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Great big Thank You to Sarah for getting this off the ground.
The pins are in!!!! :bounce: and will be making their debut at the next few munches n stuff :bounce:
S'pose there ought to be a thread that's a tad more official or something - but bugger it, far too excited so this will have to do for now as a temporary measure :bounce:
Sooooo the guidelines to the Pins? Well thanks to our TallnHairy, who collected and put together peoples general opinions, has come up with a great set of guidelines.
And a whole bunch of Thank yous 'n' pats on backs 'n' snogs 'n' stuff to everyone that had an input into this
Here we go
The SH Pin Badge Q&A
* Introduction
The SH badge is provided as a courtesy for users of one of Swinging Heavens services, getting a badge is not a right but a privilege and we reserve the right not to supply one. The idea behind the badge is for a small discreet mark that other SH users will recognise. We feel this will offer many benefits for first meets in public, to generally socialising and maybe running into another user.
We intend to provide an opportunity to buy a badge for all regular site users. However this idea is being run by a group of volunteers risking their own cash on this. As such we wont be purchasing large numbers of badges, and want to ensure they get out to the regular users first. To this end we are initially going to target forum and chat-room users, then spread to the photo adds if it is successful. Being volunteers we simply do not have the manpower to provide a full mail order service, so while things start rolling the responsibility will be with the person wanting a badge to hunt one down, or get someone to get you one. Badges will be issued based on some generally agreed guidelines as shown below, anyone buying a badge for someone else should ensure they also fit the guidelines.
* What are the 'Guidelines' for getting a badge then?
We will base providing badges on what we think are common things used when deciding who to invite to a munch.
The guidelines we will use are:
Would be invited to a munch
Forum account over 2 months old
Non lurker (Posts at least occasionally and relevantly)
Nothing marked against the account by the moderators team
Accepts the SH lifestyle
The last line can be mis-interpreted so here is what we mean. The badge does NOT mean you are a swinger. Lots of people enjoy the social sides of SH without any personal interest in actually swinging. So don't think this is an invitation for sex if you see one! However if you personally have major problems with the concept of swinging in others, are homophobic, or prejudiced and your threads show this, we reserve the right not to sell you a badge. We doubt this rule will be needed as to be honest anyone with these views we doubt would want a badge anyway.
* Ok sounds great, now where did you say I got one?
Well as this is done by volunteers we are planning to initially to distribute them at munches. Not a perfect solution but we feel at least to start it is what we can handle. If you are running a munch contact the committee to request badges for your event.
* But I am not making the next munch
This is not the end of the world, if you know someone going to the munch ask them to get you one and post it.
* I run / am attending a party, can I get one there?
Got a party coming up? Get a couple of site members together to request a Party Pack of badges. Min 5, max 20. The idea is simply to avoid us getting caught up doing individual checks and trying to run a mail order service. We aspire to having a single badge mail order, but right now we don't have the people or time. This way we open another simple way for site users to get a badge, just group together and buy!
* There is just me / us, I don't know anyone going to a munch or party, I still want one
Um, in the fullness of time we want to provide a full mail order. Right now we don't have badges, or staff for that. So you have 2 options, wait till we do (mailing us so we know there is interest). Or come join us in the cafe for a chat, after a few weeks you will have made some new friends who can get you a badge when they next munch. Always good to see new faces in the cafe.
So who is running this then?
A bunch of volunteers from the forums cafe, including some of the mods. Ultimately we put Mark in charge of sorting out any dispute we can't solve ourselves, it is after all his site.
I thought this site was free, but you trying to make money out of 'badges'Not true, badges will be sold for near cost. Our plan is to run this as a non profit making exercise, any profits collected will be used to offset new badge designs or initial run costs. No persons involved will make any money from this system. If we end up with an excess of cash it will be given to the site charity as decided by Mark. However we are not selling the badge to raise money for charity, we just need a pre-agreed system of what will happen to profits (if not needed for more badges) and we would anticipate only a small donation occasionally. If you want to give to charity on top of your badge cost we can pass the cash on for you or check out the links on the calendar / site for some ideas on where to send your money.
Edit: Please remember that these Pins are for Swinging Heaven site users only. For us to recognise each other, and even, if we're lucky, to bump into another SH member when just out and about
They serve absolutely no purpose to any non members. Therefore, to save misunderstanding, confusion or whatever - the pins will only be available for events that are purely attended by and organised just for SH members. 
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