15/09/2013 – Scene Magazine – From the heart of LGBTQ+ Life

Local MP pledges to support people living with dementia

Posted on 15/09/201318/09/2013 by Graham Robson

Local Conservative MPs, Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Mike Weatherley, MP for Hove & Portslade have pledged to take action to support the 800,000 people living with dementia across the UK.

They joined 200 other MPs and representatives from the Alzheimer’s Society in Portcullis House, Westminster to provide a handwritten statement of the action they will take to support people with dementia and their carers. They pledged to help campaign for better dementia care and to work with Alzheimer’s Society to improve support for people with dementia.

Simon said:

“One in three people over 65 will develop dementia, and it is a health issue that we can no longer afford to ignore. I have pledged to support Alzheimer’s Society and help improve dementia care in Brighton Kemptown however I can.

“The Prime Minister was clear when he launched the Dementia Challenge in March 2012 that improving the care of those suffering with dementia was a Government priority. I am very proud of the fact that the Government will double dementia research funding to over £66 million by 2015.”

Alzheimer’s Society campaigners were in Westminster to drum up political support for their trailblazing Dementia Friends initiative that launched in February this year. Dementia Friends aims to help people understand what it might be like to live with dementia and turn that understanding into action. Alzheimer’s Society is aiming to have one million Dementia Friends by 2015, to help make England more dementia-friendly and improve the lives of the 650,000 people currently living with the condition.

The Alzheimer’s Society hopes to have one million Dementia Friends by 2015, which will go a long way in helping to make England more dementia-friendly and improve the lives of the 650,000 people currently living with the condition.

Mike said:

“It was really helpful to meet with representatives from the Alzheimer’s Society in Parliament and to see what MPs can do to help address the problems of both Alzheimer’s and dementia. Most people are unaware that one in three people over 65 will develop dementia, which just goes to highlight why it is so it important that we address this issue in such an open way. I would encourage any residents that wish to take part in the Dementia Friends project to get in touch with this admirable charity.”

During the afternoon, 30 MPs from across England took part in a Dementia Friends session.

Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive at Alzheimer’s Society, said:

“Most people don’t know enough about dementia. Dementia Friends is the perfect opportunity to be able to invite everyone to improve their knowledge. We are pleased to have been able to engage over 130 MPs in one day. They have a huge influence in their local communities and we hope they will use this opportunity to take action and improve lives”.

If you are interested in becoming a Dementia Friend, or for more information, CLICK HERE:

Calls for Manchester to end its twinning city link with St Petersburg, Russia.

Posted on 15/09/201309/11/2013 by Graham Robson

A petition calling on Manchester City Council to end its ‘twinned city’ link with St Petersburg, Russia has been launched by change.org, the online lobbying organisation.

Twenty years after homosexuality was decriminalised in Russia, anti-gay legislation is making a rapid comeback, with St Petersburg becoming the latest city to ban ‘homosexual propaganda’.

The petition, which so far has over 4,000 signatories, suggests that instead of twinning the two cities, links should be established between the gay community in Manchester and the gay community in St. Petersburg as a sign of solidarity and that, perhaps, Manchester City Council could help to facilitate this.

To sign the petition, CLICK HERE:

Steroid users at higher risk of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C

Posted on 15/09/201309/11/2013 by Graham Robson

BMJ Open, a landmark study released by Public Health England (PHE), has revealed men who inject anabolic steroids and tanning drugs are at higher risk of HIV and viral hepatitis.

The use of image and performance enhancing drugs has grown substantially over the last twenty years, but the risk of exposure to blood borne viruses among those who inject drugs to change their body appearance or improve their performance has rarely been studied.

Researchers from PHE and Liverpool John Moores University surveyed 395 men using image and performance enhancing drugs and found:

• One in 18 injectors have been exposed to hepatitis C

• One in 11 have ever been exposed to hepatitis B

• One in 65 have HIV

Overall one in 10 had been exposed to one or more of HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C, suggesting that the transmission of blood borne viruses is common in this group. These infections can result from unsafe drug injecting practises or unprotected sex.

Dr Vivian Hope is the lead author of the study and a PHE expert in infections among people who inject drugs,

He said:

“Our study suggests that levels of HIV and hepatitis infection among men using image and performance enhancing drugs have increased since the 1990s.

“While we must be cautious in generalising these early findings, they are concerning and show that further research is required.”

Use of psychoactive drugs like cocaine (46% had snorted cocaine, and 12% snorted or swallowed amphetamines) was also high among this population, along with sexual risk behaviours – only 20% of those having sex in the preceding year reported always used a condom.

Dr. Fortune Ncube, Consultant Epidemiologist and lead for PHE on Injecting Drug Use, said:

“These findings suggest serious health implications for users of image and performance enhancing drugs, but also for their sexual partners and ultimately the wider community.

“These findings suggest we must maintain and strengthen public health interventions focused on reducing injection-related risk behaviours to prevent HIV and hepatitis infections in this group. This includes ensuring those providing voluntary confidential testing services and care related to HIV and hepatitis are alert to the risks associated with image and performance enhancing drug use.”

New recording artist to release first single

Posted on 15/09/201309/11/2013 by Besi

Singer Allan Jay is originally from Glasgow. After completing his Diploma in Musical Theatre he moved to London where he signed to Energise Records who have had hits with artists including Sonia, Hazel Dean, Kelly Wilde and Nicky French. He has worked as a vocalist for the BBC and Disney Channel as well as recording with Waterfall Productions in Norway.

Allan played the role of ‘Arnie’ in the recent production of the musical Diamond about the life of Diamond Lil the Eastend cross dresser which played at the Studio Theatre at the Dome in Brighton.

Over the summer he has been wowing crowds at Brighton, Herts, Stoke and Bournemouth Prides as well as the Clapham Street Party.

The new single It’s my Life is a remix of the 1980’s classic and has been choreographed by Michelle Carter who has performed along side the likes of Take That, Pink and Cheryl Cole.

It’s my Life is available on I Tunes from mid October.

For more information about Allan, CLICK HERE: