01/10/2013 – Scene Magazine – From the heart of LGBTQ+ Life

MP takes campaign for new Royal Sussex County Hospital to Tory conference

Posted on 01/10/201309/11/2013 by Besi

Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven is using the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester to continue his lobbying campaign for a new Royal Sussex County Hospital.

Simon met today with the Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt MP, to emphasise the importance of securing the £420million needed to build a new hospital for Sussex.

Concerns have been growing in Brighton and Hove following delays in an announcement of when the funds would be released by the government.

The Secretary of State was impressed with strength of local support, as demonstrated through Simon’s hospital petition. At present the petition has nearly 1,000 signatures and a large number of constituents have contacted Simon to make their support known.

Simon said:

“I will continue to lobby the highest levels of Government to secure the funding needed to build a new Royal Sussex County Hospital.

“I want to encourage everyone to sign my petition and make sure that the Government is aware of their support to provide the excellent staff of the Royal Sussex with a 21^st Century hospital.”

To sign the petition, CLICK HERE:

HIV charity receives small grant

Posted on 01/10/201309/11/2013 by Besi

Lunch Positive the HIV charity that provides a healthy meal every Friday for people who are HIV positive has been awarded £2,000 from the Cooperative Community Fund to help towards the cost of venue hire to deliver the weekly HIV lunch club.

Gary Pargeter, Volunteer Project Manager:

“We’re delighted to have received this funding. We rely on funding from a range of trusts and foundations, all of which is awarded annually and increasingly often uncertain. The Cooperative has supported us since we started in 2009, and we’re proud that our service identifies with its core values of self-help, self-responsibility, equity and solidarity. Lunch Positive continues to see new and increasing numbers of people who make it a thriving social space. The lunch club is upstairs at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church, every Friday between 12 noon – 3 p.m. Lunch is at 1 p.m. and costs £1.50.”

For more information, CLICK HERE: www.lunchpositive.org

Brighton and Hove diners are tight tippers

Posted on 01/10/201309/11/2013 by Besi

Giggling Squid reveals wide differential in tips across group

Giggling Squid the Thai restaurant chain has reaveled figures which show a marked contrast in the level of tips left by customers at its different branches throughout the country.

Henley-on-Thames tops the table with an average tip of 9 percent, which is almost 3 times the typical gratuity left by Brighton customers at just 3.2 percent. Brighton’s neighbour, Hove, is one place ahead with an average tip of 4 percent, confirming a distinct regional difference for the south coast.

The full break down in Giggling Squid restaurants is:

• Henley-on-Thames 9.0%

• Tunbridge Wells 6.7%

• Crawley 6.5%

• Reigate 5.7%

• Hove 4.0%

• Brighton 3.2%

Average spend per customer in Brighton at £22 is also lowest across the group, comparing to £30 in Henley, with identical menus.

The Giggling Squid has a group-wide policy of not adding a compulsory service charge to customers’ bills.

Giggling Squid owner, Andy Laurillard, said:

“We leave gratuities to the discretion of the customer which are shared between waiting and kitchen staff and should reflect the customer’s enjoyment of the entire experience.

“Personally I added around 10 percent to the bill when I dine out, but sometimes as high as 15 if the meal has been exceptionally good.”

Compulsory service charges added automatically to bills are also subject to 20 percent VAT, whereas voluntary tips are exempt.

The chain will monitor the regional tipping differences around the country as it embarks on its quest to become the first national Thai chain in Britain with plans to open 70 restaurants.

New mental health support group for Hillingdon

Posted on 01/10/201309/11/2013 by Besi

Hillingdon Mind has employed a dedicated LGBT project coordinator whose sole role is to develop a support service for LGBT adults with mental health problems in the London Borough of Hillingdon.

Support services to be launched in early November will consist of a social group meeting once a week, trips and other activities decided by members on a quarterly basis.

There will also be a mentoring and buddying system that will aim to support those most in need.

LGBT Project Coordinator Lukasz, said:

“Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are more likely to suffer mental health problems due to social isolation and prejudice attached to those identities, if we add to it the stigma attached to mental health, we have a very vulnerable group. I am pleased that Hillingdon Mind recognises it.”

For more information EMAIL: lgbt@hilligdonmind.org.uk

Or CLICK HERE: www.hilligdonmind.org.uk/lgbt