Have you ever thought about becoming a writer? Did you write in the past, but stopped? Whether you are 60, 80 or 100, it is never too late to take up writing. It is not only a hobby, but it also has several health benefits.

Writing can help you feel happier and healthier. It is said that writing about traumatic events can help you get over them, as writing helps people deal with trauma and distress. Writers are also less prone to depression. Believe it or not, writing can help you relieve even physical pain and ease the symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

Apart from the health benefits, writing communities can help you make new friends, get ideas from others, and be an inspiration for other members. For example, writing workshops bring together people who love writing but don't know where to start and need some help.

And if you love reading too, remember that most libraries in Lewisham hold reading groups in addition to writers' groups and workshops.

Writing can seem exhausting, but you don't have to write a novel. Start with poems and short stories and undertake more ambitious projects once you are ready. It doesn't matter if you simply do it for fun: the rewards that writing provides make it worthy.