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Conservatives call for action over second London rail mainline

Cllr. Geoffrey Theobald, the Leader of the Conservative Group on Brighton & Hove City Council, calls for a second Brighton to London rail mainline – BML2 – to be made the centrepiece of the Greater Brighton devolution bid to Government.

Cllr Geoffrey Theobald
Cllr Geoffrey Theobald

The Greater Brighton Economic Board, of which Cllr. Theobald is a member, comprises the Leaders and Chief Executives of Brighton & Hove City Council, Lewes District Council, Mid Sussex District Council and Adur & Worthing Councils.

The Board has recently submitted a bid to Government for more powers to be devolved to the local area, including over transport investment, and Cllr. Theobald believes strong emphasis should be placed on BML2 in the negotiation process.

He said: “All the areas such as Manchester and Birmingham which have been successful in their negotiations with Government for greater powers have had a bold and ambitious vision for their areas. By putting the very obvious case for a second direct rail line from Brighton to London at the forefront of our bid, I firmly believe that we can join these municipal powerhouses. The Government is clearly very keen on investing in new rail infrastructure through projects such as HS2, Crossrail 1 & 2 and HS3 so I do believe that we would be knocking on an open door, or at the very least, one that has not been bolted shut. BML2 would bring about enormous economic benefits to both Greater Brighton and Greater London and would at the same time ease congestion and give passengers a direct and reliable alternative when things go wrong on the current Brighton to London line.”

New arts festival to showcase ‘Hove Grown’ talent

ZLS and Sweet Venues are organising a new performing arts festival for writers and performers in the city of Brighton & Hove.

Home Grown(Brighton &) Hove Grown will showcase local talent, with performers and writers from the area now being encouraged to register and declare their interest in taking part.

The festival, billed as a multi-arts celebration of the creative community, will cover theatre, comedy, improv, spoken word, cabaret as well as family-friendly shows.

Three venues have been confirmed so far for the event, which will take place between Friday 18th and Sunday 27th March. The Dukebox Theatre, the Brunswick pub and Artista Studio.

The festival is a joint venture between Sweet Venues, and social enterprise theatre company ZLS Theatre. The festival aims to showcase the work of local writers and performers while also increasing the awareness of venues in the Western Road area of Brighton & Hove.

(Brighton &) Hove Grown also aims to encourage the to take a look at local talent, ahead of the annual Brighton Fringe Festival.

Guy Wah, Artistic Director and founder of ZLS Theatre, said: “Brighton & Hove has a wealth of creative talent, and now we have an outlet designed to celebrate that. This is a great opportunity to see new work in some wonderful venues that don’t always receive the attention that they deserve.”

Sweet Venues manage the Dukebox Theatre in Brighton, which won best venue at the Brighton Fringe Festival in 2013.

JD Henshaw, Artistic Director of Sweet Venues, added: “That we can build a festival that focuses solely on new work across multiple genres is a testament to the quantity of highly creative people living and working in our city, as well as the large number of exciting and supportive venues in and around the Western Road area of Hove.  We are committed to presenting this festival for the next three years and believe that it will become a fixture in the Brighton & Hove festival calendar, one that we can carry on far beyond our initial three year plan.”

Registration opens this weekend.

Performers and writers wanting to register, click here:

 

Civil Partnerships: 10 Years On

University researchers ask for experiences of same-sex couples, 10 years after the Civil Partnership Act was first introduced.

Civil Partnership

Researchers from Coventry University and the University of Worcester are asking same-sex couples from across the UK to tell them about their views and experiences 10 years on from the introduction of the Civil Partnerships Act 2004.

The act – introduced on December 5, 2005 – created the new legally recognised relationship of civil partner for the first time in the UK, giving same-sex couples access to rights and responsibilities previously reserved for those who are married.

Eight years later, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 was introduced alongside the Civil Partnerships Act, effectively giving same-sex couples in England, Wales and Scotland two different ways for their relationship to be recognised in the eyes of the law.

Researchers from both universities are looking for couples who are currently – or have previously been – in a civil partnership or same-sex marriage to take part in their online survey to find out what these different options mean to them.

Since the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act came into force, the number of people in England and Wales registering civil partnerships has fallen by 70% according to the Office for National Statistics,  and many same-sex couples in England and Wales are now converting their civil partnerships to marriages.

Meanwhile, civil partnerships remain the only option for same-sex couples in Northern Ireland, which has yet to legislate to allow same-sex marriage. There are also calls – in the form of the Equal Civil Partnerships campaign – for civil partnerships to be opened up to opposite-sex couples.

Dr Adam Jowett
Dr Adam Jowett

Dr Adam Jowett, lecturer in social psychology in the University’s Centre for Research in Psychology, Behaviour and Achievement, said: “We have a situation where there are two parallel forms of legal recognition for same-sex couples to choose from, and we don’t know how couples view these two institutions. We want to know why people are choosing one over the other, and why people are choosing to convert their civil partnership to a marriage – or, indeed, why they have chosen not to.

“Back when civil partnerships were introduced, we conducted a study similar to this one. Many of the people we spoke to were treating their civil partnership as a marriage, and used the language of ‘marriage’ – although some people did not want to model their civil partnership on heterosexual marriage. This new study is seeking to find out how the landscape has changed, what these two forms of legal recognition mean to same-sex couples, and how it has affected their relationships and family lives.”

To take part in the survey, click here:

 

PREVIEW: The Frocktail Hour

Marilyn Monroe is hosting a cocktail party and has invited some very special legendary Divas along, but each Diva can only stay for one song…

The Frocktail Hour

An intimate theatrical experience by the celebrated cabaret performers Laurie Lamour and Laura Nixon, who pay homage to some of the worlds greatest glamorous ladies.

Laura Nixon is one of the UK’s number one Marilyn Monroe impersonators, her shows have taken her all over the world. Lauras shows include Three Gone Blonde and Alive And Swinging and her other impersonations include Amy Winehouse, Doris Day and Carmen Miranda.

Laurie Lamour has been treading the boards in heels for many years performing in most UK cabaret venues plus highly successful overseas headlining contracts. Laurie is best known as being a fantastic vocalist, Diva impersonator and glamourous attired witty entertainer.


Event: The Frocktail Hour starring Laurie Lamour and Laura Nixon

Where: The Tristan Bates Theatre, 1a Tower Street, London WC2H 9NP

When: Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Time: 9pm

Tickets: £10/£8 concessions

To book online, click here:

Or telephone the Box Office: 0203 841 6611

Ending gender discriminatory nationality laws

To mark Human Rights Day on Thursday, December 10, the Equal Rights Trust will launch, My Children’s Future, a film calling on governments to end laws which deny women the ability to pass on their nationality to their children on an equal basis with men.

Equal Rights Trust

My Children’s Future follows the stories of those affected by such laws in Madagascar and Nepal, highlighting how their entire futures are in question. In one way or another their human rights have been denied; without nationality they are often left stateless and unable to access essential rights such as education, healthcare and jobs.

The film shows the benefits of reform in two countries (Indonesia and Kenya) which have recently amended their laws, through testimony from those affected as well as from those instrumental to reform.

For more information about The Equal Rights Trust, click here:

Human Rights Day

An evening of carols, mulled wine and mince pies with the Mayor tonight

The Mayor of Brighton & Hove, Cllr Lynda Hyde will be attending the Purple Playhouse in Hove this evening for An Evening of Carols, mulled wine and mince pies.

Mayor of Brighton and Hove: Cllr Lynda Hyde
Mayor of Brighton and Hove: Cllr Lynda Hyde

The evening is one of a series of events during her year in office, that will be raising money for the Mayor’s Charities which this year are The Martlets Hospice in Hove, The Argus Appeal and the Grace Eyre Foundation who help people with learning disabilities in Brighton & Hove and across Sussex gain independence, obtain housing and find employment.


Event: An Evening of Carols, Mulled Wine and Mince Pies

Where: Purple Playhouse Theatre, 36 Montefiore Road, Hove, BN3 6EP

When: Tuesday, December 8

Time: 7pm: SuperStar Arts Choir 7.30pm and Women of Note 8.30pm.

Tickets: £5

To book online, click here:

Or telephone: 01273 222018.


Event: Mince pies and mulled win with the Mayor

Where: Brighton Town Hall, Bartholomew Square, Brighton

When: Tuesday, December 22

Time: 6.00pm to 7.30pm

Tickets: £5.
Call Nicky on 01273 964200 or pay on the door.


Event: Dinner at St Nicholas

Where: St Nicholas Church,  Church Street, Brighton, E. Sussex, BN1 3LJ

When: Friday, February 5, 2016: Details to be announced


Event: Mayor’s Variety Performance 2016

Where: Brighton Centre Syndicate Wing (entrance in Russell Road), Brighton

When: Saturday, April 9, 2016 7.30pm and Sunday, April 10, 2016 3.00pm

Tickets: Tickets £10/£8 concessions

Tickets and further details from Jo Jameson 07815 443174 / email:  jojameson@hotmail.co.uk


Event: Mayor’s Dinner

Where: Royal Pavilion, Brighton

When: Friday, April 15: Details to be announced

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