2017 LWP VIDEO NIGHT

As the end of the patrolling season approaches, and before we tuck ourselves into bed for the winter, we need to have our end of season gathering.  So lets all gather together on Thursday 13 April from 7.30pm at Palms on Oxford Street.  This is the evening before Good Friday, so start your extra long weekend, even earlier with us, where we have the venue exclusively until it opens to the public at 9pm.

We'll watch our videos together, plus have a drink, catch up with friends, and thank the committee for their great efforts at averting swimwear/generator disasters.  Not only are we looking forward to seeing both marchers and volunteers from this year, but LWP Alumni are welcome, as are your partners, family and friends.  It'll be great to see everyone again, and maybe carry on into the night, with a guaranteed sleep in the next day.

Gary, David and the Committee

THANKS TO OUR 2017 SPONSORS

Before we all hide for the winter, just a word of thanks to our sponsors this year.

Firstly to Rival who came in at very short notice and provided 100 pairs of great swimwear.  Many thanks to you for your efforts.  We can't speak highly enough of them and encourage everyone to spread the word about Rival and Running Bare.

And secondly, to Google and Mardi Gras who provided grant sponsorship, which allowed us to get the great lights and sound installation for the truck.  With better weather next year, we'll remove the tarp and see what they can really do.  We are a really proud recipient of their Community Parade Grants and would encourage anyone involved in other organisations to pursue these next year as well.

And thanks also need to go to Coates who put in an amazing effort when their product malfunctioned, giving us all grief for a few tight hours.  They provided a service on site, brought out another generator for us to use, and then provided the entire supply for free for the stress and inconvenience, so thanks aplenty to Emmanuel and the team at Alexandria.

Thanks all and keep an eye out for the upcoming video night, when we can all get together again and have a drink to celebrate the end of the season.

Regards
Gary, Mike, Grant, Wayne and the committee

PARADE VIDEO #2

Madi our fantastic videographer for this year, has worked double time since our big night to put together a great piece.  It shows not only us having a great time preparing, marshaling and marching but also us representing lifesaving as an inclusive and progressive organisation.

Watch and enjoy.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/t0uc393eeuw626z/LWP%202017-1.mov?dl=0

Gary, Madi and the Committee

2017 PARADE VIDEO

Hey all,

SBS have released the footage that we recorded in January.  The package was put together and broadcast as part of the Mardi Gras parade, timed to align with our pasasge through Taylor Square.

Watch, enjoy and circulate with your networks.  Be sure to forward it to your own Surf Club and Patrol, and get them to join the blog and the facebook group.

https://vimeo.com/208231853

Gary and the Committee

2017 PARADE PHOTOS

Hey all,

For those who aren't on the facebook group, and who are luddites with the internet and search engines, here are a selection of photos from Saturday night during the parade.

Thanks a heap to our Photographers Justin and Frances, and to our Videographers Madi and Nikki.  Keep an eye out for our post parade gathering and video night, hopefully in April.

Browse and enjoy.

Gary and the Committee

THANK YOU ALL

How much fun was that?

A big thank you to everyone who came in the parade on Saturday.  We had such a magnificent time, and everyone should take pride in the result that we all achieved together.

We faced countless battles to get there this year, from our swimwear provider pulling out, to our generator blowing up at the start, our videographer pulling out with a week to go, the weather threatening to storm all week, to even our post parade pub being closed, but we still got there and produced the most wonderful and welcoming production.  Without you, the participants this would just be ten committee member walking up the road and waving, and looking very dour at that.

Specifically I want to thank

• Nick, as secretary and manager of the email and blog (this site)
• Grant as treasurer for continually saying no to my ideas of hiring the Westpac rescue chopper for the night
• Mick for managing the swimwear, when everyone decides they've changed sizes
• Mike for arranging Fair Day and driving the van
• Karen for her social media prowess
• David for chasing up admin stuff that no one sees, but is invaluable
• Orlando for doing the online registrations, from Melbourne (but welcome back to Sydney soon)
• Andrew for arranging the music, providing the whistles and being a great sounding board
• Bastien for managing the media rehearsal which, regardless of the media attendance, is a big project
• and the biggest thanks to Wayne for logistics on the day who dealt with our generator crisis.

Take a big breath you guys, you are what makes the parade.  And anyone who wants to come along once a month from Sept for a drink and a laugh, just contact any of the committee.  We'd love to have you join our team.  My ideas are getting stale (except the helicopter - Grant!) so come and let us know your thoughts.

If you didn't see the SBS piece that we filmed on the beach, it is excellent (except for my inclusion which should have been edited out for reasons of taste and dignity).

Check out the 15 shots here from the Gay News Network, although the facebook group has a gazillion others.

http://gaynewsnetwork.com.au/out-about/event/040217-mardi-gras-parade-gallery-3.photos-cec-busby.html#68

Keep an eye out now for our post parade bash, usually in mid April, when we should have the video ready to go.

So relax now, scrub off the glitter, enjoy the memories, spread the word about lifesaving, and keep promoting lifesaving as a progressive, inclusive and welcoming organisation.  Enjoy the rest of the season down at the beach, and please tell everyone about LWP.  The more the merrier. 

Gary and the Committee

RECOGNITION OF SURF LIFE SAVING CHAMPIONS IN THE LGBTIQ COMMUNITY

With all the excitement about the LWP entry in this weekend's Mardi Gras, let's not forget how far Surf Life Saving has come in the last ten years.  In order to get permission for the first float, the original committee had to battle some serious unrecognised prejudice within the organisation, and at the club level.  It is only through our collective strength that lifesaving is now a progressive, inclusive and welcoming organisation for our LGBTIQ brethren nationally, and we are fighting the battles one club at a time.

The LWP committee would like to draw our member's attention to the Pride in Sport awards, which "recognise the critical role that our role models play in sending a message of inclusion within sport".  These are national awards and allow for nominations for a range of people.  We draw your attention particularly to two awards, the Ally Award, for someone who is straight, but is a champion for the LGBTIQ community, and the Role Model Award, for someone who is out within their sport, and championing for inclusion within their field.  We would love to see someone from within lifesaving nominated to demonstrate our ongoing endeavours.

Anyone can nominate someone, and we encourage you to each consider someone, both past or present who would be a suitable recipient, and who represents in lifesaving the types of role models that we all aspire to.

The link below has the nomination forms, which are due for submission by 24 March.  Feel free to contact the committee for any assistance with your nomination.

http://www.prideindiversity.com.au/PSI/

Whether you are marching with LWP or have other plans, have a safe and happy Mardi Gras, and keep spreading the word about lifesaving as inclusive and welcoming.

Gary and the Committee

SATURDAY IS THE DAY

We've had our beach rehearsal, and the locals loved it.  Now get ready for the final event.

Everyone, marchers and supporters need to meet this Saturday at Moore Park in front of the Sydney Football Stadium at 4pm.  Here we will do a final rehearsal session with everyone, including our interstate friends.  Supporters will also go over their roles.  From here we will issue our wristbands and move together through the streets to Hyde Park for marshaling.  MG will not let you into marshaling without a wristband so you must be at Moore Park.

If you miss the van, it will be your responsibility to manage your gear.  There is NO storage space on the truck for it.

At Moore Park we will get changed into our parade gear, and store all our bags and equipment in a van.  This van will then head off to park, and we will not see it again until we finish the parade, when we will then retrieve our stiff.

Be sure you have your white shoes, Rival swimwear and lifesaver cap, plus volunteers, should have their uniform.

Let's just pray the rain holds out.  We'll have ponchos if required.

After the parade, we'll head to the Olympic Sports Hotel, only a few 100 meters from the van's final location, for a drink or two to relax and unwind.

And a big, huge thank you to the committee who have worked for months to pull this event together.  Anyone wanting to join the committee for next year should drop me a line.

See you there for a great day.

Gary and the committee