LATEST NEWS
We are still in dialogue with the Home Office about their consultation on criminalising possession of extreme pornography. Members of the Home Office's Criminal Law Policy Unit sent us a list of questions about SM which required a reply by the 12th June, so we've been busy preparing our response with input from Backlash (www.backlash-uk.org.uk) and others. We will let you know how things proceed.
EVENTS COMING UP
Spanner Trustees will be at the following events in an official capacity over the few months. Please come up and say hello if you see us:
- Saturday 8th July - CLUB HADES
Fetish club held at Club Colosseum, No 1, Nine Elms Road, Vauxhall, London, SW8 from 9pm to 3:45am. Strict dress code applies. More info at www.clubhades.co.uk
- Saturday 29th July - KINKFEST3
KINKFEST3 is a pansexual fetish weekend in central London, with play parties, demos, a large fetish market and workshops. The Spanner Trust will be running a stall during the day on Saturday 29th and co-hosting a workshop on "BDSM and the law" with representatives from Backlash (www.backlash-uk.org.uk). More info about KINKFEST3 at www.unfettered.co.uk/kinkfest3.htm
- Sunday August 6th - THE LONDON ALTERNATIVE MARKET
Fetish market held on the first Sunday of each month from 11am to 6pm at The Grand, 21-25 St John's Hill, Clapham Junction, London, SW11 1TT. Entry £4. Everyone aged 18 or over is welcome. Each month they raise money for a different community project and in August the event will raise funds for the Spanner Trust. More info at www.londonalternativemarket.com
If you would like to invite the Spanner Trust to speak at your event or gathering please email info (at) spannertrust.org
WITH THANKS...
We are extremely grateful to everyone who has provided services for the Spanner Trust, including:
- RoB has been a fetish manufacturer and retailer for the last 30 years and now has stores in Amsterdam, Berlin, London and Manchester. They have paid for all the recent print runs of our campaigning leaflet (which can be downloaded at www.spannertrust.org). Their website is www.rob.nl
- HANDJOBSMEDIA collate and distribute bags of flyers at fetish events, including our campaign leaflets. Their website is www.handjobsmedia.com
- MASTER U manufactures leather fetish and bondage gear, and has sponsored our business cards. Their website is www.masteru.co.uk
- SOUTH CENTRAL pub in Vauxhall, South London, provides hospitality for our Trustee meetings. Their website is www.southcentrallondon.co.uk
- HOT MAGAZINE is a glossy colour magazine distributed at gay venues across the UK. They printed a two-page article about Spanner in their May edition. Their website is www.hot-magazine.co.uk
- JUST ROPE raised £114 for the Trust at their May and June rope bondage parties. Their website is www.justrope.co.uk
- And all the individuals who have helped to publicise our work or made donations to the Spanner Trust since our last newsletter.
There's a longer list of clubs and businesses that have helped us over the last five years at www.spannertrust.org/supporters.asp
If you run a club or business and would like to support the Trust's work with fundraising or sponsorship please email info (at) spannertrust.org
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO TO HELP?
- If you know anyone in the UK in trouble because of their SM activities please ask them to email info (at) spannertrust.org and we will do our best to help, or put them in touch with a legal professional in their area.
- Print out copies of our latest campaign leaflet, available for download as a pdf file at www.spannertrust.org/documents/spanner_trust_handout.pdf, and distribute them at suitable events and venues.
- Donations can be made in pounds, dollars or euros via paypal at www.spannertrust.org/donations.asp or by sending a cheque to the Spanner Trust, Norvin House, 45-55 Commercial Street, London E1 6BD, UK
- Please add a Spanner banner to any kink-friendly websites with a link to our site. You can find the banner at the bottom of this page and some example HTML at www.spannertrust.org/banners/spannerbannerlink.asp
- If you have any skills you can offer: fundraising, web designing, publicity, lobbying etc. please send an email to info (at) spannertrust.org
- Finally, if you know anyone who would like to receive this letter as an email please ask them to write to subscribe (at) spannertrust.org to be added to the mailing list.
Thank you again for all your support, it's much appreciated.
Best wishes, John Pendal
Spanner Trust Chairman
Click here for August '06 letter
