25 years after Section 28, Stonewall launches ground-breaking film for primary schools.
FREE, is a ground-breaking new film for primary schools to help tackle bullying and celebrate difference. 25 years after the introduction of Section 28, a piece of legislation that banned resources like FREE, the film follows the stories of four children exploring family, friendship and what it means to be yourself.
The film is the culmination of four years’ work with primary schools, pupils, teachers and parents to develop resources that engage and inspire children to be themselves.
Every primary school in Britain will receive the film complete with a detailed lesson plan which helps them to tackle bullying and celebrate different families in an age-appropriate manner. The new resources follow on from the success of the critically acclaimed FIT, the film sent to every secondary school in Britain to tackle and prevent homophobic bullying.
Directed by Rikki-Beadle Blair, FREE is backed by former Children’s Laureate Jacqueline Wilson.
She said: “Stonewall is doing a wonderful job working with teachers and young people to make sure no-one is bullied because they or their family might be gay.”
Mumsnet CEO Justine Roberts has also welcomed the film: “Despite best attempts many parents find it tricky to talk to their kids about relationships. Films like these from Stonewall are a great way to reassure and educate children.”
Ruth Hunt
Ruth Hunt, Stonewall’s Acting Chief Executive said:“Every parent wants their child to grow up in a world where they can be themselves. A world where they can learn, play and make friends at school and beyond. A vital part of growing up in 21st century Britain is learning that difference is something to be celebrated, not shunned. FREE helps schools teach this important lesson in an age-appropriate way.”
The WiSE Project will be launching a new campaign called WiSEup in Spring 2014 to raise awareness about sexual exploitation for LGBT people.
The campaign, which has received funding from the Sussex Police Community Cashback aims to raise awareness about sexual exploitation as well as promote referral and reporting pathways. The campaign has been developed with youth-consultation for LGBT and non-LGBT venues.
The WiSE Project has carried out participatory workshops with LGBTU young people at Allsorts Youth Project to design innovative and interactive campaign materials and badges, which will be featured in venues across the LGBT-scene.
LGBTU young people can face additional challenges to their straight, cisgender peers. These challenges can include a lack of acceptance from family or friends or experiencing homo/bi/transphobic bullying.
In addition, many LGBTU young people do not receive appropriate education and advice around sex and relationships. These factors can compound and increase LGBTU young people’s vulnerability to sexual exploitation.
Alongside the awareness-raising campaign materials, the WiSE Project will be delivering training to people that work professionally within the night time economy, such as doorpersons, club and pub workers, hotel reception staff, in order to increase awareness of how to identify exploitative situations and report appropriately.
The project is being launched on March 28 at the Komedia in Brighton.
For more information about the campaign or ambassador training, EMAIL:
Sarah Owen lays the first plank welcomes community funds from GMB to help rebuild the Hastings Pier.
Sarah Owen with Paul Maloney and two GMB apprentices working on the pier Dan and Andrew
On Tuesday, March 4, the Labour parliamentary candidate for Hastings and Rye, Sarah Owen accompanied the regional secretary of the GMB union Paul Maloney on Hastings Pier.
They handed over a community donation of £10,000 to Simon Opie of the Hastings Pier Charity and Sarah helped lay the first new plank of the pier’s renovation. The pier is scheduled to reopen in Late Spring 2015.
Hastings-born Sarah has raised money for Hastings Pier in the past by climbing the 3 highest peaks in the UK and is very pleased that the GMB union used their community funds for such a brilliant cause.
Sarah lays the first plank
She said: “As a local person who loved going on the pier when I was young, it was a huge honour to lay one of the first planks on Hastings Pier and to welcome the donation from GMB Southern Region, which along with thousands of other people who’ve bought community shares, goes to fund what will be a fantastic cultural and economic asset to our town.
“Well done to the Pier team – the volunteers and the workers, the Sussex Coast College apprentices like Dan and Andrew who I met today, Hastings Borough Council and everyone else who has got behind rebuilding Hastings Pier.”
To find out more or buy your own share, CLICK HERE:
The GMB’s Paul Maloney said: “I am really pleased that as a community-based trade union we are able to support the efforts of the Hastings Pier Charity. It’s clear that the Charity, working with the local council and partners, have achieved a great deal. We also have Sarah Owen, one of our members, standing for parliament and we are delighted to be able to join her fundraising efforts and show our mutual commitment and respect we have for the town.
“I am looking forward to the spring of 2015 and visiting the re-built pier.”
The charity has raised around £11.5million through the Heritage Lottery Fund and over £2million from other sources to fund the engineering works needed. The charity’s community share offer aims to raise a further £500,000.
Pauline George will be signing copies of her new lesbian novel Jess at the Marlborough Theatre Bar on Saturday, March 29.
The first 30 guests will be offered complimentary nibbles, discounted drinks and a free glass of champers.
There will be a raffle on the night to benefit Speaking Volumes, a storytelling project that allows the voices of hidden, stigmatised and marginalised people to be heard. Prizes include a night at the Queens Hotel on Brighton seafront.
The book is available on Amazon.
For more information about Pauline George, CLICK HERE:
The launch is in association with the lesbian and social dining group, Dining D’s.
For more information about Speaking Volumes, CLICK HERE:
What: Pauline George signs her debut lesbian novel Jess
Where: Marlborough Theatre Bar, Princes Street, Brighton
Brighton & Hove City Councillors finally set a budget for 2014/15 last night.
After failing to come to an agreement at the annual budget meeting last Thursday, February 27, the Green Party and Labour & Cooperative joined together last night to vote through a council tax increase of 1.99%
After being warned about their legal responibilites to set a budget, councillors voted through a joint amendment from the Green, Conservative and the Labour & Co-operative groups using £306,000 unallocated one-off reserves.
These reserves will fund:
£120,000 transition funding for Able & Willing, the supported service for disabled people allowing the service to continue until September 2015 allowing hopefully for further business to be generated
• £165m to the overall discretionary grants budget for one year whilst alternative funding options are developed
• £15,000 for Pride in addition to the £10,000 to be carried forward from the 2013/14 allocation to support the Parade and Village party
• £6,000 one-off transitional funding for Employment Support within Adult Social Care to shift to new models of working.
It is proposed to use the unallocated £23,000 resources in contingency:
To reverse the £9,000 saving in Children’s Services which will remove the 2% reduction in Community & Voluntary Sector contracts for short breaks for disabled children;
To reverse the £7,000 saving in Children’s Services thereby removing the 2% reduction in Community & Voluntary Sector contracts for Link Plus; and to use the remaining £7,000to reverse part of the £68,000 efficiency savings in the short break residential budget.
Cllr Warren Morgan
Cllr Warren Morgan, leader of Labour and Cooperative, said:“This is a victory for common sense and the right decision for the city. We have set a sensible, inflation-linked council tax increase, avoided a referendum costing £900,000 and a tax freeze costing £800,000. We have not passed the cost of Conservative government cuts on to those who cannot afford it, and most importantly we have kept control of our local services out of the hands of Eric Pickles.
“I’m please we have been able to save funding for respite care breaks for disabled children, funding for community grants and Pride, and support for Able & Willing, the supported employer for people with learning disabilities. There is still £3 million in contingency funds in the Budget to support social care services.”
Cllr Geoffrey Theobald who took Cllr Kitcat to task for remarks made during his speech about the Conservatives, said: “We have been clear and consistent for many months that the Administration should accept the £1.2 million recurrent funding on offer from the Government and deliver a council tax freeze. I am, therefore, very disappointed for the residents of this city that they have been lumbered with this above inflation increase. I am especially disappointed with the Labour Group for not supporting our freeze proposals. Their Leader is constantly banging on about a ‘cost of living crisis’ yet here he is voting to push up people’s council tax bills. There are many Labour councils up and down the country such as Manchester, Sunderland, Newcastle and most Labour London Boroughs who are freezing council tax – why should Brighton & Hove be any different? We have shown, through our proposals, that it is perfectly possible to freeze council tax and still put money in to protect vital services such as short break respite for disabled children. This council tax increase is completely unnecessary.”
Cllr Jason Kitcat
Council Leader Jason Kitcat said he agreed to the budget with a heavy heart while denying the settlement had weakened his position: “It was important that the council budget was set. It is important local councillors retain the final say on this. I’m pleased there was cross party agreement on a series of areas which will help keep services going in the year ahead. Everybody had to compromise. It wasn’t the budget we hoped for but at least the city has certainty and the Secretary of State will not be involved.”
All Conservative councillors voted against the budget.
All Labour councillors voted for the budget.
Green councillors who abstained included: Ruth Buckley (Goldsmid), Rob Jarrett (Goldsmid), Stephanie Powell (Queens Park),
Green rebels who voted against the budget included: Ben Duncan (Queens Park), Phelim Mac Cafferty (Brunswick & Adelaide), Alex Philips (Goldsmid) Liz Wakefield (Elm Grove & Hanover).
Simon Kirby, MP for Kemptown and Peacehaven, speakes out against the cruel and unnecessary practice of puppy farming.
Puppy farming is the mass commercial production of puppies; driven purely by profit and with no thought for the welfare of the animals involved.
Mr Kirby has urged the Government to take action to end puppy farming, and has also called for a debate on the issue to be held in the House of Commons.
Simon Kirby, MP
He said: “Puppy farming is a cruel business, which results in animals being kept in horrific conditions and sold en masse – often riddled with painful diseases.
“Most UK dog owners would never buy from a puppy farmer, however as many as 900,000 people do so without knowing in a single calendar year. There are steps the Government can take to prevent the sale of puppies and kittens by retail outlets where the mother is not present. That would go a long way to tackling demand for puppies from farms, and send a clear message that we are determined to improve animal welfare in the UK.
“I have called on the Government to seriously consider the options available to them, and act to end this appalling trade. I will also be joining colleagues in Parliament in asking for there to be a debate in the House of Commons on this issue, so that we can bring it to wider attention.
“I know there are thousands of pet owners in my constituency of Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven who want to see better protection for companion animals and I assure them I am working for progress on their behalf.”
Lunch Positive to host two workshops during March which will be run by Tim Procter from THT and held at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church.
• Personal Independent Payments: Friday March 7, 2pm – 4.30 pm
• Employment & Support Allowance: Friday March 14, 2 pm – 4.30 pm
The government has made key changes to the main benefits for sick and disabled claimants.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is being replaced with Personal Independence Payments (PIP). All DLA claimants will be required to undergo a new assessment to transfer from DLA to PIP from 2015. If you are experiencing health problems and want to find out how to qualify for PIP this workshop will tell you.
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) has a difficult Personal Capability Assessment requiring claimants to fill an ESA50 form which may be followed by a medical examination. These assessments need to be repeated for most claimants annually.
Both PIP and ESA have hidden tests with a point scoring system. Learning about the underlying tests and point scoring can help claimants approach the assessment with more confidence and help them decide what issues they need to raise.
Jimi ‘Poster Boy’ Manuwa shows a soft spot for animals in Ink, Not Mink Campaign.
He’s undefeated in the ring, and the next opponent he’d like to knock halfway to the moon is the fur industry.
Flexing his ultra-chiselled and amply tattooed torso next to the caption “Ink, Not Mink”, UFC light-heavyweight fighter Jimi ‘Poster Boy’ Manuwa appears in a brand-new ad for PETA.
The ad concludes, “Fight Cruelty to Animals. Say No to Fur and Fur Trim.”
Jimi said: “Animals beaten, gassed and electrocuted for fur are never given a choice and are powerless to defend themselves, anyone interested in fighting animal abuse can join me by refusing to wear fur.”
In the wild, animals caught in steel-jaw traps can languish for days, slowly dying from hunger, thirst, disease, blood loss and predation. Some, especially mothers with babies, chew through their limbs in a desperate attempt to escape. Animals on fur farms spend their entire lives confined to cramped, filthy cages before they are beaten, gassed or anally electrocuted. Sometimes, they are even skinned while still alive. More than 2 million cats and dogs are skinned in China every year – many while still conscious.
Nigerian-born Manuwa wants to be the first Brit to win a UFC belt, and with a fighting record of 14 fights and 14 wins – 13 by knockout, one by submission – he is well on his way.
Manuwa is ranked 11th in the world in the light-heavyweight division and is currently training for his biggest opportunity to date, when he’ll face Alexander Gustafsson in the headline fight for the UFC’s London event on March 8.
Manuwa joins rugby star Danny Cipriani, strongman competitor Patrik Baboumian, England cricketer Jade Dernbach, squash champion James Willstrop, basketball star Metta World Peace, boxer ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley, marathon runner Fauja Singh, ultra-endurance athlete Rich Roll and fellow UFC fighters Jake Shields and Mac Danzig in teaming up with PETA or its affiliates to encourage kindness towards animals.
The Home Secretary,Theresa May pays flying visit to the Sussex Beacon shop in St James Street on Friday.
Simon Dowe, Home Secretary Theresa May and Simon Kirby MP
She was accompanied by Simon Kirby MP for Kemptown and Peacehaven and Simon Dowe CEO of the Sussex Beacon who took the opportunity to explain to her about the important work undertaken for people with HIV at the Sussex Beacon’s in patient unit.
Simon said: “It was great that Simon Kirby Patron of The Sussex Beacon brought Theresa May to one of The Sussex Beacon charity shops. Her recognition of our work with men women and families affected by HIV is a very welcome boost to volunteers, staff and service users.”
Earlier in the day she visited John Street Police station to discuss with Sussex Police the under reporting of Hate Crime nationally. She finished off her visit to Brighton at the Aids Memorial where she laid red roses and met the memorial’s sculpture Mark Romany Bruce and Paul Elgood, chair of the Rainbow Fund who commissioned the memorial for the LGBT community in Brighton and Hove.
New figures published by Public Health England (PHE) show 24 cases of confirmed measles were reported during the final quarter of 2013.
This compares to 103 cases in the previous quarter and 309 cases from the same quarter in 2012.
The numbers of confirmed measles cases in England hit the highest levels since 1995 during the first quarter of 2013, with 587 confirmed cases reported – 10 to 16 year olds were the most affected.
The increase prompted PHE, NHS England and the Department of Health to announce a national catch-up programme in April 2013 to improve MMR vaccination uptake in teenagers.
The main objective of the national catch up programme was to ensure that at least 95% of children aged 10 to 16 years in England received at least one dose of MMR vaccine by September 30, 2013. A PHE evaluation found that by August 2013, approximately 95% of 10 to16 year olds in England had received at least one dose of measles containing vaccine.
In addition to measles, there were 520 laboratory confirmed cases of mumps with onset in the last quarter of 2013, similar to the 506 cases reported in the previous quarter. There was a total 3,524 cases of mumps confirmed in 2013. Three cases of rubella were confirmed in the last quarter of 2013, the same as in the previous quarter, bringing the total infected individuals for the year to 12.
Dr Mary Ramsay
Dr Mary Ramsay, PHE’s head of immunisation said:“Measles is a potentially fatal, but entirely preventable, disease so we are delighted that measles cases have recently decreased in England.
“The best way to prevent measles outbreaks is to ensure good uptake of the MMR vaccine across all age groups, so it’s heartening to see the success the catch-up programme had in ensuring 95% of 10 to 16 year olds in England received at least one dose of the vaccine.
“Although mumps has increased a little from the same quarter of last year the numbers remain much lower than the levels seen in 2004/5, when outbreaks were reported in several universities. This probably reflects the fact that most young people now attending university were eligible for two doses of MMR as children.”
The campaign, which has received funding from the Sussex Police Community Cashback aims to raise awareness about sexual exploitation as well as promote referral and reporting pathways. The campaign has been developed with youth-consultation for LGBT and non-LGBT venues.
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