Women Who D&D: Burnley pals hosting Dungeons & Dragons group for women

Amy Goldsack and Kirsty Lauder launched a new Burnley group six weeks ago to offer women a judgement-free space to learn how to play the table-top fantasy game, make new friends and transform into a band of mystical heroines battling monsters and collecting treasure.

The pair, who offer workshops and one-shots – a complete mini-adventure that starts and finishes in a single session - also want to break down the stereotype that D&D is a man’s game.

Kirsty said: “When you think of D&D, you picture a group of guys who have played for years but our workshops are about building up women who want to play.”

Messages poured in when the pals posted on Facebook to see how many people would be interested in the new group.

“It’s blown-up in a really positive way. We had 40 people message us saying they want to play but weren’t sure where to start. We’ve only been able to find a workshop teaching the basics in Singapore so there is definitely room for it.”

Amy added: “A few people said they found it quite intimidating joining an established group and were scared about fitting in.

"People have been joining our Facebook group from all over the country. We’ve had official D&D companies and people in the States follow us on Instagram.

“One person travelled from West Yorkshire for the first workshop and people have asked if we are going to do any down south. We’ve have requests from all the place.”

Kirsty, who started playing a year ago, said she has been drawn to fantasy games since she was a child and loves D&D’s role-playing element.

“You can be whoever you want to be with no judgements. Escapism is a big thing. Whatever you are dealing with outside in the real world, you can be part of a fantasy world for a few hours. If you want to be a more charismatic person, your character can be. I’ve not met anyone who hasn’t loved D&D.”

For more information about the group’s activities, see Women Who D&D on Facebook or contact [email protected]