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Top artists support on-line charity auction

Rodney Baldwin, the owner of the Green and Stone art store in the Kings Road, London has persuaded 85 of his clients to donate works to celebrate the businesses 85th birthday.

The artists include:

Ivan Lapper, Charles Neal, Dora Bertolutti Howard, Linda Sutton, James Parfitt, Molly Parkin, Hector McDonnell, Julia Brotherton, Emma Sergeant, Quentin Blake CBE, Adrian George, Ken Howard RA, Joyce Conwy Evans, Carolyn Gowdy, Bryan Wharton, Sarah Armstrong Jones, John Monks, ***image2***Barry Fantoni, Neisha Crossland, Marie Clare Kerr, Jenny Frean, Marina Cowdray,Olwyn Bowey RA, Hazel Soan, V J Keegan, Gemma Phipps, Michelle Cooper, Daniel Chatto, Morgan  Doyle, Victoria Achache, Zoobs The Artist, Olivia Stanton, Richard Foster, Mandy Hudson, Anthony Fry, Arabella Dorman, Phillida Gili, Manolo Blahni, Johnny Morant, Nigel Hall RA, Christopher Miers RBA, Diarmuid Kelley, Nicky Philipps.

Zoob the artist: God save the future Queen: Guide price £1,500

There is a pre-sale exhibition at:
The Study, 10A Blandford Street, London W1 from 8 to October 19.

Space has been kindly provided by Sheridan & Co.  Alternatively, work can be seen, by appointment, at Green and Stone, tel 0207 352 0837.

 

Bryan Wharton: Mick Jagger: Guide price £500

The on-line auction starts on October 15 and ends at 9.00pm on October 26 on: 
On-line auction

Post sale all successful bidders on the on-line auction will be invited to meet the artists on November 3 at the Chelsea Arts Club for drinks between 6.00 and 8.00pm.

THT issue sexual health advice for Pride revellers

to find out more about post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a drug that may prevent HIV infection after exposure to the virus.

The charity’s team at this year’s event on September 1 will be handing out free condoms and reminding gay and bisexual men that PEP treatment is available throughout Pride weekend for those who are worried they have put themselves at risk.

Sexual health clinics in the Brighton area and local accident and emergency departments will have extra supplies of PEP treatment over the Pride weekend to ensure that people who are concerned can access the treatment swiftly.

PEP is a short course of anti-HIV drugs that is prescribed after a potential exposure to HIV. After HIV gets into someone’s bloodstream, it can take anywhere between a few hours and a few days before it infects them permanently. If someone takes PEP within that short time, they may be able to stop HIV before the infection takes hold. The faster it’s taken after someone has put themselves at risk, the more likely it will work.

The month-long treatment course can have side-effects including diarrhoea, nausea and severe headaches.

Despite PEP drugs having been available for HIV prevention since the early to mid 1990s, when PEP was prescribed largely for health workers with sharps injuries, more than 40 per cent of men who answered the Gay Men’s Health Survey in 2007 said they had not heard of PEP.

Ross Boseley, Health Promotion Coordinator for Terrence Higgins Trust in Brighton, said:

“We can’t wait to join the crowds for what promises to be an exciting Pride event. But we’re also keen to help this year’s revellers ensure they don’t let unsafe sex spoil the party.

“The side effects of PEP are not to be taken lightly and the drug is by no means a substitute for condoms. However it’s important men know that they can access this treatment if they are worried that they have been exposed to HIV. It’s also critical that anyone who thinks they’ve been exposed acts fast – PEP treatment must begin within at least 72 hours, but the sooner you can take it, the more likely it is to work.”

Terrence Higgins Trust’s Brighton team will be handing out condoms, leaflets and information about PEP throughout Pride.

Staff, volunteers and supporters will also be taking part in the parade and Terrence Higgins Trust’s team will have a stall in the community village, where people pick up free condoms and get information and advice about sexual health.

Anyone who is concerned they may have been exposed to the HIV virus and needs to access PEP treatment in an emergency should contact the Claude Nicol Clinic on (01273) 664721 as quickly as possible.

For general information and advice about PEP, sexual health and HIV, contact Terrence Higgins Trust in Brighton (01273) 764 200.

Hampshire police appeal for witnesses

Hampshire Police have released a picture of a man they would like to speak to in connection with a public order incident in Rowlands Castle.

The incident occurred between 4pm and 5pm on Sunday, July 29 at the Harvester restaurant in Whichers Gate Road.

The victim, a 61-year-old woman, was at the restaurant with a friend when a man and woman at an adjacent table targeted them with homophobic abuse and a threat of violence.

PC Brent Vine from Waterlooville police station said:

“This incident was very traumatic for the victim as it involved comments about her sexuality and resulted in the victim and her friend leaving the restaurant before they had eaten.

“I would like to hear from anyone who can help me identify the man from the picture as he may be able to help with our enquiries.

“I’d also like to speak to anyone who was in the restaurant at the time of the incident who has any information.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact PC Vine at Waterlooville police station by phoning 101.

Mini-Com users can call the police on 18001 101.

Information can be given anonymously by calling the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

Volleyball tournament to benefit Switchboard

and all proceeds after expenses will go to BLAGSS’ official charity, the Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard.

Teams will compete to go into semi-final and final rounds and the tournament will likely run for 3-4 hours during the afternoon.

Final details will beannounced once teams are confirmed.

Gene Johnson, chair of Blaggs said:

“We’d love to see a good representation of our LGBT groups”.

 

The event will be limited to 8 teams, due to court space limitations.

Please register your interest at:
BLAGGS

Police criticised over approach to homophobic tweets

The messages were traced to three teenagers aged between 15 and 16 from Crystal Palace in London, after they tweeted what has been described as “vile and explicit” homophobic messages about Brighton and Hove Albion football supporters.

The messages appeared on the social networking site Twitter in August this year.

PC Darren Balkham, Sussex Police Football Liaison officer monitors football intelligence at Brighton games. He believes education can be the better option rather than punishment.

He said:

“If we use the criminal justice system for everything then it isn’t actually an education, it gives people a criminal record.”

“We had one victim who was especially distressed by what was said and she said community resolution was the way to deal with this.

“The victim was a lady who had been bullied as a child. She was very upset by the homophobic tweets.

“Arresting them would leave them with a possible criminal record and maybe ruin their lives, all for the sake of complete ignorance and stupidity.”

 

Chris Cooke, Chairman of the LGBT Community Safety Forum criticised this approach.

He said:

”We are supposed to have a zero tolerance to Hate Crime in this city but the police are clearly taking a softly-softly approach.

“If these had been racist messages then there would have been arrests rather than a slap on the wrist.”

 

Billie Lewis, Vice Chair of the Safety Forum told the BBC:



“A stronger message needs to come from the top”

“A slap on the wrist is no good.”

In February this year, Brighton & Hove Albion signed up to the Governments National Charter against homophobia in sport. At the time Chris Basiurski, chairman of the Gay Football Supporters’ Network, said the charter was a start for clubs to show a commitment to tackling homophobia. He welcomed the charter but urged caution.

He said:


“The charter is a start for clubs to show a commitment to tackling homophobia, but they need to put some policies in place to make sure it isn’t just a meaningless piece of paper.”

Are we there yet? A fringe meeting during the TUC Congress

During the TUC conference next month there will be a fringe event entitled Are we there yet? to explore what is left to be done to achieve full LGBT equality.

The panel includes:

• Maria Exall, TUC General Council, Chair of the TUC LGBT Committee
• Elly Barnes, Schools Out!
• Deborah Gold, chief executive, GALOP
• Sue Stelfox, Prospect and TUC LGBT Committee
• Peter Purton, TUC LGBT and Disability policy officer

The meeting take place on September 10 in the Regent Room at the Grand Hotel, King’s Road, Brighton from 6pm-8pm. The meeting is open to the general public and will discuss what remains to be done to able LGBT people to achieve full equality.

Want to be King or Queen of a Pride Float?

This year, KAP Motor Group, one of Pride Brighton’s main sponsors are offering you the chance to be the KING or QUEEN of their float!

To be the envy of all your friends, all you have to do is upload a one minute video stating why you should be the winner.

For more information view:
KAP MOTOR GROUP

Simon Kirby MP accuses Labour of hypocrisy

Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, has issued a statement stating that the reaction of the Labour Party to these recent developments show the hypocrisy of that Party.

Simon Kirby, MP

Simon said:

“School playing fields, under the Coalition Government, are only ever sold off, if the school is closed, has merged, or if equal or better facilities are being put in their place. Under the last Labour Government however, 200 school playing fields were sold and a senior Labour politician has said that playing fields have to be sold to improve sporting facilities! Labour’s attacks ring very hollow in the light of their own record and the rigorous safeguards put in place by the Coalition Government.”

Simon continued:

“On the NHS selling its expertise overseas, Labour calls this ‘rampant commercialisation’. Yet, it was the previous Labour Government that created the organisation, NHS Global, to disseminate NHS expertise abroad. The reality is, the profits made on NHS’ overseas operations will be ploughed back into NHS services in the UK and support patient care.”

He added:
“The reality is the Labour Party are wildly attacking the Coalition Government because they have no vision for the country. The Coalition is seeking to get the deficit under control, reform welfare and ensure a tougher stance on the EU and immigration. Labour’s sideline sniping is irrelevant to the real national agenda.”

Responding Gill Mitchell, leader of the Labour and Cooperative group on Brighton & Hove Council said:

Cllr Gill Mitchell

“Simon Kirby seems to be in a state of denial and desperation. He must know that David Cameron and Michael Gove have just had to apologise after it emerged that they misled the public over the numbers of school playing fields sold off by the Coalition Government so we won’t be taking any lectures from the Tories on that subject.

“On the NHS, Mr Kirby seems to be conveniently forgetting that the biggest, top-down NHS reorganisation currently being forced through is costing the public billions while around 5,000 nursing jobs are scrapped, waiting lists are rising and wards moth-balled.  The Tories cannot be trusted with the NHS.”

New advanced yoga sessions from Peer Action

Peer Action will be offering a choice of yoga sessions every week at St. Mary’s Church Hall, 61 St. James Street, Brighton BN2 1PR, starting from Tuesday, September 11.
One a gentle form of yoga and the other a more energetic session.

People can choose between the two (but Peer Action ask that individuals limit themselves to one session or the other so as to enable the most people to benefit from this low-cost yoga service.

The new timings are every Tuesday from September 11 onwards:

• Gentle yoga from 5.30pm – 6.20pm
• More energetic yoga from 6.30pm – 7.20pm

Both sessions will be led by expert yoga instructor Dan Noquet.

For the time being, the price of each yoga session is £2.

For more information about Peer Action view:
Peer Action

Memories of Brighton in the 50s

Brighton Station in the 50s

Brighton & Hove City Council Libraries team is seeking mementos from the Fifties to create a giant Memory Wall at Jubilee Library.

Staff will make copies of all contributions (original items will stay with their owners) for inclusion on the Memory Wall. The display will be installed in the centre of Jubilee Library from Saturday, September 8 as a celebration of 1950s Brighton & Hove.

The Fifties was a time of change. Post-war food rationing was phased out, Queen Elizabeth was crowned, Roger Bannister broke the four minute mile and Sputnik orbited the Earth.

In Brighton, local sights and stories included a small pox outbreak, the Promettes on the seafront and Teddy Boy fashion filtering down from London.

The Memory Wall is part of a range of activities for the annual City Reads initiative, organised by Brighton-based Collected Works and supported by Brighton & Hove City Council Library Service. The popular City Reads scheme encourages people across Brighton & Hove to read a chosen book during the month of September. The aim is for the whole community to read, discuss, debate and take part in a series of special events, workshops and performances.

This year’s City Reads title is My Policeman by Bethan Roberts. For the first time the book is by a local author and set in the city, or town as it was then, in the 1950s.

The Memory Wall project takes inspiration from City Reads’ chosen story.

Contributions could include souvenirs from holidays taken to the town, something related to issues raised in the book, tickets from venues like the S. S. Brighton ice rink or information about what current residents were doing in the 1950s. Anything goes! The library team hopes to see innovative and unusual donations as well as iconic imagery from the era.

Cllr Geoffrey Bowden, chair of the economic development and culture committee, said:

“The Memory Wall is about bringing our city’s recent history back to life in the centre of our community. We can learn from the past to make a positive future. The collection is for everyone, the everyday item can be as fascinating as the obscure. It’s a great project to be part of, and a welcome addition to this year’s City Reads, whether you have a memory to share or can visit to see the memories appear on the wall.”

Anyone wishing to add to the Memory Wall can take items to Jubilee Library from Saturday September 8 or to one of a series of free events being held at libraries across the city to remember the 1950s.

The events invite people to take a trip down memory lane and rediscover 1950s Brighton through shared photographs, objects and period recollections.

A prize draw will be held for free copies of My Policeman at the free sessions.

Times and locations of the free library events remembering the Fifties:

Saturday 15 Sep: 11am – 12.30pm, Patcham Library
Tuesday 18 Sep: 5pm – 7pm, Hove Library
Saturday 22 Sep: 11am – 12.30pm, Saltdean Library
Saturday 29 Sep: 11am – 12.30pm, Portslade Library

The library team will also be asking for titles of recommended books, music and films either written in or set in the 1950s. Top suggestions will be used to develop library stock.

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