Growing as an organisation, we applied for government and local funding, took on more properties, did them up and after a few years, had housing options right across east London. We fought hard to create what was most definitely a radical and political safe space. We didn't feel that then but we did know that we were at times a lifeline for people like us. One of our houses was occupied by some of the women who dreamed up and ran the dyke S&M club Chain Reaction ; we housed Buddhists, artists, professional dominatrices, actors, dancers and those struggling on the dole, all of whom believed in the same fight for a collective and cooperative safe queer space. In a rather brilliant stroke a few years later, we managed to strike deals locally to exchange short-term housing for permanent new council flats; although this partially dispersed our community, our aim was always to provide safe space and we did. X-Rayz became part of the system but in doing so we won real, secure housing rights for young queers. Many people from those days – 30 years ago now – still have those flats and still have decent housing.