"FROM when I was nine years old I dressed in my sister’s clothes, but I kept it secret. In them days I would have had the electric shock treatment.”

Helen Wright, from Bishop Auckland, has lived most her life as Alan, but in her 50s decided to start transitioning into the person she thought she should have been born as.

She added: “I never thought I would become Helen. I was a lorry driver, I was married, I had kids but in 2001 I couldn’t take any more.”

Following her operation in 2003 she became the victim of an unprovoked attack in a bar, when she was hit with a broken bottle and started working with Durham Police on hate crime and how to improve levels of reporting.

With her confidence at rock bottom, with the help of Age UK Durham worker Clare Midgley they decided to set up a group for people from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in 2010.

Open to anyone aged over the age of 50, living in Durham, who identifies as LGBT, it offers social activities and a safe space to make friends.

Ms Midgley said: “What’s wonderful is it’s so diverse. We don’t exclude anyone as long as they’re over 50 and LGBT.

“Our youngest member is 52 and we’ve got people in their 70s who come along.

“I think the group is very supportive of each other. We are very diverse people but it’s about being open. We have bisexual members, married people who are gay, married people who are transgender. It’s always confidential.

“I’ve learned such a lot since starting this group up.

“Durham is just a little city and the pit villages are a bit depressed. A lot of people face isolation from not being able to share or be true to themselves.”

Transgender member Samantha Elder, 63, from Newton Aycliffe, has been coming since 2011 and now volunteers with the charity

She said: “Since I joined I’ve found everyone so supportive and they’ve helped me through, one way or another.”

She added: “Now I’m confident enough to volunteer and take people shopping – I drive the bus. Having people to talk to has helped a lot. We just want to live our lives.”

Helen said: “You’re always going to get someone who will be derogatory and that won’t change but I look everyone in the face and I won’t bow my face to anyone. We’ve gone through all of that.

“There’s nothing worse than going in a shop and someone saying ‘yes sir’. I just say now ‘do you think I’m wearing these clothes for a laugh?’ It takes a while to be confident enough to do that.”

While some of the members are happy to open up about their experiences, some haven’t shared them with even their closest family members.

One of the group’s newest members, 53-year-old Keith Wharton, from Sherburn, who has been going for about three months, said: “I probably knew from a young age, but I’m in a world where you act macho and keep it a secret. You feel terrible about it and go out of the area to meet people. I’ve always felt bad about it. I used to do silly things and hurt myself.

“I worked on building sites and I laughed along when they made jokes about certain genders. In the pit villages it can be hard because everyone knows your business. It can be hard to feel normal.”

Ms Midgley said: “Being gay was still illegal in the 1960s so we have members who were affected by that.

“Sometimes people are really frightened of being judged or being rejected or being told to go away. It takes a lot for people to call up.

“Often older people don’t know about LGBT issues because they were sheltered from it and it was hidden. It’s about education. Older people have had this hidden so they don’t know how to deal with it.”

Helen added: “There are a lot of older people in their late 60s and 70s who have been in the closet all their lives.

“Sometimes people have been living a lie their whole lives and when they come on the scene they’re not sure whether they want to do this or stop as they are.

“Young people are much more open and learn more about it.”

The group meets once a month and is open to anyone aged over 50 who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

For more information contact Clare Midgley on 0191-374 6567 or email engage@ageukcountydurham.org.uk