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BBC Radio 6 presenter to launch Brighton’s Big Screen, 2017

BBC Radio 6 Music DJ, Gilles Peterson will be joining thousands of music lovers on Brighton beach on Saturday, July 29 to celebrate the start of Brighton’s Big Screen, 2017.

DJ Gilles Peterson
DJ Gilles Peterson

Peterson will be the headline act for Brighton’s Big Screen Launch Party on Brighton Beach and will be performing his set from 9 – 11pm pm after finishing his BBC Radio 6 show in London earlier in the evening. He will be accompanied on stage by his MC, Earl Zinger.

Peterson, who started his career in France, is well established in the music industry and has been associated with the careers of artists of the 1990s such as Erykah Badu, Roni Size, and Jamiroquai. He owns the record label Brownswood Recordings. Other labels have included Acid Jazz & Talkin’ Loud.

Gilles said: “I’m honoured to be able to rock the old beach again!”.

Bill Murray, MD for Brighton’s Big Screen said: “We are really excited to have Gilles headlining for us but also such an array of fantastic musicians and DJs performing throughout the day and night. This is such an exciting opportunity and we are really looking forward to the event.”

Musicologist, Russ Dewbury, will be bringing you the finest in Jazzbop. Heroes of acid jazz, Freak Power (originally founded by bassist Norman Cook AKA Fatboy Slim) have reformed especially for this event and DJ Collective Soul City Worldwide will be playing the best in funk, soul and disco. The Juke of York, who recently supported Fatboy Slim at the O2, will be mixing some soulful summer vibes.

BBC Radio 3 presenter and Jazz vocalist Claire Martin (OBE), 7 time winner at the British Jazz awards will be performing with her live band and up-and-coming vocalist Tori Allen Martin, who recently featured on BBC live lounge, and the Starr Trust Singers will kick off the proceedings.

The day starts at noon and runs through until 11pm.

Mancunian Gay gets Manchester Pride revival

Manchester Pride to publish anniversary edition of local magazine ‘The Mancunian Gay’ which was first designed 40 years ago in a Greater Manchester kitchen.

Manchester Pride is working in association with Archives+ at Manchester Central Library and the original publisher and founding member, Paul Fairweather, to revisit the stories behind some of the most iconic headlines from the paper Mancunian Gay which was published between 1978-1986.

On Monday, July 24, 6-8pm the Manchester Central Library will commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act. Paul Fairweather will re-visit the history of the paper and explore the impact it had on reporting on a vibrant era of activism in the 1980s and bringing together a community.

The special commemorative anniversary edition of the newspaper will be available for attendees to take home from the event.

The Mancunian Gay is a time-machine into one of the most poignant periods of gay history – with its unashamed headlines reporting the struggles of the LGBT+ communities in the 1980s, including homophobia, police harassment and the AIDS crisis.

Regarded as a saving grace for most during the period, The Mancunian Gay published headlines to be discussed during the event such as:

♦      Anderton on the Ramage

♦      Poppers the Price you Pay

♦      Gay Sauna Raid

♦      Job Security for Lesbian and Gay Workers

♦      New Gay Bar in Bolton

Participants will get a chance to take part in a panel Q&A session following the deep-dive into the topical and headlines of queer culture, to discuss anything and everything around The Mancunian Gay and its history.

Mark Fletcher
Mark Fletcher

Mark Fletcher, Chief Executive for Manchester Pride, said: “We can’t think of a more fitting way to show the importance of acknowledging the brave individuals before us who paved the way so massively in our fight for equality.

“We’re excited to be joined by Paul Fairweather himself to give us a first hand insight into the lives of gay men in the ‘80s and the fight the magazine was instrumental in spearheading.”

The event is free – but tickets are expected to run out fast.


Event: Headlines from The Mancunian Gay

Where: Manchester Central Library, St Peter’s Square, Manchester, M2 5PD

When: Monday, July 24

Time: 6pm-8pm

To secure a ticket, click here:

Loving our parks!

Residents interested in volunteering have been weeding, pruning and scrub clearing at a series of events in the city’s parks, gardens and open spaces.

 Cllr Gill Mitchell with volunteers at Preston Park walled garden
Cllr Gill Mitchell with volunteers at Preston Park walled garden

Meet the gardener volunteering sessions have been a popular addition to the Brighton & Hove City Council’s Love Parks Week programme, which runs until Sunday July 23.

The events are designed to showcase the work of volunteers and to encourage residents of all ages to make the most of their local parks and open spaces.

Other events have ranged from Healthwalks and gardening clubs, to pond clearing and after school play sessions.

Councillor Gill Mitchell, chair of the environment, transport and sustainability committee, joined volunteers and head gardener George Harris at Preston Park Walled Garden earlier this week

She said: “We know how much residents love and value their parks and open spaces – thousands told us when they took part in our Big Parks Conversation last year with many expressing an interest in volunteering.

“The Love Parks Week events are offering a chance to enjoy and explore the city’s parks and open spaces, but also to find out about the many volunteering opportunities available.”

Further volunteering events are taking place at The Level on Thursday (20), Withdean Stadium Woods on Friday (21), St Ann’s Well Gardens on Saturday (22) and Preston Park on Sunday (23).

Visitors to Stanmer Park are being invited to share thoughts and images  of their favourite views, tell walks and cycle rides on twitter @brightonhoveCC #loveparksstanmer

Or by email: parksprojects@brighton-hove.gov.uk

To look at the programme of Love Parks Week events, click here:

Countryside volunteers
Countryside volunteers

Rail Unions suspend strike action planned during Brighton Pride

Strikes planned by RTM union drivers and guards during the annual Brighton Pride celebrations in August have been suspended after intervention from Chris Grayling MP.

Yesterday (July 18) the Secretary of State invited the RTM Union’s General Secretary, Mick Cash for direct talks, on condition the strike action was suspended. A similar invitation was extended to ASLEF.

A spokesperson for the RTM said: “We note the letter of July 18 from Chris Grayling, inviting the General Secretary to meet subject to RMT suspending our planned action for both Drivers and Conductors.

“We therefore suspend the industrial action called for Tuesday 1st August, Wednesday 2nd August, and Friday 4th August, and instruct the General Secretary to arrange the meeting and to place back before this NEC an update on the progress of the talks by Tuesday 1st August.

“RMT will be making no further comment at this stage as we arrange details for the talks and allow them space to take place.”

Members of ASLEF have announced they are ending the ban on overtime which has disrupted services over the past few weeks.

A spokesperson for Govia Thameslink Railway, said: “We are pleased to inform you that the proposed ASLEF and RMT drivers strike on August 1,2 and 4 has now been suspended and we are proud to be working with Brighton & Hove Pride to help get people to and from this spectacular event.

We will be utilising our new longer trains on our Thameslink routes to and from London and also adding carriages on our Southern and Gatwick Express routes where possible.

“Services are still expected to be extremely busy during the festival and queuing systems maybe in place, so do allow extra time to travel and plan to travel outside peak times. As always, we advise you to check before you travel in case there are any short notice alterations due to disruption.

“From all of us at Govia Thameslink Railway, we wish you a wonderful pride!”

Paul Kemp
Paul Kemp

Paul Kemp, Director of Brighton Pride, said: “We are very relieved and grateful that the action has been called off and has taken away the uncertainty for people travelling from all over the world and UK to visit the City for Brighton & Hove Pride.

“The Pride weekend is a critical time for Pride’s community fundraising for the Rainbow Fund and local LGBT/HIV groups and charities, so we’re just relived that the Pride plans will go ahead unhindered and we ask the City to come out and stand up to all hate crime.”

For live running information of Southern rail services, click here:

To buy your tickets online, click here:

 

All seven city parks retain their Green Flags!

Green Flags will once again fly in seven Brighton & Hove parks this summer.

Cllr Gill Michell

Easthill Park, Hove Park, Kipling Gardens, Preston Park, St Ann’s Well Gardens, Stoneham Park and The Level have all been awarded prestigious Green Flags for excellence.

The national awards, handed out by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, recognise and reward the best parks and green spaces across the country.

The Green Flags are given to parks with the highest possible standards which are beautifully maintained and have excellent facilities.

St Ann’s Well Gardens in Hove flies the flag for the 18th year, while Preston Park celebrates a 17th successive year. Easthill Park in Portslade has picked up its 15th award, Hove Park is celebrating a 13th success while Kipling Gardens in Rottingdean has won its 10th award. Stoneham Park has picked up its 8th award and The Level is flying a Green Flag for the 4th year running.

Councillor Gill Mitchell, chair of Brighton & Hove City Council’s environment , transport and sustainability committee, said: “It’s fantastic news that we will once again be flying seven Green Flags in parks in Brighton, Hove, Portslade and Rottingdean – a real city-wide success story.

“It’s a fitting tribute to our dedicated staff, friends groups and volunteers who work tirelessly to make sure that the quality is maintained and our parks and gardens are a pleasure to visit all year round.”

International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd, added: “We are delighted to be celebrating another record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award scheme.

“Each flag is a celebration of the thousands of staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award. The success of the scheme, especially in these challenging times, demonstrates just how much parks matter to people.”

The Green Flag Awards Scheme is run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, under licence from the Department of Communities and Local Government, in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Wales Tidy and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens and the National Housing Federation.

Any green space that is accessible to the public is eligible to enter for a Green Flag Award. Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag status.  A Green Flag Community Award recognises quality sites managed by voluntary and community groups. Green Heritage Site accreditation is judged on the treatment of the site’s historic features and the standard of conservation.

Barnardo’s shortlisted for equality award

Children’s charity Barnardo’s has been shortlisted in the PinkNews Awards for its work improving equality for LGBT+ people.


Barnardo’s is one of six organisations shortlisted in the Third Sector Equality Award by a panel including PinkNews staff, politicians and business and community leaders.

They were announced at a House of Commons event last night (Tuesday, July 18).

Javed Khan
Javed Khan

Barnardo’s Chief Executive Javed Khan, said: “I’m delighted to hear that Barnardo’s has been shortlisted in the PinkNews Awards.

“Creating a workforce that is inclusive of our LGBT+ staff and volunteers is vital if we are to fully understand the needs of LGBT+ children and young people.

“We help to educate young people about equality, diversity and inclusion and to increase LGBT+ awareness.

“Barnardo’s has also led the way in campaigning for LGBT+ fostering and adoption and have helped many children to thrive in loving, safe family environments.”

To vote in the awards, click here:

The winners will be announced on October 18.

Brighton businessman bids to become Mr Gay Europe – Campaign Day 3

Matt Rood has lived in Brighton for the last fifteen years. His job is his passion. He’s a dog walker and trainer and has his own company called ROODDOG. His other passion is fitness and he goes to the Underground gym in Brighton five or six times a week.

The last two years have been an emotional journey for Matt following the breakdown of his marriage. A friend came across the competition for Mr Gay Europe and encouraged him to apply.

Matt said: “I’m a very enthusiastic guy and love setting myself new challenges so I went for it. I hired the best personal trainer in town Sam Bird to help keep me focused and positive enabling me to be successful and reach my goals.”

A formal interview with Stuart Hatton former Mr Gay World 2014 followed, then a cv round, a photo round and two Skype interviews with the board of directors of Mr Gay Europe. He completed each round successfully and was awarded his new title, Mr Gay England.

Contrary to common perception, Mr Gay Europe isn’t a beauty pageant, it’s more about understanding LGBT+ law, LGBT+ rights and being cultured within the LGBT+ communities.

The Mr Gay Europe competition takes place in Stockholm, Sweden from August 1-6 when Matt will be competing against contestants from fifteen other countries.

The competition includes different rounds ranging from a formal interview, a written exam on the contestants knowledge of LGBT+ law, a social media challenge, a team challenge, a congeniality round, a fitness round and a round on the contestants campaigning work.

Matt’s campaign for the competition is called Pride Families. For three years he was a foster carer and helped ten children. He wants to use his new title as Mr Gay England and his experience as a foster carer as a platform to promote awareness showing that LGBT+ people can adopt and foster children providing them with loving, safe and nurturing homes.

In September, Matt will be working with Brighton and Hove City Council to launch a new fostering and adoption campaign and on July 8 will walk on the London Pride march with the fostering and adoption charity, New Family Social.

He added: “I’ve linked up with a local school too, as I believe the only way to combat discrimination in future generations is to work with children and teach them through respect, happiness and love for each other.”

Voting for Mr Gay Europe goes live on July 17 and you can vote online until August 4. Matt needs your votes as this counts for 20% of his final marks. Most importantly you can vote everyday the online voting is live to get a campaign going for him.

Matt concluded: “This has definitely been a whirlwind journey so far. I am loving every minute and I know if I win Mr Gay Europe the hard work starts there. I have the passion, motivation and drive to be a positive role model for our LGBT+ communities. So please vote for me.”

To vote for Matt and bring the title of Mr Gay Europe to Brighton, click here: 

You can vote each day as Matt’s campaign gathers speed.

BOOK REVIEW: The Hopkins Conundrum by Simon Edge

The Hopkins Conundrum

By Simon Edge

Tim Cleverley inherits a failing pub in Wales. The only thing of interest is its location, where Victorian poet Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote his masterpiece – The Wreck – about a group of nuns fleeing Germany on board a doomed ship. To Tim, the opaque religious poetry is incomprehensible – almost as if it’s written in code.

This gives him an idea; he contacts an American author – famous as a purveyor of Holy Grail hokum – suggesting he write a book about the poet and entirely fabricated, ‘mystery’. The famous author is going through a period of writer’s block and latches on to his idea. But will Tim’s new relationship with a genuine Hopkins fan scupper the plan? ​

The Hopkins Conundrum blends the real stories of Hopkins and the shipwrecked nuns while casting a wry eye on The Da Vinci Code industry in a highly original mix of fiction, literary biography and satirical commentary. It’s a romantic modern love story and the story of love of life and faith and how that directed Hopkins to a wild Welsh space.  It’s chapters hop from the here and now, the then and there, we are both in the poem with the nuns, the poets thoughts, the modern day couple and the rural Welsh village life, it’s an interesting and compelling read and the ultimate death of the tragic nun’s and the poems muse themselves is treated with a stark dignity.

New gay author Simon Edge bring us this lovely story of poems, nuns, persecution, the Welsh countryside and some romantic intrigue and it’s a delicious read with some hints into Hopkins homoerotic experiences and the poetry itself washing though the book entwined in the whirls and eddies of Edges great prose. It’s one of those odd books which deliver more than you’d expect and Edge’s dedication to his partner – also in the book – brought a tear to my eye.

Paperback

£8.99

For more information or to order the book from the authors website, click here:

Govia plan longer trains and extra services into Brighton for Pride weekend

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) will run longer Thameslink trains to and from Brighton during next month’s Pride celebrations, but management warns the decision by workers of ASLEF and RTM unions to strike, will affect the event.

Brighton and Hove Pride runs from Friday 4 to Sunday, August 6. Both rail unions have announced their workers will strike on August 1, 2 and 4 and there will be an overtime ban in place on other days.

GTR have plans to run more trains and additional carriages on Southern and Gatwick Express on Saturday, August 5, as well as the new, longer 12-carriage Thameslink trains running from London Bridge, Blackfriars and St Pancras to Brighton.

Angie Doll
Angie Doll

Southern’s Passenger Services Director Angie Doll said: “ASLEF has called three days of strikes in a deliberate move to cause maximum disruption for passengers. We’re deeply disappointed that it has chosen the week of Brighton and Hove Pride. We have been working very closely with the organisers to ensure that this year’s event is a resounding success despite the industrial action.

“We will make it our priority to run as many services to Brighton as we can.

“For ASLEF to be striking in protest against an offer to increase pay by 24% is simply mind-boggling. The vast majority of our passengers could only dream of such a generous pay award, so will understandably be as shocked and frustrated as we are.

“We absolutely need to modernise in order to increase capacity here on the most congested part of the UK’s network, where passenger numbers have doubled in as little as 12 years. That requires modernisation of infrastructure, trains and working practices. The trade unions must join us in that endeavour.”

Services over the Pride weekend are expected to be extremely busy during the main event and queuing systems will be in place. Everyone is advised to allow extra time to travel, especially at peak times on Saturday (5) and Sunday (6).

Visitors should check Southern’s website before they travel in case there are any short-notice alterations owing to disruption.

Paul Kemp
Paul Kemp

Paul Kemp, Director of Brighton and Hove Pride, said: “It’s a real concern that ASLEF and RMT are taking this action when people from all over the UK and the world are planning to visit Brighton and Hove for Pride, and to join our campaign to Stand Up To Hate Crime.

“Pride works throughout the year on planning with all public service agencies to deliver a safe event and I wrote to all parties involved in this dispute in May 2017 appealing for support over the Pride weekend. I’m appealing again for the unions to support their LGBT and minority allies and not to take this industrial action on the eve of Pride on Friday August 4th.

“The Pride weekend is a critical time for Pride’s community fundraising for local LGBT and HIV groups and charities, many of whom are struggling to continue providing their services following cuts to public funding. In the current climate of uncertainty it’s so important that we all come together to celebrate the great diversity of our City and stand up to all hate crime.”

Over the last three years Brighton & Hove Pride has raised and donated over £300,000 to local LGBT+/HIV organisations who provide effective frontline services to LGBT+ people in the city.

Groups who receive grants from monies raised by Pride in Brighton & Hove have signed and delivered a joint letter to both unions asking them to withdraw the threat to strike on Friday, August 4. Neither union has responded to their joint appeal.

Anti-bullying charity announces survey results

♦ 1 in 3 young people are scared they could be bullied online
♦ 69% have been abusive to someone else online
♦ Instagram the most commonly used social network for
online bullying
♦ Half a million young people were bullied in the UK in the last    week alone

One of largest surveys of bullying in the UK, the Annual Bullying Survey 2017, is published today (July 19) by anti-bullying charity Ditch the Label.

The charity surveyed 10,020 young people between the ages of 12 – 20, in partnership with schools and colleges across the country with the focus of the 2017 survey being technology and the lives that young people live online.

The report explores a broad range of issues including cyberbullying, abuse, online behaviours, online personas and social media addiction.

This is the fifth Annual Bullying Survey produced by the Ditch the Label. The charity hope that the research will inspire further studies and policy shifts to enhance the digital experiences of young people.

The report found that over half of all young people will have experienced bullying while those who identify as LGBT+ or with a physical or learning disability are the most likely to be bullied.

82% of gay people have been bullied and 70% of those with a physical disability.

The report also found that social networks are making young people more anxious with 1 in 3 young people being scared they could be bullied online and of those who have been bullied, 2 in 5 have gone on to develop social anxiety.

Instagram is the most commonly used network for online bullying. Nearly half (42%) of all young people bullied online have been bullied on Instagram followed by Facebook (37%) and Snapchat (31%).

A large number of young people (69%) also admit to having done something abusive to another person online with 7 out of 10 respondents thinking social networks don’t do enough to combat online bullying.

Key findings: 

The climate of bullying
♦ Over half of all young people in the UK have been bullied at some point.
♦ Over half a million (673,000) will have been bullied at least once in the past week (according to data extrapolation against UK census data).
♦ 1 in 5 young people have been bullied online.
♦ Young people who identify as LGBT+ are the most likely to have been bullied – 82% of gay people have been bullied (compared to 51% of straight people).
♦ Those with a disability are also much more likely to be bullied. 75% of those with autism or aspergers and 70% of those with a physical disability have been bullied, compared to 50% of those without.

Cyberbullying
♦ 7 out of 10 respondents have done something abusive towards another person online.
♦ 1 in 3 young people are scared they might be bullied online.
♦ Instagram is the most commonly used network for cyberbullying.
♦ Nearly half (42%) of all young people bullied online have been bullied on Instagram followed by Facebook (37%) and Snapchat (31%),
♦ 41% of those who have been bullied online have gone on to develop social anxiety.
♦ 7 out of 10 don’t think social networks do enough to combat bullying.

Social Media Usage
Young people are increasingly addicted to social media.
♦ 60% are unable to go more than a day without using social media.
♦ Nearly 1 in 3 use it constantly.
♦ 75% use it at least several times a day.
♦ 40% said they would feel bad if nobody liked their selfie.
♦ 35% said the more followers they have the more confident they feel.
♦ 34% said they would delete a post if it didn’t get enough likes.
♦ 47% said they wouldn’t discuss the bad things going on in their lives on social media.

Liam Hackett
Liam Hackett

Liam Hackett, CEO of Ditch the Label, said: “Cyberbullying continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing young people. Our research this year uncovers the true extent and impact of online abuse.Not only is the Internet redefining the climate of bullying, but also it is having clear impacts upon the identity, behaviours and personality of its young users.

“Cyberbullying has devastating effects on the lives of so many young people and has been found to seriously undermine the health and wellbeing of those who are subjected to it.  It is a societal issue that requires the full co-operation of social networks, NGO’s, policy makers, young people, educators and society as a whole to help overcome it.”

 

The Survey was available online to students in secondary schools and colleges across the UK between November 1, 2016 and February 28, 2017. Students were each allocated time during registration and PSHE sessions to complete the survey.

To download a full copy of the report, click here:

 

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