Society committee meeting Minutes of a meeting Date: Wednesday 01 August 2012 Venue: Harrison Learning Centre From: 16.

35 To: 18.35 Committee meeting number: 002

1.0 Members of the meeting 1.1 Present Laura Jones (LJ) (Chair) Mark Bircumshaw (MB) (Treasurer) Kacper Walentynowicz (KW) (Observer) Pliny Soocoormanee (PS) (Observer) Dominique Katier Scott (DKS) (Observer) 1.3 Absent without apologies N/A 1.2 Absent with apologies Colin Laing (CL) (Secretary)

1.4 Others in attendance N/A

2.0 Welcomes and notes from the chair LJ welcomed those in attendance to the second committee meeting of the academic year. Pleasantries were exchanged and LJ noted and approved the attendance of non-committee members with observer status. 3.0 Minutes of the last meeting Noted: The minutes of the last meeting were read, LJ noting 19 typographical errors. Upon correction, the minutes were unanimously approved by the committee. 4.0 Matters arising from the last meeting Noted: Under matters arising, it was noted that Sky Yarlett and Finn McGoldrick (NUS LGBT Committee) should be added to the facebook group to build ties with the NUS LGBT Committee. Action. LJ to add Sky Yarlett and Finn McGoldrick to the societys facebook group. Noted: Action points would be logged in a separate document available upon request by any society member. 5.0 Committee member updates

1|Page

Chairs ruling: Any present person, committee member or not may give submissions to section 5.0 as this may feed in to committee member updates. PS informed those present that Stoke Pride was to take place on Saturday 06 August 2012 and invited members to attend. MB informed those present that he had become aware of the Bi-group taking place on Friday nights (that had been posted on the facebook group previously) and suggested that this could be something that the society could promote. LJ and KW declined to provide updates citing no relevant information for this section. 6.0 Committee discussion Noted: the substantial discussion of all committee meetings will be noted under the committee discussion heading. 6.1 Wolverhampton & Black Country Pride The committee agreed that (especially for the first pride,) Wolverhampton & Black Country Pride was a success. The society had received good exposure through the march using the modified society banner and through a generally well-received presence. It was further stated that thank you cards had been sent to among others, Martha Bishop (of LGBT Network Wolverhampton); Peter Tatchell, Emma Reynolds and Pat McFadden. The committee agreed by unanimous decision to keep up attendance at further Wolverhampton community events. Action. LJ to tweet pictures of Wolverhampton & Black Country Pride. 6.2 Freshers activities 2012 In response to the query of KW, LJ noted that the Freshers Fayre events were to be held at Walsall Campus on Wednesday 19th September and on City Campus on Thursday 20th September, both events would be open to the public from 11am till 3pm. PS noted that subsequent to Freshers Week, the Rainbow Film Festival was to be held on October 12 2012 in Shrewsbury; LJ suggested that it would be in the best interests of society members to decide whether to attend. Action. LJ to ask society members during the first society meeting whether they wish to attend the Rainbow Film Festival.

2|Page

MB suggested that a bar crawl type event should take place, hosted by the society (formally or informally) during Freshers Week. Action. MB to request of local bars whether discounts would be available for a Freshers 2012 bar crawl type event. Should such event occur, MB to promote said event. 6.3 Structure of the semester LJ requested of KW & PS their thoughts on the proposed structure of the semester. The response was deemed positive as a good template for semester based activities. KW suggested that trips to landmarks such Iron bridge Gorge; Shrewsbury (or other pleasant locality) and the Black Country Living Museum could be organised. PS suggested that the society could link with and attend the meetings of other university societies. MB suggested that the society could undertake an event with other university societies such as heading for a night out to the Birmingham gay scene. Noted: DKS joined the meeting at 17.10. LJ noted and approved the attendance of DKS with observer status. LJ stated that the plans suggested at 6.5 of committee meeting 001 for a Christmas event would go ahead as planned. LJ suggested as a subsequent event that the society could organise a Bonfire Night trip to West Park on or around November 05 2012. KW suggested an after party at his residence. DKS suggested that the society should promote its events through the student newspaper Cry Wolf. 6.4 Union Council LJ noted that plans were in place to bring policy to the Union Council of the Students Union. Action. LJ to canvas for and bring suggestions of suitable policy for Union Council to subsequent committee meetings. 6.5 Society campaigns LJ restated that there was an informal agreement in place to share campaigns with the Staff LGBT Network. 6.5.1 NUS National Demo

3|Page

LJ restated (as in 4.0) that the presence of the whole Students Union at the NUS National Demo would be decided at the Student AGM taking place in September and that it was vital for good student activism to encourage students to vote in favour. 6.5.2 Ally Week DKS suggested that the society should host a themed movie night as well as a night out in Wolverhampton open to anybody who wished to attend. To achieve this, the events should take place in the Students Union as well as non-gay establishments such as the Royal London; the Lady Wulfrun and the Planet. Noted: DKS left the meeting at 17.25. With no further suggestions, LJ deferred further discussion of Ally Week to the next meeting. 6.5.3 LGBT+ History Month MB suggested that for the whole of February, biographies of famous LGBT+ icons and campaigners should be displayed around the university using suitable prominent poster space, LJ noting the electronic display boards. PS suggested that all plans should be made by November so as to inform the LGBT Network Wolverhampton (to allow adequate time for collaboration). With no further suggestions, LJ deferred further discussion of LGBT+ History Month to the next meeting. 6.5.4 Its ok to be gay at WLV With no further suggestions, LJ deferred further discussion of Its ok to be gay at WLV to the next meeting. 6.5.5 World Aids Day LJ informed the committee that the Welfare VP of the Students Union (Iwuese Nyager) wished to hold a World Aids Day event and that the society had been invited to present the issues surrounding the topic of aids from an LGBT+ perspective. MB suggested that red ribbons could be made by the society and given out. Following LJs query of whether this would be in bad faith (as no money would be raised for charities in and around the field of aids research), the consensus was reached that both the Students Union and local businesses could be asked to cover the cost of making red ribbons and charity boxes and that a poppy-style charity collection could be organised.

4|Page

LJ suggested that the decision on those charities being supported would be deferred to a subsequent committee meeting. Action. LJ to request of the Students union, permission to collect money for worthwhile aids/LGBT+ related causes. 7.0 Any other business PS suggested (and was given consensus on the fact) that a fundraising night for the Peter Tatchell Foundation was to be held in October and that the society should link with and support it. MB suggested (and was given consensus on the fact) that KC, PS and Jazz Farmer should be added for an interim period to the societys committee facebook group. This was due to the enthusiasm they had shown in the society prior to the elections for committee posts. Action. LJ to add KC, PS and Jazz Farmer to the societys facebook group. LJ noted that committee meeting 003 would be the last of CLs time as Secretary and following this, a new secretary would be elected for the 2012/2013 academic year. KC queried whether the society should have a website external of facebook and the Students Union web page, MB citing freewebs as an appropriate host. LJ suggested that this at this stage would be unsuitable for the society to pursue. Action. LJ to see if NUS Connect has edited the name of and links to the society. MB suggested that for future events, a karaoke event could be planned (subject to requisite licenses). There being no further business, LJ closed the committee meeting and thanked those in attendance. The next meeting is scheduled for TBC (one week post committee elections, or sooner, should another committee meeting be required-before September).

5|Page