Can we recreate a lively Sydney Bi community?

Howdy all,

For the last couple of years Bi-NSW (formerly Sydney Bisexual Network), and the organised Bi community in general, has been extremely "inactive". Primarily this is because the number of people stepping up to volunteer to activate, coordinate, infiltrate, and remonstrate has dropped to almost none. (Entries in the Mardi Gras Parade and the monthly pub night are about the only exceptions.)

In my formal role as treasurer of Bi-NSW and informal role as "admin person" I have maintained some of the formal group infrastructure in a holding pattern but not done much else other than turn up to the monthly pub night.

The reason for this email is that we have come to a point where something must be done to re-energise the group and/or community otherwise the administration effort isn't justified. As part of the steps to force a decision one way or the other I will be stepping down from the positions I hold both formally and informally.

A meeting is being held on 21st February as part of our monthly pub night at the Marlborough Hotel, cnr King St & Missenden Rd, Newtown. Formally this will be an AGM to sign off the 08/09 accounts but it may also be a meeting at which we decide to wind up the formal entity of Bi-NSW Inc.

It'd be great to see each of you as well as other members of the greater Bi community turn up to propose ideas for getting a "Bi scene" happening in Sydney again. As people who have made the effort of joining a Bi focused email list you're all contributing in some way to the visibility of our "non-conformist" sexuality.

If you'd like to attend, the location at the Marlborough is upstairs on Level One but keep walking past the bar, then past the pool tables until you get to an outdoor deck area. Depending on the weather the group either gathers in this outdoor area or in the small room just off to the side. (It all makes sense when you see it!) Start time is 6:30pm and then around 8pm people tend to want to head off for food.

If you can't make that meeting you may like to meet up earlier in the day during Mardi Gras Fair Day at Victoria Park. Bi-NSW won't be having a stall but I'll make a point of being near the Sydney Leather Pride stall (west, uphill, next to the Uni) from 3pm to 3:30pm if you would like to drop by and discuss ideas or raise your hand as a potential volunteer.

Of course you can also drop me a line by email to treasurer@bi-nsw.org.au and I'm pretty much always available by phone on 0416-070360.

In chats I have with people I keep referring to the example of what happened when a group of 10 - 15 enthusiastic people got together back in 2001 and proposed a dance party organised by bisexuals for bisexuals. The result was 14 Biversity parties over the next 5 years with hundreds and hundreds of people happy to be celebrating the diversity and friendliness of a newfound community.

I know that we have people around with skills and enthusiasm to make things happen again - so it's just a matter of pulling all this into an increasing spiral of activity.

How do you think this can be done?? I encourage you to voice your opinion via whichever Bi email list you receive this message on.

Mostly I hope to see you at our pub night for some lively discussion of ideas over a few drinks. Remember Sunday Feb 21st, 6:30pm, Marlborough Hotel, Newtown.

Regards,
Graham McKay, Treasurer, Bi-NSW Inc.
www.bi-nsw.org.au

Re: Sydney Bisexual Network Social Pub Night, Sunday 17th Jan 6:30pm

Dear all,

This Sunday we will be having our first pub night of the year. Details down at the bottom of this email. This gathering is a good way to meet up with some of the people in the Bi community face-to-face over refreshing drinks.

We will need to have a bit of a discussion about whether we will be having a Bi entry in the Mardi Gras parade. For this to happen we need a couple of people to volunteer to organise. At this late stage it would probably just be a coordinated marching group - but if you volunteer to organise you get to choose the format!



Planning ahead to the meeting next month....

Pub night will be on Sunday the 21st (same day as Fair Day which is the official start of Mardi Gras season) and our meeting will include the small formality of an AGM for Bi-NSW. Generally that just takes 5 minutes to confirm a few members are present and have them agree that the accounts are OK.

The point of interest however is that I will be standing down from any and all official roles for Bi-NSW. Effectively I haven't done anything for the group in the last couple of years and when people assume that I will be doing things that I don't I end up being more of a hindrance than a help.

Given that for those same couple of years we haven't had an "active" committee either - this will be a watershed event. ie. some others have to step up to the plate to take on the running of the group or we will have to formally deregister Bi-NSW. If you'd like to contribute you don't necessarily have to attend the Feb pub night, but you should let me and others in these email groups know of your interest.



If you have thoughts about an entry in the parade or how Bi-NSW can keep running please be proactive and publish those thoughts to whichever of these lists you are part of.

I hope to see you at one or both of the Jan & Feb pub nights.


Regards,
Graham McKay
Treasurer, Bi-NSW


On 10/01/2010, at 19:25, sbn-list@yahoogroups.com wrote:

Reminder from: sbn-list Yahoo! Group

Title: Social Pub Night

Date: Sunday January 17, 2010
Time: 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Repeats: This event repeats every month on the third Sunday.
Location: Marlborough Hotel, Newtown
Street: cnr King St. & Missenden Rd
City State Zip: Newtown
Phone: 0416-070360 to speak to Graham

Notes: SBN pub night (a social event!) happens in Newtown on the 3rd Sunday of each month. We meet at a pub/bar for a few drinks from 6:30pm until at least 8pm. Some people avail themselves of the food at the pub, while others form a group to go for dinner at a nearby restaurant.

**NOTE** We have changed our venue to the Marlborough Hotel, cnr King St. and Missenden Rd, Newtown. Look for us up on level one - probably around in the "Deck Bar" which is just beyond the pool tables.

We always try to have a multi-coloured candle on our table to allow newbies to recognise the group. See our web site http://bi-nsw.org.au for more details or email admin@bi-nsw.org.au

Sydney Social Pub Night, Sunday 21st June, 6:30pm

Title: Social Pub Night

Date: Sunday June 21, 2009

Time: 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Repeats: This event repeats every month on the third Sunday.

Location: Level One, Marlborough Hotel, Newtown

Street: cnr King St. & Missenden Rd

Phone: Graham, 0416-070360

Notes:

• SBN pub night (a social event!) happens in Newtown on the 3rd Sunday of each month.
• We meet at a pub/bar for a few drinks from 6:30pm until at least 8pm.
• Level One at the Marly continues on around (past the pool tables) to a deck bar - we may be in that area.
• Some people avail themselves of the food at the pub, while others form a group around 8pm to go for dinner at a nearby restaurant.
• We always try to have a multi-coloured candle on our table to allow newbies to recognise the group. Try ringing Graham if you can't find the group.
• See our web site http://bi-nsw.org.au for more details or email admin@bi-nsw.org.au

Sydney Social Pub Night, Sunday 17th May, 6:30pm

Title: Social Pub Night

Date: Sunday May 17, 2009

Time: 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Repeats: This event repeats every month on the third Sunday.

Location: Level One, Marlborough Hotel, Newtown

Street: cnr King St. & Missenden Rd

Phone: Graham, 0416-070360

Notes:

SBN pub night (a social event!) happens in Newtown on the 3rd Sunday of each month. We meet at a pub/bar for a few drinks from 6:30pm until at least 8pm. Some people avail themselves of the food at the pub, while others form a group around 8pm to go for dinner at a nearby restaurant.

We always try to have a multi-coloured candle on our table to allow newbies to recognise the group.

See our web site http://bi-nsw.org.au for more details or email admin@bi-nsw.org.au

SBN PUB NIGHT

This Sunday - 6:30pm at the Marlborough Hotel, Newtown - look for the coloured candle on our table, upstairs on Level One.

More info @ Bi-NSW web site.

Bi/Poly Mardi Gras Float

Update from Jenny: Working bee.

We will be doing the float build at our place in Frenchs Forest (ph me 0410 520 635 or Chris 0401 988 844) on Sunday March 1st.

Bring your swimmers, we have a pool and there will be a pool party after the building is done.

We can make a run or two to Chatswood station to collect people - if we have people needing that, we will set pick-up time(s). People will need to register in advance for a ride so we know how many cars to bring.

---------------

Hi all! Mardi Gras deadlines are looming again, so it's time to think about the parade again. Remember - this is a truly national float. You are all invited!

We are expecting an even larger contingent of gorgeous Bi-Viccers to join us this year, following the wildly successful group expedition last year, so if you have skipped a parade or two, or you have been thinking about doing your first one this year, DO IT!! You won't regret it ...

Our theme this year is "Please Don't Feed The Bisexuals", and you can wear anything you like as long as it has an animal theme. Go leopard print, faux fur, strap-on tails, or body-painted scales - there's a world of sexy options this year!

We need to get a grant application in by next Friday, including supplier quotes, and the parade application form the following week. This means making some decisions in the next few days. If you would like to be part of the brainstorming, reply off-list and we will set up a separate discussion list just for Mardi Gras planning.

We'll let you know when the website is open for online payments, and what the parade registration fee will be.

We also need volunteers for the following opportunities:

• someone to drive the truck - involves collecting it in the morning and driving it to where we assemble the float, then driving it into the parade area at the appointed time, and staying with it until the end of the parade
• someone to attend the briefing meeting during the day on Sat 28th Feb as our representative, collect the information pack, and turn up at the parade to tell everyone where to go
• someone to arrive at the parade nice and early to pick up wristbands and start the meet-and-tag process
• people to help with building the float beforehand and on the day
• people to pick up lights, sound gear, etc

If you are interested in any of these activities, send an email to mardigras@bi-nsw.org.au and we'll co-ordinate with you to get it happening.

Looking forward to seeing you all at the parade, if not before!

Cheers,
Chris and Jenny

P.S. If you're from out of town and would like a place to stay for Mardi Gras weekend, let us know and we'll ask around the Sydney mob for spare rooms, couches, or stables.

Re: Social Pub Night - moves to Marlborough Hotel

On 14/04/2008, at 20:54, Deborah wrote:

Hi Graham, weren't we moving the social night to the Marlborough Hotel due to lack of seating in the current venue? Deb

Hi there Deb, you're quite right - sorry I've been slack and not gotten organised enough to let everyone know.

Pub night, this Sunday 20th, will be at the Marlborough Hotel, upstairs on the first floor, preferably in the semi-outdoor area known as "The Deck", otherwise in the "Level One" bar.

Starting time is also altered to 6:30pm with a guarantee that we'll be there until at least 8pm - but maybe later.

The Marly is on the corner of King St & Missenden Rd in Newtown.

The Deck is a small bar that you get to by going upstairs, then through the bar on the first floor, and then through the pool table area. Sounds a bit complicated but really you just follow your nose. (It's the same place as the Poly Social group meets.)

As always you'll be able to find our table by the multi-coloured (pink/purple/blue) candle on our table. Failing that you can try ringing my mobile 0416-070360.

The number of people that turn up can be quite variable, but generally expect a group of between 5 and 15 of us. A mixture of guys, girls, singles, couples, young, old, etc etc.

There is absolutely no requirement to "out" yourself if you come along to join us. We're just a bunch of friends at the pub having a drink and chat. The intention is to have a meal afterwards at one of the many many restaurants nearby on King St.

The Sydney Bisexual Network pub night always happens on the 3rd Sunday of the month.

If you want more info in advance, you can either email me, treasurer@bi-nsw.org.au , or phone me 0416-070360.

Regards,

Graham