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Barclays LGBT employees raise £130k for THT

£130k raised to support HIV positive people back to work at Barclays Spectrum Dinner.

Paul Gambaccini
Paul Gambaccini

Barclays Spectrum, the bank’s LGBT+ employee network, raised over £130,000 to support HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) at its annual fundraising dinner on Friday, October 6 at The Savoy in London.

X Factor and The Voice Finland star Saara Aalto performed at the event, which was hosted by radio and television presenter Paul Gambaccini.

The money raised will support THT’s Work Positive programme, which supports unemployed people living with HIV back to work.

Saara lent her support to the cause, performing hits including her new track, No Fear.

Saara Aalto
Saara Aalto

She said: “I’m so happy to be here this evening and to be involved with the Work Positive Programme. Hearing people speak tonight about how the programme has helped them is so inspiring – I want to raise as much as we can tonight to help Terrence Higgins Trust in the amazing work it’s doing!”

One of the highlights of the night was hearing from Rebecca, who was diagnosed with HIV over 20 years ago and found herself unemployed. Before starting Work Positive, Rebecca was one of the quarter of people living with HIV who are currently unemployed.

Rebecca said: “I felt quite helpless and, in my late 50’s, I didn’t think there was much chance of coming off benefits and back into the work place.

“But then I started my internship at THT with Positive Voice, where people living with HIV go into schools and businesses to share their stories and help bust stigma and myths around HIV. Through this project I found my voice which helped me deal with my own stigma around HIV.

“THTs Work Positive Programme, which is run using the funds raised at the Barclays Spectrum dinner, provides work experience, mentoring, and employment coaching to people with HIV who are unemployed, giving them the skills and confidence to help them get back on their feet. 

“Today I’m working as a Health Advice Officer,” added Rebecca. “To get this job I had to go through an interview and I was tutored by Work Positive and Ben Tooke, who heads up Positive Voices, on interview skills.

“I feel so much more confident now and the future looks really good.”

Jes Staley, Group CEO of Barclays, who attended the event, said: “Inspiration comes from many places. Barclays is proud to sponsor THT’s Work Positive programme which recognises role models who inspire change, improve culture in the workplace and make inclusion a reality for all.”

Event host Paul Gambaccini said: “My 30-year association with the Terrence Higgins Trust has been one of the most profound relationships of my life.  It was an honour to host this year’s Spectrum Gala. Being in the Savoy is always special, but even more important on this occasion was the chance to raise funds for the Work Positive Programme, which helps unemployed people living with HIV get back to work.”

Ian Green
Ian Green

Ian Green, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, added: “Thank you to both Barclays and Barclays Spectrum for their ongoing support for Terrence Higgins Trust. We work hard to empower people to live well with HIV and our ‘back to work’ programme, Work Positive, is a key part of this.

“Stories like Rebecca’s are incredibly humbling and we want to keep providing this opportunity to other people who want to get back to work and enjoy a fulfilling career, but need support to get there.”

 

Mr Gay Europe, Matt Rood
Mr Gay Europe, Matt Rood

PREVIEW: Hundred Watt Club – Burlesque and Cabaret

An intimate night of vintage inspired, raucous entertainment!

Laura Nixon: Photo Sam Eddison
Laura Nixon: Photo Sam Eddison
The Death Do Us Part Danger Show: Photo Louise Cantwell
The Death Do Us Part Danger Show: Photo Louise Cantwell

Don your finery and enjoy an evening of vintage inspired entertainment by the sea. Hundred Watt Club returns with another dazzling, giggling, glittering burlesque and cabaret show on December 2! Perfect for a festive night out with a difference!

Starring the UK’s no.1 Marilyn Monroe impersonator Laura Nixon as your host, and boundary breaking husband and wife vaudevillians The Death Do Us Part Danger Show.

With flirtatious, bejewelled neo-burlesque artist Lena Mae, hot tapping comedienne Josephine Shaker and international tassel-twirling showgirl Cherry Shakewell.

Also introducing curvy and verve-y burlesque starlet Bonnie Knockers!

Lena Mae: Photo Scott Chalmers
Lena Mae: Photo Scott Chalmers

Producer Lena Mae, says: “I adore our bi-annual trips to Brighton, the crowds really get into the spirit of things. I’m so excited about this naughty and very, VERY nice line-up!”

Admission is strictly over 18s. Not for the faint hearted, adult themes employed and embraced!

Hundred Watt Club produces theatre shows, club nights and pop up shows featuring some of the best UK and international burlesque and cabaret artists. Founded in 2008 by Lena Mae, a Surrey based burlesque dancer, the first event in an intimate theatre was a sell out and the show continues to go from strength to strength with events across the country!

For more information about Hundred Watt Club, click here:


Event: Hundred Watt Club – Burlesque and Cabaret

Where: Old Market, 11a Upper Market St, Brighton BN3 1AS

When: Saturday, December 2, 2017 Time: 8pm

Cost: £15

To book tickets online, click here:

Or telephone the box office on 01273 201 801.

PREVIEW: X Factor Live Tour is back in 2018!

Arena audiences will choose a new winner…every night!

The X Factor Live Tour returns for 2018 and for the first time ever the audience will choose their own winner…each and every night!

The X Factor digital host, Becca Dudley, will be on the road with the contestants and presenting the tour competition each night. At the end of each show, the audience will then become the judges – and choose the winner!

The X Factor Live Tour 2018 kicks off in Belfast on February 16 and will travel across the UK, visiting Belfast, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Cardiff, Dublin, Leeds, Liverpool, Glasgow, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield and finishing at the Brighton Centre on Sunday, March 4.

Tickets go on general sale at 10am on Friday October 13, with an exclusive pre-sale on Wednesday October 11 at 10am with Ticketmaster.

The X Factor Live Tour has thrilled more than three million people since it began 13 years ago, making it one of the UK’s most successful annual arena tours.


Live dates in 2018:

Friday, February 16                              Belfast The SSE Arena

Saturday, February 17                         Dublin 3 Arena

Monday, February 19                          Cardiff Motorpoint Arena

Tuesday, February 20                         Manchester Arena

Thursday, February 22                       Newcastle Metro Radio Arena

Friday, February 23                            Nottingham Motorpoint Arena

Saturday, February 24                       London The SSE Arena, Wembley (matinee and evening)

Sunday, February 25                          Birmingham Genting Arena (matinee)

Tuesday, February 27                       Bournemouth, BIC

Wednesday, February 28                 Liverpool Echo Arena

Thursday, March 1                            Glasgow The SSE Hydro Arena

Friday, March 2                                 Sheffield FlyDSA Arena

Saturday, March 3                             Leeds First Direct Arena

Sunday, March 4                                Brighton Centre


Event: X Factor Live Tour 2018

Where: Brighton Centre, King’s Rd, Brighton BN1 2GR

When: Sunday, March 4

Time: 7.30pm

Cost: Tickets from £20 (plus booking fee)

To book online, click here:

Or telephone: 0844 811 0051 / 0844 826 2826

 

 

 

Polish couple make video of honeymoon trip

Gay couple Jakub Kwiecinski and Dawid Mycek married in Madeira on June 9 because they could not marry in Poland.

They filmed their honeymoon trip through Scandinavia and have made a music video backed by a new Roxette song, Good Karma.

Jakub and Dawid shot to international attention a year ago when they made a coming out video lip synching to the Roxette song Some Other Summer.

The video found it’s way to the legendary Swedish group, who loved it and shared it on their official site.

The video went viral but in their own country, Poland, the couple suffered from hate reprisals and homophobic attacks.

The boys decided they wanted to get married. Same sex marriage and civil unions are not legally recognised in Poland so they arranged a wedding ceremony in Madeira, Portugal.

They set off on honeymoon to Scandinavia straight after the wedding where they made their new video.

Dawid said: “It was totally different than when we recorded our first video. This time we obtained official permission from Roxette to make the video which made us very nervous in the knowledge that such a  legendary band were going to watch it”.

During their honeymoon the couple visited four countries travelling 8.000 kilometres across Scandinavia, filming all the way. They even climbed the famous rocks Trolltunga and Pleikestolen to film some remarkable footage.

Everything went well for the pair and Roxette love the video, sharing it once again on their official fan site.

Jacob said: “It’s a bit like ‘deja vu’, but it’s really great to be fans of such a great band who support LGBT+ rights. Even during our wedding ceremony we listened to “Listen to your heart”. I think it’s the perfect way to end our music video story, we have now come full circle on our journey and its time to grow up.”

Poland remains the largest EU country were same-sex marriages and civil unions aren’t legally recognised.

Brighton & Hove to get Kids Free Little Library

Brighton & Hove’s first Little Free Library is to launch at Norfolk Square with storytelling from CBeebies presenter Sid Sloane and others on Friday, October 20 from 11am.

The colourful beach hut-shaped wooden box, on a plinth in the middle of the square, will stock free children’s books with the invitation to “take a book, leave a book”.

Children and families will be encouraged to browse the books, borrow any that takes their fancy, stay and read the books together in a new reading zone, and share a children’s book they love by leaving it in the library for others to enjoy.

Local resident Michelle Pauli, who dreamed up the idea and is donating the initial stock, said: “The idea of a Little Free Library will inspire anyone with a fondness for books. I love the idea of children and families making a point of passing through Norfolk Square regularly, stopping by to drop off books they’ve finished, seeing if new books have been added and sitting on little tree trunk seats to browse through them and explore their stories and illustrations. Nestling between the trees, it has an enchanted feel to it.”

Little Free Libraries started in the US in 2009 and there are now tens of thousands across the world, all aiming to encourage reading and a love of books.

For more information, click here:

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