Creative writing group for Autistic and neurodivergent adults, based in the north west of England, led by poet Gemma Lees.

This is a series of 15 relaxed online workshops, with no obligation that you attend every one: part of Beyond the Spectrum, an Autistic-led national creative writing programme, hosted by Writing East Midlands. The programme also includes online masterclasses, a chance to submit your work to a print magazine, and access to dedicated writing resources. You can find out more about the wider programme via our website.

Led by Romany Gypsy poet Gemma Lees, and shadow writer Via Macnab, we offer a warm welcome to all — with a special invitation to GRTSB (Gypsy, Roma, Traveller, Showmen & Boater) communities. We do this because these voices are often marginalised — not only in wider society, but also within neurodivergent and creative spaces. GRTSB people who are also autistic may face multiple layers of misunderstanding, exclusion, and stigma, making it harder to access support, representation, or a sense of belonging. By creating a space led by a Romany Gypsy writer, we hope to build trust, visibility, and community — ensuring that GRTSB perspectives are recognised, respected, and celebrated within our shared creative space.

About Gemma Lees
Gemma Lees is a Romany Gypsy, disabled and autistic performance artist, poet, facilitator, comedian and journalist from Bury. Her practise focuses on protest, advocacy and inclusion. She regularly facilitates both adult and family-friendly creative writing and arts and crafts workshops in a variety of venues and she is a passionate advocate for GTRSB and neurodiverse education and inclusion. Her poetry chapbook, ‘1000 Years’ is available from Written Off Publishing.

About Via Macnab
Via Macnab is a freelance writer, theatre maker and storyteller. They led writing workshops to develop It Took Every Soldier, a poem of remembrance written by East Midlands Railway station adopters, staff and community rail partners, and their book Creativity in Autism, First Edition was published in February 2024 by Straightforward Co. Publishers. For the past several years, they have been an important part of the management team at Newark Book Festival.