Actors Sebastian Croft and Connor Jessup have transformed their annual Pride collaboration into a powerful platform, selling Queer Was Always Here merchandise in Soho that has caught the attention of celebrities and helped raise nearly £200,000 for LGBTQIA+ refugees worldwide through a partnership with humanitarian charity Choose Love.
Since their initial collaboration in 2022, actors Sebastian Croft and Connor Jessup have made it a heartfelt annual tradition to unite in celebration of Pride, engaging their millions of followers with meaningful initiatives. This year, they brought their shared vision to life on Soho’s Greek Street, where they sold merchandise from a conspicuous converted horse trailer emblazoned with the phrase “Queer Past” in the distinctive script of artist Jack Taylor Lovatt. Their collection of T-shirts, caps, and jumpers quickly caught the eye of London Pride attendees and celebrities alike, having been spotted on figures such as Troye Sivan, David Tennant, and Jessie Ware. These items are not just fashion statements but emblematic artefacts of London Pride 2025, representing the ongoing journey toward visibility and acceptance.
The merchandise forms part of a capsule collection from Queer Was Always Here, a charity founded by Croft and Jessup in 2022. The organisation draws its name and ethos from a powerful declaration: that queerness is not a new phenomenon but has always existed throughout history. The initiative took flight with a singular yet symbolic T-shirt featuring two kissing dinosaurs, Dylan and Derek, capturing the enduring presence of queer identity through the ages. Proceeds from this campaign, in partnership with Choose Love — a well-established UK-based humanitarian organisation — generated nearly £200,000. These funds have been dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ refugees and displaced persons worldwide, a mission underscored by the growing need for safe spaces and aid amidst global conflict and persecution.
Queer Was Always Here continues to build on this foundation, positioning itself as both a celebration of queer history and a proactive force advocating for the futures of marginalized queer individuals. The organisation collaborates closely with Choose Love, which was founded in 2015 and quickly became the largest grassroots distributor of aid in Europe. Today, Choose Love supports over 150 projects in more than 20 countries, providing essential services such as search and rescue, emergency medical care, legal aid, and other critical resources to refugees and displaced people. Their mission transcends mere charity, aiming to foster a world defined by “love, welcome, and justice.” This partnership exemplifies how grassroots cultural movements and humanitarian advocacy can intertwine to create tangible support mechanisms for vulnerable populations.
The visibility and cultural resonance of Croft and Jessup’s campaign reflect broader societal shifts towards recognising and honouring queer existence across time and geography. Their commitment, amplified through the lens of London Pride and embraced by a diverse community, highlights how art, history, and activism can come together to not only celebrate identity but also address urgent contemporary challenges. As the conversation around LGBTQIA+ rights continues to evolve globally, projects like Queer Was Always Here offer a vital reminder that queer lives—and the struggles and joys they encompass—are intrinsic to the human story and deserving of both remembrance and protection.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/fashion/pride-heartstopper-sebastian-croft-connor-jessup-queer-t-shirt-b1236607.html – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.queerwasalwayshere.com/home – Queer Was Always Here is a community dedicated to queer joy, art, and history, founded by actors Sebastian Croft and Connor Jessup. The initiative began with a T-shirt featuring two kissing dinosaurs, Dylan and Derek, symbolising that queerness has always existed. The campaign raised nearly £200,000 for organisations supporting LGBTQIA+ refugees and displaced people worldwide. The project continues to celebrate queerness throughout history while working to build better futures for LGBTQIA+ individuals fleeing conflict and persecution.
- https://www.queerwasalwayshere.com/about – Established in 2023 by actors Sebastian Croft and Connor Jessup, Queer Was Always Here is a community dedicated to queer lives, art, and history. The organisation collaborates with Choose Love to secure futures for LGBTQIA+ refugees and displaced individuals globally. Since its inception, it has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for grassroots organisations providing essential support to vulnerable queer people fleeing conflict and persecution.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choose_Love_%28organisation%29 – Choose Love, formerly known as Help Refugees, is a UK-based non-governmental organisation that provides humanitarian aid and advocacy for refugees worldwide. Founded in 2015, it became the largest grassroots distributor of aid in Europe by 2016. The organisation supports over 150 projects in 20 countries, offering services such as search and rescue, emergency medical care, and legal support to displaced individuals.
- https://us.choose.love/pages/about-choose-love – Choose Love, established in 2015, is a global organisation supporting refugees and displaced people across more than 30 countries. The organisation has raised over $90 million and collaborates with a network of local, community, and refugee-led organisations to provide essential aid, including search and rescue, emergency medical care, and vital supplies. Their mission is to create a world of love, welcome, and justice, not just charity.
- https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/fashion/pride-heartstopper-sebastian-croft-connor-jessup-queer-t-shirt-b1236607.html – Actors Sebastian Croft and Connor Jessup, known for their roles in Netflix’s ‘Heartstopper,’ have become prominent figures at London Pride since 2022. In 2025, they sold merchandise from a converted horse trailer on Soho’s Greek Street, featuring the slogan ‘Queer Past.’ The T-shirts, caps, and jumpers became symbols of London Pride 2025, spotted on celebrities like Troye Sivan, David Tennant, and Jessie Ware. The merchandise is part of a new capsule collection from Croft’s charity, Queer Was Always Here, founded with Jessup in 2022.
- https://www.bllnr.com/philanthropy/choosing-love-without-borders – Choose Love, formerly known as Help Refugees, is a UK-based non-governmental organisation that provides humanitarian aid and advocacy for refugees worldwide. Founded in 2015, it became the largest grassroots distributor of aid in Europe by 2016. The organisation supports over 150 projects in 20 countries, offering services such as search and rescue, emergency medical care, and legal support to displaced individuals.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative is recent, published on July 5, 2025. It references events from London Pride 2025, indicating timely reporting. The article includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. No earlier versions show different information. No republishing across low-quality sites or clickbait networks was identified. No similar content appeared more than 7 days earlier.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
Direct quotes from Sebastian Croft and Connor Jessup are unique to this narrative. No identical quotes appear in earlier material. No variations in quote wording were found. No online matches for these quotes were found, suggesting potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative originates from The Standard, a reputable UK-based publication. The organisation mentioned, Queer Was Always Here, is verifiable online and has a legitimate website. The individuals mentioned, Sebastian Croft and Connor Jessup, are well-known public figures with established online presences.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative’s claims about the merchandise being spotted on celebrities like Troye Sivan, David Tennant, and Jessie Ware are plausible and align with known public figures’ involvement in LGBTQ+ advocacy. The partnership with Choose Love, a well-established UK-based humanitarian organisation, is credible. The narrative lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, which is a concern. The report includes specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, and dates. The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic. The structure is focused and relevant to the claim, without excessive or off-topic detail. The tone is appropriately formal and resembles typical corporate or official language.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is recent and based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. Direct quotes are unique and suggest original content. The source is reputable, and the individuals and organisations mentioned are verifiable. While the narrative lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, the claims are plausible and consistent with known information. No significant credibility risks were identified.
