Newry Rainbow Community hold ‘last event’ in current premises | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

Newry Rainbow Community hold ‘last event’ in current premises

The Newry Rainbow Community recently held what could be their last event in the premises in which they’ve been based for the last 3 years.

LGBT activists and allies gathered in the Rainbow House on Monaghan Street for the last time and held their Annual General Meeting.

 

 

Chairperson Rory Rafferty began the AGM by welcoming those in attendance and the NRC’s Annual Report was presented, followed by a question and answer session.

The AGM was one of great emotion, not least due to the many challenges currently facing the organisation – most importantly – funding and the sourcing of a new presence.

The future of the charity is in jeopardy and all those in attendance reaffirmed their dedication and determination to ensure that the charity does not cease to exist and continues to provide life-saving services to local LGBT citizens in need of assistance.

 

 

After the election process, a new management committee was formed. Rory Rafferty was re-elected as Chair, Caolan Dooley as Vice-Chair, Ritchy Kimmins as Secretary, Karen Rafferty as Treasurer, Mark McLoughlin as Public Relations Officer, Alex Moore as Trans Officer and Roisin Keenan as Women’s Officer.

A further 8 members signed up to become committee members without portfolio.

Speaking after the electing procedure, new committee member Neal Rush expressed his gratitude to the outgoing committee who did not stand for re-election for all of their hard work, perseverance and commitment to the organisation over many years, including outgoing Secretary Damian McKevitt and outgoing committee member Pádraig Lynch.

 

 

Those sentiments were echoed by all those in the room.

Additionally, newly re-elected Chairperson Rory Rafferty told those present, “I am looking forward to working along with such a strong committee and I am glad that so many of you have decided to put yourselves forward to take on the many challenges we face in both the short and long-term.

“We have a huge job of work ahead of us and our main objective and focus now is to ensure our city does not lose this vital resource and that our LGBT brothers and sisters always have somewhere where they can call in for advice, support and a listening ear.

 

 

Rory added, “I know many of you here have come into knowing this organisation by being service-users of it and I hope that that service will not come to a tragic end for those who will come after us.”

 

 

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Posted by on Apr 20 2018. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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