Milestones matter. They honour the past and set the direction for the future. At Golden GRAITime, as Connections marked 50 years and GRAI celebrated 20, I was struck by the resilience and joy of older LGBTI people. A 76-year-old told me he had brought his body donor card “𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙧.” That spirit captures the strength of a generation who have carried our community forward. For leaders, policymakers and organisations, the message is clear. Older people are not passive recipients of care. They are active custodians of culture, history and belonging. Our role is to ensure spaces exist where ageing is not sidelined but celebrated, with dignity, visibility, and joy.
