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The Regional Committee Members are looking forward to meeting old and new friends at this year’s Lesbian & Gay Conference. If you are lucky enough to be coming to Cardiff then please do attend our Regional Meetings on both Friday and Saturday.

If you are attending as the only rep. from your Branch then you will be able to feel more involved and less isolated. For all our members from within the West Midlands the meetings will aim to inform. It is also important to attend because we need your opinions.

Don’t forget that every delegate and visitor from our region is entitled to come along.

“People who work sitting down get paid more than people who work standing up” Ogden Nash

Is it true? Is it fair? What are your thoughts...? drop us a line, click here for address ..

Isn’t it about time there was ..... an article that is not just for conference attendees, so read on!!

This year, for the first time, we are not able to send two delegates to conference to represent the region and to support members. At two separate meetings we did not have any women who were eligible to stand as delegate from the region. Key activists have moved away, changed jobs and, in the case of one of our central committee members, are currently unwell. We all hope you feel much better soon Sandie ...

Women who were at the meetings were either already on a National Committee or not full members of the union. This year we are sending Matt as the male regional delegate and Bryony O’Hara as a visitor from the region. This situation is far from ideal and we urgently need to recruit more women to the committee. I will support members to the best of my ability and help with organizing the regional meetings and social, however I will not have speaking or voting rights and this is restrictive.

If this situation bothers you (and it should) then we need you to get involved! Each year we have a good turn-out at conference, with members from the region saying how much they have enjoyed the experience, and how inspired they are. Unfortunately, for many members we don’t see them again until next year! Some we never see again, ever! Presumably their inspiration wanes in the face of the harsh reality of the attitude of some of our branches. We can only guess. The regional group is here to help. Together we are stronger, and if you are involved it is quite likely that your motivation levels will not wane, and you will gain a great deal from being active.

Getting involved does not necessarily jumping straight in at the deep end and rushing off to represent the region at conference, you could start by simply attending regional committee members. If you are at conference then just tell Matt or Bryony that you are willing to give it a try. If you are one of those enthusiastic members who we never saw again, perhaps you could let us know why ... or better still, come along to the committee and rekindle that flame. If you care about improving conditions for lesbian and gay workers then we need your input. Sadly it seems many members only get in touch when they have a a problem and need support.

Often members say "well I don’t have the time" ... I think it is like that early morning exercise. If you get up early and take a brisk walk (others do running and swimming, but I am not THAT energetic) it sets you up for the day and your energy levels are greater. The same seems to apply to activism, getting out of the armchair six times a year, coming along to a meeting that lasts a couple of hours, is not a great time swallower. Afterwards, I seem to have more energy for getting out and about, doing more. I feel inspired, involved in the fight for the greater good .... the payoffs are enormous .... or of course you could go back to dozing in the armchair.

Conference centres are usually expensive places, so to save some money you might want to buy a bottle of water/pop and a sandwich or other snack on your way.

Wear/bring some comfy clothing, You will probably regret choosing to sit in a conference hall for hours in your latest tight fitting gear. Keep those outfits for the socials!

Bring a folder, if possible a clip folder and bring a hole punch ... sounds silly? You will be swamped by paper and putting it into some order will make you a calmer, more confident person.

Do come along to the Regional Meetings and Regional Meal (we plan this at conference, usually for the Saturday Night.)

Manchester-Cardiff and Nottingham-Cardiff train services are both hourly. Suitable train times to arrive for the start of conference at 1pm are:

Shrewsbury	9.42
Craven Arms	10.06
Ludlow	10.14
Leominster	10.24
Hereford	10.40
Arrive Cardiff	11.46

Burton on Trent	9.52
Tamworth	10.04
Wilnecote	10.07
Birmingham New Street	10.30
University	10.36
Arrive Cardiff	12.20

PLEASE NOTE : We’re a trade union, not a travel agency! So please check train times for yourself before you set off.

Three of the motions from our region were not admitted to the final agenda, but this still leaves three motions and three amendments from our Regional Group to be heard. We have also submitted a motion to be considered as one of the two motions our Lesbian & Gay Conference sends on to National Delegate's Conference and also one to go to Service Group Conferences.

All of these are motions are about subjects which members from within our region feel passionately about. We hope that we will be able to debate them at conference, and hopefully they will be passed and become policy. For this to happen we need members who are willing and able to speak and propose our motions.

If you feel moved about any of the subjects, then perhaps you will agree to be the mover of this motion?

Hopefully you are feeling inspired and are deciding to make a speech at conference, if so, then get planning you speech now.

Write your speech in advance, don’t leave it until the very last minute. Find a quiet place and make sure you have a clear structure, introduction, main section and conclusion.

Stick to the issues in the motion, and use short, simple sentences. If you are a first time speaker DON’T say “I am a conference virgin” - naff sexual innuendo comments will only discredit what you have to say.

Time the speech by reading it out loud, perhaps to a friend. Cut it down if it is too long. Often speech times are cut on the Sunday of conference, so keep a check on this.

Write out the key points and words on a piece of paper. If you can use this rather than reading from a script you will sound more informal and more convincing.

Keep an eye on the order of business, sometimes conference will move quickly through a few motions, if they are uncontentious, so make sure you don’t go out for a quick glass of pop and miss your motion!

Announce yourself at the start “Dorothy Friend, Kansas Local Government Branch, moving motion 1”

Speak to a face about a third of the way back. Take your time, so everyone can keep up. Remember pauses .. can ... be ... very ... effective.

Not met me before? My name is Oscar and I am a border collie. I generally use this space to inform and to give advice to you humans ... this time I am going to share some wisdom with you...

From my experiences more lesbians seem to live with cats than dogs. I have also noticed that lesbians nearly always live in small packs (pairs) whilst gay men are more balanced and more varied in their approaches, sometimes living in packs (pairs) and sometimes not.

Why the difference? Cats!! Cats are definitely the reason. Cats do not pull their weight, and so lesbians think if they have another woman about the house then they won’t have to do all the household chores themselves.

When will they learn that it doesn’t work? I have noticed that my pet human's (Bryony's) partners never do their fair share about the house! The place would fall apart without me! Never once has Tracy barked at the postie and made sure he doesn't just open the door and come in and throw letters all around the place. With my hard work he puts some through the hole in the door and then is off to try another house! Never once has she scented the garden to keep cats out. Does SHE bark at the door so Bryony knows there is someone there? Does she check the bins and clean the chocolate wrappers? Not likely!! Yes, she does washing up - but hey - if she cleaned her plate properly like I do, it wouldn’t be needed!

Sadly the group’s co-ordinator is currently unwell. If you want to meet other members from either Branch please contact the regional office (details below) and we will put you in touch with other members.

Solihull Local Government Branch has established a new L&G group. Want to get involved or find out more? contact Matt 0781 508 0861 or Geoff 0797 413 1966 or by e-mail solihull_lg@hotmail.com

Group meetings are held at “The Tomb”, 77 Darlingtons Street on the first Tuesday of every month at 8.00pm. They are timetabled to follow "LGBT Wolverhampton’s" monthly meeting. This initiative is open to all local LGB&T people and has several UNISON members taking part. The Branch is actively involved with the City Council on developing proposals to implement the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations.

If you are running a Branch Group or planning on setting one up, please contact the Regional Office.

Write to us at 24 Livery Street, Birmingham. B3 2PA or contact Pearline Parker-Loney on 0121 685 3192 or e-mail her on p.parker-loney@unison.co.uk

The opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of UNISON or any of its officers.