Day: August 14, 2012

Rise, the Sussex refuge and domestic abuse charity, needs people to run or walk for them in their main annual fundraising event, The 8K Undercliff Women’s Run and Family Walk.

The 8K Undercliff Run for Women is a scenic run by the seashore, alongside the famous chalk cliffs, from Saltdean towards Brighton and back.

Runners raise sponsorship money to help survivors of domestic abuse in Brighton & Hove and West Sussex.

Runners can enter singly or as a 4 member Relay Team, each running 2km.

Registered runners have also been invited by FitBitch Running Club to take part in free Wednesday training sessions to prepare for the challenge.

Hove based sports therapists, Studio 57 Clinic, are offering prizes and discounts for runners.

The Rise Undercliff Walk for Families takes place at the same time. The route will follow the seashore for the first 4K and then wind back along the cliff top for breathtaking views of the Channel.

The walk is open to everyone – you can even take your dog along!

As well as refuge accommodation, Rise offers crisis appointments, helpline, counselling, housing, legal and financial advice, solicitor appointments, support groups, play therapy and 1-to-1 support.

Most of these services are free but it costs over £3000 every day to keep these vital, life saving services available for local families.

For run entry details view:
www.riseuk.org.uk

Twitter @riseuk

Rise was founded in 1994 and supports women, children and young people in Brighton & Hove and West Sussex who are affected by domestic abuse.

Protesters picketed the Sochi Park winter Olympic exhibition in Kensington Park, London last week to urge Russia to lift its ban on the inclusion of an LGBT Pride House at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

“London 2012 has a LGBT Pride House but Russia won’t allow one at Sochi. This ban is part of a wider crackdown on LGBT communities and visibility in Russia. It is an attack on freedom of expression and association, and coincides with new laws in several parts of Russia that ban so-called homosexual propaganda.”

London 2012 has been the first Summer Olympics to include a Pride House, which brings together the worldwide LGBT community to view live screenings of the Olympics and discuss relevant LGBT and sports-related topics, with exhibits, photos, and videos celebrating LGBT sport.

Despite its success in London, in March of this year, a Krasnodar judge ruled that Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics would not have a Pride House, saying,“[it’s] propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation which can undermine the security of Russian society and the state, [and] provoke social-religious hatred, which is the feature of the extremist character of the activity”.

Supporters of repealing the ban include: Pride Sports, The European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation, The Federation of Gay Games, The Gay and Lesbian International Sport Association, Peter Tatchell Foundation and Outrage!

Peter Tatchell, Director of The Peter Tatchell Foundation and coordinator of the protest, said:

The Sochi.Park Exhibition is described as being a “high-tech, digital winter wonderland” and ironically as being “where Russia greets the world”.

Funds from the Police Property Act Fund (PPAF) have been used to support a campaign which tackles homophobia in football.

Sussex Police’s Diversity Team received a grant of £300 from the PPAF for merchandise including t-shirts, banners and postcards, for the Justin Campaign.

The campaign was formed after the tragic suicide of Justin Fashanu in 1998. It actively campaignes to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions about the LGBT community and works towards a future where LGBT people in football are both accepted and celebrated.

Brighton and Hove Police’s LGBT team have strong links with the Justin Campaign and have done work alongside them including entering a team into an anti-homophobia charity football tournament.

Megan Worthing-Davies from the Justin Campaign said:

“The aim of the merchandise is to get the message out to people that homophobia in football is an issue and that it needs to be tackled so that football is inclusive for everyone. The merchandise is also really important for us as a way to promote the campaign and get more volunteers involved. We use the merchandise at our events such as Brighton People’s day and World Pride in London.”

Paul Windsor, the financial director, said:

“Every bit of money we get helps take the campaign and the message out to more people.”

The PPAF is made up of monies received by the police from property confiscated by order of the court and then sold.

Pictured (by Geoff Foster – Diversity Officer – Sussex Police) is Paul Windsor from the Justin Campaign being presented with a cheque by Deputy Chief Constable Giles York