15/08/2013 – Scene Magazine – From the heart of LGBTQ+ Life

Brighton Draws Men, a gay-friendly drawing group, will be meeting at Friends Meeting House, Brighton on Saturday, September 14 from noon.

The group, which runs monthly and is now on its second meeting, aims to bring together people, whether professional or amateur, gay or straight, to draw men of all kinds.

Ian Shepherd, the group’s organiser, said:

“Brighton Draws Men is the life-drawing group where the model is always male…

“I set the group for two reasons: I had been going to various groups for ages and it became obvious there was a definite lack of male models, maybe one or two classes out of 10 featured a male model. Secondly I was sitting next to a young student in Pompoko, the small dumplings restaurant, where everyone eats cheek by jowl and one can’t help but overhear other people’s conversations. It was his firmly held opinion that the male form could not hold any appeal aesthetically and that only female bodies were worthy of capturing.

“I loved that he held that opinion so forthrightly but I felt I had to challenge his ignorance. Plus I like drawing guys!”

Event: Brighton Draws Men

Where: Friends Meeting House, Ship Street, Brighton.

When: Saturday, September 14 from noon.

Entry: £10.

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Free financial advice has helped more than 370 Brighton & Hove City Council tenants access more than £350,000 in unclaimed or additional benefits, charitable payments, savings on household bills and write-off or rescheduling of some debts.

Advice was provided by the council’s Housing Inclusion Team, which was created in October 2012 to offer financial help and advice to the significant number of tenants affected by government changes to the benefit system.

The team has been working with the Money Advice and Community Support Service (MACS) since the spring to coincide with the introduction of the government reforms.

Councillor Bill Randall, Chair of the Housing Committee, said:

“The government’s changes to housing benefit are having a profound effect on many of our low-income tenants.

“It’s essential that we collect rents that pay for housing services, but we always work with those tenants who can’t pay the rent to overcome their difficulties.

“The Housing Inclusion Team with MACS has answered a growing need for financial advice and guidance, and is bringing timely relief, support and help to so many of our tenants and residents.”

Anyone struggling with budgets or affected by benefit changes should contact MACS on 01273 664 000.