TAGS has been approached by a research student in the faculty of sociology at Oxford University who is writing his doctoral thesis.

He is looking specifically for men over the age of 50 who have spent most of their lifetime NOT in a relationship. As this student says in his email to us: “There has been very little research on the topic and I hope to add to the understanding of the subject by listening to people's experiences. The research is for academic purposes only. I am interested in the topic as there has been so little research on the subject and although there are many speculations, very rarely we listen to the experiences of people who are single themselves.”

He has also supplied this information:

"What does being single mean to YOU now, what has it meant to you in the past and how do you visualise being single in the future? If you are male, aged over 50 and have spent most of your life time NOT in a relationship, I would very much like to invite you to take part. I am interested to listen to your experiences. Participants of different backgrounds, including straight and gay men, men of all ethnicities and beliefs are welcome. All information will be anonymized and confidential.

"The format will be a conversational interview for around 1.5-2 hours. You can also choose a place that you find most comfortable. Again, all information will be anonymized and confidential."
He is happy for anyone to contact him directly and has given both his mobile number (07942 582 142) and his email address (yiu.suen@sociology.ox.ac.uk).

The evening of 30 January saw just under 100 TAGS members and friends turn up at the 03 Club in Littlehampton for the White Party and Disco. And to judge from the smiles on the faces of everyone there as well as the warmth of people’s thanks as they left, they seemed to have had a great time. It took a while for the dancing area to get occupied, but once the first courageous folk had broken the ice, there was no holding back.  The whole atmosphere was one of gaiety and relaxation. We were happy to welcome a goodly number of women – more than anyone can ever recall from previous such events. GAGS, Caffmos, Gems and many from the Worthing group were also well represented and it was great to see you with us. All that day, Peter Shoeshine, Dave, Michael M and Paul Graydon had reconstituted themselves as the ‘Arun Catering Collective’ and prepared the very fine and varied buffet, and we thank them all very warmly for all their efforts.  Through the efforts of Geoff and Ken in selling the raffle tickets – thank you very much both! – we managed to raise a clear £150 for our chosen charity, St Barnabas Hospice. A big thank-you also to Andy who was the perfect DJ who played the music at a volume which did not inhibit conversation.  As ever the greatest thanks are due to Peter Shoeshine, our Social Secretary without whom the event could not have succeeded.

As you’re aware, we have been meeting here on the fourth Tuesday of each month, and it has always been good that around ten members have found their way there during the winter months despite the evil weather. Well, on the evening of the 27th January, there were 19 of us. We completely outnumbered the six regulars!  The atmosphere was relaxed, jolly even, and Christine, the landlady made us welcome with cheese and biscuits.

What was particularly good is that there were quite a few from WAGS (Worthing Area Gay Society), a couple of whom even joined TAGS there and then.

It seems as if the Marine View Hotel is becoming well established as a regular meeting place.

At midday on Saturday 5th December, 30 of us arrived at the Tollgate Hotel and Restaurant at Bramber for a pre-Christmas Lunch. As usual the food was fantastic with a really great choice to tempt our taste buds. We sat down at 12.30pm and immediately the crackers were pulled, silly hats were put on and the usual groans surfaced at the jokes which the crackers contained! Some things never change. It was great to see everyone enjoying themselves – plenty of chatting and laughter which is what TAGS and Christmas are all about. Apart from members, we had guests and friends of members and some who had been members before. On such occasions as this, it is always good to know that we are not a closed group but one which welcomes non-members who are willing to support us. It was these guests who made very positive remarks about the day. Indeed, the success of the get-together was such that many of us feel it should become an annual event – something for the Committee to think about. The only possibly negative comment which we picked up from that day was that the dining room we were allocated was rather tight for 30. The Tollgate does have a larger room seating 50, and if we decide to go back there in 2010 we shall try to secure that one. On the other hand, the smaller room made for an intimate and warm atmosphere.

Since almost half our members weren’t able to attend the AGM on 13 October, it seems important to inform everyone of what was decided.  The alternative is to wait until October 2010 when the minutes of that meeting will be put to the meeting for its approval.

There seems little point in mentioning the minor issues which came up, but the following important decisions were taken:

 The Minutes of both the last AGM (October 2008) and the SGM (March of this year) were both approved without amendment.

The Annual Report was also accepted with one change and that referred to the possible additional pub venue in Worthing: The Marine View Hotel on the fourth Tuesday of each month, from 8.30 onwards.

The Audited accounts were also accepted by the Meeting as was the uniform membership subscription of £10. The reduced rates for both joint members and non-wage-earners were therefore abolished.

There was discussion on a few points relating to the revised Constitution. The procedure for dissolving TAGS was tidied up to prevent confusion should the situation ever arise again. It was also suggested that the number of signatories on cheques over £250 remain at two but that any two of three (Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary) be sufficient. The revised Constitution was accepted without dissent.

In the course of the evening no further nominations were received for the Committee.
Click here to go to the committee page.

Since there were no substantive motions or even any other business, the meeting was closed with thanks being expressed to the Committee, particularly its outgoing members, and to the members for their attendance.

I would like to thank you all for listening to me last week at your meeting in Worthing.

It is a pleasure to communicate with the LGBT community and especially communities outside of Brighton. I honestly believe you have an opportunity to change the style of policing (even more) and ensure that the next generation of the LGBT community is integrated as much as we are at present.

If any of you would like the opportunity to come and have your say and form an External LGB Reference Group with Chief Supt Graham Bartlett, please contact me at this e-mail address. Or alternatively just to learn more about it. The meetings will be only two or three a year and your expenses to Brighton for travel will be reimbursed.

Kind regards

David
david.derrick@sussex.pnn.police.uk
07785 300273

David Derrick
Inspector CD295

Brighton Police Station                                
Strategic Support                                        
John Street
Brighton
BN2 0LA

As you will know, Inspector David Derrick from Sussex Police talked to the group on Thursday 30 July.

After telling us something of his own career with the Force and how it was to be a gay officer, he moved on to talk about the EXTERNAL REFERENCE GROUP (ERG).

If I have represented David correctly, the ERG was set up to liaise directly with the lesbian, gay and bisexual community throughout the whole of Sussex and to deal with any issue which relates to the gays/lesbians/bisexuals - most obviously so-called ‘hate crimes’ and homophobic attacks or abuse. Those in the Group would be required to keep their eyes and ears open for any problems which gay and lesbian people in their area might be experiencing.  Another aspect of the ERG’s work would be for us to make suggestions to the Force as to what they might do better so as to give us more support and protection.

The External Reference Group runs parallel to the INTERNAL Reference Group, the Police’s own body, where the thoughts ad possibly recommendations of the External Group would be discussed and decisions made.

For that reason, Sussex Police wants and needs to have representatives from throughout the County to sit on the ERG.  As you can guess, Brighton and Hove is well represented (!) but other areas are not.  At the meeting on 30 July, two of our members, one from Worthing and one from Littlehampton, expressed interest in joining the Group and they are already in touch with David.

The demands placed on anyone willing to join the ERG would be minimal - probably a maximum of three meetings a year with travel expenses paid by the Force.

The importance which Sussex Police gives to the ERG is proven by the fact that a Chief Superintendent who is also the Commander of the Brighton Division of Sussex Police, is the “sexual orientation lead” for the Force, and David, an Inspector, is his support officer.

The ERG is a wonderful opportunity for us to be in direct and immediate contact with senior police officers, and if you were willing to let your name go forward, you would be doing our community a great service and also be putting TAGS on the map.

Inspector David Derrick is more than happy for his email address and phone number, so anyone interested or wishing to ask further questions, can contact him directly.  His details are: David.Derrick@sussex.pnn.police.uk and 01273 665659 (direct dial)

Barney Johnson, Chair

As you know, anyone who clicks on our URL will have access to our website and will be able to find out more about TAGS.  And what they find here may well encourage them to make further enquiries and possibly even to join.  It is, however, more likely that our own members will be the main users of the page.

But if you are a visitor to our website, please know that you are welcome. I hope that you find the information here helpful and that it will encourage you to make contact with us.  There is a list of the Committee members, so please don’t hesitate to contact the relevant person for any further information you may wish to receive.

So in a way I am trying to cater for two different groups, and therefore what members find here will often be a repeat of what appears in the TAGSmag, the newsletter of the group.

As I become more familiar with some of the most complicated aspects of running the website, I am hoping to introduce a MEMBERS ONLY section which will be password-protected and which will contain information relevant only to members.

As I pointed out to other Committee members, I am simply the technician in the background of this website, ordering and organising whatever material I am offered.  So, can I please ask you to send me information or notes or just ideas which I can then add to the information here? If you are a visitor, your thoughts are just as valuable as those of our members.  If you are a member, the only thing to bear in mind is the possibly confidential nature of what you send me: if it is confidential to the membership, then it would not be appropriate to publish it here where it could be accessed by anyone checking us out.

Hogne

Thursday 23rd April was the cut-off date by which your membership renewal was due to carry you through until the October AGM. It appears that some former members had assumed that they had renewed and were wondering why they had ceased to receive any further details from us. If you are one such, please get in touch with Paul Graydon who will rectify the situation.The website will, of course, remain accessible to all - members and non-members alike.