Deep Divers
With Azara
Wednesday 8 July 2026
Doors 6pm, Action 7pm, Free
Wheatsheaf Hall, South Lambeth Road, Vauxhall, London, SW8 2UP
(Opposite Holiday Inn Express, 6 mins walk from Vauxhall tube)
Wanna be part of an intergenerational queer London gang that hang out in dusty old libraries, go for walks and natter endlessly with period pieces?
Duckie are creating a new queer history project. It's called Take Courage and it's about Queer Vauxhall in the 70s, 80s & 90s - and we want to invite Londoners to be part of it
We want you
We want you
We want you as a new recruit!
In this introduction event, hear from Duckie’s host with the most Azara and the Duckie crew about how you can get involved
We invite you to sign up as a Deep Diver: to form a volunteer gang of researchers and reporters, get off the internet, get out of your flat, make new friends and let’s build a movement IRL
The jobs are to do some research, come on trips, and develop some historical editorial for our vintage scene zine
We are seeking amateur history hacks, dinosaurs dykes with good memories, egg heads that studied bumming at college, refugees from the elephants graveyard, young artists, bookish bisexuals, OWL’s and tender older gays and help shape the year-long plan of action research
Take Courage runs for a year - from July 2026 to July 2027. It is a programme of 13 Deep Dives, 14 London Queer History Clubs, a Scene Zine and ends with a big specacle at the new London Museum in Smithfield Meat Market
No qualifications needed!
Want a new hobby?
Then come on down, meet the team and say hello
Get a membership card and become a Deep Diver
All 13 Deep Dives are Free
Come for a picnic, a swim, a seance, a curry, come to wander around London archives and museums and libraries with a gang of new friends
Deep Dive 1 Boozers:
Sunday 19 July, 12noon
Starbucks, 2 South Lambeth Road, SW8 1SP, Opposite Vauxhall Bus Station
A walking tour of Vauxhall to see the sites of the old pubs and the heights of the new flats, ending with a picnic in Vauxhall Park with historian Magnus Coops. Bring food or ponce some of ours
Deep Dive 2 Cruisers:
Sunday 6 September, 12noon
Near Highgate Men's Bathing Pond, Hampstead Heath, N6 6JH
A Perverts Picnic on Hampstead Heath, with erotic readings, followed by a swim in the men’s and women’s pond for trans and cis folks. Bring a blanket, picnic food, swimmers and a towel, hosted by EJ Scott
Deep Dive 3 Hustlers:
Date TBC, 12noon
Cross Bones Graveyard, Union Street, SE1 1TA
This is a site specific event in two parts. Readings, prayers and meditations at Crossbones Graveyard in Southwark then we all take the 344 bus to Starbucks in Vauxhall for a Sex Worker Seance. Hosted by Masc Peach
Deep Dive 4 Haters:
Saturday 21 November, 12noon
The Feminist Library, 161 Sumner Road, SE15 6JL
A group visit to The Feminist Library in Peckham for a curated selection of readings and zines, hosted by EJ Scott
Deep Dive 5 Gaypers:
Date TBC, Time TBC
Bishopsagte Institute, 230 Bishopsgate, EC2M 4QH
Raid the Bishopsgate Institute armed with a worksheet to gather evidence for our Scene Zine, hosted by EJ Scott
Deep Dive 6 Groovers:
Date TBC, Time TBC
V&A East Storehouse, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Parkes Street, E20 3AX
Like fashion and fashion history? Promenade around V&A East Storehouse in early December with vintage fashion casuality EJ Scott to uncover some classic queer lewks from the collection
Deep Dive 7 Survivors:
Wednesday 3 February (TBC), 12noon
Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL
A trip to V&A in South Kensington where curator Zorian Clayton opens box GG182 in the Prints and Drawings Study Room to uncover a clutch of health promotion and HIV prevention creative collateral from the 1980s and ‘90s
Deep Dive 8 Transcestors:
Date TBC, Time TBC
Bishopsagte Institute, 230 Bishopsgate, EC2M 4QH
Uncover the collection of vintage 'Tranny Porn' in the queer archive, hosted by EJ Scott
Deep Dive 9 Dead Dragsters:
Sunday 21 March 12noon OR 3pm
Duckie HQ, Ground Floor, 9 Clitheroe Road, SW9 9DY
Two home shown screenings of surviving old drag videos from the pubs, in the living room at Duckie HQ in Stockwell curated by archivist Tim Brunsden from Playback. Free popcorn
Deep Dive 10 Diaspora Disco-verers:
Date TBC, Time TBC
Duckie HQ, Ground Floor, 9 Clitheroe Road, SW9 9DY
Come Dine With Me, Takeaway Version with Rita & DJ Ritu from Club Kali
Deep Dive 11 The Chuch Children:
Date TBC, The London Archives
40 Northampton Road, EC2R 0HB
An introduction to The rukus! Federation archive, at the London Metropolitan Archives in the City
Deep Dive 12 Love Ninjas:
Date TBC, Time TBC
Venue TBC
This event is TBC
Deep Dive 13 Legendary Lezzas:
Date TBC, Time TBC
Venue TBC
This event is TBC