Sisterwrite

Mary Coghill and Kay Stirling invited Lynn Alderson to join them in opening a women's bookshop. The three of them became the founders of Sisterwrite. Money was tight at the beginning, however, Mary was able to give £5,000 towards its opening and her sister gave £3,000. The squatting community became a feminist, urban phenomenon as women were able to discuss the Women's Liberation movement in a safe space. == Focus and expansion ==

Sisterwrite was commended for its knowledgeable workers led by Coghill, Stirling, and Alderson, and their willingness to discuss women's literature with patrons. The bookshop also contained a cafe, called Sisterbite. Sisterwrite displayed the Women's Liberation Movement to wider circles of women and became a safe space for lesbian and queer women to meet and feel they are central to this movement. In 1985, Sisterwrite underwent an important transformation from a collective of white activists to a multiracial group. This change catalyzed the expansion of the section which included black literature and called for the incorporation of literature from women worldwide. The Sisterwrite Collective intentionally sought to amplify the voices of Black women, enriching the Bookshop's legacy and adding to the shop's many accomplishments. == Closure ==

Despite their persistent fight to remain open amidst a recession, multiple burglaries and the inability to park near the shop, However, the closure of Sisterwrite did not signify a decline in interest in women’s writing, the collective workers stated that the demand for female literature tripled since the mid-1980s. == References ==