07/10/2016 – Scene Magazine – From the heart of LGBTQ+ Life

Make your voice heard on parks and open spaces

Posted on 07/10/201608/10/2016 by Gary Hart

There is still time to join the conversation about the future of Brighton & Hove’s parks and open spaces.

The councils consultation will end on Friday, October 28 so there is still time to have your say.

As budgets decline, the council has to make some big decisions about how the city’s parks and open spaces will be protected and maintained into the future.

To get the city talking, this summer the council launched The Big Parks and Open Spaces Conversation – a consultation which invites residents, visitors and all park users to have their say and consider how parks could evolve into the future.

Brighton and Hove has 147 parks, including heritage parks, playing fields, green verges and a section of the South Downs National Park.

To take part in the consultation, click here: where you can also view a film about the Big Conversation on parks and open spaces.

Most of the city’s green public spaces are currently managed and maintained by the council’s Cityparks staff, supported by volunteers and Friends Groups, who together have been helping to spread the word about the consultation.

Look out for the parks team this month: they will be in the following areas where responses have been lower, distributing flyers:

♦ Whitehawk Library Wednesday, October 12, 10am–1pm

♦ Rottingdean Tuesday, October 18, 10-1pm

♦ Woodingdean Tuesday, October 18, 2-5 pm

Councillor Gill Mitchell, chair of the environment, transport and sustainability committee, said: “There’s been a fantastic response already and we really appreciate how the Friends groups have been encouraging residents, businesses and visitors to take part.

“This consultation is a way of involving everyone in a really important discussion on how we create new models for the future management of our precious parks and open spaces.”

All responses will be used to help draw up an Open Spaces Strategy which will be considered by councillors in January.

Surrey Police appeal for witnesses

Posted on 07/10/2016 by Gary Hart

Were you walking your dog in Whytleafe recreation ground, Warlingham, Surrey on October 5?

Surrey Police continue to investigate following reports of a suspicious incident near Warlingham School and are keen to speak to a couple who were walking their dog and may have seen part of the incident.

A young school girl was outside the school in Tithepit Shaw Lane, just before 4pm when a man walked past her and asked for her name. It is also alleged that he was brandishing a knife.

She ran off and the man also left the scene. A search of the area was carried out but the man was not located.

The man is described as black, in his late 20s-early 30s, 6ft tall, of medium build, with very short hair, and was wearing jeans and a dark blue hooded top. He was carrying a dark green bag.

DC Paul Fitzpatrick said: “We are carrying out a full investigation to find the person responsible and as part of our enquiries we are keen to speak to a couple who were walking their dog through Whytleafe recreation ground between 3.15pm and 3.46pm. The couple either had a black and grey dog with white patches or a white dog with black and grey patches. They may have seen some of the incident and we’d really like to speak to them.”

If you were the dog walkers or have any information about this incident contact Surrey Police on 101, quoting incident reference 45160087869.

To use the online reporting system, click here: and enter the reference number in the ‘Additional information’ section.

If you do not want to leave your name contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

PREVIEW: The Haven Anniversary Concert

Posted on 07/10/201607/10/2016 by Besi

The West End comes to Henfield in November as professional singers supported by members of the Henfield Theatre Company, perform a unique, one-off concert at Henfield Hall, to celebrate the first anniversary of the Henfield Haven.

The concert will feature favourite songs from Sullivan to Sondheim, including songs from musicals, opera, operetta and some great classics.

Henfield-born and Brighton based producer Tim Anscombe will be producing the show. Tim trained as a classical tenor before starting his own successful production company based in Brighton. His many production credits include Privates on Parade at the Brighton Theatre Royal. and the legendary double act Hinge and Bracket.

Tim will be supported by another heavy-weight from the music business, Robert Orledge who will be musical director. Robert studied music at Cambridge, where he was Musical Director of the Footlights Review, working with Clive James, Julie Covington, Russell Davies and other luminaries. As well as directing, he is a prolific composer having written scores for an opera and a ballet plus songs for two new musicals that have been performed to critical acclaim.

Tim and Robert will be joined by professional performers from the West End and the Royal Opera House as well as local voices and the Henfield Theatre Company (HTC), including:

♦ Sylvia Clarke, the Australian contralto and international performer
♦ Jonathan Fisher, currently in his 25th Anniversary Year at the Royal Opera House
♦ Jan Spooner, local Worthing vocal coach and soprano
♦ Dylan Lindo, a talented young tenor currently at Glyndebourne
♦ Sue Burchett, a Henfield girl well known to the village

HTC’s Jane Haines will act as musical coordinator alongside Robert.

All professionals involved have kindly donated their time, free of charge, so that funds raised can go directly to support the Henfield Haven. The concert is being sponsored by Coles Automotive.

Event: From Sullivan to Sondheim

Where: The Henfield Hall, Coopers Way, Henfield, West Sussex, BN5 9DB

When: Sunday, November 27

Time: 3pm

Cost: Tickets £12 will be on sale from Monday 10th October at The Henfield Haven, Full of Beans Coffee Shop and Stokes of Henfield.

LGBT International Powerlifting Championships come to London in 2017

Posted on 07/10/2016 by Besi

The First Ever LGBT International Powerlifting Championships will be staged in London in July 2017 .

In July 2017, the strongest LGBT people from around the world will come together for the first ever LGBT International Powerlifting Championships. Organisers are expecting up to 60 participants from across the globe including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States of America and Slovenia. Athletes competing will include first time novice lifters through to World Champions and World record holders.

The Championships are the idea of Gay Games Powerlifters Chris Morgan and Dominic Patmore in response to Powerlifting not being included in Gay Games Paris 2018. Powerlifting had been part of Gay Games since it was first held in San Francisco in 1982. The new championships aim to bring LGBT lifters together from across the world to compete, socialise and discuss the future of LGBT Powerlifting.

Co-Promoter Chris Morgan, an eight time world champion in the sport, said: “It is very important that LGBT Powerlifters are given the same opportunities as I’ve enjoyed over the last 18 years in the sport. LGBT lifters are very much a minority in the sport of Powerlifting and it is important that we are able to come together as a group to compete at least once a year. We have never had our own annual international championships, so to bring everyone together in London 2017 will be a very special occasion”.

Co-promoter Dominic Patmore a Gay Games Gold Medallist from Cologne 2010, added: “London is the perfect location for the world’s first LGBT International Powerlifting Championships, with its diverse communities and wealth of visitor attractions. In 2017 the Powerlifting Championships will be happening on the weekend in between the World Para-athletics Championships and the World Athletics Championships , so participants will be visiting a city alive with sporting energy”.

Participants of all abilities are welcome, regardless of age, sexuality, ability, gender and health status as there are no minimum qualifying standards for the LGBT International Powerlifting Championships.

The weekend will consist of a free coaching clinic, powerlifting competition, athletes banquet, congress and closing party sponsored by Eagle Bar and The World Famous Horse Meat Disco, with participants encouraged to come together and meet both new and old friends from within the sport.

The competition itself will take part on Saturday, July 29 at Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club, which was established in 1926 and is well-known for its strong commitment to diversity within the communities it serves.

Events being offered are Full Powerlifting (Equipped & Unequipped), Single Lift Squat (Equipped & Unequipped), Single Lift Bench (Equipped & Unequipped) and Single Lift Deadlift (Equipped & Unequipped).

The host hotel for the event is the Holiday Inn Express, (London City) that is within walking distance of the competition venue and is close to the restaurants and amenities offered by the trendy Shoreditch and Spitalfields Market areas of London.

Holiday Inn Express will be offering a special discounted room rate, for all people associated with the LGBT IPC championships, staying between Thursday, July 27 and Tuesday, August 1.

For more information and to register, click here:

The LGBT IPC weekend will take place the weekend before the UK’s biggest pride festival in Brighton. International guests will be able to visit Brighton, which is on the South Coast and just one hour from London by train, giving an ideal opportunity for them to extend their stay and make a vacation of their trip to the UK.

For more details about the LGBT International Powerlifting Championships on Facebook, click here:

Cardiff University supports Iris LGBT Film Prize

Posted on 07/10/2016 by Gary Hart

University sponsors Youth Jury Award for Best Short film at major film festival.

Cardiff University is supporting one of the world’s leading film festivals for LGBT filmmaking which showcases original short films from around the globe.

Now in its tenth year, the Iris Prize Festival is the home of LGBT filmmaking and has been identified as one of the top 50 film festivals in the world.

This year, the University is the sponsor of the Youth Jury Award for Best Short film, which will be judged by school pupils from across Wales.

Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Cardiff University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor said: “Supporting our LGBT+ staff and students and providing an inclusive and welcoming environment is of vital importance to Cardiff University. We’re delighted to be sponsoring the Youth Jury Award for Best Short and working with Iris to help bring a wider audience to the festival.”

Alongside the festival, the University’s relationship with Iris has helped create new opportunities for students to experience working in the creative and cultural industries. For the first time this year two of the University’s students had the opportunity to undertake internships in the festival office.

An event for students who identify as LGBT+ to talk to an experienced panel about their careers was also held, in association with the Iris Prize Festival.

Jane Goodfellow, Head of Careers and Employability at Cardiff University, said: “We strive to continue to improve the experience of our LGBT+ students, and our panel event was the first of its kind held by the University. It gave our LGBT+ students the chance to hear from an inspirational employer panel who each gave personal and unique accounts of their experiences in the workplace.”

Cardiff University is committed to supporting, developing and promoting equality and diversity in all its practices and activities. Alongside an active LGBT+ society the University has implemented an anti-homophobic bullying policy, and regularly engages with the wider community.

A Stonewall Diversity champion, the University was ranked in the top 20 in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index – the higher education sector’s highest-placed institution.

Karen Cooke, Chair of the University Staff LGBT+ Network, Enfys, added: “Supporting the Iris Prize not only shows prospective students and staff internationally that LGBT equality matters at Cardiff University, it also enables us to show our support to a locally grown community event which is now a huge success across the globe. Our submission to the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index every year always includes our proud support of Iris.”

The Iris Prize Festival takes place in Cardiff between October 12-16, 2016. 35 short films will compete for the Iris Prize, with the winner receiving £30,000.

Berwyn Rowlands, Festival Director, said: “The relationship between the festival and Cardiff University has developed organically over the past four years. This year we have been very impressed with the student interns who’ve joined Team Iris. One of them admitted that she only found out about Iris after our Chair, Andrew Pierce, gave a talk at the University earlier this year.

“The relationship with Cardiff University will be further celebrated on opening night as a Cardiff University building is given star billing in our special 10th anniversary opening night film!”

Decline in local authority compliance with equalities responsibilities

Posted on 07/10/201606/10/2016 by Besi

A study carried out by researchers at the University of Brighton challenges the assumption that good progress is being made on equalities.

Between 2014 and 2016 only 10 percent of local authorities in England were found to have improved in their compliance with the specific duties of the Equality Act 2010 and associated government guidance, whilst 40 percent had declined. Over half of local authorities were failing to demonstrate compliance in 2016.

The study was carried out as part of the Liveable Lives project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, which explores what makes life ‘liveable’ for LGBTQ people.

The study’s findings also show that between 2014 and 2016, whilst there was an increase in the number of councils providing information on same-sex marriages and civil partnerships, there was a decrease in the number fulfilling the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. One third of those councils fully promoting same-sex marriage were found to be doing either no, or very little, LGBT equality work.

Overall, the research found that by August 2016 of the 353 local authorities in England:

♦ 42 percent (150 councils) demonstrated compliance, although around one-third of these had missed a key statutory deadline for publishing information and are therefore not fully compliant

♦ 4 percent (15 councils) were demonstrating weak compliance (defined as doing the ‘bare minimum’ in their Equality Objectives)

♦ 50 percent (178 councils) were not demonstrating observance

♦ 3 percent (10 councils) were displaying complete lack of awareness of the legislation

Other key findings include:

♦ Only 20 councils (6 percent of the total) had Equality Objectives specifically aimed at LGBT people in 2014/15

♦ Only one council had set an Equality Objective specifically with regard to trans people

♦ In relation to the duty to publish information relating to employees and LGBT equalities, there was a decrease in the monitoring of LGBT council employees between 2014 and 2016

Professor Kath Browne, Principal Investigator for the research project, said: “It is clear that there are issues with local authorities’ compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and it is a cause for concern that compliance with this legislation appears to have declined.

“Whilst some local authorities noted that austerity has been a contributory factor, with budget cuts having an impact on equalities work, others seem to be more focused on justifying what they are not required to do under the legislation. Despite this, 10 percent of local councils were able to be more compliant.

“Many local authorities are doing good work in relation to LGBT equality – including, ironically, some who do not demonstrate observance with the legislation. But it is clear that those councils who do demonstrate compliance are doing more meaningful things.

“It is particularly interesting to see that more local authorities promote same-sex marriage – even though there is no legal obligation to do so – than undertake LGBT-specific equality work.”

For more information about Liveable Lives, click here:

Call us now

Day: October 7, 2016

Make your voice heard on parks and open spaces

There is still time to join the conversation about the future of Brighton & Hove’s parks and open spaces.

Surrey Police appeal for witnesses

Were you walking your dog in Whytleafe recreation ground, Warlingham, Surrey on October 5?

PREVIEW: The Haven Anniversary Concert

The West End comes to Henfield in November as professional singers supported by members of the Henfield Theatre Company, perform a unique, one-off concert at Henfield Hall, to celebrate the first anniversary of the Henfield Haven.

LGBT International Powerlifting Championships come to London in 2017

The First Ever LGBT International Powerlifting Championships will be staged in London in July 2017 .

Cardiff University supports Iris LGBT Film Prize

University sponsors Youth Jury Award for Best Short film at major film festival.

Decline in local authority compliance with equalities responsibilities

A study carried out by researchers at the University of Brighton challenges the assumption that good progress is being made on equalities.

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Call us now

There is still time to join the conversation about the future of Brighton & Hove’s parks and open spaces.

Share this:

Were you walking your dog in Whytleafe recreation ground, Warlingham, Surrey on October 5?

Share this:

The West End comes to Henfield in November as professional singers supported by members of the Henfield Theatre Company, perform a unique, one-off concert at Henfield Hall, to celebrate the first anniversary of the Henfield Haven.

Share this:

The First Ever LGBT International Powerlifting Championships will be staged in London in July 2017 .

Share this:

University sponsors Youth Jury Award for Best Short film at major film festival.

Share this:

A study carried out by researchers at the University of Brighton challenges the assumption that good progress is being made on equalities.

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Latest News