The popular Women’s Performance Area will be returning to Brighton Pride at Preston Park on August 1.
FOLLOWING feedback from the lesbian community, this popular feature of Brighton Pride is returning to provide women with a unique and welcoming space to meet up, chill out and enjoy their Pride day with an eclectic and diverse selection of women’s performance and acoustic music.
If you are a performer interested in taking part in the Women’s Performance Area at this years event, click here:
Pride Super Early Bird and Early Bird ticket prices have been frozen for the third year running.
Labour have today published plans to eradicate LGBT-phobic bullying in every classroom, playground and dinner hall throughout the country.
Tristram Hunt MP
THE plans have the backing of Stonewall and the campaigner and actor Charlie Condou as well as other leading rights campaigners.
Under the plans, announced by Tristram Hunt MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, Labour will:
* Ensure that all new teachers are trained to tackle LGBT-phobic bullying
* Provide support for those teachers already in the system to receive training to tackle LGBT-phobic bullying
* Make age-appropriate sex and relationships education compulsory in all schools
* Promote mental health services for young people living with the consequences of LGBT-phobic bullying
* Provide a national best practice ‘toolkit’ to equip schools with the resources to tackle LGBT-phobic bullying
The announcement follows the setting up by Mr Hunt of a task force to consult and make recommendations on new measures to tackle LGBT-phobic bullying in schools and beyond.
Mr Hunt made the announcement on a visit to Little Ilford School today at the beginning of LGBT History Month when he said that schools have a duty to show a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to LGBT-phobic bullying.
He said:“The presence of homophobic bullying in our classrooms, playgrounds and dinner halls is deeply troubling, and it is very real. The use of homophobic language and other forms of homophobic bullying is damaging the life chances of so many young people. It has a daily effect that limits learning, and causes people long term damage. There is no place for it in our society – and never should it be ignored in our schools. Schools have a duty to show a zero tolerance approach to the use of homophobic language and bullying.”
Mr Hunt said that it is only possible to clear the shadow of Section 28 that has been cast over our schools and education system by introducing new measures.
He continued:“The legacy of Section 28 – a most pernicious piece of legislation – casts a shadow over our education system, both for those that are new to the schools workforce and for those who worked in schools whilst it was in operation. That is why repealing Section 28 alone, is not enough. We need new training for new and long-standing teachers, and others in the school workforce. Strategies for education, dealing with both prevention and resolution. And we need to act urgently to prevent the plight of homophobic bullying that is damaging the lives and life chances of thousands of pupils.”
Charlie Condou
Charlie Condou, actor and campaigner, welcomed the announcement, saying:“As a gay man, and as a parent, the tackling of homophobic bullying is obviously something that’s extremely important to me. School is where I want my kids to feel safe, to be nurtured and cared for when I’m not there. We’ve made so many advances for LGBT people over the last few years, but I truly believe that prejudice is learned behaviour and therefore we need to address LGBT issues at an early age. The word gay is still used as an insult in playgrounds across the country and the amount of young people still taking their own lives for being seen as different is quite distressing. I’m so glad that tackling homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying will be a priority for the next Labour government, as always, leaders in the struggle for LGBT equality”
Stonewall, the equality charity that works on a cross-party basis, welcomed the announcement.
Hannah Kibirige, Senior Education Officer at Stonewall, said:“Homophobic bullying and language are endemic in Britain’s schools, with a devastating impact on young people’s health, wellbeing and attainment. Through our work with more than 12,000 schools across the country, we know that teacher training is vital to tackling the problem. We have seen progress under this and the previous Government, but more still needs to be done. We welcome this commitment and will be calling on future governments to ensure that every teacher is equipped to tackle homophobic bullying and that every young person can reach their full potential.”
The scale of homophobic bullying has been revealed in figures from Stonewall that show of the current estimated 215,000 lesbian, gay and bisexual pupils in schools:
* 52,000 will miss school in response to homophobic bullying;
* 37,000 will change their future educational plans because of homophobic bullying;
* The school work of 70,000 will suffer because of homophobic bullying.
The figures show that whilst some schools, like Little Ilford School, are tackling homophobic bullying, for thousands of other young people, the discrimination that they face is not being dealt with effectively. Little Ilford School is an Ofsted rated Outstanding School and has been designated as one of Stonewall’s School Champions.
To download a copy of Labour’s plan, Tackling Homophobia Together, click here:
Transport for London (TfL), MBNA Thames Clippers and MySingleFriend.com are joining forces to offer you the chance to take part in a unique free dating event, where you’ll see the sights of London by air and on the water – and maybe find romance!
MBNA Thames Clippers
ON Thursday February 12, singletons plus their chosen friends are invited to enjoy a moonlit boat ride courtesy of MBNA Thames Clippers before boarding London’s only cable car, the Emirates Air Line, for some speed dating with a twist.
The evening kicks off at 6.45 p.m. at the London Eye Pier. Daters will then sail down to North Greenwich, with a host and comedian on board to entertain the crowd and get everyone ready for a memorable night.
After disembarking at North Greenwich, singles and their ‘wingmen’ and ‘wingwomen’ will then take to the skies on the Emirates Air Line, mingling with other pairs on a 20 minute round trip and taking in the views of the London skyline at night. Guests can then continue getting to know each other at All Bar One in The O2, where they’ll receive discounted beverages and promotions.
Emirates Air Line
Danny Price, TfL’s Head of the Emirates Air Line said:“Romance isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when most people think of transport, yet a boat trip along the Thames and a cable car flight above it are two very romantic ways to experience inspiring views of London after dark. In fact, both have seen a couple of marriage proposals before. We hope the evening provides a dating event with a difference and that the sparkling lights of London set the mood for romance.”
A recent survey of MySingleFriend.com members highlighted that 86 per cent of singles believe it is important that their friends like the person they are dating, while 72 per cent said they would enjoy a dating event more if they attended with a friend.
Sarah Beeny
Sarah Beeny, well known TV presenter and founder of MySingleFriend.com added: “We wanted to offer a completely unique dating event which people would never forget. What could set the scene for romance more than a boat ride before taking to the skies and admiring the view below? Experiencing something completely different makes people more open to new possibilities, so it’s the perfect environment for meeting people. Plus with a wingman in tow, it makes it even more fun. Our wingmen might not have Cupid’s wings, but London’s only cable car comes a pretty close second.”
To register for this free event, and for full details, click here:
RAIL bosses have pledged to look again at compensation arrangements, following a Rail Summit held in Parliament yesterday.
Caroline Lucas speaking at Brighton Station
CAROLINE Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, joined the talks with the Rail Minister and train bosses yesterday, calling for urgent improvements to services.
Caroline called for a rail summit last month amid further fare hikes and continued disruptions for passengers across the South East.
Presently she says passengers are being routinely failed twice over – through delayed trains and pitiful, convoluted compensation systems.
At the meeting Caroline presented passengers’ concerns and pressed for service improvements and a renegotiated compensation system.
She was particulary concerned at the small sums being paid out to passengers in compensation. According to the Transport Salaried Staff Association (TSSA) report, last year operators pocketed £167m from Network Rail for delays, passing on a mere £22m to passengers.
Compensation is now payable where a train is more than 30 minutes late, but complex processes and lack of information mean just a tiny proportion of people are claiming money back.
A 2013 Passenger Focus survey found that just 12 per cent of those eligible for compensation claimed it.
Caroline also highlighted repeated delays: a train, she noted, could be routinely delayed by 25 minutes, and passengers wouldn’t see a penny. Rail companies must be made to pay out for repeated disruption, she said.
Caroline said:“It’s time rail bosses were held responsible for the services we depend on. Passengers are being routinely failed and we need urgent improvements to ensure smoother-running railways.
“The compensation systems are woefully inadequate and needlessly complex. When delays and cancellations do happen, passengers must be swiftly and fully compensated. That isn’t happening – we need to simplify the system and hold operators to account to ensure a significant proportion of those funds are passed on to passengers.”
In particular, Caroline called on rail bosses to consider greater compensation during periods of ongoing disruption, such as that being experienced as a result of developments at London Bridge, as well as much better communication to passengers about their rights to compensation.
She added:“The extension of so-called ‘enhanced compensation’ to Southern trains is welcome, but passengers should be eligible for much shorter periods of delays if they are of a repeated nature. Train operators must also be obliged to make announcements both on the train and at the station about passengers’ rights, and make it far easier to claim.”
During the meeting, attended by the Rail Minister Claire Perry, rail bosses acknowledged that passengers’ “patience was wearing thin”, and pledged to improve services by introducing a new plan, which includes recruiting more drivers, replacing older trains, upgrading infrastructure at 38 key junctions, and better communications.
Caroline said:“Yesterday Network Rail and the rail companies were asked to explain themselves – it’s crucial they’re held to account. We’ve taken a solid step forward, but we need to see much greater action taken to improve the situation, and I’ll be following it up very closely.”
On Saturday, February 7, Kreepy Kemptown Ghost Walks begins its third year of chilling the spines of tourists and residents of Kemp Town.
THE tour will be hosted by Paranormal Investigator and host of the web series DEAD but NOT FORGOTTEN, Adrian J Andrews, who will treat you to tales of personal encounters with some of Kemp Town’s past residents who never went away!
Later in the year Kreepy Kemptown goers will be regularly joined by both a genuine psychic medium, who will give walkers personal readings, and a qualified historian.
When asked if Kemp Town is truly haunted, Adrian said: “Good grief yes. Brighton is the most haunted city in the country, second only to York. Wherever you stand in this city you are never further than 100 yards from the nearest paranormal activity. Kemp Town is no exception. In fact, this area not only boasts Britain’s most notorious mass murderer, who is known to attack the living, but also what I consider the city’s most grotesque apparition.”
The tours take place every Saturday and start from the Royal Oak, 46 St. James’s Street, BN2 1RG. The box office and shop open at 7 p.m. and the walk will begin at 7.30 p.m.
Prices remain unchanged for the time being this season: adults £8, concessions £5, children £4, and a family ticket (2 Adults and 2 Children) £20.
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