Call us now

Day: September 11, 2014

Demand for Rainbow Laces passes 100,000

Posted on by Besi

With just over 48 hours to go until this weekend’s football fixtures kick-off all eyes will be on the boots and not the ball as players from across the UK lace-up in support of Rainbow Laces – the campaign to kick homophobia out of the game.

Rainbow Laces Campaign

Spearheaded by Stonewall, Paddy Power and the Gay Football Supporters’ Network (GFSN) and supported by FA Cup Winner Arsenal, Champions Manchester City, Premier League, FA and Football League, Rainbow Laces has delivered a splash of colour across the whole country as:

• Demand for Rainbow Laces from public passes 100,000

• Paddy Power and Stonewall exhaust stocks of 50,000

• Lace manufacturer runs out of rainbow coloured yarn

• #RainbowLaces trends in the UK and worldwide

• Arsene Wenger speaks out against homophobia saying:  ‘The fight against homophobia and any discrimination is very important and we have that responsibility.’

• Support comes in from across the celebrity world including Stephen Fry, Piers Morgan, Ricky Hatton and Michael Owen plus backing from over 35 brands https://vine.co/v/OztePDZz2tH

•  Support comes in from outside of football as Premiership Rugby get on board

Paving the way in creating a welcoming environment for gay footballers, Rainbow Laces in just five days has drummed up an overwhelming level of online support and love from footballers, rugby players, politicians, celebrities and brands.

Richard Lane, Media Manager at Stonewall, said: ‘The response from clubs, players, fans, celebs and the public has been incredible. The excitement and enthusiasm that the campaign has generated is really remarkable and it’s inspiring to see a national conversation about homophobia in sport taking place. It’s up to the players now – the ball is in their court. We hope they recognise the thousands of voices calling for the game to change and lace up this weekend.”

A spokesperson from Paddy Power, added: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the support this year. Football is well and truly behind the times when it comes to homophobia and with 7 in 10 football fans admitting to hearing homophobic chants around the terraces it’s something that we can’t and it seems the nation won’t ignore. We’re so excited to have so many familiar and new faces on board supporting the campaign but want to send out a message to everyone who hasn’t already to get involved, to re-lace, re-boot and help kick homophobia out of the park.”

For more information about Rainbow Laces, CLICK HERE: 

 

 

Polari National Tour receives grant funding

Posted on by Besi

London’s award-winning LGBT literary salon Polari has been awarded a grant from Grants for the Arts, supported by the Arts Council of England and the National Lottery.

Paul Burston
Paul Burston

The grant will fund a national tour in the Autumn, beginning in September and ending at the Southbank Centre in November, which marks the literary salon’s seventh birthday.

The tour will include Polari events at the Marlborough Theatre in Brighton, Homotopia in Liverpool, shOUT in Birmingham and the Manchester Literature Festival and will feature the best in established and emerging LGBT literary talent. It will also help to promote The Polari First Book Prize, which is now in its fourth year.

Paul Burston, founder and host of Polari said: “After several successful, sell-out years at the Southbank Centre, it’s been a dream of mine to take Polari on tour. I’m very grateful to the Arts Council of England and the National Lottery for making this possible.”

Full tour dates include:

September 25 – Marlborough Theatre, Brighton, 4 Prince’s St, Brighton, BN2 1R. 7.30pm. £8.50 (£6.50 conc). With Neil Bartlett, VG Lee, John McCullough, VA Fearon and Jill Gardiner.

To book tickets, CLICK HERE: 

Or telephone: 0800 411 8881

 

September 27 – Soho Literary Festival at Soho Theatre, 21 Dean St, W1D 3NE. 8pm. £9. With Will Davis, VA Fearon, Justin David and VG Lee

To book tickets, CLICK HERE:

Or telephone: 020 7478 0100

 

October 2 – National Poetry Day, St Albans Library,  The Maltings, AL1 3JQ 7.15pm. £5 (£2.50 conc) includes wine and nibbles. With Sophia Blackwell, VG Lee, Nick Field and Barbara Brownskirt

To book tickets, CLICK HERE:

Or telephone: 0300 123 4049

 

October 15 – Manchester Literature Festival at Contact, Oxford Rd, M15 6JA, 7.30-9.30pm. £6 (£5 conc). With Jonathan Harvey, Neil Bartlett, VG Lee and Rosie Garland.

To book tickets, CLICK HERE: 

Or telephone: 0161 274 0600

 

October 30 – Halloween Special – Three Minute Theatre, Manchester, Afflecks Arcade, 35-39 Oldham Street, M1 1JG, 7.30pm. £7 (£5 conc). With Jack Wolf, Tara Ali Din, Adam Lowe, VG Lee and Michael Atkins (finalist, Barbara Burford Prize 2014)

To book tickets, CLICK HERE: 

Or telephone: 0161 834 4517

 

November 6 – Homotopia at Unity Theatre, Liverpool, 1 Hope Place, L1 9BG, 9pm. £7 (£5 conc). With Jonathan Harvey, VG Lee, Gerry Potter and Clare Campbell.

To book tickets, CLICK HERE: 

Or telephone: 0844 873 2888

 

Novevmber 15 – Hexagon Theatre at Mac, Birmingham, Cannon Hill Park, B12 9QH, 7.30pm. £5 (£2.50 conc). With VG Lee, Keith Jarrett, Fanny Gapper, Clare Ashton and Kiki Archer

To book tickets, CLICK HERE:

Or telephone: 0121 446 3232

 

November 20 – Stevenage Central Library, Southgate, SG1 1HD, 7.15pm £5 (£2.50 conc) includes wine and nibbles. With Sophie Ward, Alexis Gregory, Sarah Westwood, VG Lee and Alex Hopkins.

To book tickets, CLICK HERE: 

Or telephone: 0300 123 4049

 

November 24 – Lit & Phil, Newcastle, 23 Westgate Road, NE1 1SE,  7pm. Free. With Mari Hannah (winner of The Polari First Book Prize 2013), Sophia Blackwell, Debbie Taylor, Stephen Shieber and VG Lee

To book tickets, CLICK HERE: 

Or telephone: 0191 232 0192

 

November 26 – Seventh Birthday and End of Tour – Southbank Centre, London, RFH, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX, 7.45-10pm. £5 (£2.50 conc). With Neil Bartlett, Ben Ferguson, Alex Marwood, Sarah Bramley and Niven Govinden.

To book tickets, CLICK HERE:

Or telephone: 0844 847 9910

 

 

 

Green MP calls for urgent review of blood donations rules

Posted on by Besi

The campaign for fair blood donation rules gathers pace as National AIDS Trust (NAT) backs EDM tabled by Caroline Lucas MP and calls for formal review.

Caroline Lucas MP
Caroline Lucas MP

Caroline the Green MP for Brighton Pavilion has tabled an Early Day Motion calling for an “urgent review” of blood donor selection criteria. Her Motion has received the backing of the NAT, which says blood donation policy should be evidence-based but not unduly penalise or discriminate.

In 2011 the lifetime ban on blood donation by men who have had sex with men (MSM) was lifted; however, there remains a 12-month deferral period.

A lifetime ban remains in force for anyone who has ever been paid for sex or has injected themselves with drugs.

Lucas’ Motion highlights the fact that, for donation criteria to be non-discriminatory and in line with the Equality Act 2010, it must be based upon up-to-date evidence. However, the last review conducted by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) was in May 2011.

Caroline said: “There is absolutely a moral obligation to ensure that people receiving blood donations are not put at unnecessary risk. There is also an obligation to ensure that potential donors are not unfairly discriminated against. It’s seriously concerning that there’s not been a formal review for more than three years – which means up to date evidence has not be taken into account.”

She said the onus was on SaBTO to justify the criteria, and called on the body to conduct an “urgent review of the evidence” available since 2011 to ensure compliance with the Equality Act 2010.

Adding: “The pressure for a review is mounting. Our health service is in urgent need of increased supplies of safe blood. Only 4 per cent of adults are currently blood donors*. If they are to be non-discriminatory, the rules setting out restrictions on who can give blood must be based on up-to-date evidence and cannot be based on outdated information.”

The issue of fair blood donation rules is gathering pace, with the National AIDS Trust (NAT), the UK’s leading HIV campaigning charity, calling on SaBTO to review the permanent ban for those who have ever been paid for sex and those who have ever injected drugs, alongside the 12-month deferral for gay men.

Yusef Azad
Yusef Azad

Yusef Azad, director of policy and campaigns at NAT, said: “We want to see blood donation policy based on current evidence, which protects the public but doesn’t unjustly penalise groups within our community. The current rules banning anyone who has ever been paid for sex or injected drugs from donating blood are discriminatory and unnecessary. Similarly, the 12 month deferral for gay men is in urgent need of review. We agree with Caroline Lucas’ EDM and hope it will attract significant parliamentary support.”

National HIV Testing Week 2014

Posted on by Besi

Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) and HIV Prevention England (HPE) are calling on organisations to start planning activities to mark the third annual National HIV Testing Week, which this year runs from November 22 – 30.

National HIV Testing Week

National HIV Testing Week was established by THT and HPE in 2012 to increase testing rates among gay and bisexual men and African communities, the two groups at increased risk of infection in the UK.

Each year, hundreds of sexual health clinics, local authorities, businesses, charities and community groups around the country hold special testing events or find other ways to raise awareness of testing during the week.

Cary James, Head of Health Improvement at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “We were thrilled with the response to National HIV Testing Week last year, with more than 300 organisations taking part and tens of thousands of people coming forward for testing. We’re keen to build upon that momentum this year, and would encourage organisations – from sexual health clinics and local authorities, to faith-based organisations, charities and community groups – to visit the website, pledge your support, and help get the message out there that we can stop HIV.”

In the UK, gay men and African communities are the groups most at risk of HIV. Currently, around one in five people with HIV remains undiagnosed and therefore more likely to pass the virus on than someone who has tested and is on treatment. HIV Prevention England’s It Starts With Me campaign focuses on curbing new infections by increasing testing rates and reducing the level of undiagnosed HIV within high-risk groups.

National HIV Testing Week is supported by major public health bodies, including Public Health England, the British HIV Association (BHIVA), and the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH).

For more information on National HIV Testing Week, and to register your organisation’s support, CLICK HERE:   

 

Latest News

Community News Scene to publish your memories of Miss Jason in May issue
Sport Multiple footballers in German football to come out on May 17 – International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia – claims German newspaper
Television The very colourful life of Miriam Rivera to be explored in new Channel 4 documentary
Arts REVIEW: ‘F*cking Men’ at Waterloo East Theatre
LGBTQ+ News Grindr accused of sharing personal data, including people’s HIV status, with third parties
X