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Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus win a Golden Handbag

Golden Handbag
Photograph courtesy of Matt Jones

Brighton’s Gay Men’s Chorus took the award for ‘Favourite LGBT Community Social/Leisure Organisation’ at the 2013 Golden Handbag Awards.

The Golden Handbag Show took place Sunday 23 June at the Brighton Metropole Hilton, with the winners voted for by readers of Gscene magazine.

The annual awards show has been dubbed Brighton’s Gay Oscars, recognising people and organisations within Brighton’s LGBT commercial scene  and voluntary sector whilst also raising money for good causes.

Chairman Paul Charlton, said:

“We are delighted to receive this award and I know it will mean a lot to all of the boys. There are lots of fantastic community groups in Brighton and Hove so it was a great honour to win! Our membership has increased to around 80 people in the last year, and each one of those members – with the musical expertise of our fabulous MD Marc Yarrow and Assistant MD Tim Nail – has worked so hard to make us the group we are today. I would also like to thank all of the people who voted us and hope to see many of you at our next show!”

 Musical Director Marc Yarrow, said:

 “I’m delighted that the Chorus have been recognised with this award. I’ve worked with many different choirs before but what sets Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus apart is the fantastic feeling of inclusivity and support among the members. I also love that we are able to provide exciting musical opportunities for gay men in Brighton. It’s been lovely to help the boys flourish with fantastic achievements such as performing annually at Brighton Dome, recording a single and going to Manchester to win the 2013 Manchester Amateur Choral Competition. Thank you to all who voted for allowing us to add the Golden Handbag Award to that list, and well done to all of the other winners and nominees on the night.”

The award is more good news for the Chorus who were also the winners of the 2013 Manchester Amateur Choral Competition earlier this year.

The next chance to see the award-winning Chorus is in their forthcoming show ‘Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus: Taken From Behind (The Scenes)’, part of Brighton Pride Arts & Film Festival, on Friday 19 and Saturday, July 20 at St George’s Church, St George’s Road, Kemptown.

The show is billed as an exclusive look at what really happens behind the scenes of a Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus show, with lots of backstage shocks promised.

Tickets are £12/£10 and available at www.brightongmc.org, or telephone the Dome Box Office on 01273 709709 or from the Prowler shop, St James Street.

Golden Handbag Award
Photograph courtesy of Matt Jones

 

 

 

Our boys in Afghanistan support DJ Claire Fuller’s Golden Handbag bid

Claire Fuller Golden Handbag Awards

In her campaign to be voted Favourite Local DJ, in the Golden Handbag Awards, Claire Fuller called not only on the support of regular clubbers at The Basement Club at Legends where she is the resident DJ at Pop Candy on Sunday evenings but also had the support of some of our troops serving in Afghanistan.

Claire did not win but she was a very respectable runner up just 40 votes behind the winner, DJ Alex Baker.

Claire Fuller Golden Handbag Award

HIgh powered and glamorous raise fund for Pride in London

Boris Johnson offends with "Take it up the Arsenal" joke
Boris Johnson offends with “Take it up the Arsenal” joke

Two hundred leading figures from the worlds of business, showbiz and politics got together with LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) activists to raise money for the reborn Pride in London at a Gala Dinner at Claridge’s in London on Tuesday night where Mayor of London Boris Johnson was guest of honour. Boris later apologised for a joke that did not go down too well with elements of the audience.

He said in his speech: 

“I’m delighted that as of this autumn any young man will be able to take his chum up the Arsenal… and marry him.”

Coronation Street’s Charlie Condou, the BBC’s Jane Hill and Christopher Biggins were joined by coalition government ministers, opposition spokespeople, the corporate sponsors of Pride in London and prominent LGBT activists to celebrate Pride’s theme of Love (and Marriage) and raise funds to support to event in future years. Local MPs Justine Greening, Vince Cable and Mike Freer all attended.

The major events of Pride in London are free and to keep them that way organisers need to raise at least £450,000 each year. The Gala Dinner helped to fund this year’s events and helped build the organisation’s strength for the future.

The Gala was hosted by broadcaster Alice Arnold and attended by a number of high-profile LGBT  stars. It was sponsored by law firm Baker & McKenzie and bank Citi.

Pink Singers
Pink Singers

During a champagne reception before dinner guests were entertained by the Pink Singers, a leading LGBT choir that is celebrating its 30th anniversary, having been created to perform at Pride in 1982.

A  prize draw included items donated by Sir Elton John, Chelsea Football Club, Alan Carr, celebrity hairdresser Paul Edmonds, the TF Willetts Foundation and Summer Rites.

Commenting on the evening, host Alice Arnold said: 

“It’s a delight to host such a high-powered and glamorous event that really shows the depth of support that there is for Pride in London.  The many events this year really do offer something for everyone and that’s only possible with the whole-hearted backing of the LGBT community itself and the financial support of generous sponsors and individual donors. London is an amazing city that is now getting the amazing Pride celebration it deserves.”

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson, said: ‘

“I am delighted to be supporting the celebrations and pleased with how well plans have been going to make this year’s event a success. The efforts of the individuals behind this year’s event are a fine example of volunteering in action – the Team London spirit! I am also pleased that the Pride team have been able to secure sponsors for the festivities – I hope it will encourage others to come forward, to help build the celebrations in future years. We want to see Pride grow!”

Chairman of Pride in London, Michael Salter, concluded:

“Tonight’s event is not only a vital fundraiser but also a way to thank our many generous sponsors as well as some of the key volunteers who have given so much of themselves to put together a brilliant Pride festival for 2013 in such a very short time. We are honoured by the support we have been given by leading politicians, hugely successful businesses and community activists.”

The Gala Dinner is just one of a many events happening to mark Pride in London this week, culminating with the Parade through the heart of London on Saturday, June 29.

Vince Cable, MP
Vince Cable, MP

The Pride in London Festival 2013 includes:

  • An Audience with Martina Navratilova hosted by Clare Balding
  • The inaugural gala dinner with Boris Johnson at Claridge’s
  • The Summer Rites Pride in the Park music festival in Shoreditch Park
  • A parade along Oxford Street and down Regent Street to Trafalgar Square
  • Entertainment and speeches on the main stage in Trafalgar Square
  • Street parties in Soho, including music and cabaret stages
  • UK Black Pride in Golden Square
  • VIP nights at the of Book of Mormon
  •  ‘Out at the cinema’ screenings at the British Film Institute
  • Film screenings hosted by Channel 4

For more information about the Pride events, CLICK HERE:

London Pride Gala

Brighton & Hove Greens back ‘Robin Hood Tax’ campaign

The ruling group of Green councillors on Brighton & Hove City Council are backing the nationwide ‘Robin Hood Tax’ campaign. The campaign argues for a small levy on some financial transactions in the banking sector, to discourage risky behaviour and help pay for public services.

Estimates suggest that small tax on speculative and risky transactions of less than 1% could raise approximately £20bn a year in the UK alone.

Cllr Jason Kitcat
Cllr Jason Kitcat

Councillor Jason Kitcat, Leader of the Council, said:

“It’s only fair that those who caused the financial crash should contribute towards repairing the damage it caused. Eleven countries across Europe have already agreed to introduce a Robin Hood Tax to their banking sectors – but our Chancellor has not only dodged doing the same here but actively opposed others in Europe taking this step.

“Ordinary people have been hit hard by both of the bankers’ crisis and the government’s devastatingly misguided austerity programme. Even just a tiny levy would go a long way towards repairing public services for those who need them most – and helping to build a more sustainable economy for all.” 

Sussex Police seek witnesses to rape

Sussex Police

A man was raped at Dukes Mound on Monday June 24 at 1.30am in the morning.

The victim was a white male in his 20’s. Before and after the assault the victim was carrying a book and a large roll of tissue.

The suspect is described as male, white, 30 to 40 years, about 5’7 tall, slim/average build, black hair which was greying and wearing dark clothes. He had an Irish accent.

Police would like to speak to anyone who may have information

Call 101 and quote reference 0109 of June 24

Alternatively contact

Terence Higgins Trust on 01273 764200 – ask to speak to the Health Promotion Team

LGBT Switchboard – 01273 204050

Crimestoppers – 0800 555 111

All calls will be treated in confidence

 

Stonewall reveals top gay-friendly universities in UK

Stonewall

Stonewall, the LGB equality charity has launched the fourth edition of Gay By Degree, the only guide showing how ‘gay-friendly’ the UK’s 157 universities are.

Gay By Degree 2014, now online at www.gaybydegree.org.uk, gives lesbian, gay and bisexual prospective students a single place to find out what each university has to offer them before they apply for places for 2014.

Gay By Degree judges each university against 10 criteria to show how well they support their gay students. These include whether the university has a policy to tackle homophobic bullying, whether there are societies and events for gay students, and what steps they take to support gay staff.

The average score across the sector is just 4.5. Currently only 40 universities engage with the wider community on issues affecting lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) students, and just 27 have an anti-homophobic bullying policy accompanied by mandatory staff training. Just two universities, Liverpool John Moores and Cardiff scored 10 out of 10. The top 21 universities are all working with Stonewall through the Diversity Champions programme which helps employers to support gay staff.

Stonewall Head of Education Wes Streeting, said:

“With universities charging £9,000 fees, it’s right to expect them to provide a high quality experience for all students, including those who are lesbian, gay or bisexual. This year, we’ve unapologetically introduced stricter criteria to encourage universities to improve provision for students. Particular congratulations are due to Cardiff University and Liverpool John Moores University for being the only universities in Britain to score full marks.

“It’s particularly concerning that only fourteen universities have diversity monitoring in place for lesbian, gay and bisexual students. If universities aren’t even counting the number of gay students, how can they assure themselves and prospective students that they are providing an inclusive experience? We hope that the findings from this year’s exercise prompts action by the higher education sector to properly monitor the experience of gay students from the point of application through to graduation.”

Scotland’s ‘equal marriage’ Bill launched today

Equal Marrige Scotland

This morning the Scottish Parliament publish Scotland’s ‘equal marriage’ legislation, the Marriage and Civil Partnerhip (Scotland) Bill.

The publication of the bill is featured in today’s Scottish Parliament Business Bulletin, meaning the bill was formerly introduced to the Scottish Parliament yesterday. Under Scottish Parliament conventions the bill cannot be published until the day after it is introduced.

The Equality Network, Scotland’s national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality charity, have welcomed the introduction of the bill.

This morning equality campaigners are gathing outside the Scottish Parliament to welcome the introduction of the bill and to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Equality Network’s Equal Marriage campaign. They will be joined by same-sex couples hoping to get married when the law is changed, religious ministers hoping to marry them, and a cross-party selection of MSPs who support a change in the law to allow same-sex marriage.

Tom French
Tom French

Tom French, Policy Coordinator for the Equality Network, said:

“After many years of campaigning for equal marriage we are delighted that the bill has today started its journey into law.  We hope that our MSPs will stand by the values of equality and social justice that the Scottish Parliament was founded on and vote to pass this bill with the strong majority it deserves. Thirty-three years ago Scotland finally decriminalised homosexuality, today the large majority of Scots agree that it’s time LGBT people were granted full equality under the law. By passing equal marriage legislation our MSPs will not only be giving same-sex couples an equal right to celebrate their love through marriage, they will also be sending out a message to the world about the kind of fair and progressive country Scotland wants to be.”

A Scottish Government consultation on the draft Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) bill closed in March. It is believed that around three quarters of responses backed the introduced of same-sex marriage and mixed-sex civil partnership in Scotland.

Earlier this week the Equality Network launched  It’s Time – Scotland’s equal marriage video: http://www.equalmarriage.org.uk/itstime.

The video has proved a major hit already having over 35,000 unique views in just three days. The campaign features leading Scottish celebrities, the First Minister and leaders of the opposition parties, religious ministers, and ordinary couples from across the country, all voicing their support for equal marriage and declaring that in 2013  It’s Time LGBT people in Scotland had equal rights.

Opinion polls have shown consistent public support for same-sex marriage across Scotland. The most recent poll was conducted in June 2012 by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Equality Network. It showed record support with 64% of Scots in favour of same-sex marriage, and just 26% opposed. Separate polls conducted over the past three years by Populus, YouGov, Angus Reid, and the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey, have all shown similar levels of support.

Support for equal marriage is also high in the Scottish Parliament. Over two-thirds of MSPs have now signed the Equality Network’s ‘Equal Marriage Pledge’ committing themselves to voting in favour of same-sex marriage. Signatories include First Minister Alex Salmond, all Cabinet Ministers, and the leaders of all four Parliamentary opposition parties. Whilst 89 MSPs have now said they will vote in favour, just 11 remain publicly opposed.

Most countries around Scotland already have same-sex marriage, including Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, France, Spain and Portugal. The UK Government are currently in the process of introducing same-sex marriage in England and Wales, whilst Ireland is considering a change in the law to allow it.

Across the Atlantic, Canada already has same-sex marriage as do many US States. In a landmark ruling made yesterday the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the Defence of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denied federal benefits to gay couples, and reintroduced same-sex marriage to California by declining to rule on Proposition 8.

 

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