Newsletter 28th September 2011

LINC would like to give a big, big thank you to all who took part in the mini marathon to raise much needed funds for the youth group and counselling support services. The response was tremendous and a great day was had by all. Special thanks to Karla, Jo and Reg for the Trojan effort they put into making the day possible.

LINC would like to extend our congratulations to David Norris who, last night, secured a nomination to run for the highest office in the land. David has already earned his place in the history books, securing the decriminalization of gay sexual practices in 1993 and in effect decriminalizing homosexuality. His nomination last night was a victory for democracy, for the LGBT community as equal participants in this society and is made all the more sweet by the fact that he tops the polls today. How anyone chooses to vote on the day is of course a personal choice but we wish David the best of luck in his endeavor.

Come Dine With Me

The heat is on! LINC is now taking registrations for teams in the culinary event of the year! Grab three buddies and over the next six weeks each of you will cook for the others. Meals must be at least two courses (from baked beans to beef Wellington- anything goes). Extra points will be awarded for flair and entertainment. Each cook is awarded a score out of ten by each of the other contenders. The overall winner in each team will then goes forward to a final, where they will compete against the winners of the other teams. Judges will score on brilliance in the kitchen, hosting and entertainment- the competitor who provides the most hedonistic meal experience wins! So grab a team, get

a cool name and register. Each team will keep us all up to date on the gossip, gaffes and stokes of culinary brilliance (or not!) of their teammates on a dedicated Facebook page.

Dates for your diary TARGET 1000

LINC are delighted to launch our project Target 1000 a positive health and suicide intervention initiative this Autumn. We are very fortunate to have secured funding for this initiative through Pobal which aims to provide support specifically for LB women. As a result, this series of workshops are provided at no cost (childcare costs available if required). However, the success of this project depends on your support. The workshops are :

IM OK Whats Wrong With You?!

Tuesday October 4th 7-9pm Facilitated by Aileen Fitzgerald This session will look at how our way of relating to ourselves - our strengths, vulnerabilities, conflicts, contradictions, prejudices directly impacts on our personal well-being and our relationships with one another. LINC is delighted to host this workshop, which is being facilitated by Aileen Fitzgerald, an experienced psychotherapist with many years of experience both with individuals and groups. The session is intended to be an invitation to explore ourselves and how we can constructively work to improve our relationships both with others and ourselves.

Sexual Health Beth Wallace Monday 10th October The one, the only Beth Wallace will deliver this workshop, which is designed to be both fun and informative.

Everything you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask will be delivered to you in a way that only Beth can!

Building Good Relationships 17th October Dr. Julie Norris

Building good, healthy relationships is an undertaking that draws on a number of skills. This workshop will explore tools and techniques that help to build strong relationships that can sustain through difficulties. These techniques can be simple to apply and are useful with partners, friends, family and professionals that you encounter (such as doctors)

Sleeping and Dreaming Monday 24th October Dr Julie Norris

Sleep is one of the pillars of positive physical and mental health. Lack of sleep affects your capacity to think, be creative, problem solve, heal and many other thinks. Freud called dreams the royal road to the unconscious. Often the content of our dreams tells us something about the important things that are going on in our lives and the issues that are affecting our sleep. This workshop will explore how sleep is affected and what dreams mean. Bring your dreams with you!

Let your Community support you /supporting each other (in difficult times) - A peer support workshop Tuesday 1st November

Dr Julie Norris

Life events and sometimes our sexuality can cause us to feel sad or isolated. These feelings can be difficult to have and difficult to support others in. In this workshop we will explore feelings of sadness and isolation separately and then look at how they can become inextricably linked. Together we will develop an understanding of the difficulties and barriers that hold us back from escaping these feelings and develop ideas to support ourselves and other.

MNA MNA Choir th October 6 is a date for your diary if you are interested in joining the LINC Mna Mna Choir. This is a well-established group of women who meet weekly to raise their voices in song! You dont have to be a soprano or a budding x factor competitor just a love of song will be grand. Its a fun choir who welcome new members at any time. Starts at 8pm until around 10pm just head on in on the night.

This group was scheduled to meet last week but had to be cancelled due to illness. Sincere apologies to anyone who may not have received notice in time. The meeting will go ahead this week on Saturday from 3 to 5. Again the idea is to see if there is enough interest to support a group. If you would like more information call LINC on 4808600.

Women In Recovery

Coffee Evening In Aid Of The Fill Project. Thursday the 6th October we will be holding a coffee evening from 5 to 8pm in LINC for the "New Fill Project" HIV/AIDS Ward St James Hospital Dublin. This is a charity for HIV/Aids patients. The charity supplies vital collagen facial injections for mussel wastage, The government supplies only three injections but unfortunately most of the time patients need more than just three. The

patients that receive these injections are other wise living healthy with HIV/AIDS and look quite ill due to the muscle wastage; these injections restore the facial structure of the patient so they live a normal life. We would really appreciate your support for this great cause. Come along and sample some home baked good's in great company! Feel free to bring along your own baked good's. Looking forward to seeing you all there!!

OUT4DINNER

Out4dinner is a brand new dining out group. They dine out on the first Friday of every month. Their first night out is to on 7th October. The group is open to all LGBTQ people. Contact The Other Place or LINC to register.

Volunteer Training In order to facilitate people who want to do both the volunteer training and the series of workshops being held in October the volunteer training will be now held at the beginning of next year. There has been considerable interest in the training which is designed around best practice for volunteering in community organisations so skills acquired on the course will be transferable while addressing issues specific to the LB community such as coming out. Book Club
The next meeting in scheduled for Tuesday 4th Oct at 7pm. The book for next month is The Help by Kathryn Stockett Synopsis: Set during the nascent civil rights movement in Jackson, Miss., where black women were trusted to raise white children but not to polish the household silver. Eugenia Skeeter Phelan is just home from college in 1962, and, anxious to become a writer, is advised to hone her chops by writing about what disturbs you. The budding social activist begins to collect the stories of the black women on whom the country club sets relies and mistrusts enlisting the help of Aibileen, a maid who's raised 17 children, and Aibileen's best friend Minny, who's found herself unemployed more than a few times after mouthing off to her white employers. The book Skeeter puts together based on their stories is scathing and shocking, bringing pride and hope to the black community, while giving Skeeter the courage to break down her personal boundaries and pursue her dreams. Assured and layered, full of heart and history.

The Silly Sex Series The aphrodisiac workshop has been postponed due to small numbers. We will let you know when we have a new date confirmed.

5 a side Soccer Tournament Fundraiser for Ms Gay Cork T his is a soccer tournament, run by the ms gay cork committee and it is to raise money for marriage equality and LINC. It cost 4 euro per player 20 a team. And even if you dont have a readymade team come along and we will put you in one. There is also an after match session in loafers! And you dont have to be queer to be there, everyone is welcome to come along and join in the fun! Come on ladies its a great cause! And please invite everyone you know!

Auricular Acupuncture This happens each Tuesday over in The Other Place at 6pm. Stephanie will welcome you or your family/friends to take part in what has proven to be a great way to spend an hour. If you are having problems sleeping, relaxing suffering from stress or anxiety (tell me who isnt!) then this could be for you. Perhaps you are struggling trying to stop smoking/drinking, well auricular acupuncture can help you with all of these. So why not give it a try for only 10 euro a session (normally 50 euro) For any more information give us a call in LINC or ring Stephanie on 086 1045222.

NWCI MEMBERS MEETING

Open to NWCI Members and interested groups/individuals At 2.00pm Turn Off the Red Light Campaign:
End prostitution and sex trafficking in Ireland Tuesday, 18th October 10:30-15:00 Hotel Kilmore Dublin Road, Cavan

For directions please check:

www.hotelkilmore.ie/directions or call the hotel (049) 433 22 88

At 2.00pm launch A Charter for Womens Equality the purpose of which is to:
Support all those in decision and policy making structures at local and national level to name and enhance their ability to address womens inequality. Establish opportunities for discussion on appropriate and new ways of promoting womens equality. Support feminist organizations in their efforts to achieve human rights for women.

Please register by RSVP to Anne Gibney E: anneg@nwci.ie www.nwci.ie

Support
Parents of LGBT Support The parents of LGBT people support group is planning a meet and greet in September. If you are interested in attending please contact us at LINC and we will inform you when a definite date and time had been decided. Alternatively Ber Nolan will meet parents of LGBT people on a one to one basis. Contact her on 0877902230 please leave a contact number if leaving a message and she will return your call.

Lesbian Line runs Every Weds from 7pm to 9pm Call 021 4318318 National LGBT Helpline runs Mon to Fri 7pm to 9pm and Sat & Sun 3pm to 6pm 1890 929 539

Sports
Badminton Every Tuesday in Carrigtwohill from 8 until 10. For more details on Badminton please call 086 8479051 Tennis Tennis is not running at the moment. Soccer Tuesdays at Garry duff.

New Cork LGBT Sports Group- Out and Active

- Hill Walk on Saturday October 1st (more details TBC) For more details check their website www.outandactivecork.com

Education
Citizens Information are running the following course if anyone is interested

An Overview of the Civil Partnership Act 2010: Rights of Same Sex and Cohabiting Couples.
Date: Tuesday 25 October 2011 Venue and Time: The Maldron Hotel, John Redmond St., Cork 10:00am- 1:00pm Presenter: Yvonne Kelly, Solicitor Limited to 20 participants Aim: To provide information providers with an overview of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 which has been in force since April 2011. Learning Outcomes: On completion of this course participants should be able to: Define Cohabiting partners State the general status of children in Civil Partnerships State the rights of cohabitants with children and without? State the rights of cohabitants with children and without? Advise on enforcing rights to a partner's assets in situations of relationship breakdown. Closing Date: Friday 7 October 2011 Applications to: Marie Farrelly, Regional Training Administrator, Citizens Information Board, 14 Gladstone Street, Waterford. Tel: 051 850998. Fax: 051 876575 Email: marie.farrelly@cibaord.ie

Cost =100

Got talent, something you wanna share? The LGBT Hour needs you! We are seeking talented individuals in the air of music and comedy to appear on our show to showcase their individual talents. Watch this space; it gets more exciting, contact us to find out more. If you would like to know more please contact us on; thelgbthour@facebook.com or via text 085 216 3061 and we'll review your work for airing on our show. Edward