LGBT+ groups and staying connected
Keeping in touch with friends and family and taking part in social activities helps you to stay connected and can prevent loneliness. Find out about opportunities near you.
Where can I find social groups?
It’s easy to slip into a pattern of staying at home and spending a lot of time alone, but getting out and about is one of the best things you can do to stay happy and healthy.
Enjoying hobbies and getting involved in the local community can improve self-confidence and keep you active. There are groups for everything from cooking to photography. Your local community centre, leisure centre, faith group or library are great places to find out what's happening in your local area.
There are also lots of social groups for older people, including plenty that are specifically for older LGBT+ people, as well as activity-based groups for LGBT+ people of all ages.
Find social groups near your
LGBT Consortium has a directory to help you find local LGBT services and groups.
Does Age UK run LGBT+ groups?
Increasing numbers of local Age UKs are doing great work with their older LGBT+ communities.
The following local Age UKs run social groups for older LGBT+ people:
Opening Doors London runs the UK’s biggest programme for older LGBT+ people.
How can I use technology to keep in touch?
If you find it difficult to see people in person you can easily keep in touch via the internet, through email and free video calls. Social networks, such as Facebook, are also a good way to stay in touch, share photos and find out about events in your area.
You might even find love online. Online dating is now one of the most common ways to meet a partner and there are lots of LGBT+ dating sites. As always, be careful when giving out personal information or meeting up with new people.
