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Day: September 30, 2014

Trans* swimming in Lewisham

Posted on by Besi

London’s only Transgender and Gender NonConforming Swimming Group (TAGS) has established a trial agreement with Lewisham Council to host safe swimming sessions.

Glassmill Leisure Centre, Lewisham
Glassmill Leisure Centre, Lewisham

Following a meeting with Lewisham Council, TAGS have secured full private use of the training pool at the Glassmill Leisure Centre, Lewisham, for a transgender safe swimming group. The sessions will take place on Friday evenings between 8.30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Facilities are accessible for individuals with disabilities and include a very discrete space with electric blinds on all windows to ensure privacy.

There is a 20m teaching pool with moving floor to alter the depth. The Glassmill Centre also includes gender specific and gender neutral training facilities.

Swimmers will have a 90-minute slot for changing and swimming. In additional, pool staff will be given training by TAGS to ensure that gender issues are covered and treated sensitively.

TAGS representatives will be on hand to greet swimmers and take them to the changing area. There is also accessible CCTV monitored parking at a very reasonable rate (£2 per hour), open until the centre closes, and a cafe space to socialise.

Parents of young people and carers are welcome to swim or spectate.

TAGS is the only Trans Gender Non Conforming swimming group in London. This first swimming session is part of a three month trial with Lewisham Council, so TAGS is encouraging all interested swimmers to take the initiative to support the space by coming to the sessions.

The cost is £3.20 a session (lower for Lewisham residents). The more swimmers at each session, the more TAGS can negotiate the cost down further.

TAGS is organised by volunteers from the Gendered Intelligence Volunteer Society.

Roberta Francis, the main volunteer, organised TAGS because she wanted to go to her local swimming group, but felt nervous.

Roberta said: “I felt there was a big need for a swimming group in London to allow trans and gender nonconforming people the opportunity to have access to a safe space. Being able to swim is a basic right but for many trans people it can be really difficult because of how we are treated in the community as a whole.”

Jay Stewart of Gendered Intelligence added: “We know physical activity reduces mental distress. This is such a huge factor in trans people’s lives due to the pressures to conform to gender norms. I feel incredibly proud that this initiative has been led by some of our volunteers at Gendered Intelligence. The Gendered Intelligence Volunteer Scheme is all about strengthening the wider trans community and this is doing exactly that.”

To attend the first swimming session on Friday, October 3 at 8.30 p.m. – 10 p.m., CLICK HERE:

 

 

Labour parliamentary candidate joins fire service protest

Posted on by Besi

Welephant joins local firefighters in Brighton to say ‘save our fire service’.

Save our fire service

Brighton played host to a special guest on Saturday when Welephant joined local firefighters to raise awareness about cuts to the fire service across East Susssex.

Welephant, who has his own Twitter account (@999Welephant) entertained the crowds with music and dancing whilst they signed a petition calling for proper funding for the fire service that puts public safety first.

Simon Herbert, local firefighter and Chair of East Sussex FBU, said: “The Fire Service is under attack from central Government. They have slashed the Fire and Rescue Services budget by 20%. Cuts of this scale cannot be made without putting lives at great risk.”

“We firefighters will always do our best and give our all to protect and save the public when they need us. But the harsh reality is that the fire service is now being cut to such an extent that, despite our best efforts, we may not be able to.”

Simon Herbert was joined by Nancy Platts, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven.

Nancy said: “We, the taxpayers, fund our public services; this is our money, this is our fire service. We should have a say and local people have overwhelmingly told me that they want to keep all five fire engines and all our firefighters in Brighton and Hove. We need to put the safety of our people and our firefighters first.”

At a meeting in June 2014, Tory, Lib Dem and UKIP Councillors on the Fire Authority voted for one of only five fire engines and 24 firefighters to be cut from the City of Brighton and Hove.

 

Mayor to attend older people’s event in Hove

Posted on by Besi

The Mayor of Brighton and Hove, Cllr. Brian Fitch, will attend the Hangleton and Knoll annual 50+ event at St. Richard’s Community Centre on October 13.

Mayor of Brighton & Hove: Cllr Brian Fitch
Mayor of Brighton and Hove, Cllr Brian Fitch

The event will focus on ways of keeping active and well in older age with lots of stalls, demonstrations on gentle exercise, cookery, a chance to try different musical instruments or enjoy the “pamper and relax” corner. Refreshments will be available along with live music.

This is an opportunity for older people to make contact with local services who can help them stay active or support them when they need help.

The event is organised by the Hangleton & Knoll 50+ Steering Group, a group of older residents from Hangleton & Knoll, staff from organisations delivering services to older people and staff from the Hangleton & Knoll Project.

The Steering Group works to address the issues that matter to local older people, organises trips and ensures that the views of older people from the area contribute to relevant citywide initiatives.

Event: The Hangleton and Knoll Annual 50+ Event

Where: St. Richard’s Community Centre, Egmont Road, Hove, BN3 7FP

When: Monday, October 13

Time: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

 

 

Local credit union continues to go from strength to strength

Posted on by Besi

Savings deposited with East Sussex Credit Union (ESCU) top £2 million for the first time as Brighton based ‘not for profit’ savings and loans provider continues to develop strongly within the local community.

East Sussex Credit Union
East Sussex Credit Union

This latest achievement follows an excellent year for the credit union; membership continues to grow as local people turn to ethical alternatives for their savings and loans.

General Manager Ann Hickey said: “£2 million of savings is another important milestone for our business.”

“More and more local people are now saving regularly with us rather than investing their cash with mainstream banks and other High Street lenders. They understand that we might not always offer them the highest rate of return on their savings but they really value our security and the fact that their money will be used to help other local people who are seeking affordable loans.”

August was a record month for the credit union’s growing loans business with people across the county continuing to prefer a more ethical, local alternative when looking to borrow money.

Ann added: “We can offer a really affordable option for members and some competitive interest rates, particularly for larger loans. When you couple this with the fact that we do not charge introductory fees or exit charges, people feel more comfortable approaching us if they need to borrow. They also like the fact that we keep their money in the community and don’t lend without an agreement to save at the same time. This can give borrowers a nice lump sum at the end of the loan period.”

In its last financial year ESCU saved members £2 million by offering an alternative to payday and other high-interest lenders.

She continued: “It is very easy for people who are challenged financially to turn to these companies as they make it so easy to access cash. However, when the money isn’t paid back in time, customers are required to pay swingeing interest charges as their loan rolls over. We offer affordable loans and an opportunity to save for a rainy day alongside repaying their loans.”

The credit union aims to foster a saving culture in local communities to help avoid this situation but will also offer to consolidate high interest loans to help members extract themselves from costly deals and ensure repayments are more affordable.

Anne concluded: “This is a really important part of our work and another reason why we are so delighted that deposits with the credit union are reaching record levels. The more of people’s savings we can attract, the more local people we can help and support.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

LGBT Conservative group launches fighting fund

Posted on by Sarah Green

LGBToryLGBTory, the Conservative party’s LGBT group, launches a dedicated fund to help LGBT candidates get elected.

 

The announcement was made at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham today.

There are more LGBT MPs in the Conservative Party than all the other parties put together. With less than a year to the General Election, the fund will support a new generation of candidates in their bids to win seats next May.

The new fund will provide money, advice and support to encourage more LGBT candidates who are backed, not only by the LGBT community, but also by local activists. and, ultimately the voters.

Colm Howard-Lloyd
Colm Howard-Lloyd

Speaking at the launch, LGBTory Chairman Colm Howard-Lloyd said: “It’s vital that we encourage and support candidates from our community to stand as elected representatives. As we know from working with our LGBTory patrons in the Westminster and Scottish parliaments, LGBT parliamentarians are there to tackle the issues everyone is passionate about.

“LGBT people are still under-represented across all of our assemblies and parliaments and the Conservative Party, as a party of inclusion, is committed to helping them overcome any barriers to standing. We hope to help more people than ever to get elected.”

Ben Howlett is the Conservatives’ candidate in the target seat of Bath.

He said: “I am proud that Bath has been endorsed by the LGBTory Candidates’ Fund. As a former chair of the Conservative Party’s youth wing I know that voters want politicians who are just like them.

“We need more LGBT MPs but for me, most importantly, these funds will help me win the seat for the Conservatives. Hard-working families in Bath need an MP who will support a secure and strong economy. And this is what LGBT voters want too, as Stonewall’s recent survey has shown.

David Gold
David Gold

David Gold, the Conservatives’ first openly gay candidate when he stood for Brighton Pavilion in 2001, welcomed the new fund.

He added: “In the past it was difficult for any out candidates of any party to stand for parliament. Now there are more out candidates in winnable seats than ever and the Conservatives have more lesbian and gay MPs than all the other parties put together.

“I’m proud that the party which introduced equal marriage has a dedicated fund to back LGBT candidates.”

 

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‘Brief Moments’ charity calendar

Posted on by Besi

A new charity calendar is being launched at Charles Street in October.

Brief Moments

The calendar has been created to raise money for the work of the Sutton LGBT Forum and will be launched over the weekend of October 24-26 at Charles Street bar.

It will be available to buy online from their website www.lgbtsutton.co.uk from November 1.

Brief Moments CalendarMark Martinez, who produced the calendar, said: “I wanted to raise money for the Sutton LGBT Forum because of the good work it does for the LGBT community in Sutton. When I was young I was lucky to have a supportive and loving upbringing and I attended a gay youth group; I want LGBT people in Sutton to be able to have the same experience.

“A memory that has haunted me for years is that at the age of 18 I took my mum to a gay club. All night a young gay man wouldn’t leave her alone, he held her hand and kept cuddling and kissing her. I later found out that he was selling his body to pay rent and to party so that he never felt alone.

“The Sutton LGBT Forum are working to try and prevent any member of the LGBT community feeling like this… alone.

“The Forum offers advice and support and generally helps create a friendly social atmosphere for LGBT people in Sutton and surrounding areas.

“All of the Forum’s board members are unpaid volunteers and have created this amazing organisation in their own free time. I love the work they do so I wanted to raise so money for them so they can keep creating, supporting and growing.”

The photos for the calendar were shot on Brighton Beach in July by one of  the UK’s leading glamour models, India Reynolds. Iconic drag queen Dave Lynn appears on the cover along with guys of all shapes and sizes local to the Sutton area.

Brief Moments CalendarMark continued: “All the guys are different shapes and sizes as I wanted the calendar to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. They are the guys next door or the ones you stand next to in a bar, just ordinary guys.

“I called in as many favours as possible to make it all happen, from makeup to behind the scenes, and even got a very kind donation of pants from Pants Underwear Store, which were worn for the shoot and which I may auction off during the launch weekend.

“Blood, sweat and a lot of body oil went into the making of the calendar and I would like to thank everyone who has helped in its production.

“We have a behind-the-scenes video which will be played at Charles Street over the launch weekend, so hopefully that will generate more interest and encourage people to buy a copy of the calendar.”

The calendar will be on sale at Charles Street over the launch weekend for £10.

To purchase online, the price is £10 plus postage and packing from November 1, CLICK HERE:

Event: Launch of Brief Moments Charity Calendar

Where: Charles Street Bar, Marine Parade, Brighton

When: Weekend of October 24-26

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