this first meeting grew a regular group, which has culminated in the exhibition you see today: a celebration of LGBTQ+ lives in the London Borough of Wandsworth. 

LGBTQ+ Wandsworth: the first step

(Battersea Library)

Reflections from some of the attendees of the first group:

"Attending the group has had a really positive impact on me. It's been a welcoming and inclusive space where I've felt comfortable being myself and connecting with others in the LGBTQ+ community. I've enjoyed meeting new people, hearing different experiences, and feeling part of something creative and meaningful."

"Attending the group gave me the opportunity to meet others in the community I might not had the pleasure to meet elsewhere. It was quite a unique experience, really, for which I’m very grateful."

“It was a pleasure to meet other members of the community who are associated with Wandsworth. I have lived here for over 40 years and it's difficult to meet other LGBT people without going out of the borough."

Life is a picnic

(Putney Common)

"I went with a big group of old friends to have a fabulous picnic and get-together on Putney Common. We chilled with music playing, the sun shining and food laid out on a gingham tablecloth. It felt good to relax, be ourselves and enjoy each other's company."

A Grand entrance

(Clapham Grand, Clapham Junction)

"I went to my very first drag show at the Clapham Grand. I was with my now best friend, and we saw the ‘Heals of Hell’ show run by Klub Kids. I’d never really seen drag on stage before, except maybe a classic pantomime, so I was really excited to go. Not only was my favourite drag superstar Trixie Mattel performing, the energy in the space was amazing, I felt so accepted, and it’s a memory 
I will always cherish.” 

Fresh fade, fresh start

(James Barbers, Tooting)

“I experienced my first gender-affirming haircut at James Barbers in Tooting. They were extremely welcoming and, after chatting for a bit, we started talking about pronouns and which ones I use. My barber was Spanish and taught me the new neutral terms that have become more common in Spain for non-binary people which was amazing to learn about. They also said they have a few trans men that use their shop, so I was instantly comfortable. I still go to them to this day!” 

A snowy date

(Putney Embankment)

"It was winter time and I was on a second date with a boy I liked. After a couple of drinks, we took a walk along Putney Embankment. He was cute and I really wanted to end the evening with a kiss, so I made it obvious to him. As we kissed, the snow started to fall quite heavily. People passed us, and the kiss continued. It all felt rather romantic."

An open book

(Wandsworth Town Library)

“I went to Wandsworth Town Library and I immediately felt at home in a safe space. 
I explored the LGBTQ+ literature and art that the library offers. It was a tranquil environment where I felt I could be my flamboyant, boisterous self."

Pride comes home

(Southside Shopping Centre, Wandsworth Town)

"In 2019, I didn't make it to London's main Pride, but I found something meaningful closer to home. Seeing rainbow balloons cascading down the outside of Southside Shopping Centre was a reminder that Pride doesn't only belong in city-centre parades. It can exist in the places where we shop, meet friends, and go about our everyday lives. For me, it was a small but powerful sign that queer visibility had reached Wandsworth."

Couple's rainbow

(Hardwicks Square, Wandsworth)

“This was taken from our balcony not long after my husband and I moved into our home in Wandsworth. A double rainbow stretched across the sky, as if welcoming us to the place that would become the backdrop to the next chapter of our lives. This home is where we've spent the majority of our married life together, celebrating milestones, weathering challenges, and building a life side-by-side. Wandsworth has become far more than 
just an address; it’s where we've found comfort, safety, belonging, and home.”  

Cover story

(Battersea Arts Centre)

“The bookshop at Battersea Arts Centre in the 80s was a space where the local LGBT community felt safe to explore gay literature. Free newspapers, such as The Pink Paper, provided a glimpse into what appeared to be the glittering and exciting world of London gay nightlife and the arts outside of the humdrum and grey of Clapham Junction ordinariness at the time. If you were a gay teenager, you would browse the book shop, pretending to show interest in the hardbacks and paperbacks, all the while surreptitiously surveying where the free newspapers were and, when you thought no one was looking, you'd grab a copy, stuff it into your school blazer and hurriedly leave, making a very unintentionally noticeable exit!” 

Table talk

(The Exhibit, Balham)

“In December, a few members of LGBTQ+ Wandsworth came together for a meal at The Exhibit in Balham. We ate, drank and talked about plans with family and friends, holidays we were going on or had been on, TV shows and movies we like, and our lives as queer people. It was nice that it was a group of different generations, and I felt like we we were all learning from each other. It was a lovely evening of celebration in a space that feels truly inclusive and safe for the community, and at a time of the year that can be difficult for many LGBTQ+ people.” 

Doggy date

(Tooting Common)

"Finding things to do when looking to organise a date with a guy can be difficult or predictable like going for drinks or the cinema, so I like to propose a walk with my dog. This photo was taken on Tooting Common on a beautiful Autumn day on a second date. The date was just OK, but my dog had a wonderful time!"

Common ground

(Clapham Common, Wandsworth Common)

“Walking around green spaces in Wandsworth has given me a sense of community that’s often hard to find in a big city like London. It’s easy to be wrapped up in the chaos of everyday life, and the Walking HangOuts with LGBT HERO gave me a moment to connect with other LGBTQ+ people from a range of ages and backgrounds. We’d meet at Clapham Common before wandering off into Wandsworth.  I've met so many lovely people with similar interests that I wouldn’t have had a chance to meet otherwise. I can’t help but appreciate an hour of my day dedicated to enjoying the outdoors without worrying about whether people will welcome me.”  

The scenic route

(Putney, Wandsworth Town)

"I spent a day recently with my best friend enjoying the sunshine and the sights of Wandsworth. We walked from Putney Station to Wandsworth Town station, wandering by the river, stopping for a burger and a beer, admiring the expensive looking houses and then we jumped over the borough lines to end the night at a gay bar called The Eagle. The perfect summer day."