SMP returns to FULL operation
Exxentrix, 01 Jun 2006 23:05:35
SM Pride returns to full operational status
SM Pride is delighted to announce that, after a period of regeneration and
restructuring, the organisation is now back in action.
SM Pride has now registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) and is
officially known as SM Pride Ltd. We were obliged to incorporate as a CLG
after our application to become a Community Interest Company (CIC) was
denied. We believe that this status would benefit the BDSM community and we
are currently preparing an appeal to challenge this decision.
Our CLG status means that SM Pride is now fully operational once more, with
a solid and transparent legal structure underpinning the organisation:
SM Pride is already working hard in its new form:
· we are completing our team of Regional Coordinators;
· we are working directly with the Home Office on pertinent issues;
· we are actively seeking BDSM aware professionals such as solicitors and
therapists to assist our community as part of the KAP (Kink Aware
Professionals) list.
As of Thursday 1 June 2006, we are opening the Stakeholder Register to
anyone aged 18 or above who is interested in BDSM and alternative
sexualities irrespective of race, gender or sexual orientation.
Registered Stakeholders’ roles, rights and responsibilities are specifically
provided for within the Memorandum and Articles of Association, which is the
legal equivalent to a Constitution. Information on how to become a
Registered Stakeholder may be found on our website www.uksmpride.org
As SM Pride is the national community organisation for BDSMers, we believe
that it is vitally important that all areas of the UK are represented – not
just the metropolitan areas. To achieve this coverage, a team of Regional
Co-ordinators are being appointed to assist you. Further information may be
found on our website. We do have vacancies in some areas so please do get in
touch if you feel that this role might interest you.
Our thanks go to everyone who continued to support SM Pride while the
regeneration was in progress – particularly Firelynx for having the courage
to start the process of change, the membership for allowing us to make the
changes necessary to ensure SM Pride’s survival as ‘the’ national
organisation supporting BDSMers in the UK, and the active support of the
Regional Coordinators, whose hard work and steadfast belief in what SM Pride
‘could’ be as a legal entity is a strength to be admired – we look forward
to welcoming them officially as Registered Stakeholders after working so
long without even membership to sustain them.
If you would like to find out more or get involved in the regenerated SM
Pride, the Team would love to hear from you. Contact us on 0845 094 2250 or
theteam@uksmpride.org.