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B RIGHT ON Festival: LGBT History Month: Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus to give free concert at Phil Starr Pavilion on Sunday

The Brighton Gay Men’s chorus present a free Tribute Concert on Sunday, February 5 at the Phil Starr Pavilion during Soul Safari 1, a day exploring our LGBT spirituality organised by Village MCC.

The concert will be remembering choir member Pablo Fernández-Arias, who passed away shortly after Christmas.

Entry to the concert is free and a collection will be taken for the work of MindOut, LGBT Mental Health Project.

Events during the day include:

10am – 1pm
Card Readings.

Discover yourself with the help of The Jesus Deck. These cards can speak to us whatever our beliefs to help us discover elements of our unique spiritual journey.

10am – 11am
Alistair Appleton : The Sacred Space of the Body.

Alistair is perhaps best known for hosting 14 seasons of Escape to the Country, but he is also a qualified and well respected therapist. In this meditation we explore ways of connecting more deeply with our sacred selves.

11am – 12pm
Peta Evans Jesters and Angels: Trans voices in the church. Uncovering trans voices that have helped to change the world.

12pm – 1:15pm
Lilith Wildwood: The Sacred Blueprint – a soul journey from the inner world to the outer cosmos. Go along and join Lilith in a journey within where you can experience the expanse of soul and universe as one.

1:30pm – 3pm
Andy Black – Follow the Faun. Move your body, blow your mind, open your heart, tickle your fancy! – An interactive workshop by performance artist and actor Andy Black that teaches you how to travel through new worlds and dimensions to experience ecstasy, transformation, and a serious attack of the giggles! Highly recommended.

3pm – 4:30pm
The Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus Tribute Concert – Remembering Pablo Fernández-Arias.

There is no charge for this concert but a collection will be taken for the work of MindOut, a local LGBT Focused mental health charity.

LGBT History Month is an international month-long annual observance of LGBT History and the opportunity to commemorate and remember the bravery of those who campaigned and spoke out over the years to help us achieve the freedoms and equality we enjoy today.

The PHIL STARR PAVILION, New Steine Gardens, Brighton, BN2 1PB provides a fully functional stage, light and sound system with heating and licenced bar.

This ground breaking affiliation seeks to engage the city in the wide range of issues highlighted through the work of the Brighton & Hove LGBT Community Safety Forum, as well as partner/stakeholder work.

For full programme of events, click here:

To book tickets for shows online, click here:

New funding pot for Brighton charities

2017 could be the year for local charities to help get a special project off the ground by applying for a share of a £6 million funding pot, raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

The funding will be allocated through three Trusts, which support different categories of projects. There will be two opportunities for groups to apply in 2017 (January and August) and £3 million will be available for each funding round.

The application process is simple:

The first round – which opened from January 23 until February 10 2017 – starts with organisations being encouraged to submit an ‘expression of interest’ form. Charities will then be shortlisted to complete a full application for funding.

In August, interested groups and organisations can apply or re-apply when a second pot of £3million will become available. The maximum a project can receive is £20,000.

Simon Kirby MP

Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven, said: “2017 could be the year for local charities to get a special project off the ground to benefit the local community. This funding will be allocated to lots of different types of initiatives and it’s such a fantastic opportunity for local charities to get additional support.” 

Clara Govier

Clara Govier, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, added: “£6million injected into grass-roots projects across Great Britain will have a tremendous impact in local communities. We encourage charities to put themselves forward for this funding and to have a look at the different Trusts to see where their project fits in.”

Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised more than £168.4 million to date for over 2,800 good causes across Great Britain and internationally.

For more information on how to apply for funding, visit the Trusts’ three websites:

www.postcodetrust.org.uk

www.postcodelocaltrust.org.uk

www.postcodecommunitytrust.org.uk

 

Liberty X supports Manchester Pride

Liberty X Girls to perform at Manchester’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) charity’s annual gala fundraiser dinner.

Liberty X Girls

Tickets are now on sale for this years annual spring fundraiser which this year moves to Manchester’s most impressive, historic buildings – The Midland Hotel in the city centre.

The gala dinner will be on Thursday May 18 and will bring together sponsors, business leaders, individual supporters, community champions and celebrities to raise money for The Manchester Pride Community Fund.

Entertainment will be provided by the Liberty X Girls.  The girls from the pop group, which had a string of Top 5 singles including Brit Award-winning Just A Little, announced last week that they will tour as a trio as Michelle Heaton, Jessica Taylor and Kelli Young, and hit the road with Atomic Kitten, B*Witched and S Club 3.

The event will be hosted by television presenter Anthony Crank and also performing on the night will be local favourite and Manchester-born singer Alexander Stewart and stand up, actor, aerialist, and living stereotype Aaron Twitchen.

Described as ‘out-Bubléing Bublé’ by The Times, Alexander who is well-known both regionally and nationally, has just released a new orchestral album which features a UK big band of the finest jazz musicians performing with the City Of Prague Philharmonic.

As well as featuring on BBC Radio 4, Aaron was listed in Metro’s top 5 RomComs and has provided tour support for Luisa Omielan. Away from comedy, Aaron has supported bands at music festivals, and is an accomplished stage actor and improviser. Unusually, he is also a trained circus act, concentrating particularly on aerial skills and trapeze work, which has allowed him to tour circus theatres throughout the country and teach young people.

Last year’s event, which was held at The Victoria Warehouse Hotel, featured Rebecca Ferguson, Lucy Spraggan and local Pop and R&B recording artist Dean Mac to the stage.

In addition to the fabulous entertainment, guests will be invited to make their way down the red carpet to a sparkling drinks reception followed by a three course meal in The Midland Hotel.

VIP guests will be chauffeur driven to the event in a range of bespoke Rolls Royce vehicles and the brand will also provide auction prizes on the night.

Mark Fletcher
Mark Fletcher

Mark Fletcher, Chief Executive at Manchester Pride, said: “We’re excited to bring our annual fundraiser into the city centre for the first time this year and we have some excellent entertainment lined up to perform in one of the City’s most historic hotels . 

“The event, which exists to raise money for the Manchester Pride Community Fund, is an integral part of our fundraising calendar and we look forward to inviting more and more of the business community to join us this May. Whilst an LGBT fundraiser, we don’t just welcome members of the LGBT business community, but also supporters and ambassadors who want to enjoy a really good night out and help us raise money at the same time.”

 

The Manchester Pride Spring Benefit exists to raise money for the Manchester Pride Community Fund. Integral to creating and sustaining a vibrant community, this fund provides support for LGBT and HIV charities and organisations in Greater Manchester.

There are a limited number of tickets available for the event and individual tickets can be purchased for £85, which includes a drinks reception, a four-course dinner and entertainment.

For group bookings there are two table packages available including a premium table of ten which cost £800 and a Platinum package for £1500 which includes a VIP drinks reception, chauffeur service in a Rolls Royce to the event, and a professional red carpet photo opportunity.

Tables are selling fast, to book or find out more information about this sparkling event, click here: 

Firle Vintage Fair 2017!!

The Firle Vintage Summer Fair, in beautiful Firle Park, East Sussex takes place on August 12 & 13, 2017.

After a successful weekend last year, with 15.000 visitors over two days, the Vintage fair will be back at Firle Park with the stunning backdrop of the Vintage car show & Firle Place.

Located in the quintessentially English South Downs, Firle Vintage Fair is a celebration of the beauty and antiquities of the past.

The Fair will feature a host of cherry-picked vintage and antique stalls including; French Brocante, haberdashery and fashion, country interiors and gardenia. Plus original 1880 Victoriana fair rides and croquet games on the lawns.

The 15th Century Grand Manor at Firle Place will be the backdrop for the shiny bonnets of the Firle Vintage car motor show, there are over 150 traders, vintage fair rides, and festive outdoor activities.

The fair is a treasure trove for vintage obsessives and anyone interested in the revival of artisan crafts and decorative trades.

Special guest this year is the historic Charleston Trust who will be offering workshops and talks on the Bloomsbury set.

For more information, click here:

 

Parking meters prepared for new £1 coin

Work has begun to replace parking machines in Brighton and Hove as the council introduction the new 12-sided £1 coin.

The move will see most parking machines in in the city switched to pay-by-card as part of a £1.8m investment to improve reliability and cut down on theft.

Since 2008, £150,000 has been stolen from parking machines in Brighton & Hove. In a 3 month period last year, there were 51 incidents of theft or attempted theft, netting thieves almost £15,000 and causing £30,000 of damage.

Over the next few weeks 298 of the city’s oldest machines which take coins will be removed and  replaced with machines which accept both chip-and-pin and contactless card payments.  The majority of these machines need replacing as they are well past their normal life and are beginning to rust.

150 of the new machines will accept cards as well as coins. These will be clearly branded as accepting cash and strategically placed where they are most likely to be needed.

Drivers will also still be able to pay for their parking by phone or in cash at any of the city’s 150 PayPoint outlets by quoting the location code for where they parked, which is displayed on machines and street signs.

A map and list of the 150 cash and card machines and 150 PayPoint shops where you can still pay by cash is available online.

he Citywide Parking Review survey showed that paying by card was the most popular choice of payment type in the city. There will be no administration fee for card payments at machines

As well as issuing tickets in the traditional way, the new machines will require drivers to key in their registration number. This will make enforcement easier and more efficient. In future, it could also pave the way for a new app to help drivers find vacant on street parking spaces in the city.

Live information about which of the city’s main car parks have spaces is already available and published on the council’s website.

Since the introduction of PayByPhone last year, more than 40 per cent of drivers now pay for their parking by phone. Many are enjoying the advantage of being able to top up their parking using this system without having to go back to the machine or carry change for their parking

Cllr Gill Mitchell
Cllr Gill Mitchell

Councillor Gill Mitchell, chair of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability committee, said:  “The introduction of the new £1 coin and the pressing need to replace our old on-street machines gave us an opportunity to introduce a better system.  These changes will give us newer, more reliable and user-friendly machines, while maintaining the ability to pay in cash on street and at PayPoint outlets.”

The contractors aim to install around 60 machines a week and will be working to minimise any disruption. However, there may be gaps of one or two days as machines are removed, replaced or upgraded.

Drivers are advised not to park in any bays with bright yellow suspension signs as these bays have been suspended to allow maintenance engineers access to the machines. The PayByPhone and PayPoint services will continue to operate as normal. Drivers wishing to pay at a machine should be able to find one nearby.

RVT Future wins ‘Sui Generis’ battle – but war isn’t over

Following a huge effort from RVT Future and the wider LGBT+ community last summer – including the submission of 600+ representations, over 1,000 pages of emails, and around 2,000 file attachments – Lambeth Council have now granted Sui Generis classification to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT).

This planning classification enshrines the Tavern’s unique usage as we know and love it. For decades, the RVT has been not been simply a pub, nightclub or performance venue but all three, with every part of the building serving these functions.

Lambeth’s classification makes this official, meaning anyone seeking to use the site differently – including turning upstairs space into private flats – will now have to fight for planning permission.

Lambeth’s classification decision was made based on use of the RVT over the last ten years, and will last for a minimum of ten years. It is a significant development – but one that does not yet secure the future of the Tavern for the LGBT+ community.

Royal Vauxhall Tavern

Due to RVT Future’s relentless efforts over the past two years, the Tavern is now effectively locked to its current use by four legal forms.

Firstly, Asset of Community Value (ACV) status extinguishes any Permitted Development Rights;

Secondly, the Vauxhall Conservation Area has been extended to include the RVT site; and

Thirdly, any attempts to change this new Sui Generis classification is against Lambeth’s published planning policy for pubs within the area.

Finally, the Historic England Grade II listing protects the fabric of the building. This quadruple lock confirms the Tavern as “London’s worst development opportunity”.

Lambeth Council’s verdict simply would not have been possible without the vast amount of evidence submitted by the wider + community. It took months for Lambeth to sift through, made even trickier when a Freedom of Information request was received and acted upon halfway through.

Currently, The Royal Vauxhall Tavern is on the market. Christie & Co are selling the company on behalf of Immovate, as a business and not as a venue .

RVT Future have reached out to both Immovate and Christie & Co to ask if they intend to activate the Asset of Community Value (something they are obliged to do should they intend to sell the venue). So far, they have not informed Lambeth Council of their intention to sell the venue and to activate the ACV. RVT can only assume that they have no intention of doing so, which is why they are selling the shares of the company that own the venue. A sneaky work-around that, in the opinion RVT, doesn’t sit within the spirit of the law.

This makes Sui Generis ruling on the upper floors extra important. No potential buyer can now sell off the upstairs for private accommodation (something which has threatened the existence of many late night venues in London).

The Royal Vauxhall Tavern also sits within the CAZ (Central Activities Zone) meaning business and employment space should take priority over housing. This, coupled with Lambeth’s policy on protecting pubs, should make it even more difficult for any potential purchaser to profit from the property market.

The RVT’s Sui Generis classification lists:

Accommodation
The upper floors, including flats, cannot be used or sold for private accommodation – they are now officially recognised as ancillary to the Tavern. This means that planning permission would be required to turn these spaces into separate accommodation – something RVT Future would fight every step of the way.

Mixed pub, club and performance use
Use of the Tavern must be balanced between these activities. So Immovate couldn’t just parachute a chain pub into the space – the Tavern isn’t necessarily open normal pub hours (or normal nightclub hours, either). Many events are ticketed, unlike your usual pub. Many events are free, unlike your usual nightclub or cabaret venue. And any new owners putting on karaoke once a week would not come close to reflecting the documented performance use of the Tavern over the last decade. This mixed use is crucial to the Sui Generis status RVT Future applied for, have been granted, and something Lambeth Council will be watching closely.

The LGBT+ element of RVT Future’s application
The RVT is unique. There was no simple classification for the Tavern because its unique form is what the LGBT+ community has made it. Lambeth Council sensitively and thoroughly reviewed our mass of evidence to take into account the unique way that the LGBT+ community uses the venue. It is this use which has made the Tavern beloved and distinctive enough to earn its new Sui Generis classification.

What happens if someone wants to buy the Tavern and change it?
Any changes would now require a Lawful Development Certificate, which would be assessed against policy and with material considerations taken into account. Currently there is a clear nighttime economy policy surrounding the RVT – Lambeth are safeguarding public houses and protecting night-time economy uses. In short, it’s highly unlikely that the Council would grant a change of use.

What’s next?

RVT are calling on Immovate to engage with the spirit of the law and activate the RVT’s Asset of Community Value status, should they intend to sell it. RVT Future are now ready to launch a community bid, and look to Immovate to engage with them and Lambeth Council to move forward.

RVT Future continues to seek major donors to help buy the Tavern. If this interests you, email: hello@rvt.community.

Smaller investors, you are just as important! Donations will be needed to build the RVT Future Fighting Fund, which will cover the legal and other costs needed to kick off the biggest community buy-out in Britain.

To make a donation, click here:

In the event that RVT are unable to set up the community buy-out of the RVT, any donations under£1000 will be given to another LGBT+ cause after consultation with the donors.

Gifts over £1000 will be returned to the donor.

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