15/02/2015 – Scene Magazine – From the heart of LGBTQ+ Life

Increase in cases of scarlet fever continues

Posted on 15/02/201516/02/2015 by Besi

Public Health England’s latest report shows a high number of scarlet fever notifications across England, with a total of 1265 new cases reported in the first 6 weeks of 2015.

STEEP INCREASES in scarlet fever activity are being seen across the country, with over 300 cases reported last week (2 – 9 February).

Increases in scarlet fever are normal at this time of year as we approach high season between March and April.

However, the numbers of cases currently being reported are above what is typical for this time of the year. Whilst this might reflect heightened awareness and improved diagnosis and/or notification practices, the high number of cases currently being notified are of concern.

Last year in England, over 14,000 cases of scarlet fever were notified, the highest total since the late 1960s.

Dr Theresa Lamagni, head of streptococcal infection surveillance for Public Health England (PHE), said: “As we enter into high season for scarlet fever, we ask GPs and other front-line medical staff to be mindful of the current high levels of scarlet fever activity when assessing patients. Prompt notification of cases to local health protection teams is critical to enable local monitoring and rapid response to outbreaks. Schools and nurseries should similarly be mindful of the current elevated levels of scarlet fever and promptly inform local health protection teams at an early stage if they become aware of cases, especially if more than one child is affected.

“The first symptoms of scarlet fever include a sore throat and fever which may be accompanied by a headache, nausea and vomiting. Between 12 to 48 hours after this, a characteristic fine, sandpapery rash develops, often appearing first on the chest or stomach. Cases are more common in children although adults of all ages can also develop scarlet fever. Individuals who think they or their child may have scarlet fever should consult their GP. Symptoms usually clear up after a week and in the majority of cases remain reasonably mild, providing a course of antibiotics is completed to reduce the risk of complications. As scarlet fever is highly contagious, children or adults diagnosed with scarlet fever are advised to stay at home until at least 24 hours after the start of antibiotic treatment to avoid passing on the infection. For families and friends caring for someone with scarlet fever, the risk of spread can be reduced through frequent hand washing and ensuring clothes, bedding, towels and cutlery are not shared between members of the household.

“PHE local health protection teams are on hand to provide authoritative advice and rapid response where outbreaks are detected. We will continue to closely monitor these increases both nationally and locally and work with healthcare professionals and schools to raise awareness and halt the spread of infection.”

PREVIEW: Carrie: The Musical

Posted on 15/02/201517/02/2015 by Besi

Carrie: The Musical will receive its long-awaited London Premiere in The Large at Southwark Playhouse from Friday, May 1 to Saturday May 30.

TWENTY-seven years after first wreaking havoc, the world’s most talked about Broadway musical is coming to London.

Academy Award winning Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore (Fame) and original screenplay writer Lawrence D. Cohen have transformed Stephen King’s unlikely Cinderella story into an infectiously modern musical that has gripped audiences from Australia to America with its timeless story and thrilling score.

A taunted and terrified seventeen-year-old misfit, Carrie White has a burning secret… a secret that will eventually ignite her revenge. Make your date for the Senior Prom to see who will be crowned Queen, and who will have blood on their hands. After one night with Carrie you will always remember her name.

Based on Stephen King’s bestselling novel, the musical of Carrie hasn’t been seen since the legendary original production.

Produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company, it first premiered in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1988 before transferring straight to Broadway, but never made it to London.

In 2012, its score and book were revised by original composer Michael Gore, lyricist Dean Pitchford and librettist Lawrence D. Cohen and this newly reworked and fully re-imagined vision for Carrie will now be presented for the first time on the London stage.

The revised 2012 production at the MMC Theater in New York won Best Musical Revival by the Off-Broadway Alliance, and had its premiere cast recording released on Ghostlight/Sh-K-Boom Records, which debuted as the No. 1 selling album of the week on Billboard’s Top Broadway chart in its first week of release.

Carrie: The Musical will be directed by Gary Lloyd, director and choreographer of global hit show Thriller Live!. Gary is renowned for his crossover from music to theatre, working as Creative Director on shows including American Idol and The X Factor. Other theatre credits include 20th Century Boy at Coventry Belgrade Theatre and the UK tour of Aspects Of Love.

Carrie: The Musical is presented by Paul Taylor-Mills Ltd, who return to Southwark Playhouse following their acclaimed productions of In The Heights and Bat Boy: The Musical.

Event: Carrie the Musical

Where: Southwark Playhouse, The Large, 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD

When: Friday May 1 – Saturday May 30, 2015

Times: Monday – Saturday 7.30 p.m., Thursday 2.30 p.m. (except 7 May), Saturdays 3.00 p.m.

Cost: Tickets £18-22 (£12 previews)

To book online, click here:

Or telephone: 020 7407 0234

Get fit, lose weight and raise money for the Martlets Hospice

Posted on 15/02/201516/02/2015 by Besi

The Martlets Hospice is hosting the South Coast’s only UV Zumba Dance Party on Friday, March 6, at The Old Market, Hove.

ZUMBA GLOW is a three-hour glow-in-the-dark dance marathon led by professional Zumba instructors and will be a high-energy, challenging but fun, sponsored event to raise money for patient care at the Martlets Hospice.

Clem Hunnisett, Martlets Community Events Fundraiser, said: “Everyone is welcome to take part in our high-energy event; you don’t need to have any previous dance or Zumba experience – the only thing you need to do is keep moving!”

The fluorescent lighting will give the event a club-like feel and participants are encouraged to wear UV clothing and accessories. Percussionists will bring live energy to the night and add to the party atmosphere.

The dance challenge will start at 7.30 p.m. and end at 11 p.m. and participants will be encouraged to take regular breaks.

Sherryn Watkin, Licenced Zumba Fitness Instructor, said: “I’m so excited to be hosting another Zumba Glow event for the Martlets after the success of our first one, which raised £27,000! We hope this one will be bigger, better and raise even more money for an amazing charity that works so hard to provide care to local patients and families.”

Advance registration is just £15. The Martlets is asking everyone taking part to raise as much money as possible to fund the Hospice’s local services.

The Martlets Hospice cares for people affected by terminal illness living in and around Brighton and Hove. Services are provided free of charge but, as less than a third of its funding comes from the NHS, it relies on the support of everybody in the community to help with fundraising.

To sign up, or for further information, please visit www.themartlets.org.uk/zumba or call Clem Hunnisett on 01273 718780

Event: Zumba Glow fundraiser for the Martlets Hospice

Where: Old Market, 11A Upper Market Street, Brighton, East Sussex BN3 1AS

When: Friday, March 6

Time: 7.30 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Cost: Advance registration £15

To book online, click here:

Or telephone: Clem Hunnisett on 01273 718780

The role of prejudice and shame in LGBTQ youth suicide – national survey launched

Posted on 15/02/201517/02/2015 by Besi

New research shows that many LGBTQ young people who self-harm or consider suicide are in difficult circumstances because of hostility to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

QUEER FUTURES research, led by Dr Elizabeth McDermott at Lancaster University and funded by the Department of Health, has launched a new online survey.

LGBTQ young people are four to seven times more likely to self-harm or feel suicidal compared to their heterosexual or non-trans peers.

The study is asking LGBTQ young people between the ages of 16 and 25 years old what causes suicidal feelings and self-harm, and how support can be provided to prevent mental distress.

Dr McDermott found in the first stage of the study that many LGBTQ young people who are self-harming or thinking about suicide experience complex and distressing circumstances.

She said: “Some of these include homophobia, biphobia or transphobia and being made to feel ashamed of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This can cause them to feel as if they cannot tell anyone about what they’re feeling. Other factors like family arguments, illness, grief and friendship or relationship problems also contributed to participants’ distress.”

The first stage of the research also demonstrated that young people found it difficult to tell people about their emotional problems.

She continued: “Many of our participants explained that they didn’t want to disappoint people, they felt ashamed or like a failure, or they didn’t think anyone would care. This has important implications for understanding why young people do not ask for help when they’re experiencing emotional distress”.

Dr Victoria Rawlings, a senior researcher for the study, described the response to the first stage of research, saying: “We had an incredible reaction, with enquiries from young people all over the country offering to take part in an interview. What they told us about their experiences was brave, honest and insightful.”

Using the data from these interviews, the second stage of the research – a national online survey – will test some of their initial findings amongst a larger population of LGBTQ young people.

Dr Rawlings says the next phase is critical for finding more evidence about the experiences of LGBTQ young people.

She said: “We hope that as many LGBTQ youth will take part as possible. Having a large number of LGBTQ youth tell us about their experiences means that we can be more confident that the findings we produce can be used to improve LGBTQ young people’s lives.”

To complete the survey, click here:

Can you remember the Lavender Line?

Posted on 15/02/201517/02/2015 by Besi

Grant Gulczynski, a young British filmmaker, is intending to make a film about The Lavender Line, Brighton’s original LGBT Switchboard and helpline and needs your help.

GRANT currently splits his time between London and Sarajevo while he completes his PhD in Film Directing.

During a recent visit to Brighton he stumbled upon the small LGBT section in the Brighton Museum. When he returned home he continued researching the history of LGBT Brighton and discovered the existence of the Lavender Line, which eventually became the Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard.

Grant says: “I am fascinated about the beginnings of the Lavender Line in a local cafe in 1975 and the rich stories those close to it could tell about what it was like to be queer during those transgressive stages for the community.”

Inspired by the possibilities of these real life accounts, Grant is planning to make an abstract documentary film essay about this.

In order to get the ball rolling he needs to make contacts locally and find people from that generation who had some connection to the Lavender Line, as either volunteers or callers, and who are willing to speak to him.

Grant continued: “I am fully aware that this may be a sensitive subject and memory for some people so I would like to make clear my intentions straight away. I will be using the stories and memories I am told as the research to inspire the stories told in the film, not directly retelling. Therefore, no names or identifying details will be used, giving those who are interested in helping as much confidentiality as they desire.”

In brief, Grant is looking for members of the LGBT community who had a relationship with the Lavender Line/LGBT Switchboard during the twenty-year period from 1975 to 1995 and are willing to tell their memories of that time.

Grant concluded: “This film is important to me as a filmmaker and a gay man, due to the belief that the personal history of the LGBT community should be documented for future generations to learn.”

To contact Grant, email:

Call us now

Day: February 15, 2015

Increase in cases of scarlet fever continues

Public Health England’s latest report shows a high number of scarlet fever notifications across England, with a total of 1265 new cases reported in the first 6 weeks of 2015.

PREVIEW: Carrie: The Musical

Carrie: The Musical will receive its long-awaited London Premiere in The Large at Southwark Playhouse from Friday, May 1 to Saturday May 30.

Get fit, lose weight and raise money for the Martlets Hospice

The Martlets Hospice is hosting the South Coast’s only UV Zumba Dance Party on Friday, March 6, at The Old Market, Hove.

The role of prejudice and shame in LGBTQ youth suicide – national survey launched

New research shows that many LGBTQ young people who self-harm or consider suicide are in difficult circumstances because of hostility to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Can you remember the Lavender Line?

Grant Gulczynski, a young British filmmaker, is intending to make a film about The Lavender Line, Brighton’s original LGBT Switchboard and helpline and needs your help.

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Call us now

Public Health England’s latest report shows a high number of scarlet fever notifications across England, with a total of 1265 new cases reported in the first 6 weeks of 2015.

Share this:

Carrie: The Musical will receive its long-awaited London Premiere in The Large at Southwark Playhouse from Friday, May 1 to Saturday May 30.

Share this:

The Martlets Hospice is hosting the South Coast’s only UV Zumba Dance Party on Friday, March 6, at The Old Market, Hove.

Share this:

New research shows that many LGBTQ young people who self-harm or consider suicide are in difficult circumstances because of hostility to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Share this:

Grant Gulczynski, a young British filmmaker, is intending to make a film about The Lavender Line, Brighton’s original LGBT Switchboard and helpline and needs your help.

Share this:

Latest News