HIGHLAND LGBT FORUM & SOCIAL GROUP Making the LGBT community more visible in the Highlands

LGBT News CHARITABLE STATUS In April 2008, The Highland LGBT Forum was awarded charitable status by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. The Highland LGBT Forum is a charity registered in Scotland No. SC039528. INVERNESS CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU The Inverness Citizens Advice Bureau now offers discrimination advice thanks to the appointment of John Gourlay. Inverness CAB can provide free, impartial, independent and confidential advice on issues of discrimination. Dependant upon the circumstances, discrimination can happen in respect of race, gender/marital status, sexual orientation, disability, age or religion and may apply in employment or access to goods and services. John is normally available Tues/Wed/Thursday. Their office can be found at 103 Academy Street, Inverness IV1 1LX. Telephone: 01463 237664 for appointments. Email: (please allow up to 5 days for an email response). You can also phone the CAB general advice line on 08444 994111 or access factsheets online about Discrimination because of sexuality. Highlands R Us 2008 The Highlands and Islands Equality Forum is organising another diversity day. It will take place on 8th July in Falcon Square and the Eastgate centre in Inverness. AGM The AGM of the Highland LGBT Forum and Social Group took place on Tuesday 12th February 2008 at the Netley Centre, Inverness. Annabel Mowat (former manager at REACHOUT Highland) stood down as chair while Maria Henderson (chair until 2006) took on the role once again. Rachel Koktava was re-elected as Secretary, and Rory Stewart was elected to be the new Treasurer. An additional 4 committee members including Annabel Mowat were also elected. Further members may be co-opted to the committee in future. Highland LGBT Social Group The social group nights out are held in Pivo on the third Tuesday of the month. There is a mixture of men and women, and everyone is welcome. Check the events page for all the dates for your diary. Faith group in Inverness The Metropolitan Community Church (based in Edinburgh) is now holding monthly services in Inverness. Highland Pride Ball: This was a great success at the Loch Ness House Hotel in Inverness on Saturday 15th December with a buffet and entertainment including 'Two Red Shoes & The Cherry Seeds', plus MFR DJ Ken Kelman. Watch this space for details of the Valentine's Pride Ball in Inverness in February 2009. T-shirts are now available to buy with the Gay-Ness.org.uk logo!

Highland LGBT Newsletters (PDFs): April 2008 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 October 2007 February 2008 Check out the Latest News from: Equality Network Stonewall Scotland LGBT Youth Scotland For more UK LGBT news visit

Raise money while shopping & searching online
You can now raise money for the LGBT social group simply by shopping on the Internet at your favourite online stores. First of all just go to www.easyfundraising.org.uk/highlandlgbtsg and sign up for free using your name, email address and a password of your choice.
After that simply click on the logos on the easyfundraising.org.uk web site to access Amazon, NEXT, M&S, HMV, Debenhams, and many more. Each time you make a purchase with these retailers, they will donate a percentage to the social group (at no cost to you). Just remember each time you are going on a shopping spree, please visit www.easyfundraising.org.uk/highlandlgbtsg to log in to your account and click on the shop logos provided (that's how they know where to send their donations).
Search the Net and raise money for us with EasySearch.org.uk - just visit our search homepage: highlandlgbtsg.easysearch.org.uk
and use the search engine.

Other news from around Scotland:

Stonewall Scotland Survey
The Good Practice Project has been commissioned by the Scottish Executive to look at the way that local services, such as the police, fire services and councils, provide for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in their area. Such services are not luxuries; they're basic rights and should be equally accessible to everyone.
Click here for more info: www.stonewallscotland.org.uk. You can take part in an anonymous online survey if you wish.