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Day: January 29, 2015

BOOK REVIEW: Spirit of Gin

Posted on by Eric Page

spirit-of-gin-9781604334623_hr

The Spirit of Gin

By Matt Teacher

A stirring miscellany of the new gin revival from the delightful Mr. Teacher brings us bang up to date with Hogarth’s favorite tipple, Great Britain’s secret shame and the most modern and chic way to ruin one’s Mother in Shoreditch, Swansea or Seville.

The Spirit of Gin is an entertaining illustrated guide to the classic spirit, with a sharp focus on the modern gin revival led by innovative craft-gin distillers with their new fusions and ultra-modern blends.

See more on the development of this book and Teacher’s previous writings on home distilling and other intoxicating information and guidance on his web site here: 

gin queen

This big thick book, full of lovely pictures, diagrams and curious details from the colourful and sordid history of gin, from its invention in eighteenth century London to today’s worldwide resurgence, provides detailed coverage of the methods, ingredients, and accoutrements of modern makers and purveyors; gives coverage to popular gin bars and classic cocktails with eclectic sidebars and interviews; and provides a complete catalogue of commercial and craft distilleries worldwide. So grab a bottle, and as the Queen Mother used to say, bottoms up!

Hardback

Out now £15.99

To order from the publishers website, click here:

Where you will also find information about the various e-book editions.

New project offers support to LGBT vicitims of sexual violence

Posted on by Besi

Survivors NetworkMy Voice is a new project from Survivors’ network, the Sussex Rape Crisis Centre offering support to the survivors of sexual violence and abuse.

THE ONE-year project funded by Awards for All aims to increase access to emotional and practical support for Black Minority Ethnic (BME) and LGBT survivors, improving their ability to cope with the impact of sexual violence.

The project aims to:
• Identify needs from BMER (Black and Minority Ethnic and Refugee) populations and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) survivors of sexual violence and abuse, who are under-represented in sexual violence support services
• Develop and facilitate links with BMER and LGBT people who have experienced sexual violence and abuse and those who support them
• Work co-operatively with BMER and LGBT organisations in order to develop service provision and good practice

During the first stage of the project, they are asking those working for organisations, groups or services for the BMER and/or LGBT community to fill in a questionnaire.

To fill in the questionnaire, click here:  

WEB.300If you are a professional who works in some capacity with BMER and/or LGBT people directly, they would appreciate you taking 15-20 minutes to respond to their survey about your work.

Your responses will help them identify best practices in supporting BMER and LGBT people (survivors and non). You don’t have to work in the field of sexual violence support to fill in the survey.

The questionnaire will help identify improvements they can make to existing services.

For more information about ‘My Voice’, click here:

Or email:

You can also find us them on Facebook, and @MyVoiceSurvivor on Twitter.

Want to be a city champion?

Posted on by Besi

VisitBrighton recruits new wave of City Champions.

City Champions

VISITBRIGHTON, Brighton and Hove City Council’s tourism arm, is looking for people with local knowledge and a passion for the city to join its team of on-street volunteers, the City Champions.  The role involves welcoming visitors and offering help and advice about what to see and do in the city during their stay.

Cllr Geoffrey Bowden
Cllr Geoffrey Bowden

Geoffrey Bowden, chair of the Council’s Economic Development and Culture Committee, said: “The City Champion scheme is working really well and it’s fantastic that so many visitors have been helped by our volunteers since its launch. First impressions are so important and a friendly greeting is a wonderful way to project the spirit of Brighton and Hove. We’re extremely lucky to have such a great team on board and look forward to enlisting more enthusiastic residents in this next wave of recruitment.”

Volunteers receive a branded uniform and are stationed at key locations throughout the city, including the Royal Pavilion, Brighton railway station and along the city centre seafront.

Since the scheme was launched in Easter 2014, the volunteer team has welcomed more than 10,000 visitors to the city.

Regular City Champion, Paul, says: “I have been volunteering as a City Champion since the beginning of the scheme.  It only involves a few hours each week but it’s given me the opportunity to meet visitors not just from the UK but from all over the world.”

“As a Brighton resident I’m able to give an insider’s guide to the wide range of attractions and activities that make the city such a popular destination so it not only provides a useful service for our visitors, but it’s also very rewarding and great fun.”

City Champion Alan adds: “Having had a lifetime in the hotel industry I’m used to interacting with people from all walks of life. Projecting a warm welcome with a smile, listening patiently and knowing you’ve been of genuine help to someone is extremely rewarding, plus I get to use my limited knowledge of languages occasionally, which is also very satisfying”.

Recruits need to commit to a minimum of six months at a time and be available to cover a variety of shifts, including some weekends. They will need to deal confidently with people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities, and have a friendly, helpful and patient attitude.

As well as developing new skills, volunteers will receive a pass giving them free admission into some of the city’s main tourist attractions as well as invitations to tourism networking events organised by VisitBrighton.

For more information, click here:

Or, to have an informal chat, telephone VisitBrighton on 01273 292613.

 

Benefit fraud clampdown – maximum penalty to be doubled

Posted on by Besi

Plans to more than double the maximum administrative penalty that can be offered as an alternative to prosecution for benefit fraud are to be considered by Parliament today.

Mark Harper MP
Mark Harper MP

THE CHANGES, if approved by MPs, will mean penalties of up to £5,000 can be issued in addition to recovery of any money falsely claimed, plus a four-week loss of benefits.

The maximum administrative penalty at the moment stands at £2,000.

Anyone suspected of the most serious offences will continue to face prosecution but Ministers want the option of a much larger administrative penalty to give enforcement agencies greater flexibility in the way they tackle benefit fraud.

Work and Pensions Minister, Mark Harper MP, said: “The amount of money lost to benefit fraud stands at some £1.2bn – cash which otherwise could be spent on supporting those in genuine need, improving public services or reducing people’s taxes.

“There are still too many people who continue to ignore the warnings and steal from the benefits system. They deserve to pay a heavy price for doing so and that is why we are taking action. I hope this new measure attracts widespread support in the Commons.”

The proposed new arrangements will see administrative penalties set at 50 per cent of the benefit an individual has been overpaid, up to the new maximum figure. Therefore, this change will affect cases where a sum of more than £4,000 has been overpaid.

Penalties will only be levied in cases where there would be sufficient evidence to pursue a prosecution for benefit fraud – not in cases of genuine mistakes or error.

The DWP’s existing debt recovery processes will continue, meaning penalties and overpayments can be recovered from benefits, deducted from earnings or reclaimed through other means.

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