Hi everyone,
I've been meaning to post this for a while, and given the news story released yesterday it shouldn't be delayed any further. First off, I would like to start by echoing all of the positive thoughts and love shared in the community after the events of Saturday September 14th. Nothing more needs to be said about the happenings on the day, but I really am so proud of how everyone has pulled together since.
I write this post off the back of a FOCAL committee meeting held not long after Blackpool, where we spent a large chunk of time talking about said community, and what could be done to ensure people feel reassured and as safe as possible when attending events in future. We of course welcome any other ideas and feedback, and want to be clear that there will be no overreaction to what happened, but the main points are as follows:
- To all event hosts - it is our recommendation going forwards that the exact location of the event and the list of attendees is not published publicly where anyone can view them freely. Some alternative options could be:
- A ‘locked down’ Google sheet containing event details and an attendee list, to which access will be granted once sign up is confirmed
- The first part of the postcode of the venue added to the C4C post, Facebook page, etc so attendees can have a rough idea of location (to help with transport, accommodation, etc)
- To all event attendees: we encourage you to be vigilant when attending events. If you see anything suspicious at all, or see someone you do not recognise, please speak with the event organiser or a member of the committee. It may be that the ‘mystery’ person is known to someone, but always best to ask.
- First aid - while it may not be practical to ensure that the organiser or at least one attendee is first aid trained, as a minimum we can ensure that there is a kit available at all events.
- Venues - we will pull together a small list of questions that every host should be able to answer prior to an event, and information that can be shared with the committee beforehand. For example: Fire exits and evacuation plan.
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Completely unrelated to the events in Blackpool, I have made the decision to step down as FOCAL chair at the end of the year due to recent events in my personal life. I no longer feel like I am able to give the role the attention and time it deserves, although I will remain a member of the committee if the new chair will have me.
In light of this, we will be holding a vote to determine our new FOCAL chair after the final event of the year in MK at the end of November. If you would like to be considered for the role, please let a committee member know.
Thank you for the opportunity, FOCAL peeps. It's been short, but sweet.