The months since I took up office have been very hectic, with many events to attend and lots of travelling around the country. I couldn’t possibly go through the summer and highlight each and every event or piece of work I’ve been part of, but instead I’ll try and give a brief overview, with the hope of being more detailed in later blog entries.

If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact me either via email or the NUS switchboard.

Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Campaign Priority Areas

Much of my work has centred on the roll out of this year’s priority areas of work, looking towards how we will run this year and how we can achieve our goals.

This year we will be heading up two priority areas within the NUS LGB campaign. These areas come directly from the policy passed at LGB Conferences.

i) Winning Equality Nationally: looking towards ensuring civil partnerships reach the statute books, outlawing discrimination in the provision of goods and services and lobbying to introduce legislation specifically addressing homophobic and transphobic hate crimes.

ii) Building Activism Locally: developing LGBT groups on campus and increasing LGBT representation in students unions.

Out of these specific areas, we have taken forward 3 specific campaigns, while the rest of the work will be carried out as specific items to be addressed. These campaigns are to be: legislative equality, the national blood service and the general election: vote wisely.

If you would like more information on these campaigns as they are developed please get in touch. I am more than willing to talk to both sabbaticals and non-sabbatical officers as well as those involved in LGB groups, associations or clubs.

Meetings

Much of my day to day work invariably involves a variety of meetings and events. Here is a brief run down of some of the meetings I’ve attended since I took up post a few months back.

NEC meetings, Regional Receptions, Stonewall, internal LGB Unit meetings, Covention, Support and represent, Terrence Higgins Trust, Queer Youth Alliance, NW regional LGB meeting, Newcastle University, Lancaster University, UCLAN, Plymouth, BUGS, Meetings with NUS Wales, Meeting with USI LGBT Officer, Trans Steering Group, LGB Committee Meetings, LGB Committee Training, Cambridge University Visit, LCLGR meeting, Manchester Pride, Bournemouth protest, Ministerial meetings.

I’ll update on other campaign work in my next Blog and the next issue of the LGB campaign newsletter which is due out shortly.

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