Pride WA has appointed a strategic planner with the financial
backing of Connections Nightclub. Appointee Trudy Turner is already
working on obtaining corporate sponsorship for the remainder of 2008 as
well as funding for next year's festival.
Ms Turner, who was chosen from a field of three applicants, has experience in project and event management and was a research analyst for
Woodside for several years. She has experience with business planning and
researching and has successfully applied for and received grants in her previous
role at the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research.
ride
co-president, Andrew Baietta, described the appointment as an exciting opportunity for Pride.
“Already Trudy has hit the ground running
seeking support and sponsorship for this year’s Festival," he said.
“There are
numerous grant and sponsorship programs available, of which Pride has
only been able to scratch the surface in previous years.”
Ms Turner's appointment is expected to allow busy committee members to focus on staging Pride's annual events.
"The appointment of this position will allow our volunteers to
focus on that task," Mr Baietta said.
"Trudy has many contacts within the corporate world
which will be of benefit to Pride, and forging new relationships with
the right organisations is definitely on her agenda.”
Ms Turner’s
appointment is on a trial basis and she will be paid as part
of Connections Nightclub’s support of Pride WA. Connections
has agreed to pay up to $400 a week to support the position, under a contract with Pride to be reviewed every six months.
According to Mr Baietta, the idea to employee a strategic planner
came from Connections' owner, Tim Brown.
Mr Brown first raised the possibility of funding a contract position at this year's annual general meeting in April.
Following the appointment of Ms Turner he said he felt
that addressing the ongoing struggle to build a sustainable and durable
structure was the key to Pride's future health and longevity.
"Over
recent years I have been very involved with the re-generation of
Northbridge and the City at all levels of both business and government,
with all seeing the GLBT community and Pride WA as integral to this
process," Mr Brown said.
“Trudy's appointment will allow a
direct point of contact between all these parties, making Pride WA
stronger and more visible in the wider community and ultimately
building a stronger future for all."
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