Chair; Event Organiser; Group Relations; Meetup New Member Welcome Messages; LGBT+ Community Group Liaison/Recruitment to Meetup

I came out at as a lesbian aged 26, shortly before my planned move to Birmingham. I’ve spent years being involved in different ways with the LGBT+ community. I’ve served in gay bars and on committees in organisations campaigning for LGBT+ equality.

Over the years I’ve been a member of a variety of LGBT+ social groups and after my wife died, when I was ready to try and socialise again, I used LGBT+ Meetup to make new connections with new people.

I’ve met some amazing people, made new friends and, although my darling wife is frequently in my thoughts and actions, I’m now blessed to be in a new fantastic relationship and looking forward, in thanks, part to the people in Birmingham LGBT+ Meetup Social.

More about me? I’m a radio 4 listener, with a National Trust membership and an allotment ( Mmh, this is really making me sound like the stereotype of an over 50 woman). I have a squirrel chasing doggo and a cat who knows she is the most beautiful in all the land. What else? Well, I’ve a passion for good grammar, also for growing things, for genealogy (just the one letter ‘o’ in there people, I did mention the grammar thing didn’t I?) and for enabling LGBT+ people to make new friends in a safe environment (sound cheesy?- well I do mean it).

Treasurer; Finance

HI everybody my name is Karen Baker I am a boring accounts person, until you get to know me!! I grew up in a small village in Essex, yes I’m an Essex girl (well not typically) 

I have spent most of my life in the East Anglian countryside which makes me a pretty good shot and a confident country road driver. I lived in Liverpool from the age of 25 for seven years so I have seen some city life however my girlfriend at the time was not out so I did not get to see the Liverpool scene.

I love cars and have had some fabulous ones over the years, but my practical Honda now is proving it’s a great time to have an economical vehicle. Once I have completed my commuting from Suffolk to Birmingham it may well be time to start looking around for something a little more exciting. 

I am looking forward to being able to travel again and can’t wait to get back to Portugal. I used to go over a couple of times a year and consider it my second home. I normally base myself in the Algarve and travel all over in a hire car. I have been going since the 1980’s so I have seen plenty of change in the country and certain areas are now a little too commercialised for my liking. The Portuguese haven’t changed though they are still such lovely friendly people.

It is now my pleasure to be able to help Bryony with her LGBTQ+ work and be able to offer something to the community myself. I hope to see you at an event soon.

Secretary

I am a Genderfluid Lesbian and comic artist/ writer. I work mainly within the sci-fi – comedy genre with a healthy dose of queerness in all my stories.

I did my BA at Oxford Brookes University in Fine art, later to go on to study an MA in Illustration and Animation at Coventry University.

Other than University, I have lived in Birmingham my entire life, but have only started to get more involved with the Brum LGBT+ community in the last few years. I joined the Meetup group back in May 2022 and have made some amazing friends through it.

I love a good book, a nice refreshing pint especially in the sunshine after a good long walk, I also enjoy hiking, films and TV series with endearing/ complex character with either a unique plot, or just a generous portion of drama.

I am also an animal lover, so fair warning, I will abandon conversations to go and befriend a cat, or dog.

Event Organiser; LGBT+ Community Group Liason / Recruitment to Meetup

Hi, I have lived in the Birmingham area since somewhere around 2001. My day job is in Management Reporting (don't ask, nobody really understands what it is) and I run a couple of safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people with mental health issues, currently in Bloxwich and Dudley.

I have been using Meetup for a while now, and can be regularly seen at the Coffee and Cake and Getting to know you sessions, I also tag along on Matt's photography walks quite often. If you see me at a meetup, please come over and say hi.

Website updates

Hi there. I was brought up in Kent, but lived in Birmingham since 1999. This is home now. 

I came out in my early 20s, back in the days when there were no obvious gay role models to help me work it out! (John Inman in Are you being served? was the nearest we got, and that just confused me more...). I'm a relative newbie to the Rainbow Connections meetups, but they're a lovely group of people who definitely helped keep me sane coming out of the pandemic...

I've had a slightly bizarre career route that included theatre, wildlife, children's homes, education, and communities. I now run a (very small!) charity that runs volunteering and community projects. As well as volunteering for Rainbow Connections I helped set up the first ever Bromsgrove Pride, and volunteer at an LGBT youth group.

If you see me at a meetup, please come over and say hello!