A new initiative has been launched to help support the needs of the over 50s LGBT community in Wandsworth.

The idea is to have a weekly coffee morning, which is run by the Wandsworth LGBT forum, for this “overlooked section” in the community.

The WLGBT forum was awarded a grant from Wandsworth CCG to run the project, the objective of which was to identify inequalities in health services for this group.

The chairman of the forum, David Robson, said projects like this are in demand nationally.

He said: “The needs of the older people in the LGBT community have largely been ignored.

“There appears to be a one size fits all model for older people care that ignores the diverse cultural needs of our community.

“This project is a starting point to show people that at whatever age you get to, there will always be a need for LGBT people to be with other LGBT people.”

Vito Ward, a local resident and regular attendee of The Furzedown Project, said: “This year marks the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.

“It reminds us all what older people have lived through.

“The prejudice and the persecution which hasn’t just completely gone away.

“I hope this group is the first of many across many services and hope to integrate fully so that people can enjoy our culture as much as we enjoy theirs.”

Labour candidate for Tooting, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, who popped in to show support on Thursday (May 4), said: “It’s really important to support local initiatives like the Wandsworth LGBT Forum here in Furzedown and across the borough.

“I’m keen to work with the group to learn more about their needs and support in any way that I can.”

The coffee morning, which launched on April 20, will be held every Thursday from 10am to 12am at The Furzedown Project Moyser Road.