GA Welcome Booket

About Gay Ammanford Do you identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender? Would you like to meet and socialise with other LGB-T people in a supportive, safe and discrimination free environment, away from the Gay Scene?

Gay Ammanford is the only social & support project for the LGBT community and their friends or family in and around South and West Wales.

Working in partnership with various local authorities and support services, such as the Police and Safer Wales, we are here to co-ordinate and offer social support and to provide a safe, discrimination free environment for those that identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender.

Contact Us Gay Ammanford holds regular drop in centres and social events across South West Wales; contact us via email, social media or our website for more details:

WELCOME PACK

Table of Contents

Our Services

Welcome ..................................................................................................................... 1

Social

Welcome to Gay Ammanford ........................................................................... 1

Join us at Gay Ammanford for our monthly social events ranging from coffee morning to ten-pin bowling or summer barbeques and everything in between, we offer a wide range of events and activities across South West Wales.

How we started .................................................................................................... 1 Giving the community a voice............................................................................ 2 Meet the Team........................................................................................................... 3 Get involved! .............................................................................................................. 4 Attendance ............................................................................................................. 4 Surveys .................................................................................................................... 4 Volunteer ................................................................................................................ 4 Our Services ............................................................................................................... 5

Support Have you been a victim of Hate Crime? Want advice on sexual health or domestic violence?

Or just want help with coming out or some light reading? Gay Ammanford has a large collection of support literature and can offer and co-ordinate support services such as Hate Crime victim support.

Partnership Working Gay Ammanford works in partnership with various other organisations and public services across South West Wales, including Equalities Carmarthenshire, Dyfed-Powys Police, the Terrence Higgins Trust and more; all working together for LGBT equality.

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Get involved!

The Gay Ammanford team are all volunteers and are always looking for members and service users to get involved and help steer the project.

There are different ways in which YOU can get involved with Gay Ammanford, the South West Wales LGBT Social and Support Project.

Pride, Support or Community Engagement…

Attendance Attendance at our social events or support drop-in centres gives you the chance to show your support for Gay Ammanford – even more important is our Annual General Meeting or AGM where you can have your say in the future of Gay Ammanford.

Welcome Welcome to Gay Ammanford Welcome to Gay Ammanford and thank you for reading your welcome pack booklet, here you’ll learn about how we started and what we as the South West Wales based LGBT Social and Support project aim to achieve…

“We would like to welcome others to Gay Ammanford where our ethos is that we are here for the LGBT Community.” — Lin Dunn - Chairperson

Surveys Gay Ammanford send out surveys once or twice a year that help gauge interest in certain aspects of our work or on what the LGBT Community would like to see from a social and support project. This is an easy and confidential way to get involved.

Volunteer If you wanted to be more actively involved then you can offer your assistance as a volunteer. Our volunteers get involved with various aspects of the running of Gay Ammanford including assisting with pride events, fund raising, campaigning or organising our social and support services – contact us for an application form.

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How we started It was mid-afternoon on a Saturday in November 2008, when one of the Gay Ammanford founders was walking through Ammanford Town Centre and he was followed down towards the Railway Line at the bottom of Quay Street.

On attempting to cross the Railway line, he was grabbed around the neck, and seriously assaulted; this attack left the founding member with injuries that required surgery, and throughout the attack shouts of "I'll kill you, you gay ba***rd!"

Four members of the public stood and watched the attack and did nothing and the offender was cautioned. At that time, there was very little support for a victim of Hate Crime or homophobia.

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How we started continued‌

Meet the Team

In early 2009, Gay Ammanford was born by the victim and his best friend; with the purpose of helping those what may have been in a similar situation with homophobic hate crimes, or for those who wanted to get advice from those who have been through the coming out process etc.

Gay Ammanford is now ever expanding, to cover the county of Carmarthenshire and beyond, with service users from across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Swansea.

Giving the community a voice

Gay Ammanford campaigning for equality for everyone

Gay Ammanford has always aimed to give the LGBT Community in South West Wales a voice and to make sure that we are all treated fairly and equally regardless of ability, age, gender, race, religion or belief and of course sexuality or gender identity.

The project offers service users an environment to be themselves and share experiences as well as looking at improving the services on offer by local authorities through various channels or forums.

Partnership working for inclusive and equal services

Lin Dunn Chairperson Lin@GayAmmanford.com

As a member, service user or volunteer with Gay Ammanford there are many opportunities to get involved with campaigning for changefor-good; locally and at a wider level.

Cairn Newton Media & Liaison Officer 2

Sue Curtis Secretary Sue@GayAmmanford.com

Cairn@GayAmmanford.com

Nick Weeks Events Co-Ordinator / Treasurer Nick@GayAmmanford.com

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