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Volunteers have been (and continue to be) the lifeblood of the organisations supporting our LGBTIQ+ communities and people living with HIV. At our recent LGBTIQ Organisations Volunteer Event (L.O.V.E.), we celebrated this legacy – including a remarkable 35-year milestone for longstanding volunteer Colin Krycer. We asked Colin about serving his dedicated service of nearly four decades.

Harriet stood up to be counted at the height of the AIDS epidemic when people were shunning those living with HIV or dying from AIDS, as was often the case in those early days. She was a committed massage therapist volunteer - working tirelessly at the Positive Living Centre for many years before retiring in 2011.Harriet stood out in a crowd. She was a colourful character with a big personality who possessed her own unique style of dress. Yet, for all of her flamboyance, she was a gentle and softly spoken person who brought a sense of calm, if not a degree of natural spirituality, to her work.

Midsumma is underway and things look a little different this year. Several events are entirely online and others have been reimagined in a COVIDsafe way; however, there are still a number of ways you can stay connected with Thorne Harbour Health this Midsumma Festival season.

This week Thorne Harbour is introducing its Virtual Meeting Rooms to help our LGBTI and PLHIV communities stay connected. Volunteer Coordinator Daniel Bryen tells us a little bit about this new resource available to community groups.

This week our community is mourning the death of Joan Golding OAM – life member, fierce ally, and longstanding advocate in the community response to HIV and AIDS.

The winter newsletter is out! Have a read to find out about our submissions to Victoria's Royal Mental Health Commission, the PARTi Project's time in Amsterdam, and Emen8's Guys Like Me. Guys Like You. Guys Like Us. Plus, check out updates from the teams at SAMESH and Equinox.

Every day, volunteers tackle an array of activities across our sites, services, and programs. The volunteers celebrating significant milestones this year illustrate the many ways you can make a difference.

The cooler weather is rolling in and reminding us that the summer festival season is over, but we're keeping busy with an array of activities across the organisation. Check out the latest edition of the newsletter to see what we've been up to. Whether it's supporting the health of women in our LGBTIQ communities or introducing a diverse range of fresh faces to our health promotion campaigns, there's a lot on at the moment. Plus, don't forget to check out the community calendar on the back page for upcoming events.

“Five years ago, he proudly strode into my world….Wooden gavel in hand, Ayman approached the lectern, and commenced the meeting with such authority and conviction. I froze still in response.”

Many things may have slowed down during the COVID-19 pandemic, but volunteering is not one of them. In fact, Thorne Harbour volunteers quickly adapted to continue supporting our LGBTI communities and people living with HIV. From outreach to peer support to policy work, our volunteers have continued to dedicate their time and energy to the communities we serve. During National Volunteer Week, the fourth annual LGBTIQ Organisations Volunteer Event (L.O.V.E.) went online – holding a virtual event to acknowledge the longstanding commitment of our volunteers.

From PrEP to pool parties, Mooning to meningococcal — the latest edition of the VAC newsletter has heaps of photos, recaps, and updates on the latest goings on around VAC and the LGBTI communities we serve. Be sure to check out the Community Calendar on the back page.A special thanks to our growing army of volunteer Content Creators who have written some great articles for this edition. Be sure to have a read of what they've created.Download the online version here!Photo: VAC Queer Party by Mel Butters

This issue of the VAC newsletter includes a recap of World AIDS Day 2017, the VAC Annual General Meeting, the recent outbreak of Meningococcal in Melbourne, community partnerships across Victoria, the summer events calendar, and the LGBTI people seeking asylum in Australia.

During this year's Annual General Meeting, Life Membership was awarded to:Emeritus Professor Anne Mitchell AO - for her extensive work in community development and as an adult educator with over twenty years of experience in the field of sexual health.Brian Price - for his leadership in the establishment of service models that are vital for people living with HIV and those at high risk of HIV infection.Associate Professor Ruth McNair - for her work as a clinician and researcher in lesbian and bisexual women’s mental health, sexual health, and cultural issues related to alcohol and smoking in LGBTI communities.In addition, we presented the following awards:President's Award: Human Rights Law Centre -The passionate staff of the Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC) work tirelessly to end LGBTI discrimination in the law and to protect and promote the rights of LGBTI people.Greig Friday Young Leader Award: Margot Fink - As one of the first members of our Trans and Gender Diverse Advisory Group, Margot provided key advice in establishing Equinox. She was also the former Head of Gender Diverse Projects for Minus18 and their communications coordinator when they were under attack by media scrutinising the Safe Schools program.Media Award: James Hancock - At the ABC, James has given voice to some of the marginalised communities we work with and raised the profile of critical gaps in LGBTI service provision and healthcare.Special Service Award: Associate Professor Edwina Wright - As an infectious diseases physician and clinical researcher at the Alfred Hospital and the Burnet Institute, Edwina has a strong interest in HIV-associated neurological disorders, and she is leading the PrEPX demonstration project.Special Service Award: Dean Arcuri - Radio presenter, photographer, journalist, performer — Dean wears several hats in our community and with a large portion of his work being on a volunteer basis, his tireless efforts have made our community a richer one.Special Service Award: Dimitri Christou - Initially volunteering in HIV peer support, Dimitri has engaged with almost every aspect of our volunteer program. With lived experience and a thorough understanding of HIV, he has turned his attention to HIV prevention roles.Special Service Award: Kelly McGowan - Since 2013, Kelly has provided invaluable support for World AIDS Day ribbons each year. Kelly and her team have produced over 30,000 red ribbons, nearly one year’s stock!We also released our 2016/2017 Annual Report featuring a collection of portraits featuring community members with 'if' statements that reflect on the discrimination and stigma faced by LGBTI people and PLHIV around the globe. You can check out the latest issue and previous annual reports here.

With the marriage equality survey underway, our community is keeping incredibly active at the moment. This issue of the VAC newsletter looks at some of the ways we've been taking action and how you can look after your wellbeing. We also look back at our third annual Lesbian, Bisexual & Queer Women's Health Conference, co-presented with ACON, and look forward to the 25th Anniversary of the Victorian Red Ribbon in the lead up to World AIDS Day. There's plenty more in this edition so check it out!