Water Lily LGBT

04/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended Water Lily’s first monthly meeting. We are truly grateful for your support and participation.

We were delighted to welcome more than 80 attendees to our very first meeting. Your presence made this event a great success and marks an exciting beginning for our community.

A special thank you goes to all of our Water Lily team and volunteers for their hard work, dedication, and commitment in making this event possible.

We look forward to seeing you all again at our next monthly meeting. Thank you for being part of the Water Lily family. 🏳️‍🌈💜

04/07/2026

Today, 4 July 2026, Water Lily LGBT, a South Asian LGBTQ+ organisation, proudly celebrated London Pride 2026.
We spent a wonderful day celebrating love, diversity, equality, and inclusion with thousands of people across London. Pride is a place where everyone can express their true selves, showcase their talents, share their stories, and celebrate love without fear.
As Chairperson of Water Lily LGBT, I believe Pride is a vital part of every LGBTQ+ person’s journey. It reminds us that visibility matters, our voices matter, and everyone deserves to live with dignity, respect, and acceptance.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and made today so special. Together, we continue to build a stronger, more inclusive future for South Asian LGBTQ+ communities and for everyone.
Happy London Pride 2026! 🏳️‍🌈

04/07/2026

03/07/2026

Refugees are not a bill to be repaid. They are people rebuilding their lives.

The UK Government’s proposed Immigration and Asylum Bill includes plans for many people granted refugee status to repay a flat-rate sum, expected to be around £10,000, towards the cost of their asylum accommodation and support once they begin earning.

Supporters argue this is a fair way for those who are able to contribute to the costs of the asylum system. Critics, including refugee organisations, argue it amounts to an additional financial burden on people who often arrive with nothing after fleeing war, persecution or violence.

Many refugees spend months or years unable to work while waiting for a decision on their asylum claim. Starting a new life is already challenging. The question is whether asking people to repay these costs helps integration, or creates another obstacle to rebuilding their future.

Every refugee has a story. Every person deserves dignity, safety and the opportunity to contribute to society.

Let’s keep the conversation informed, respectful and rooted in facts.

02/07/2026

Pride in London is almost here! 🌈

This Saturday, 4 July 2026, Water Lily will once again proudly stand with our South Asian LGBTQI+ community at Pride in London.

Join us as we celebrate our cultures, our identities, and our collective strength. Pride is about visibility, community, and creating space where everyone can live authentically.

We are also delighted to have Queen Joiya joining us for this year’s celebrations. 💜

Whether you’re marching, supporting from the sidelines, or joining us for the first time, we’d love to celebrate with you. Wear your brightest colours, bring your pride, and let’s make this year’s march unforgettable.

📅 Date: Saturday, 4 July 2026
🏳️‍🌈 Event: Pride in London 2026
🪷 Community: Water Lily (South Asian LGBTQI+)
👑 Featuring: Queen Joiya

Together, we celebrate diversity, resilience, and the beauty of being exactly who we are.

01/07/2026

Pride in London is the UK’s largest annual LGBTQ+ Pride celebration and one of Europe’s biggest Pride events. It brings together le***an, gay, bisexual, transgender, q***r and other LGBTQ+ communities, alongside allies, to celebrate diversity while continuing to campaign for equality and human rights. The event has been held since 1972, inspired by the first Pride marches following the Stonewall riots.

The celebration usually takes place in late June or early July and includes:

1. A large parade through central London featuring LGBTQ+ organisations, charities, community groups, businesses and public sector organisations.
2. Free entertainment stages with live music, speeches and performances in locations such as Trafalgar Square and other areas of the West End.
3. Cultural events including theatre, exhibitions, film screenings, family activities and community gatherings throughout Pride season.

Attendance has grown significantly over the years. Recent Pride events have attracted around 1.5 million visitors, with hundreds of community groups and tens of thousands of marchers participating in the parade.

Pride in London is organised by the non-profit London LGBT+ Community Pride, commonly known as Pride in London. The organisation works with volunteers, community organisations, sponsors and the Greater London Authority to deliver the event.

Although Pride is a celebration, it also remains a protest. It raises awareness of issues affecting LGBTQ+ people, including discrimination, hate crime, healthcare access, transgender rights, asylum, racial equality and inclusion. Many community groups use the event to campaign for continued legal and social progress.

If you are asking about this year’s event, Pride in London 2026 is scheduled for Saturday 4 July 2026, with the main parade through central London followed by free entertainment and community events.

14/06/2026

London's only Reform UK council has cancelled its Pride flag ceremony, just three days before it was due to take place.

Havering Council scrapped the event scheduled for 5 June, following a Reform UK instruction that only the Union flag or St George's Cross may be flown at Reform-run council buildings.

Council leader Keith Prince said the council would only fly flags that recognise "our heroes like the armed forces." What he did not mention is that le***an, gay, and bisexual personnel have served openly and with full integration in the UK Armed Forces for years. That argument cuts both ways.

Residents are pushing back. Community groups, Havering Labour, and local trade unions came together on the day to mark Pride regardless. The Kaleidoscope Trust reminded everyone that LGBTQ+ visibility goes far beyond a flag on a building. And they are right.

One resident put it plainly: she had noticed the Pride flag going up since 2016 and it made her feel seen. Now she is worried the council's actions will signal to others that homophobia is acceptable.

Visibility matters. Symbols matter. And community is what carries us forward when institutions let us down.

If you are in Havering or across London, know that you are seen, you are supported, and you are not alone.

Source: PinkNews, 4 June 2026
https://www.thepinknews.com/2026/06/04/london-reform-uk-havering-pride-flag/

03/06/2026

Colourful lives, colourful communities, and colourful celebrations.

We are delighted to announce that Water Lily South Asian LGBT Organisation will be taking part in London Pride on 4 July.

As a new organisation, we are proud and honoured to be part of one of the most important celebrations of the LGBTQ+ community. Pride is a time to celebrate diversity, visibility, equality, and the strength of our community.

We look forward to standing alongside LGBTQ+ people from across London and beyond. Thank you to everyone who has supported Water Lily on this journey.

Get ready to make some noise and celebrate with us. We cannot wait to see you on 4 July at London Pride.

Water Lily South Asian LGBT Organisation will always support for LGBTQ+ people.

Thank you all for your continued support.

29/05/2026

It is an amazing moment for Chairperson Queen Joiya of Water Lily South Asian LGBT Community. Queen Joiya is continuously working hard for the LGBTQ+ community. She is always supporting LGBTQ+ people in the UK and around the world with dedication, care, and pride.

Queen Joiya also gave an interview to Feel Good at Birmingham Pride, where she shared the voice and experiences of the South Asian LGBTQ+ community. Special thanks to Birmingham Pride for giving her this wonderful opportunity and platform to represent the community and inspire others.