NZAF Confirms Future Of Big Gay Out

MEDIA RELEASE: 6 MARCH 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NZAF Confirms Future Of Big Gay Out

The New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) has saluted everyone involved in the Big Gay Out 09, confirming that with their support, the Big Gay Out will be able to continue despite the difficult financial times.

“The NZAF had a lot of support; we had amazing volunteers, including the performers, who were very generous with their time and talent; and the support of all the different businesses that went out of their way to help us was incredible” says Simon Harger-Forde, NZAF Director HIV Prevention and Communications. “The NZAF became the main organiser of the Big Gay Out 2009 with just six weeks to go and with the economic downturn we felt a lot of pressure to make sure the day was a success. We did make a small loss but it was significantly less than was forecast in December, and was small enough that the Big Gay Out remains secure for 2010”, says Harger-Forde

The aims of the Big Gay Out are to build supportive and safe social environments for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, takatāpui and transgendered communities, to reach a large audience with HIV prevention and health promotion messages, and to engage with the communities the NZAF serves.

One of the NZAF staff involved with the Big Gay Out 09 was Ben Barratt-Boyes, NZAF Health Promoter Gay Men’s Health. Barratt-Boyes has a background working in both project management and event management in London. Since joining the NZAF as a Health Promoter Barratt-Boyes has expanded and enhanced the NZAF’s relationships with key stakeholders within Auckland’s gay and bisexual men’s communities and is regularly seen out and on the scene.

In January 2009 Barratt-Boyes applied for the role of National Partnerships Co-ordinator with the NZAF, a new position which he’ll take up later this year. “I’m looking forward to taking up my new position,” says Barratt-Boyes. “As the National Partnerships Co-ordinator I’ll be able to continue to build on the NZAF’s existing relationships and foster new ones. One of the aspects of being a Health Promoter that I’ve really enjoyed has been finding ways to work directly with gay venues like saunas and bars, and also connecting other mainstream groups to the NZAF to support HIV Prevention efforts. The National Partnerships Co-ordinator is a national role so I’ll be able to build strategic relationships like these around the country”. A key part of his new job will be putting his event management skills to good use by taking a lead on organising the NZAF’s events for World AIDS Day and the Big Gay Out 2010.

Family Bar, owned by Wayne Clarke with whom Barratt-Boyes has a strong relationship, hosted the hugely popular dance tent at the Big Gay Out and donated $2,500 to the NZAF. This donation will be used to offset the costs of staging the event along with the proceeds from the stalls area, $7,000 from the gold coin entry and money from the beer garden.

NZAF staff including Barratt-Boyes met with some of the stars of the Big Gay Out 09 at the end of February to accept proceeds from the successful event. Alan Granville and Paul Heard, owners of Urge Bar teamed up with Campbell Orr, owner of Caluzzi Bar and Cabaret to host the Big Gay Out’s beer garden. The two businesses decided early on to donate the proceeds from the beer garden to the NZAF and presented a cheque for $3,130 at a small party they organised at Dorothy’s Sister. To top it off, Urge Bar also handed the NZAF a cheque for $1,250 that they’d raised at the popular Sauna Sessions with Seymour Butz, which will support the HIV Prevention programmes of the NZAF. “We are incredibly grateful to everyone for their generosity, particularly the businesses which provided the fun and very successful bars”, said Simon Harger-Forde, NZAF Director HIV Prevention and Communications. “The Big Gay Out is financially viable for 2010 and we have begun planning for another great day”.

ENDS

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