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Albion’s awareness bauballs for testicular cancer

London based creative group Albion has launched a cheeky charity fundraiser to raise awareness of testicular cancer.

Testicular Cancer Campaign

The campaign, affectionately named ‘bauballs’ to raise awareness of cancer is selling a range of festive decorated testicle-shaped Christmas decorations.

Each festive sack is available online for £6 ranging from Santa’s sack, Elf, snowman and Rudolph. Those who prefer to make their own impressive set can purchase a ‘make your own’ kit retailing for £4.

The campaign is also offering the chance for one lucky participant to be presented with a sack load of prizes from Firefox, Yplan, Broquet, Drumond Park and Vitage. All they need to do is feel their bought bauball for any irregularities and share the video of themselves with the winning set.

Laura Muse, brainchild behind the campaign and creative at Albion, said: “Last year’s campaign was a great success, so we wanted to res-erect the project again and make it bigger and better than ever before.

“Our range of ‘Bauballs’really make a fun tongue-in-cheek addition to any Christmas tree, with all proceeds going to a fantastic new charity that provides valuable awareness, education and support to those living with testicular cancer and their families.”

The Testicular Cancer Awareness Group is a worldwide partnership of testicular cancer charities working together to raise awareness and save lives.

 Patrick Cox, CEO of the Testicular Cancer Awareness Group, said: “We’re excited to be working with Albion on this creative campaign which will benefit multiple charities around the world. Early detection and early treatment is vital in the fight against testicular cancer. Education and awareness are key. This unique worldwide collaboration will see your donations support testicular cancer awareness charities all over the world.”

For more information, and to get your own set of festive ‘bauballs’ CLICK HERE: www.bauballs.co.uk

And follow on twitter at: Twitter: @bauballs

 

 

 

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Hove MP Weatherley calls for 1,000 signatures before Christmas

Mike Weatherley, the Conservative MP for Hove and Portslade, is delighted with the response to his petition for a new 50m pool in Hove but is calling for yet more signatures.

Mike Weatherley MP
Mike Weatherley MP

Weatherley’s petition, supported by the famous Shiverers Swimming Club, the Amateur Swimming Association and Olympic Diver Chris Mears, was launched to back the wishes of residents and highlight the desire locally for first-rate, flexible facilities.

Parents, young swimmers, swimming groups and sports clubs have all agreed with the campaign and would like a dividable 50m facility with adjustable floors built in the local area.

Mike said: “While I am pleased that residents are rushing to sign up to the petition for a new 50m swimming pool, I am not surprised that plans for an exciting new leisure centre are proving popular. Over a thousand residents agree that it just makes long-term sense to provide children and adults in Brighton & Hove with the most flexible facilities. I am sure that we’ll have many more signatures as the 50m pool campaign gains momentum – let’s get 1,000 before Christmas.”

To sign the online petition, CLICK HERE:   

Date announced for first same sex wedding

Equalities Minister, Maria Miller MP has announced that the first same sex wedding will take place on March 31, 2014.

Maria Miller MP
Maria Miller MP

The announcement was much earlier than expected and comes after the coalition governments controversial legislation received Royal Assent in July. The bill had the support of The Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat leaderships.

Couples wanting to be among the first to exchange vows will need to give formal notice of their intention to marry on March 13, 2014.

Maria Miller MP, said: “Marriage is one of our most important institutions, and from March 29 2014 it will be open to everyone, irrespective of whether they fall in love with someone of the same sex or opposite sex.

“This is just another step in the evolution of marriage and I know that many couples up and down the country will be hugely excited that they can now plan for their big day and demonstrate their love and commitment to each other by getting married.”

Couples wanting to convert civil partnerships into marriages and married people who want to change their legal gender while remaining married will be able to do so later in the year.

Ben Summerskill MP
Ben Summerskill MP

Ben Summerskill, chief executive of gay rights campaign group Stonewall, said: “This historic step will mean that, for the first time, every gay person in England and Wales will finally enjoy exactly the same rights as their heterosexual friends and family.”

“It’s particularly resonant for us at Stonewall that this announcement has been made on UN Human Rights Day. As we celebrate the progress made in Britain, we’re marking the day by launching new guidance for equality activists worldwide.”

Under the terms of the bill, religious organisations can ‘opt in’ to offering weddings, but the Church of England and Church in Wales are banned in law from doing so.

Ben concluded saying: “This historic step will mean that, for the first time, every gay person in England and Wales will finally enjoy exactly the same rights as their heterosexual friends and family.”

Mike Weatherley, MP for Hove & Portsalde first raised the issue of marriage inequality with David Cameron back in 2011 and felt that it was right for the Government to make Same-Sex Marriage a priority

Mike Weatherley MP
Mike Weatherley MP

Mike said: “The passing of this legislation was a historic step forward for gay rights, so it is now with great delight that my constituents and I can look forward to the first marriages taking place on Saturday, March 29,  2014. It was completely at odds with an open and democratic society to exclude gay couples from the important institution of marriage. I know that allowing gay couples to marry will mean a huge amount to thousands of residents in Brighton & Hove.”

 

Simon Kirby MP
Simon Kirby MP

Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, added: “I’m delighted that from the March 29 couples in Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven will have the option of getting married, regardless of their sexuality.

“It has been a long road to legalising equal marriage, and I am very proud of the efforts that have gone into securing this date.

“I look forward to attending many same sex wedding ceremonies in the years ahead!”

The first people to make history and tie the knot in Brighton will be Philip Robathan and James Preston who are the first couple booked in at Brighton Registry Office on Monday, March 31 at 9am.

Philip Robathan & James Preston
Philip Robathan & James Preston will be the first gay couple to marry in Brighton
Caroline Lucas MP
Caroline Lucas MP

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, concluded, saying: “This is wonderful news and long overdue.  Having long campaigned for LGBTI equality, and having always believed in the human right to same-sex marriage, I’m delighted that this is finally happening.   Congratulations to Philip and James, and to all the same-sex couples who will finally see their partnerships recognised.”

Organisers of Pride in London report back to the Community tonight

Pride-goers gave Pride in London 2013 the same overall score as the amazing London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the Pride survey.

London Pride 2013

Tonight, December 10 at an open meeting hosted by the TUC, the new organisers of Pride in London, London LGBT+Community Pride will be presenting a report on their first year of operation and taking questions. There will be a live Twitter feed of the meeting and the chance to tweet questions in through @londonLGBTPride. All 160 places at the event have been allocated.

Last year the Mayor of London confirmed £500,000 of funding for London LGBT+ Community Pride to deliver the capital’s Pride celebrations for a five year period. The feedback on their first years event in 2013 has been overwhelmingly positive.

Feedback from the community through an open online survey in August found that two-thirds thought that Pride in London 2013 was better than past prides they had attended in London.

The survey also showed that all sections of the LGBT+ community felt the same way. Overall, a sample of those in Trafalgar Square for Pride gave the event 8.49 out of 10 compared with 8.51 out of ten awarded to the Olympics and Paralympics in a similar survey.

The same survey gathered views on what could be done differently or better in future years and those ideas will be part of the discussion at tonight’s community meeting.

Pride in London, costs over £0.5m a year to deliver with major costs related to ensuring the safety of everyone on the big day and putting stages and other infrastructure in Trafalgar Square and Soho.

With just five months between their appointment and the date of Pride in London 2013, the new organisers demonstrated that it is possible to engage the LGBT+ community, secure the necessary funding through a mix of sponsorship and ticket sales and keep the core of Pride in London – the Parade – free.

Michael Salter, Chair of London LGBT+ Community Pride said: When we established London LGBT+ Community Pride we promised a Pride for and of the community. Our first year delivering Pride in London was an undoubted success and a good start for our new organisation. It could not have been achieved without the hundreds of volunteers, many of whom return year after year to steward the parade, Trafalgar Square and Soho. They are the unsung heroes of Pride and they deserve huge thanks. They are the people who earned us the community’s accolade of an ‘Olympic Standard Pride’. The support of the sponsors who came on board at short notice was also vital, they understood the need to get behind Pride and the LGBT+ community in London. I also want to thank our patrons and celebrity supporters who spread the word about the event and encouraged our community to come out and be proud.

“We are committed to keeping the community fully informed of our progress as we create a Pride in London sustainable into the future. We have lots of feedback to report on this year’s festival from individuals and groups in the community, sponsors and delivery partners and we look forward to discussing that feedback as well as plans for Pride 2014 at tonight’s meeting. 

“We will be publishing fully audited accounts in the new year, keeping our commitment to transparency and good financial management.   Planning for next year’s festival is in full-swing and talks with sponsors for 2014 are already underway. We are grateful for the support of the Mayor of London’s office and we are delighted that the success of 2013’s event mean we will be running the event again next year.

“We want as many members of the LGBT+ community and our allies as possible to participate in pride in London 2014, so please check out our website for more information.”

Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson, said: “I am delighted to support London’s Pride celebrations, which are hugely important for the capital – as a community based event to be enjoyed by everyone, but also underscoring our city’s reputation as one of the most LGBT friendly in the world. Last year’s event was a great success and I am looking forward to London LGBT+ Community Pride building on that work to make it even greater in 2014.”

The theme for Brighton Pride 2014 is ‘Freedom to live’

Brighton Pride Community Interest Company have announced Freedom to Live will be the umbrella theme for the Pride Festival in 2014.

Brighton Pride 2013

Brighton Pride will continue to put the spotlight on the plight of LGBT all over the world who do not have the same freedoms as we enjoy in the United Kingdom.

Politics returned to Brighton Pride in 2013 with organisers highlighting the plight of LGBT people in Russia following the introduction of new anti-gay ‘propaganda legislation’ that makes it illegal for Russians to talk positively about LGBT people and their relationships.

Brighton’s gay businesses produced 100 Posters supporting the local ‘Brighton Supports LGBT Russia’ campaign produced by Kate Wildblood and Karol Michalec, which were carried on most floats and walking tableaux on the Pride community parade.

It is still illegal to be LGBT in 76 countries world wide. To recognise this 76 people had their faces painted by artist Vince Laws with the names of those countries. Pride organisers also banned the sale of vodka distilled in Russia from the festival site at Preston Park in protest at the new legislation.

Peter Tatchel
Peter Tatchell

Highlight of Pride for many in 2013 was Peter Tatchell’s impassioned plea from the main stage for world wide equality following the screening of James Brooks inspirational film From Russia Without Love, a stirring video message accompanied by music from Russia’s 2013 Eurovision entry, ‘What If?’ which explained the situation in Russian for LGBT people and their friends and called on everyone attending Brighton Pride to support campaigns to highlight the issue.

Pride director Paul Kemp, said: “2013 was a defining year for Pride as a celebration of diversity and a return to Pride’s campaigning roots.  In 2014 we want to widen the focus to highlight countries all over the world where LGBT people are denied their Freedom to live”

Brighton Pride 2013

Theme suggestions for this years LGBT community Parade will be discussed at a meeting of LGBT organisations at Envy above Charles Street on December 18 at 7pm.

For more information EMAIL: 

For more information about Brighton Pride, CLICK HERE:    

To view James Brooks ‘From Russian Without Love’ CLICK HERE:

 

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