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Elton, Alan Carr and The Archers featured in star-studded Stonewall Silent Auction

Money raised supports work to eradicate homophobia around the world.

Stonewall

Stonewall has launched its annual Equality Dinner Silent Auction, featuring once-in-a-life-time lots from Elton John, Marlene Dietrich and Alan Carr.

The Silent Auction – which supports Stonewall’s ongoing work to stamp out homophobia in Britain and around the world – is open online to bids from everyone.

Bidders have a chance to scoop two tickets to see Elton John in Paris as well as to take home Marlene Dietrich’s cufflinks from an exclusive collection of her life. Also up for grabs are a meet-and-greet with TV’s chatty-man Alan Carr and a tour of The Archers studio.

Other auction prizes include a highly-collectible Connor Brothers artwork, an attention-grabbing Burberry men’s bag and unlimited Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for a year. Lucky winners can also get their hands on dinner for six with champagne at Allegra McEvedy’s new restaurant or the chance to name a character in crime-writing superstar Val McDermid’s latest page-turner.

Catherine Bosworth
Catherine Bosworth

Catherine Bosworth, Stonewall Director of Fundraising, said: “In Stonewall’s 25th anniversary year we’ve got the best auction prizes we’ve ever had.”

“From Marlene Dietrich’s cufflinks to being featured in Val McDermid’s latest book, these are once-in-a-lifetime exclusive prizes. Get your bids in today and you’ll not only have the chance to take home one of these prizes but you’ll also be helping our vital work to put a stop to homophobia once and for all.”

Rugby star Tom Varndell of the London Wasps has also sent a message to support the Silent Auction.

 

Tom Varndell
Tom Varndell

In a video to Stonewall supporters Varndell said: “Aviva and I are proud to support Stonewall’s annual Equality Dinner. Please help us support this fantastic charity by bidding on some of the amazing lots in this year’s silent auction. Your money will make a real difference and you’ll also have the chance to take home some incredible items.”

To view Tom’s video, CLICK HERE:  

For full details and to secure one of these lots, CLICK HERE:

Bids for the Silent Auction close at midday on March 20 – winners will be informed the following day.

 

 

Community Works call rally against cuts to voluntary and community sector grants

Voluntary sector organisations to protest against cuts to their funding by the Green administration before budget debate.

HOve Town Hall

The Council are proposing a 10% cut to annual and three year discretionary grants to the voluntary and community sector amounting to £165K.

Community Works formerly the Community and Voluntary Sector Forum are calling for all voluntary organisations to rally outside Hove Town Hall tomorrow, February 27, to protest against the cuts and help demonstrate its negative impact on over 100 community groups and voluntary organisations across the City as councillors arrive for the budget debate.

Representatives from voluntary organisation are asked to meet outside Hove Town Hall in Norton Road, Hove on Thursday, February 27 from 3.15pm to 4.15pm.

Sally Polanski , CEO at Brighton and Hove Community Works in Queens Road, said: “We understand that amendments to the specific budget proposal will be put forward by opposition political parties, but there is no guarantee they will be voted through, because the process of voting and the politics of the decision-making are so complex.”

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/events/668136116562480/?notif_t=plan_user_joined

What: Save Our Grants Protest

Where: Outside Hove Town Hall, Norton Road, Hove

When: Thursday February 27

Time: 3.15-4.15pm

DWV to appear at Bar 7 in Crawley

International drag queen ‘girl’ group to perform at Crawley’s only LGBT Bar.

DWV

International drag queen ‘girl’ group DWV – Willam, Detox & Vicky Vox are flying in from the USA to perform at Bar 7 in Crawley.

Three of the most famous drag queens on the planet, DWV – Willam, Detox & Vicky Vox will be starting their European Tour with two shows at Bar 7 in Crawley.

Willam & Detox shot to fame on cult US reality TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race, and Vicky Vox is from US Drag band Tranzkuntinental.

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To check out their side-splitting viral YouTube music videos Boy Is A Bottom, CLICK HERE: 

Tickets are now on Sale!

To book tickets, EMAIL:

For more information, CLICK HERE: 

What: DWV: William Belli, Detox and Vicky Vox

Where: Bar 7, ‘Bar 7’ & ‘The Lounge at 7’:  7 Peglar Way, Crawley, West Sussex, RH11 7AG.

When: April 23 and 24

Time: Doors open 6pm, last entry 10pm, close 03.am

Cost: Wednesday General Admission – £40: General Admission + Meet n Greet + Professional Photo £60

St James Community Action Group AGM

One for the diary.

St James Street Action GroupSt James Street Action Group will be holding their AGM on Wednesday, March 26 at St Mary’s Church on the corner of St James Street and Upper Rock Gardens.

Residents are invited to bring a bottle and meet fellow residents. Agenda to follow.

 

 

 

 

City’s food business hygiene continues to improve

Brighton & Hove’s food safety plan for 2014/15 reveals standards of hygiene in the coty’s food businesses have continued to improve.

Brighton & Hove CouncilThe percentage of food premises achieving a standard of 3 to 5 on food hygiene ratings has increased from 91.4% in December 2012 to 92.9% in January 2014.

The number of five star-rated premises has also risen, from 1,311 in April 2012 to 1,469 in January of this year.

Brighton & Hove City Council has been very active in prosecuting a minority of premises for food hygiene breaches. There have been six between April 2013 and January 2014, compared to three to four a year on average before that. Most of these have involved mouse or rat infestations.

In the same period, April to January, 48 hygiene improvement notices were served and seven businesses voluntarily closed.

The annual feed and food controls service plan will be discussed by the environment, transport and sustainability committee on March 4.

Cllr Pete West
Cllr Pete West

Chair of the committee, councillor Pete West, said: “Standards of food hygiene in the city are going up, with more food businesses than ever achieving five stars and nearly 93% having three or more stars, which is better than the national average.

“Where poor hygiene is found, the food safety team works with those businesses to help them improve. Customers are also more aware and are contacting us more, which means that our food safety team can intervene earlier. Five star establishments can advertise the fact on their windows, which is an added selling point and provides consumer confidence.”

Publicity from prosecutions for food hygiene breaches has also raised both awareness and food standards, while the council claims more businesses are calling for expert advice and staff are able to provide greater support to the poorer performing establishments.

There are 2,577 restaurants and other caterers in the city and the service performs well in comparison with other councils. Brighton & Hove is the eighth largest of the 56 unitary councils by number of food establishments and is one of only three that has undertaken 100% of its planned interventions. Brighton & Hove is also above average with 92.9% of its food businesses having hygiene ratings between 3 and 5.

 

LGBT Humanists condemn Uganda’s anti-gay legislation

Pink Triangle Trust, the LGBT Humanist charity condemns the draconian anti-gay legislation introduced in Uganda and blames malign religious influence on Parliamentarians and the wider population for bringing it about.

George Broadhead
George Broadhead

The PTT Secretary George Broadhead, said: “Much has been made of the influence of American Evangelical Christians in bringing about this legislation, but other malign religious influences seem to have been totally ignored.

“When  the legislation was first mooted in 2012, The Uganda Joint Christian Council, which includes Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox bishops, called on parliament to move it forward. Top religious leaders from across the country asked Parliament to speed-up the process of enacting it to prevent what they called ‘an attack on the Bible and the institution of marriage’. Speaking after their annual conference organised by the Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC), an ecumenical body which brings together the Anglican, Catholic and Orthodox churches, the bishops resolved that the parliamentary committee on Gender should be tasked ‘to engage the House on the Bill which was now at committee level”.

“When  the legislation was first mooted in 2012, The Uganda Joint Christian Council, which includes Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox bishops, called on parliament to move it forward. Top religious leaders from across the country asked Parliament to speed-up the process of enacting it to prevent what they called ‘an attack on the Bible and the institution of marriage’. Speaking after their annual conference organised by the Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC), an ecumenical body which brings together the Anglican, Catholic and Orthodox churches, the bishops resolved that the parliamentary committee on Gender should be tasked ‘to engage the House on the Bill which was now at committee level”.

“At the end of December 2013,  the Anglican Archbishop of Uganda, the Most Rev Stanley Ntagali, said ‘In Uganda, there are so many injustices like child sacrifice, domestic violence, drug abuse which are now a big issue in our schools…I want to thank Parliament for passing the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. I want the world to understand what we are saying. Can you imagine your son brings another man at home for introduction?’ Bishop Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira commended MPs for passing the Anti-Homosexual Bill, but asked them to object the proposed law to legalise abortion describing it as murder. The Bishop of Mbale, the Rt Rev Patrick Gidudu, asked Ugandans and political leaders who are against the Bill ‘to seek God, repent and renew fellowship to save the country from God’s wrath’.

“Significantly, Ugandan scientists reported that people did not choose their sexual orientation, that homosexuality was not an abnormality, that homosexuals had always existed in Africa and that current attitudes to homosexuality in Africa were largely a result of Muslim and Christian missionaries and colonial powers.”

 

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