Into the Archives

I am really pleased with the way that the main project on which I am working with my colleagues is taking shape. The training with the regional archives has been invaluable and has changed the way we want to do some key things. We even received our first contributions last week. I am determined to make a success of it, in part to prove some people wrong and because I have a profound belief in the power of communities to bring about positive change. I am so surprised to be on track despite the Archives starting their training two weeks later than we had planned, that I keep checking and refining my "master plan' for the project in case there is something I have missed. The more we work on it, the more additional interesting things pop up like a film club and also; working with the film-maker we've commissioned for the archive to work with us to offer services to clients like the community centres.

The lack of effective LGBT activism in this region surprised me when I first arrived. I wasn't surprised that what activism there was was lesbian-led, but the women I met when I was first here seemed to openly hate gay men more than they did heterosexual ones! There are a couple of organisations who do what they do in pretty much splendid isolation from each other and who are sadly opposed to collaboration for fear of loss of overall control. I have even had the first of no doubt many who have challenged the project we're developing because I'm not a Geordie (LOL). I hope that the LGBT archive we're creating will bring the fractured parts of the LGBT communities together- even if it is just for the odd event or two. I had a nerdy treat on a visit to the archives this week: I held their oldest item- a tiny deed from the 1100s and a charter to Newcastle from Elizabeth 1st.

I am looking forward to the next phase of the project when we bring together the partner organisations and the freelancers we've engaged, begin to gather more material and plan the first public events. In the meantime, we're developing work we did last year and planning our major project for next year. It is SO NICE to be working with friends on a project in which we all believe. Last week I bumped into a couple CEOs of organisations I had to work with in the past and both times it was delightful to be able to be cheerful and honest by telling them how much I enjoy not having to work with people for whom I have little respect and that being able to choose our projects and retain our independence is liberating.