Two days to go before the great debate at Hove Town Hall!
The Brighton and Hove City Council, LGBT Workers Forum are marking the international day against homophobia, bi-phobia and trans-phobia (IDAHOBIT) with a free to attend panel debate on local, national and global LGBT issues.
The event will be held in the Grand Hall of Hove Town Hall on Thursday, May 15, 2014, from 4.30pm – 6.30pm
The theme will be “our activism in question”. Everyone is welcome to attend this free event.
Guest speakers answering your questions will include:
Peter Tatchell – a civil rights campaigner. In the 1990s he campaigned for LGBT rights through the direct action group OutRage!, which he co-founded.
Christine Burns MBE – an activist best known for her work with Press for Change. Burns was awarded an MBE in 2005 in recognition of her work representing transgender people.
Claire Harvey – Paralympian and captain of England womens’ disabled volleyball team. Claire captained the Paralympics GB’s Sitting Volleyball team at the 2012 Games.
Linda Bellos – a former leader of Lambeth Council and a gay rights activist. She was awarded an OBE in 2006 for services to diversity.
Glynn Jones will be hosting and chairing the event. Glynn a former Chief Executive of Brighton Borough Council in 1988 went on to be Chief Executive of the new Unity Authority of Brighton & Hove when it was created in 1997. He led a complete reorganisation of the council including the appointment of one of the first Equality Officers in local government, outside London.
There are still spaces left…but they are going fast……if you would like to reserve a place EMAIL:
If you would like to put a question to the panel, EMAIL:
Everyone is welcome to this free event to celebrate IDAHOBIT.
Only two days to go before the great debate at Hove Town Hall!
The Brighton and Hove City Council, LGBT Workers Forum are marking the international day against homophobia, bi-phobia and trans-phobia with a free to attend panel debate on local, national and global LGBT issues.
The event will be held in the Grand Hall of Hove Town Hall on Thursday, May 15, 2014, 4.30pm – 6.30pm
The theme will be “our activism in question” and everyone is welcome to attend this free event.
Guest speakers answering your questions will be:
Peter Tatchell – a civil rights campaigner. In the 1990s he campaigned for LGBT rights through the direct action group OutRage!, which he co-founded.
Christine Burns MBE – an activist best known for her work with Press for Change. Burns was awarded an MBE in 2005 in recognition of her work representing transgender people.
Claire Harvey – Paralympian and captain of England womens’ disabled volleyball team. Claire captained the Paralympics GB’s Sitting Volleyball team at the 2012 Games.
Linda Bellos – a former leader of Lambeth Council and a gay rights activist. She was awarded an OBE in 2006 for services to diversity.
Glynn Jones will be hosting and chairing the event. Glynn a former Chief Executive of Brighton Borough Council in 1988 went on to be Chief Execuative of the Unity Authority when it was created. He led a complete reorganisation of the council including the appointment of one of the first Equality Officers in local government, outside London.
There are still have spaces left…but they are going fast……if you would like to reserve a place email us.
Also email us if you would like to ask a question to the panel.
All Welcome, this is a free event to celebrate IDAHOBIT.
The Rainbow Fund is launching its 2014 main grant funding round tonight, thanks to the financial support of Brighton Pride the Brighton Bear Weekender and the fund’s other donors.
Local eligible LGBT and HIV community groups are being invited to apply for grants of up to £5,000.
Last year £53,550 was distributed by the Rainbow Fund to a range of community groups, hugely benefitting the local LGBT and HIV sector. The deadline for this year’s grant round has been timed to coincide with Pride, and applications need to be made by 5pm on Friday, August 8, 2014.
Applications should be made via the Rainbow Fund’s website – www.rainbow-fund.org – under the ‘apply for a grant’ section.
Decisions on successful applications will be made by the Independent Grants Panel, which has a majority of independent members on it to ensure an open and transparent decision-making process. Decisions will be made and announced in September.
For the first time, a short consultation process in June has been incorporated into this year’s process to allow people to give their views on funding priorities. This will be reported as part of the decision-making process and help inform the grants process.
The Rainbow Fund provides needs-led grant-based funding to Brighton & Hove-based LGBT volunteer-run groups, providing frontline services in/for:
· HIV/Aids
· Community safety
· Health
· Community development
Funding will not be made available for:
· Groups who cannot demonstrate that they are led, constituted or run predominately for, or by, the LGBT/HIV community
· Projects not considered frontline or not available on a city-wide basis
· Events
· Overseas trips
· Co-ordination or umbrella groups
· Replacement of statutory funding
· Individuals
· Groups who donate to the Fund
Paul Elgood
Paul Elgood, Chairman of the Rainbow Fund said:“We are grateful to our supporting organisations and venues for providing the funding for this year’s main grants round. It is excellent for the local LGBT and HIV sector that we can plan ahead and time our main grants around Pride, making these grants very much part of the outcome of the success of the event. We want to pass through this funding as quickly as possible so that the benefit can be felt in the community as quickly as possible after Pride.
“We usually find that we cannot fund every application we receive as the money isn’t always available, but we wish the community groups the best of luck in their applications.”
If you are considering applying to the Rainbow Fund, you can discuss your plans at a special advice session during the week of May 19.
For an appointment or more information about the process, EMAIL:
All groups who apply will need to undertake such a one-to-one session before applying.
The show is a very simple premise, but presented in such a subtle and sophisticated way that it slides by in a short burst of genius. From the breathtakingly bold opening which almost made me cry to the soft fade out of an ending this short, punchy and joy filled piece of musical theatre really surprised me and I left in a thoughtful and uplifted mood.
Based on the journals of Edward Walker, a gay man forcibly outed in 1950s San Diego, this one-man show explores in a hilarious & moving musical fashion the wonder of difference and sexuality & the cost of silence and how (as St Harvey of the Milk might have said) hope can never be silent as long as there’s a good tune to hum.
It’s also the best new thing I have seen so far in the Fringe, so BOOK NOW!
Written by Jim Walker who worked on the songs with Gary Grundei this is fresh honest and clever theatre. The songs are very crafty and witty, with some delightful complex rhymes and subtle timed jokes. I was seriously impressed with the quality of the songs, and they made me laugh out loud and more importantly I, and the rest of the audience, left singing them. That’s the mark of a good musical for me; when you can recall, hum and sing the songs after you’ve left.
Walker and the Grundei Team (one director, one song writer) have managed to capture the personality of Uncle Edwards quixotic, eclectic and wonderfully teasey personality in these songs while setting them against a dry, unforgiving background of a mean hearted hetro normative America that doesn’t wish to acknowledge their vibrant inclusive melodies that O! Sing of the body electric and that the pursuit of happiness is indeed a universal right.
Walker brings Uncle Edward and his ‘friend’ and lover of 25 long and wonderful years to brilliant, vivacious life on stage and also tenderly gives us the heartbreakingly sad moment of death too. I caught my breath at this point and when I read later that all of Edwards’s dialogue came from his own dairies before being worked into this show I understood why they felt so starkly honest. Only someone who lives so fully in the light can embrace the darkness of death with such simplicity. I was reminded of Harvey Feinstein in ‘Torch Song Trilogy’ at more than one point and that’s no cheap flattery.
Although this play is about invisibility, silence, repression, bigotry and hate what we actually get is a solid inspirational hour of one man and his love and the way he managed to preserve the dignity of his relationship in the face of a bitter prejudice from county and family.
Walker changes tone and voice to bring to life each of the various characters portrayed and he does this convincingly and never confuses us. The use of some simple props and suggestions of correspondence gives this play the ability to show the inner voice of Uncle Edward as the story develops and shunts the narrative along its freewheeling chronological tracks. We get to feel different flowerings and allowings of masculinity and tenderness too, contrasted and held up to our all seeing audience gaze, but little judgment is shown in this piece, at its heart is the unconditional embrace of acceptance.
Adam Walker who provided the musical accompaniment throughout the show was also very warm and engaging and there’s some real chemistry between these pair when they are on stage.
Walker should be congratulated for this piece of work; it’s charming and seriously touching while never ever dipping into mawkishness or melancholy. Even in his saddest moments Uncle Edward shines with hope, and when going full pelt into the shining light of living life fully (he) is a force of nature. I had my own version of Uncle Edward, snatched far too swiftly in the early brutal scything away of the Wondrous Ones by HIV and for an hour on Saturday night at the Duke Box theatre I was transported again into the magical world of hopeful high camp, serious fun and the triumph of loves recovery in the face of the grey suffocating demands of conformity.
Thank you Uncle Edward, for reminding us of the importance of being frivolous and well done Walker and The Grundei’s for this touching, funny and life affirming hour of delightful musical theatre.
A Rainbow Fund grant helps the busy volunteer-led LGBT Community Safety Forum respond to 12 calls for help a day.
The LGBT Community Safety Forum is an established independent LGBT forum of volunteers working with the LGBT Community to address and improve safety issues throughout Brighton & Hove. They undertake cultural, educational and social safety community activities and any type of LGBT community/inclusion and accessibility initiative.
The Forum was formed to give the community a much needed voice on a wide range of safety issues in Brighton and Hove. They act as a bridge between the community and statutory services such as the city council and Sussex police and to enable there to be more accountability and transparency of the services provided.
In the last year they have continued to provide core services of safety awareness, advocacy and community events, and have developed the provision to empower the community to ‘help themselves’ and support each other.
They now advertise a landline and text number as well as an email address to provide immediate contact with the LGBT CSF.
The forum receives or makes 12 calls each day on community related and hate crime issues. In addition they receive or send approximately 5 emails per day regarding community related questions. This workload requires a further 14 calls and 20 emails per day to administer the volunteer-led group.
They aim to respond to inquires within two working days.
After receiving a grant from the Rainbow Fund in November 2013 they approached Varndean College to develop an accredited counselling skills course. The organisers worked closely with the course provider and organised an interpersonal skills class that they could deliver successfully to empower and generate a bank of neighbourhood listening ear volunteers.
They are currently training 12 individuals, with candidates already delivering other services in a front line capacity. From bars and hotels to the church and health projects the group is diverse and reflective of the multifaceted community.
With thanks to the Rainbow Fund they currently have four committee volunteers undertaking British Sign Language training at level one standard. Results are noticeable and impressive. The outcomes already reveal a vast improvement between the Hearing and Deaf / Hearing Impaired LGBT community interaction. Strong relationships have been made over the past six months between the LGBT Community Safety Forum and the Deaf LGBT Community.
The forum recently launched their ‘Accessibility Matters’ programme and have since been asked by Brighton Pride to deliver all aspects of Accessibility and Inclusion for this years event. To achieve this they have engaged with Conversant, an LGBT run BSL interpretation organisation who will provide the BSL communication over the Pride festival. This is a great step forward in the direction of inclusiveness and equality as many deaf, elderly and disabled LGBT people had slowly started to shun pride as access and inclusion had become a significant concern for them.
11th annual Equality Walk raises over £55,000 to tackle homophobic abuse.
John Whaite and Adele Roberts cut the ribbon
Over 700 Stonewall supporters took to the streets of Brighton for the charity’s eleventh annual Equality Walk on Sunday. The annual fundraiser was part of Stonewall’s 25th anniversary celebrations and raised over £55,000 to tackle homophobic language in Britain’s schools.
Radio 1Xtra DJ Adele Roberts and Great British Bake Off’s John Whaite hosted this year’s walk which included live entertainment and a picnic in the Royal Pavilion Gardens for the hundreds of families and fundraising teams.
MPs Caroline Lucas and Simon Kirby, and the Mayor of Brighton & Hove Cllr Denise Cobb, also attended the 10k walk.
Following the walk Adele and John handed out prizes to the top fundraising team – PwC who took the title for the third year running – and the best individual fundraiser, Kate Harris, who raised over £1,400 and won a weekend in Paris courtesy of American Express.
Catherine Bosworth
Stonewall’s Director of Fundraising Catherine Bosworth said: “I can’t think of a more fantastic way for so many people to help celebrate our 25th anniversary. It was inspiring to be joined by individuals, teams and families whose hard work means we’ve raised a remarkable £55,000 to help tackle homophobic language in Britain’s schools.”
Research conducted by Stonewall shows that 99 per cent of young people regularly hear phrases like “that’s so gay” or “you’re so gay” in school. These insults can have a devastating impact on lesbian, gay and bisexual young people’s self-esteem and confidence.
Stonewall’s campaign, Gay: Let’s Get the Meaning Straight, is helping schools and young people tackle this abuse and put a stop to homophobic language.
The Independent Drug Commission for Brighton & Hove is releasing its final conclusions at a public meeting this morning (May 12) on drugs policy in Brighton & Hove.
Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion
The Commission, brought together by Brighton MP Caroline Lucas, and chaired by crime writer Peter James, has now considered the response by the city’s public agencies, including the police, probation service, the voluntary sector, the city council and NHS who collectively have responsibility for drug policy.
In its 2013 report [PDF 253kb] the Commission made far-reaching recommendations on how to ensure services could better meet the needs of people using treatment services or who need support.
The Commission has now reviewed the report issued by the public agencies in the light of the recommendations. The partner agencies have adopted a number of key measures with the objective to reduce drug related deaths, share best practice and focus all agencies more effectively on end point of harm reduction and the recovery of an individual drug-user.
Commission recommendations included a call for more training for people to be able to administer a life-saving overdose antidote; more integrated services for people who have mental health problems and drug addiction and for a separation between drug services for young people and adults so that younger users don’t have to mix with more established users.
These recommendations have been accepted by the city drug agencies and are being implemented.
Some examples of action by agencies as a result of the Commission’s recommendations include:
• Significant expansion of the treatment Naloxone to counter the effects of opioid overdose, and “First Aid for Overdose” training. The expanded programme (managed by St John’s Ambulance) covers service users, families, carers, hostels and the wider recovery community.
• Closer working between agencies on sharing information about drug use patterns through participating in a Home Office-led Forensic Early Warning System to test substances seized by police that are not believed to be class A and then ensuring information is shared with partners.
• Pioneering work on reaching young people to educate on the dangers of drug and alcohol use. There is evidence of how improvements have been put in place in the process of identification and sharing of ‘real time’ information that is then taken directly to the population affected for example school-based responses to concern about the promotion of the ‘Neknomination’ (high intensity drinking at dangerous levels) on social networking sites.
Mike Trace
Mike Trace, Vice-Chair of the Commission and former national ‘drugs czar’, said:“The harm, suffering and loss of life caused by drug addiction is significant in the city. We believe our work and the response of all the agencies and contributors to our review will ensure that drug prevention and treatment services in Brighton & Hove will continue to improve.
On behalf of the Commission, I thank everyone involved for the co-operation, insights and support shown as we undertook our work.”
Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, added:“Drugs policy should be founded on the over-riding principle of reducing harm, both for users themselves and for wider society; any approach has to be led by the evidence about what works in practice. The Commission in its bold set of recommendations has helped to further embed evidence-based approaches to drugs policy, prevention and treatment and it is why I offer my sincere thanks to its members who have given their professional time over the last two years.
“They have shown the way for future UK drugs policy – a rational non-alarmist policy where health, welfare, harm reduction and decisions based on evidence are deservedly the drivers in tackling drug addiction. Thank you to the city’s public agencies for their support and cooperation in this project and the professionalism of their staff who are making a life-saving difference on the frontline.”
One well-publicised recommendation was that public agencies should explore the feasibility of a drug consumption room (DCR): a safe space supervised by health professionals to minimise the risks of overdose, unsafe practices and contaminated drug-taking equipment.
An expert working group was set up by Brighton & Hove City Council and partner agencies to examine the feasibility of a DCR in more detail. After a detailed investigation the working group concluded that a DCR was not an appropriate measure at this time, saying “….while the evidence suggests that a DCR could meet the needs of some local injecting drug users, at the present time the overall need of the local community, not just injecting drug users, is not considered to be sufficient by local organisations to agree to support establishing a DCR.”
In response the Commission Vice-Chair Mike Trace, said: “Although, after careful consideration, the response by the working group was that the time is not right to pilot a drug consumption room in the city, we believe the detailed feasibility study undertaken will ensure a strong evidence-base to inform decision-making on whether a local DCR should be deployed in the future.”
The Commission’s 2013 report was the culmination of a year long process of hearing evidence from experts, public agencies including the police, housing, the city council, public health and people who use services.
Local eligible LGBT and HIV community groups are being invited to apply for grants of up to £5,000.
The LGBT Community Safety Forum is an established independent LGBT forum of volunteers working with the LGBT Community to address and improve safety issues throughout Brighton & Hove. They undertake cultural, educational and social safety community activities and any type of LGBT community/inclusion and accessibility initiative.
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