Write a comment
Newry Rainbow Community held it’s AGM at the weekend.
An impressive Annual Report was produced which detailed the many events organised throughout the year and also paid tribute to PA Mag Loghlainn and Rev. Mervyn Kingston who passed away in the last twelve months.
Commenting on their loss Rory Rafferty, Chairman, NRC said "We shared the immense sense of loss widely felt at the death in 2012 of PA Mag Lochlainn, who was president of the Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association (NIGRA) for many years and was one of just 100 people to take part in the first Belfast Pride parade in 1991. PA had immense courage and dedicated himself to gay rights over many decades and his contribution to that cause will never be forgotten."
Rory continued "The Rev Mervyn Kingston was a pleasure to know, a very likeable knowledgeable man who also knew how to campaign for change. He was the inspiration behind our very successful IDAHO Prayer Service in the Dominican Chapel in Newry in May 2013. A co-founder of the group Changing Attitude Ireland, he was also the Rector in Creggan Parish Church, Co Armagh for many years."
A new committee was elected – Karen McClorey, Lesley Campbell, Dee Harland-Powell , Martin King, Padraig Lynch and Damian McShane. Edwina Harland-Powell was elected as the new Treasurer while Damian McKevitt, Rory Rafferty and Columba O’Hare remain as Secretary, Chairman and PRO respectively.
Tributes were led by Chairman Rory Rafferty to out-going Treasurer Gary O’Rourke who held the post of NRC treasurer since the organisation began.
Since the last Annual General Meeting the Newry Rainbow Community has continued to deliver services, develop new initiatives and projects and to consolidate the significant progress that has been achieved for the lgb&t community in Newry City and surrounding areas since the opening of a dedicated lgb&t drop-in, information and resource centre on Hill Street Newry in September 2010.
The NRC Centre has now been operating for three years and is now beginning to realise the potential that that created by increasing the visibility of the NRC as an organisation and of lgb&t people in general, creating a more vibrant, confident and focused lgb&t community locally.
The NRC Centre has continued to deliver a comprehensive range of information, support and services to lgb&t people and their families and friends through for example, personal development courses; advocacy and referrals; signposting; befriending service; professional counselling; rapid HIV testing; sexual health advice; movie nights; training courses in web design and movie making; organised mystery tours; themed evenings e.g. women’s nights and a Youth Group and internet access & printing.
Passion
The NRC's monthly social night for lgb&t people successfully continues on the first Saturday of each month in the Bellagio Suite at Bellins Newry.
CFNI Social Justice Project / NRC Women’s Group
The NRC centre now holds a weekly Women’s Night, both informational and social, portable play materials have been purchased by the parent and child sub-group and women have recorded their experiences of growing up as a lesbian or bisexual woman in the Newry area for inclusion in Gay Newry Voices. The NRC Women’s Group has also had a very visible presence as part of Pride in Newry for the first time this year.
Dedicated Outreach Worker
The Rainbow Project has recruited a part time lgb&t Outreach Officer for the Southern Health and Social Care Trust area. The aim of the Post is to promote the health and wellbeing of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people and their families in the Southern Trust Area. Through the post we have been able to deliver personal development programmes, workshops and courses that promote emotional health and wellbeing to LGB&T people and their families; individual and group work support; a volunteer led mentoring and befriending scheme targeting LGB&T people and their families; a Southern Area specific crisis response protocol for at risk clients and an assertively out-reach to lgb&t people in the Southern Area to ensure appropriate access to support services
SAIL
Newry Rainbow Community have continued to work closely with SAIL (Support, Acceptance, Information and Learning) a voluntary support group for family, friends, carers and individuals living with gender issues.
Pride in Newry
Pride in Newry has been one of the major success stories from the NRC.
In August 2013 the Newry Rainbow Community consolidated the enormous success of the inaugural Pride in Newry festival of 2012 and once again have delivered a truly spectacular parade and festival for the people of Newry City. The Pride in Newry Parade, Festival and Outdoor Concert for its second year was bigger and better and again saw thousands of people take to the streets to participate in and support the lgb&t community and our friends and families, enjoying a day filled with colour, pageant, music, fun and happiness.
Stormont Junior Minister Jennifer McCann again attended and speaking following the paraded stated that said events like the Newry Pride ‘encourage people to take pride in who they are and they help lesbian, gay and bisexual people, as well as transgender people, become more visible in our society. Festivals such as Pride in Newry put into practice the idea that diversity should be celebrated’.
She added “We need to foster this pride and visibility so that young lgb&t people don’t feel alienated or frightened in school or in their local community. We want to make sure all people, young or old, should be proud of their sexuality, and gender, and don’t think they have to hide it from the people around them, including their colleagues and neighbours.”
