Crocus is being set up as a strong voice for
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people in the London Borough of Croydon.
It was formally launched on 12th May 2008 at an event in Croydon Town Hall.
See our Press Releases for more about the launch.
The results of the 2008 Croydon LGBT Survey
have now been published on this web site.
We've recruited a part-time development
worker to help develop the network.
We took part in a
series of events in Croydon throughout February
to celebrate LGBT History Month.
We
held a day of
events on the 17th of May for IDAHO (the International Day
Against Homophobia and Transphobia).
And we're launching Crocus 18-30, a Social and Support Network by and for
younger LGBT People.
See
www.croydonlgbtnetwork.org.uk/historymonth.htm for a full list of events.
Membership
Crocus was initiated by
Croydon Voluntary Action (CVA) and
is supported by:
- Aurora (Croydon's LGBT
Police Consultation Group)
- CAGS (Croydon Area Gay Society)
- The Consortium of LGBT
Voluntary and Community Organisations
- Croydon Trans Group (local transgender support
group)
- Gemini (self-help
support group for TG/TS people)
- GALOP (London's LGBT community
safety charity)
We welcome contacts from any other LGBT organisations with a presence in
Croydon.
Membership of Crocus
will include the sponsoring LGBT-led organisations,
but will also be open to any individuals who identify as LGBT and live, work,
socialise, or have an interest in Croydon. We aim specifically to be inclusive
of all local LGBT people, including those sections of the community under-represented
in existing organisations, for instance ethnic minorities and faith groups.
The current Officers of Crocus
were elected at the Annual
General Meeting on the 3rd of June 2009, but there are several
vacancies for Officers and members of the Executive Committee.
.
Background
Crocus was set up with the following
objectives:
- being a place where public authorities can be held to account
- providing information to LGBT people and to local organisations and public bodies
- bringing together the knowledge from the various existing groups
- coordinating campaigns on matters of common interest
- helping to create social and support facilities for LGBT people where
they are not met by existing bodies
- taking action on issues together
- creating a safe space with opportunities for networking
- meeting regularly and reporting back to communities of interest
Meetings
Crocus holds five General Meetings a year
with all local LGBT people invited
and five Executive Committee Meetings (which any
member may attend) in the alternate months.
Meetings are normally on the third Thursday of each month.
The next meeting will be a General Meeting on Thursday 16th September,
time and place to be announced. Dates of future meetings, when known will be announced on the
LGBT London website.
Issues
Crocus is intended to address
issues concerned with:
- Croydon Council
- health
- housing
- policing (with Aurora taking the lead on police issues)
- making local businesses more LGBT-friendly.
Constitution
The Constitution was ratified at the planning meeting on 26th November 2008.
Other events
Crocus will be holding social and other events from time to time,
including a major programme of events for
LGBT History Month in
February each year. We had a full programme of events during LGBT History Month
2010: see the History Month Croydon website.
E-mail us
for more information.
