Bear-Patrol raise £477.56 for the Sussex Beacon at their Santa Christmas Party at the Camelford Arms this afternoon, December 20.
Organised by Danny Dwyer on behalf of Bear-Patrol and hosted by Mysterry, a festive day was had by everyone, accompanied by an impressive Camelford Christmas Sunday lunch.
On Christmas Day a huge hamper of donated goods will be delivered to the Sussex Beacon from items donated today.
For more information about Bear Patrol, click here:
For more information about The Sussex Beacon, click here:
Aneesa Chaudhry, the musical director of the Rainbow Chorus has been appointed musical director of the new European Queer Choir.
Aneesa Chaudhry
She will lead the choir on its journey to perform at the largest LGBT Singing Festival in the World at GALA Choruses, Denver Festival 2016, in Colorado, USA next July.
At the moment she is recruiting experienced and confident singers from choirs across Europe who will all come together in London next April 22-24, to finalise their performance for Denver.
Singers will need to be able to pay their own expenses to attend the Festival, to represent Europe and in return they will experience 5 days of song with 6,000 other LGBT singers.
Aneesa is an experienced Musical Director and has been leading the Rainbow Chorus in Brighton for nearly 4 years, transforming the sound and diversity of the choir, while doubling the number of singers and audience numbers. She also works with the Martlets Hospice Good Vibrations Community Choir and with members from the Trans community and beyond on building vocal confidence.
Aneesa is an accomplished singer/performer and has performed at prestigious venues on the jazz scene, both nationally and internationally with some of the UK’s most highly regarded musicians.
Martin Brophy MBE, chairman of Fruitvox who promote LGBT singing and voice internationally, said:“Fruitvox are delighted to support the European Queer Choir, that has attracted so many high calibre applications and that Aneesa will be the Musical Director of. It’s an exciting opportunity to sing and immerse the group into the exhilarating experience of the largest LGBT Singing Festival in the World. Aneesa brings her effervescent energy, fun, joy and passion to all her work.
Aneesa Chaudhry added:“I am very excited by this opportunity and am keen to begin work with the singers, to help us all to share what is going to be a life-changing journey, I cannot wait.
“I am looking for a group of 30 experienced singers to form the European Queer Choir!
“Join us for a fun weekend in London and an absolutely fabulous week State-side in The Mile High City, Denver, a young, active city located at the base of the Colorado Rocky Mountains enjoying 300 days a year of sunshine, a thriving cultural scene and diverse neighbourhoods.”
Singers will need to commit to a weekend of intense rehearsals in London from April 22-24, 2016 and the festival in Denver from June 30 – July 8.
Denver Performing Arts Centre
180 choruses and ensembles will come together for 5 days at the quad-annual festival of song, entertainment, fun and learning. Upwards of 6000 singers will fill the Denver Performing Arts Centre. Festival registration will give you access to all of the performances as well as workshops, some social events and outreach activities.
Many of the performances will also be broadcast across the internet.
For more information and to register contact, either:
The Brighton Bear Weekend pre-Christmas Quiz at the Camelford Arms on Thursday, December 17 raised £375 for the Rainbow Fund.
Winning Team: It’s Christmas, Don’t Let The Bells End
Winners by a head were the It’s Christmas, Don’t Let The Bells End team ofNeil Barstow and Andrew Conlan who narrowly missed the £300 big cash prize, but went home with 48 chocolate bars!
Raffle prizes included A day at Brighton Race Course won by David Wilkes: Two tickets to Alice in Pantoland won by Clive Williams: £25 voucher for MoodyBear clothing won by Andrew Conlan: Dinner for two at the Camelford Arms and a BBW vest won by Damian Ratcliffe and a bear themed jockstrap won by Nick McGlynn.
The quiz was hosted by Camelford manager, Mark Flood who kept the 15 teams in order all evening.
Brighton Bear Weekend Quiz 2016: T-Shirts £12 available in all sizes
T-Shirts in a variety of sizes featuring the new 2016 Brighton Bear Weekend logo went on sale costing £12 and are now available from Prowler, 112-113 St. James Street, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 1TH or through the Brighton Bear Weekend Facebook Group.
The Rainbow Fund is a grant giving organisation who make grants to LGBT/HIV organisations in Brighton and Hove who deliver front line services to LGBT people in the city.
For more information about Brighton Bear Weekend, click here:
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Photos by David Harvie, Matt Brooks and James Ledward
Conservative Councillors introduce Know Your Neighbour Project to Patcham and Hollingbury.
Cllr Lee Wares, Cllr Carol Theobald and Cllr Geoffrey Theobald
Ward CouncillorsLee Wares andCarol and Geoffrey Theobald have introduced a project to their Ward to help residents get to know their neighbours and particularly those who could be vulnerable, isolated or might need a helping hand every now and then, but especially at Christmas.
Cllr Wares said:“We were made aware of the project run by ‘Know my Neighbour’ (hello@knowmyneighbour.org) and the Christmas Card they have produced sponsored by East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service. It is a simple concept of somebody sending one of the free Christmas cards to a neighbour telling them who they are and how to contact them”,he added“we all probably know somebody who would benefit from having a friendly neighbour nearby that they could call on when they need a little help. At winter this could be just checking in on them or picking up the shopping or medicine”. “It is up to the person receiving the card to decide if they wish to accept any help”.
Cllr Carol Theobald, who sits on the East Sussex Fire Authority said:“this is a great way to be able to try to tackle social isolation and I’m delighted with the support given by the Fire & Rescue Service”.
Cllr Geoffrey Theobald, added:“we all lead busy lives and in many instances letting our neighbours know we are there to help them isn’t through a lack of desire but sometimes knowing the best way to offer help. The Christmas cards provide a way”.
Cards have been left at Treats café in Ladies Mile Road, CJ Deli in Carden Avenue and Old Boat Corner Community Centre in Carden Hill.
Lunch Positive, the weekly HIV lunch club that provides a healthy meal, community and social space for people with HIV held its Christmas Lunch on Friday, December 18.
Ninety-eight people including members, the entire volunteer team, trustees, supporters from partner charities and friends went along to Dorset Gardens Methodist Church in the heart of the gay village.
Volunteers cooked a fantastic three course meal, and also welcomed three new members who attended for their first time.
Local businesses and members contributed towards a Christmas Raffle that raised £260, which covered the costs of the Christmas Lunch and forthcoming New Year’s Day Lunch.
A lunch club member said:“At the Lunch Positive Christmas lunch this afternoon I was reminded of how much things have changed over recent years. It’s only a few years ago that, when I was critically ill, the only substantial meals I ate were those Friday afternoon lunches. Sometimes it took an effort of will to force myself to go, because my mental health was far less stable than my physical health. The food I ate during the rest of the week was nothing in comparison to that one meal every Friday. One of the ideas of Lunch Positive is to get people to have lunch together and get to know one another. I also know that I am, nowadays, the opposite of the kind of person who wants to talk to strangers. I’ve never been made to feel like I have to ‘join in’ or anything silly like that. It’s always really friendly and welcoming. I so wish that we show everyone how amazing those lunches are, and for so many different reasons. It was a lovely afternoon.”
The British Film Institute (BFI) have revealed the favourite couples from the world of film and television, as voted for by the British public as well as thousands of people from all over the globe.
Brokeback Mountain
Gay and Trans* characters feature in both polls, with Glee’s Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Blaine (Darren Criss) being just pipped to the top spot in the TV poll, and Torchwood’s (2006-11) Jack (John Barrowman) and Ianto (Gareth David-Lloyd) coming in at number 5.
Meanwhile the heart-breaking romance between Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis (Heath Ledger) in Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning Brokeback Mountain (2005) was voted into the film top ten at number 7.
In the North East of England Boy Meets Girl (2015) topped the TV polls, starring trans* actor Rebecca Root as Judy, a trans* woman in her forties who falls in love with Leo (Henry Hepple) ten years her junior.
Favourites amongst the TV poll results are ‘will they/won’t they’ couples, with such couples from The X Files, Doctor Who, Gossip Girl and The Office all featuring in the top ten.
Whilst the TV poll is dominated by contemporary couples, the film poll results demonstrate that classic couples still resonate with audiences, with top ten appearances from Gone With the Wind, Casablanca and When Harry Met Sally.
Full national and regional poll results are shown below:
Overall Film Top 10: Overall TV Top 10:
1. DDLJ – Raj and Simran
1. Outlander – Claire and Jamie
2. Before Trilogy – Jesse and Celine
2. Glee – Kurt and Blaine
3. Gone With the Wind – Scarlett and Rhett
3. Poldark – Ross and Demelza
4. Casablanca – Rick and Ilsa
4. Gossip Girl – Chuck and Blair
5. True Romance – Clarence and Alabama
5. Torchwood – Jack and Ianto
6. The Princess Bride – Buttercup and Westley
6. The X Files – Mulder and Scully
7. Brokeback Mountain – Jack and Ennis
7. Doctor Who – The Doctor and Rose
8. Twilight – Bella and Edward
8. Pride and Prejudice – Darcy and Elizabeth
9. When Harry Met Sally… – Harry and Sally
9. Parks and Recreation – Leslie and Ben
10. Star Wars – Han and Leia
10. The Office – Tim and Dawn
UK Only Film Top 10: UK Only TV Top 10:
1. DDLJ – Raj and Simran
1. Poldark – Ross and Demelza
2. Before Trilogy – Jesse and Celine
2. Glee – Kurt and Blaine
3. Casablanca – Rick and Ilsa
3. Gossip Girl – Chuck and Blair
4. True Romance – Clarence and Alabama
4. Outlander – Claire and Jamie
5. Gone with the Wind – Scarlett and Rhett
5. Torchwood – Jack and Ianto
6. The Princess Bride – Buttercup and Westley
6. The X Files – Mulder and Scully
7. Brief Encounter – Laura and Alec
7. Pride and Prejudice – Darcy and Elizabeth
8. When Harry Met Sally… – Harry and Sally
8. Doctor Who – The Doctor and Rose
9. Brokeback Mountain – Jack and Ennis
9. Parks and Recreation – Leslie and Ben
10. Star Wars – Han and Leia
10. The Office – Tim and Dawn
East Midlands
Film Top 5: TV Top 5:
1. The Princess Bride
1. Poldark
2. DDLJ
2. Glee
3. True Romance
3. Torchwood
4. Brief Encounter
4. Outlander
5. Gone with the Wind
5. Pride and Prejudice
East of England
Film Top 5: TV Top 5:
1. DDLJ
1. Glee
2. True Romance
2. Poldark
3. Gone with the Wind
3. Outlander
4. The Princess Bride
4. The X Files
5. Star Wars
5. Gossip Girl
London
Film Top 5: TV Top 5:
1. DDLJ
1. Glee
2. Before Trilogy
2. Gossip Girl
3. True Romance
3. Pride and Prejudice
4. Gone with the Wind
4. Outlander
5. Casablanca
5. Torchwood
North East
Film Top 5:
1. Casablanca
2. The Princess Bride
3. Harry Potter
4. When Harry Met Sally…
5. Star Wars
TV Top 5: 1. Boy Meets Girl
2. Poldark
3. Doctor Who
4. Torchwood
5. Glee
North West
Film Top 5:
1. Casablanca
2. Before Trilogy
3. True Romance
4. Brokeback Mountain
5. Twilight
TV Top 5: 1. Glee
2. Outlander
3. Gossip Girl
4. Friends
5. Parks and Recreation
Northern Ireland
Film Top 5:
1. DDLJ
2. Gone with the Wind
3. True Romance
4. The Princess Bride
5. Casablanca
TV Top 5:
1. Glee
2. Poldark
3. The Simpsons
4. Parks and Recreation
5. Doctor Who
Scotland
Film Top 5: 1. DDLJ
2. Before Trilogy
3. True Romance
4. Casablanca
5. Brokeback Mountain
TV Top 5: 1. Outlander
2. Glee
3. Gossip Girl
4. Torchwood
5. Poldark
South East
Film Top 5:
1. Before Trilogy
2. Gone with the Wind
3. DDLJ
4. Casablanca
5. Brief Encounter
TV Top 5:
1. Poldark
2. Gossip Girl
3. Glee
4. The X Files
5. Torchwood
South West
Film Top 5: 1. Before Trilogy
2. Casablanca
3. True Romance
4. Brief Encounter
5. Brokeback Mountain
TV Top 5:
1. Poldark
2. Torchwood
3. Glee
4. Outlander
5. Gossip Girl
Wales
Film Top 5: 1. DDLJ
2. Before Trilogy
3. Casablanca
4. Brokeback Mountain
5. The Princess Bride
TV Top 5:
1. Glee
2. Torchwood
3. Poldark
4. Gossip Girl
5. Doctor Who
West Midlands
Film Top 5:
1. Before Trilogy
2. Casablanca
3. True Romance
4. DDLJ
5. The Princess Bride
TV Top 5:
1. Glee
2. Outlander
3. Poldark
4. Gossip Girl
5. Torchwood
Yorkshire
Film Top 5: 1. DDLJ
2. Casablanca
3. Before Trilogy
4. Twilight
5. When Harry Met Sally…
TV Top 5:
1. Poldark
2. Gossip Girl
3. Torchwood
4. Glee
5. Outlander
Outside the UK
Film Top 5: 1. DDLJ
2. Gone with the Wind
3. Before Trilogy
4. Casablanca
5. Twilight
TV Top 5:
1. Outlander
2. Glee
3. Gossip Girl
4. Poldark
5. Torchwood
Volunteers from Lunch Positive, the weekly HIV lunch club who provide a healthy meal, community and social space for people with HIV shared a Christmas meal at The A Bar on Monday, December 7 to celebrate the achievements of the Lunch Club in 2015.
Twenty-seven people enjoyed a fantastic three course meal prepared in Pete’s Kitchen. The evening was paid for by the volunteer team’s own fundraising efforts during November where they provided ‘community catering’ buffets and meals for other charity’s meetings and special events.
Service Manager, Gary Pargeter, said: “We all had a great evening and send our huge thanks to everyone at The A Bar who made it happen. Our volunteer team has worked incredibly hard this year, and has grown rapidly in maturity. Our volunteers are truly inspirational, getting involved in every aspect of the charity, supporting members and each other, and contributing to plans for the future. This year, over 4,000 hours will have been given in volunteering, providing a weekly service that supports and involves growing numbers of people with HIV. Thank you to all of them, and the support of the public in helping make this happen.”
For more information about Lunch Positive, click here:
Cards have been left at Treats café in Ladies Mile Road, CJ Deli in Carden Avenue and Old Boat Corner Community Centre in Carden Hill.
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