December 2012 - Still a lot to tell

I am panicking a bit as I can't find my portable drive.  I left it at home on my travels and my house is a haven of books and papers so it is in a pile of those unless it is in the rubbish when I was trying to put things into order to get ready for Christmas 2020. 

Well I still have to pack for ILGA Conference in Stockholm and I am flying tomorrow, find my portable drive and sort out my bills.

I shall blog about the other things I got up to in November like UNISON LGBT Conference, the Equality Summit in Cyprus, meeting with political parties and trade unions in Northern Cyprus and the meeting of the new ILGA-Europe Board as well as ILGA Conference when I get back from the cold climate.

November 2012 - A nice break in Nice

At the start of November, I took a few days out to have a short break in Nice to build up my vitamin D as I have a vitamin D deficiency and whilst I did get some sun on the first two two days, I brought the rain with me from the North West for the last day and did it rain.

But it did give me the time to take in the Matisse and Chagill Museums.

October 2012 - ILGA Europe Conference

ILGA-Europe Conference took place in Dublin from 18-21 October 2012. 

The theme of this year's conference is Advancing LGBTI equality in challenging economic times.

You can read more here

 

October 2012 - UNISON Disabled Members Conference

UNISON Disabled Members Conference was very interesting with debate around austerity, benefit cuts, social care, hate crime, discrimination in employment and suprisingly the social model of disability.

Disabled Members Conference Decisions

September 2012 - Busy Month for UNISON disabled lgbt members

Very busy this month for the National LGBT Committee.  We held our Disabled Members Network Day and drafted motions for conference focusing on austerity measures, attitudes towards disabled people and benefit cuts.

After what was called a succesful olympics and paralympics, the government has now started to screw disabled athletes with cuts in benefits.  This follows the disgraceful sponsorship of the olumpics by ATOS and the recent report that the since the refusal of benefits following assessments, more than 1000 disabled people have died after losing their benefits.

July 2012 - World Pride

Despite the fiasco in the last few days leading up to World Pride when funding was pulled so all floats had to be cancelled, the marching parade attended by people from across the globe proved to be a hit and to some extent not having floats, in my opinion was more community based, more political and less commercial.

The downside was the confusion and the political reasons why the funding was pulled.

However, it was a good day and to be able to catch up with friends from across the globe was fab.

July 2012 - TUC LGBT Conference

TUC LGBT Conference was interesting with an international theme this year.  Speakers from the Africa, Palestine and the Caribbean were present.  There were motions on the commonwealth and on aid conditionality.  The GMB held an international fringe event and I was a guest speaker alongside professor Robert Wintermutte.  I spoke about aid conditionality and not linking it to lgbt rights.  LGBT Labour also held a pre-World Pride reception.

TUC LGBT Conference Report

May / June 2012 - Preston Caribbean Carnival

Always a reason I like to be back in my home town.....

June 2012 - Prague

Grabbed a few days break!

May 2012 - ILGA-Europe Constitution

Oh dear why did I volunteer to write a simplified version of the constitution.  This was so arduous but it is completed.  However, because of regulations, we have been required to check it with lawyers and unfortunately can't have a simplified version.  In fact we must have an even more complicated version than the original and it must be in French!  That's Belgian law for you.