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PREVIEW: Stereophonics play Brighton Centre on February 27

One of Britain’s greatest live bands Stereophonics will embark on a major UK arena tour in February 2018 following the release their new album Scream Above The Sounds. They play Brighton Centre on Tuesday, February 27.

Twenty years after their debut Word Gets Around; Stereophonics tenth studio album released on October 27 via Parlophone Records follows Keep The Village Alive which went straight to number one when it was released in 2015 and became their sixth chart-topper after Performance and Cocktails (1999), Just Enough Education To Perform (2001) You Gotta Go There To Come Back (2003), Language. Sex. Violence. Other? (2005) and Pull The Pin (2007).

Scream Above The Sounds was primarily recorded in the band’s HQ in west London with a further session at RAK Studios.  Created with the help of regular collaborator Jim Lowe, it’s an album in which creative sonic touches add to the band’s emphasis on songwriting and melody.

Scream Above The Sounds will be released on digital (standard and deluxe), CD (standard and deluxe) and vinyl formats.

It’s available to pre-order from http://www.stereophonics.com with new singles Caught By The Wind and All In One Night provided as an instant downloads.

As one of Britain’s best live bands Stereophonics have been touring and performing to sell-out crowds across the globe. This summer alone they headlined Kendal Calling, Y Not Festival and Victorious Festival plus took to the stage at BBC 2 Live In Hyde Park last weekend.

Tickets go on sale at 9am, on Friday, September 22 via www.gigsandtours.com, www.ticketmaster.co.uk and www.stereophonics.com

 

Greater Fort Lauderdale hosts global ‘Think Tank’

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB) held its inaugural Global LGBT+ Think Tank on September 17-18 at The Riverside Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Fort-Lauderdale: Downtown Pink Bridge Riverwalk

Fourteen leaders from corporate and leisure travel companies came together for the first time to discuss the next steps to improve the LGBT+ travel experience.

“We’re really excited about the opportunities and trends discovered by this esteemed group of thought leaders. Together we can work towards shaping a more respectful and inclusive future in global tourism,” said Richard Gray, vice president, LGBT+ market for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Leveraging insights from the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT+ Think Tank will be essential for growing LGBT+ travel globally. This historic sharing of minds and vision was unprecedented and clearly needed, so we are happy to announce the Think Tank will take place again next year.”

Participating travel experts included:
♦  Diane Anderson-Minshall – Editor in Chief, The Advocate
♦  Alexis Dee – President, Southern Comfort Transgender Conference
♦  Rick Fowler – VP, Meetings & Education, National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
♦  Vicky Garcia – Chief Operating Officer, Cruise Planners
♦  Richard Gray – VP, LGBTQ, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
♦  Jeff Guaracino – President & CEO, Welcome America
♦  Jacob Huang – Corporate Program Director, Aibai Culture & Education Center
♦  Gregg Kaminsky – Founder and President, rFamily Vacations
♦  Billy Kolber – Publisher, Man About World
♦  Anders Lindstrom – Director of Communications, Norwegian Air Lines
♦  David Nelson – Senior Portfolio Analyst and Chairman of LGBT+ Employee Resource Group (ERG), Royal Caribbean
♦  Tom Roth, President, Community Marketing & Insights
♦  Charlie Rounds – Program Director, Mossier
♦  Bob Witeck – President, Witeck Communications

The Think Tank leaders identified where LGBT+ travellers will be going in the next five to 10 years, how best to reach them, and how to identify their needs. They also acknowledged the importance of identifying the diversity of the audience and how to address them.

“I’m proud of Royal Caribbean and what we’ve been able to accomplish with our diversity and sensitivity training, and we are always looking for additional ways to reach our LGBT+ employees and guests,” said David Nelson, senior portfolio analyst and chairman of LGBT+ Employee Resource Group (ERG) at Royal Caribbean. “We have discovered great opportunities at the Think Tank to build relationships and to collaborate with thanks to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau’s global lead in the LGBT+ platform.”

China is the world’s largest LGBT+ travel market. Jacob Huang, corporate program director at Aibai Culture & Education Center in China, brought the Chinese perspective to the Think Tank.

“I’ve been working on LGBT+ travel issues for several years, and I’m really happy that I had the opportunity to participate in this global exchange of ideas,” he said. “Greater Fort Lauderdale is a destination that would have great appeal to the LGBT+ communities in China because of the large LGBT+ scene and because it is home to Sawgrass Mills, one of the world’s largest outlet malls.”

Travel safety proved to be the main concern at the Think Tank. The group also agreed that the LGBT+ market needs to be better integrated into mainstream marketing across the globe.

During the discussion, the importance of employee resource groups (ERG) was highlighted. These ERGs can be an asset to corporations as to where their LGBT+ employees feel comfortable traveling to. In addition, the group shared LGBT+ allies’ position on travelling to areas that are diverse and supportive of the community.

“We cannot forget that travel doesn’t just mean leisure travel, but it means corporate meetings and incentives,” said Charlie Rounds, program director at Mossier. “The goal is to make destinations more inclusive. Greater Fort Lauderdale has shown to be a clear leader in this, and will continue to do so in the future.”
 

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau has been proactively targeting and welcoming the LGBT+ market since 1996, when it became the first Convention & Visitors Bureau with a gay-centric vacation planner, and dedicated website on a CVB homepage.

Since then, the destination has continued to break down barriers and facilitate essential visibility for the LGBT+ communities at large.

The destination now welcomes 1.5 million LGBT+ travellers annually, who spend $1.5 billion. It also features one of the largest Pride Centers in the country, the first and only World AIDS Museum and Education Center, and is home to the Stonewall National Museum & Archives, one of the only permanent spaces in the U.S. devoted to exhibitions relating to LGBT+ history and culture.

UNI-FORM revolutionises homophobia, biphobia and transphobia reporting

Galop, the LGBT+ anti-violence charity together with international partners will launch a hate crime reporting website and mobile app on September 28.

The scheme, named UNI-FORM will allow people to report homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate crimes online. It will be functional across the UK, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Malta, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.

UNI-FORM is the only international online reporting tool that is specific for hate crimes targeting LGBT+ people. It can be used by victims, witnesses and any other person who wants to report homophobia, biphobia or transphobia. UK reports will be received by Galop, recorded and passed to the police at the reporting person’s request.

Nick Antjoule, Galop’s Hate Crime Manager, said: “Too often people feel coerced into silence by prejudice, intimidation and violence. We are encouraging people to take a stand against hatred by speaking up when they see prejudice and to seek help if they experience it”.

Why is this Important?

Homophobic, biphobic and transphobic abuse is a problem in the UK and globally, though very little is ever reported to authorities.

Galop’s National LGBT Hate Crime Report (2016) found:

♦      4 in 5 LGBT people had experienced hate crime during their lifetime

♦      Just 1 in 4 LGBT people reported the last hate crime they experienced

♦     1 in 4 LGBT people had experienced physical assault as part of a hate crime (25%).

One Bisexual man interviewee revealed: “I was in a park… and two men asked for a light. We were attacked by a group of six other men, who began to kick, punch and stab us. They shouted homophobic abuse and kicked my head like a football”.

Galop hopes this innovative new pan London reporting scheme and closer collaboration will build a robust evidence base that will raise awareness, increase the level of understanding and will lead to an improved response of authorities across Europe.

For more information about GALOP, click here:

London to Brighton cycle team raise £575 for Sussex Beacon

On Sunday, September 17, a team from HIV charity The Sussex Beacon tackled the ‘Do it for Charity’ London to Brighton cycle ride, raising over £575 to help people living with HIV in Sussex.

Joshua Long, Mark Beadle and Sam Beadle tackled the challenge, cycling 54 miles from Clapham Common in London to Brighton sea front. The toughest part of the ride, Ditchling Beacon, was a mile-long uphill climb to the top of the South Downs. Joshua completed the course in less than four hours.

Jason Warriner
Jason Warriner

Jason Warriner, Clinical Services Director at The Sussex Beacon, said: “Having done this race myself last year, I know exactly how tough it is! We’re really grateful to Joshua, Mark and Sam for taking it on and for collecting hundreds in sponsorship. All the money raised will go towards supporting people living with HIV, many of whom are going through an incredibly difficult time. Donations like this allow the team at The Sussex Beacon to be there for them when they need us most.”

The Sussex Beacon provides specialist support and care for people living with HIV through both inpatient and outpatient services. It helps hundreds of people living with HIV in Sussex each year and was rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission in September.

For further information about The Sussex Beacon, click here:

visit www.sussexbeacon.org.uk

 

 

Lincoln librarian shortlisted for Gay Times honours

Dr Beth Hellen, a Systems Librarian at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) in Lincoln, has been shortlisted for the Barbara Burford Gay Times Honour for Excellence in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths).

In 2014, while working as a postdoctoral researcher at Rutgers University in New Jersey, Beth created the LGBTSTEM blog that highlights researchers, scientists and engineers from across the world who identify as LGBT+. It aims to provide role models and show students that they can achieve anything regardless of their sexuality or gender identity.

Once back in the UK, she also founded the LGBTSTEMinar, a conference and networking opportunity for LGBT people in STEM fields.

Beth said: “When I started the blog, I was working as a bioinformatician and it really came out of my personal experience of not knowing anyone who was LGBT+ in the departments where I worked. It can make you feel quite alone, and I don’t think you can be doing your best work if you’re always trying to hide some part of your life.

“Since I started the project I’ve had a lot of really great support and the conference is getting bigger and better every year.”

The Gay Times Honours will be presented at the National Portrait Gallery, London on Saturday, November 18, 2017.

To view the LGBTSTEM blog, click here: 

Terrence Higgins Trust appoints new advisory board

HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), appoints new advisory board to help steer the charity into the future which includes Stonewall co-founder Lisa Power MBE and former Hove MP Ivor Caplin among its members.

The new advisory board will be chaired by Ivor Caplin, who was MP for Hove from 1997 to 2005 and a former Government Minister. Mr Caplin is a long-time supporter of THT and lives in the City of Brighton and Hove – one of the cities in the UK with the highest prevalence of HIV.

The advisory board will meet for the first time on October 24, 2017 and will operate as a ‘sounding board’ for both Chief Executive Ian Green and the board of trustees.

Other board members also include Ethan Spibey, who spearheads the Freedom to Donate campaign, calling for changes to the restrictions on blood donations for gay and bisexual men, and Winnie Sseruma, who is an HIV activist and black African woman openly living with the virus.

The charity’s former policy director, Lisa Power MBE, is also a member; she was one of the co-founders of LGBT charity Stonewall and is regularly included in lists of the most influential LGBT+ people in the UK.

The advisory board will not have decision-making powers but will provide confidential challenge and scrutiny to the charity..

Jonathan McShane, Chair of the Board at THT, said: “I’m confident that this new advisory board will be of great benefit to THT. We must ensure that all our decisions are in the best interests of the people the charity is here to support and in line with our strategic aims.

“The advisory board will meet twice a year and provide expert, objective advice across the organisation. The substantial experience and knowledge of the board’s members will add valuable external perspective to the charity’s key decisions.”

Membership of the group is diverse, reflecting the communities most affected by HIV and poor sexual health. It has expertise relating to key areas of THT’s work, as well as representing the charity’s geographical spread. The charity is still looking to appoint someone to the board from Scotland.

Ivor Caplin
Ivor Caplin

Ivor Caplin, Chair of the advisory board, said: “Both I and the other members of this new advisory body are deeply passionate about tackling HIV transmissions, enabling people to live well with HIV and promoting good sexual health for all. We’re keen to use the breadth of our collective experience and expertise to benefit Terrence Higgins Trust and its beneficiaries.”

The board will comprise of:

♦ Ivor Caplin – former MP for Hove and government minister, based in Brighton;

♦ Lisa Power MBE – a founder of LGBT charity Stonewall and former policy director at Terrence Higgins Trust, based in Cardiff;

♦ Ethan Spibey – a vocal campaigner on blood donation restrictions and a public affairs professional, based in London;

♦ Winnie Sseruma – an activist from one of the UK’s black African communities who is able to represent the views of women living with HIV;

Professor Rusi Jaspal – professor of psychology and sexual health at De Montfort University, based in Leicester;

 Alexander Walsh – a corporate investment manager and supporter of THT, based in London.

PREVIEW: Grease – Tom Parker from boy band to leading man

Voted The No.1 Greatest Musical in Channel 4’s 100 Greatest Musicals – GREASE comes to the Theatre Royal, Brighton for Christmas 2017!

Danielle Hope, Tom Parker and Louisa Lytton on Brighton Palace Pier: Image ©Pete Jones
Danielle Hope, Tom Parker and Louisa Lytton on Brighton Palace Pier: Image ©Pete Jones

In the absence of a traditional Christmas Pantomime at the Theatre Royal again this Christmas, it’s time to dust off your leather jackets, pull on your bobby socks and catch Brighton’s biggest Christmas party as Danny and Sandy fall in love all over again by the seaside.

Making his musical theatre debut, Tom Parker from boy band The Wanted plays heart-throb Danny Zuko, Danielle Hope winner of Over the Rainbow plays Sandy and Louisa Lytton from Strictly Come Dancing and EastEnders plays Rizzo.

GREASE, a musical love story, bursting with denim, leather, cheerleaders, slick hairstyles, rock n roll, 1950s pop culture, is an irresistible mix of teenage angst and young romance.

It is timeless and universal, the ultimate feel good musical, an electrifying extravaganza, packed with fun, energy, vibrant physicality and great musical numbers including You’re The One That I Want, Grease Is The Word, Summer Nights, Hopelessly Devoted to You, Sandy and Greased Lightnin’.

Having amassed worldwide success with boy band The Wanted, achieving two UK number 1’s and 9 top 10 singles as well as 4 Billboard 100 singles between 2009 and 2013, Tom Parker, with his first foray into musical theatre plays the iconic role of Danny Zuko made famous in the 1978 movie by John Travolta.

Tom says: “I originally auditioned for the role of Teen Angel doing just one song in the show, but the director called me back to audition for Danny Zuko. I had never done musical theatre before so it was a very big role for me to step into. Following my days with The Wanted which were a total free for all, the discipline involved in performing eight shows a week has been tough. I eat regular and well and had to learn to really look after my voice. I have loved every moment of the experience and learnt so much from it.”

Tom is just 29, feels he has got the party days out of his system and is knuckling down and taking the acting thing very seriously. Apart from a few acting lessons before he went into The Wanted, he is pretty much learning on the job. In his spare time he produces music for other artists to perform. “Just give me a piano and a computer screen and I am as happy as Larry.”

Joining Tom playing Sandy is Danielle Hope who made her professional debut as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium, after capturing the hearts of the country and winning the BBC’s smash hit Over The Rainbow show.

Completing the star lineup playing Rizzo is Louisa Lytton who played Ruby Allen in Eastenders and Beth Green in The Bill.

Completing the cast are Tom Senior as Kenickie, Michael Cortez as Sonny, Oliver Jacobson as Roger, Ryan Heenan as Doody, Callum Evans as Eugene, Lauren Atkins as Marty, Rosanna Harris as Jan, Rhiannon Chesterman as Frenchy, Gabriella Williams as Patty and Ailsa Davidson as Lynch. The ensemble includes Charlotte Coggin, Anthony Hughes, Alessia McDermott, Natasha Mould, Anna Murray, George Olney, Rory Phelan and Grant Thresh.

GREASE is written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, directed by David Gilmore,  choreographed by Arlene Phillips and designed by Terry Parsons, with costumes by Andreane Neofitou.

GREASE is presented by Paul Nicholas and David Ian.

 

Image: © Pete Jones
Image: © Pete Jones

Event: GREASE

Where: Theatre Royal, New Road, Brighton

When: Monday, December 11 until Sunday, December 31.

For Times: click here:

Cost: £20.90 – £49.40

To book tickets online, click here:

Or telephone 0844 871 7650 (booking fees apply: calls cost up to 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge).

Back To School Charity Spectacle tonight at Charles Street

Brighton & Hove Sea Serpents Rugby Football Club with Sister Kara Van Park, Sister Sally Vate and Father Jason Thorpe present: Our Lady of the Serpent Rugby School for Boys’ Back To School Charity Spectacle tonight at Envy above Charles Street Bar.

It’s the start of term and the rugby boys want to put on a show for everyone to enjoy! But first come the auditions and they will have to impress the nuns of Our Lady of the Serpent if they hope to become stars!

Join them for a night of fun and frolics and a good old School Disco from DJ Claire Fuller.

Tickets are just £10 and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Mind Out, the LGBTQ+ Mental Health Service.


Event: Back to School Charity Spectacle

Where: Envy above Charles Street, 8 Marine Parade, Brighton

When: Friday, September 22

Cost: Tickets £10

To book online, click here:

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