20/02/2015 – Scene Magazine – From the heart of LGBTQ+ Life

Women’s Performance Area at Brighton Pride to be named after community activist, Sheila McWattie

Posted on 20/02/201521/02/2015 by Besi

The popular Women’s Performance Area will be returning to Brighton Pride at Preston Park on August 1 and will be named after community activist Sheila McWattie who suddenly passed away last week.

SHEILA, a journalist and proud supporter of the Brighton Women ‘s Centre helped organise the Women’s Performance Tent at Brighton Pride for many years. It is fitting the new Women’s Performance Area this year is being named after Sheila, to acknowledge the fight she had over the years, along with other women activists, to ensure that women performers had a space to showcase their talents at Preston Park each year at Brighton Pride.

Musician, Nicky Mitchell who worked on many Pride events with Sheila, said: “Sheila was a fearless, community champion. She believed that women deserved a space to perform at pride. She then set about making sure they got it and brought high standards to the event. These high standards, which she relentlessly administered year on year, ever improving, benefitted and blessed so many women performers, volunteers and members of the community. It’s fantastic that Pride are bringing back the women’s area. It is a lovely and fitting tribute that the space will be named in her honour. Sheila McWattie. Thank you.”

Following feedback from the lesbian community, this popular feature of Brighton Pride returns 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 acoustic women’s performances.

If you are a performer interested in taking part in the Women’s Performance Area at this years event, click here:

RadioReverb to curate ‘Alternative Stage’ at 25th Anniversary of Pride Festival

Posted on 20/02/201520/02/2015 by Besi

RadioReverb will be co-ordinating the Alternative Stage at Brighton Pride 2015 for the festival’s 25th Anniversary in August.

RadioReverb is Brighton’s independent local radio station, run and led entirely by local volunteers, and supporting LGBT causes and Brighton Pride all year round.

The RadioReverb Alternative Performance Stage will be an integral part of Brighton Pride’s diverse and spectacular celebrations in Preston Park and will see a variety of acts perform alongside regular RadioReverb shows including Frock-A-billy, the UK’s only female fronted rockabilly show.

DJ’s and presenters from the station will be playing in between the acts presenting an exciting blend of RadioReverb, live music and entertainment.

Melita Dennet, chair of RadioReverb, said: “We’re very excited to be asked to do this and take part in one of the biggest social events of the city’s calendar. Pride is a really important day and not only is it a lot of fun but it acknowledges the contribution that LGBT make to community, social, economic and artistic life in Brighton and Hove.”

RadioReverb promotes Brighton and Hove’s LGBT community with shows like Out in Brighton, the only LGBT radio show in the city and Time for T, which is the UK’s only transgender show on FM radio. RadioReverb also champions local musicians and they are delighted to have the opportunity to host the Alternative Stage, giving a platform to LGBT performers with an exciting roster of performers from acoustic folk to full on punk rock.

Melita added: “We’re delighted to be invited to host for such a worthy cause, it’s a great privilege to be asked. We focus on a number of local LGBT charities throughout the year including Sussex Beacon, Bear Patrol and Mind Out so it is great to get a chance to support the causes and events which mean so much to us at RadioReverb at such a high profile event.”

Event: Brighton and Hove Pride

Where: Preston Park, Brighton

When: Saturday August 1, 2015

Time: noon – 10pm

Cost: Super early Bird and Early Bird tickets have Sold Out. £16.00 first release now available, then £18.50/ £21.00.

To book tickets online, click here:

New dating and social media site for positive people

Posted on 20/02/2015 by Besi

ARGO, a new dating and social media platform for the HIV community offers online chat and instant match making, along with other features such as video and photo sharing.

ARGO aims to be a one stop shop, a safe place for men, women and trans+ people living with HIV to make new friends and find dates.

ARGO was born out of frustration by it’s founders Leaf Scott and Deano Cline who found many sites for HIV seemed to be geared towards casual meet ups, or were very expensive to join. Realising they couldn’t be the only people wanting a real date that didn’t break the bank account, ARGO was born.

Following a years worth of research into finding how best to cater to the needs of its targeted audience, Leaf and Deano decided to offer a matchmaking experience that was also accompanied by a social media platform.

By doing this ARGO is uniquely able to offer a safe haven online in a secure environment. The userface is designed using familiar facets from other social media platforms, along with some other cool features, such as a drag and drop technique for uploading photos directly from your computers hard drive.

ARGOS’ main features include:

• Instant matchmaking with a percentage scoring system added to thumbnail searches.

• Social media news feed with comments and liking ability

• Blogging

• Video and photo sharing

• Forums

• Gaming (Premium members only)

Deano said: “What often happens to people from some communities around the globe and here in the UK is that when they find out they have HIV they can not tell their church or mosque, or their families or peers for fear of being disowned or shunned.

“This leaves many people both gay, straight and trans feeling ostracised from society. ARGO aims to give these people a safe place to talk freely without the fear of judgement and gain a new social circle in which to feel empowered to live life.

“The best quote we have had from a customer already is that “just by signing up to the site you don’t have to worry about what people are going to say about you having HIV, which means one obstacle is removed just by simply becoming a member, which makes for an immediate relaxed experience when on the site.”

ARGO has kept their prices deliberately low so that people living in poorer areas of the globe, who often have social stigmas attached to their health status, can not only date, but make friends and feel empowered to live life not feeling isolated.

Once members have paid their joining fee, there are no other hidden costs within the site as Leaf and Deano don’t believe members should have to pay extra to talk to friends and potential dates.

The ARGO team are also in development with internet developers Webace creating iOS and Android apps, video chat and multi-language capabilities, which not only enhance the user experience, but broaden the spectrum of its reach globally.

ARGO is a paid subscription service costing just £3.00 (GBP) per month, or a reduced rate if you purchase a year’s membership for £30.00 (GBP), which unlocks extra benefits for the member.

To view the ARGO website, click here:

Labour’s Nancy Platts visits service supporting people with dementia in Brighton

Posted on 20/02/201521/02/2015 by Besi

Nancy Platts, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven attended an Alzheimer’s Society, Singing for the Brain® session in Brighton on February 20, to support people with dementia.

Singing for the Brain® is a programme developed by Alzheimer’s Society for people with memory problems. Sessions promote communication through singing which can help with articulation, concentration, focus and motivation.

Specially trained facilitators deliver a varied programme of vocal, rhythmic and gentle physical exercise and dance, along with songs from different eras and styles.

The group who meet weekly in Brighton Museum welcomed Nancy, who said: “With a growing number of people living with dementia, it’s more important than ever we all have a better understanding of the condition and that people know about the help and support that is available from organisations such as Alzheimer’s Society.”

There are over 3,010 people living with dementia in Brighton and Hove.

Elisa Vaughan, Operations Manager for Alzheimer’s Society in Sussex, said: “Even when many memories are hard to retrieve, music can sometimes still be recalled – if only for a short while. The sessions help people with dementia communicate improving their mood and leaving them feeling good about themselves.”

As well as Singing for the Brain®, Alzheimer’s Society in Brighton and Hove has a number of other services to support people with dementia.

For more information, click here:

Or telephone: 01273 726266

Or email:

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Day: February 20, 2015

Women’s Performance Area at Brighton Pride to be named after community activist, Sheila McWattie

The popular Women’s Performance Area will be returning to Brighton Pride at Preston Park on August 1 and will be named after community activist Sheila McWattie who suddenly passed away last week.

RadioReverb to curate ‘Alternative Stage’ at 25th Anniversary of Pride Festival

RadioReverb will be co-ordinating the Alternative Stage at Brighton Pride 2015 for the festival’s 25th Anniversary in August.

New dating and social media site for positive people

ARGO, a new dating and social media platform for the HIV community offers online chat and instant match making, along with other features such as video and photo sharing.

Labour’s Nancy Platts visits service supporting people with dementia in Brighton

Nancy Platts, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven attended an Alzheimer’s Society, Singing for the Brain® session in Brighton on February 20, to support people with dementia.

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The popular Women’s Performance Area will be returning to Brighton Pride at Preston Park on August 1 and will be named after community activist Sheila McWattie who suddenly passed away last week.

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RadioReverb will be co-ordinating the Alternative Stage at Brighton Pride 2015 for the festival’s 25th Anniversary in August.

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ARGO, a new dating and social media platform for the HIV community offers online chat and instant match making, along with other features such as video and photo sharing.

Share this:

Nancy Platts, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven attended an Alzheimer’s Society, Singing for the Brain® session in Brighton on February 20, to support people with dementia.

Share this:

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