I am Aldona Grupas. I was born in Riga, Latvia, to Lithuanian parents, before moving to Lithuania (Klaipeda) in 1976. I lived there for most of my life before coming to the UK in 2005.

I studied at Klaipeda's nursing college, and qualified as a nurse in 1979. I also studied law at Riga University of Law (2001-2005).

After relocating to Wolverhampton I started a helpline for the Lithuanian community there, and was involved with this network for 12 years. I set up a charity, Emerging Communities, and ran it until 2014.

I have worked in a nursing home as a nurse for over 15 years. I am currently writing a book about nursing - a collection of my and my colleagues' stories about nursing in the UK.

I have written a book charting the history of the Lithuanian community in the West Midlands since the Second World War, and a book about Lithuanian writers in the United Kingdom. As well as founding the Albion Art Club in Birmingham, I am the PR manager of the online magazine the East-West Literary Portal. I am a member of the Eurasian Creative Guild.

I have published six books, one of them with Hasmark Publishing International.

My books:

NURSE, GIVE ME A PILL FOR DEATH…
IT’S HARD TO BE AN ANGEL
WEST MIDLANDS HO!
THE WAY OF THE HEART
A HISTORY OF LITHUANIAN WRITERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.
Films:
A documentary film ‘Nine seas away', based on my book West Midlands Ho!, produced by the Royal Film Academy (London).
Awards:
VIII Open Eurasian Literature festival, Brussels 2019 - 2nd place in female authors' category.
XI Open Eurasian Literature festival, London 2020 - 3rd place in prose category.