Katie Vincent takes over the leadership of the project from Jess Wood MBE, who is retiring in the Autumn.
AFTER 20 years at the helm of Allsorts, Jess is stepping down to focus on her PhD at the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts in London. Katie Vincent has been appointed the new CEO and has been working closely with Jess in developing a new vision.
Katie says:“I’m really excited to be taking over from Jess, we’ve had a blast and I will continue the Allsorts culture of fun, openness, inclusion and warmth and ensuring children and young people are always at the heart of our service. My task is clear, to build on the foundations of our reputation & reach and expand our services. Jess’s creativity, spirit and energy is something that has constantly inspired me and will continue to drive the project & our mission forward.”
Allsorts Youth Project, was founded by Jess Wood, MBE and James Newton in 1999. The project has grown in 20 years from a small volunteer led project into a multi-award winning nationally recognised LGBT+ youth project.
In those early days Allsorts had no funding but a lot of enthusiasm! Jess, an artist, and James, a youth worker and postman, were motivated to provide something for LGBT+ and unsure children and young people because at the time there was almost no support services available in Brighton, and they saw a great need.
Jess says:“It’s been a wonderful 20 years working for Allsorts, we’ve always had the most fantastic staff team, trustees and volunteers, without whom the project could not have thrived the way it has. We’ve had so much fun and achieved so much and as with any youth project it is the children and young people that are the heart of everything that makes Allsorts so fantastic! I will treasure my memories of individual young people who have triumphed over terrible adversary in their lives and with the help of Allsorts, have been able to flourish.”
Everyone at Allsorts is looking forward to a new era under the dynamic leadership of Katie Vincent.
More than twenty performers, artists and authors will come together this Sunday, August 11 for a day of music, comedy, storytelling, poetry, zines and artwork, to celebrate and fundraise for trans equality.
SOLIDARITY on the Shore will take place on Giles Street, Leith, and in Harmonium Bar (Giles St) and Sofi’s Bar (Henderson St), from 2pm to 10pm.
It is organised by the Equality Network, Scottish Trans Alliance, Harmonium and Sofi’s, and sponsored by Absolut and Electric Spirit Co.
Kate Charlesworth
The line-up includes Teddy Lamb, Kate Charlesworth, Emilie Hwang, Sheboom, Rachel Plummer, Jo Clifford, Lavender Menace Returns, Ryan Brown, James Cuddihy, Helen Reeves, The Prettiest Dunce, Hawf a Dug Crisp Box, Hidden Ink Child, Bombinate, Gordon Shaw, Wild and Kind, Andres Ordorica, Gloria Bittman and Ink Asher Hemp.
There will also be vegan street food and an outdoor bar on Giles Street.
Solidarity on the Shore is a fundraiser for the Equal Recognition campaign, which is campaigning for reform to Scotland’s Gender Recognition Act, to make it easier for trans people to change their legal gender to match the gender in which they live. The Scottish Government has proposed making such changes, and later this year will be consulting the public on a draft bill to do that. All parties represented at Holyrood had manifesto commitments on this at the 2016 Holyrood election.
Becky Crowther, organiser of the event at the Equality Network, said:“Showing solidarity with the trans community in Scotland is so important right now. Whilst trans rights and trans people are under attack online and in the media, we are so grateful to all of our contributors for standing with them to do something positive and celebratory.”
Jo Clifford
Jo Clifford, world-renowned playwright who is performing at the event, said:“This is a difficult time for everyone in the LGBTI and queer community, and it’s really important we find occasions to show our pride and our solidarity for each other. So I’m really happy this event is happening in the middle of the Edinburgh Festival, and really proud to be taking part in it.”
Ben Thomson, manager of Harmonium Bar added: “We wanted to team up with Scottish Trans Alliance on this because this is a positive campaign to be involved in. As a venue we value equality and diversity and we want to be a place that does good food, good booze and is open to everyone.”
Pride Solidarity Fund donates £5,000 each to the Peter Tatchell Foundation and The Kaleidoscope Trust.
Peter Tatchell receives cheque for £5,000 from Paul Kemp: Photo Chris Jepson
PRIDE Solidarity Fund was established in 2018 to support LGBT+ community groups, projects and organisations.
On Saturday, August 3, Brighton & Hove Pride’s, Pride Solidarity Fund presented The Peter Tatchell Foundation and Kaleidoscope Trust with cheques for £5,000 to support their work with the LGBT+ communities worldwide.
The cheques were presented to Peter Tatchell and representatives from the Kaleidoscope Trust on the main stage at Brighton Pride’s primary fundraising event, Pride in the Park, to support both these independent organisations who dedicate their service to upholding the human rights of LGBT+ people in the UK and internationally.
The Pride Solidarity Fund was established in 2018 to support underfunded projects and organisations, many of which have had their funding cut over the last five years.
Commenting on the donation, Peter Tatchell, Director of The Peter Tatchell Foundation, which campaigns for LGBT+ and other human rights in the UK and worldwide, said: “We are delighted and honoured to receive this very generous donation from the Pride Solidarity Fund to aid our work supporting LGBT+ rights in the UK and internationally. As a small, under-funded LGBT+ and human rights charity, this grant means a lot. It will enable us to do even more to challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. Among other causes, this funding will help us support LGBT+ campaigners in Arab countries and LGBT+ Muslims here in the UK.”
The Kaleidoscope Trust work to uphold the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people in countries where they do not have their equal rights and are discriminated against because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
Representatives from The Kaleidoscope Trust receive cheque for £5,000 from Paul Kemp: Photo Chris Jepson
Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, Executive Director of The Kaleidoscope Trust said: “I want to express huge thanks to Brighton Pride for their donation to Kaleidoscope Trust. This global movement for LGBTQI liberation and human rights needs as many people as possible working towards common goals of freedom, unity and dignity. Your donation helps us to continue do this work and we are so grateful.”
The cheques were presented by Paul Kemp, managing director of Brighton & Hove Pride in front of an audience of 50,000 people. He congratulated both organisations on their efforts, achievements and continued campaigning for the rights of LGBT+ individuals and communities around the world.
The historic market town of Totnes in Devon is set to host the seventh Totnes Pride on Saturday, September 7, 2019.
SOCIAL enterprise Proud2Be will be laying on a whole host of activities, which will bring the LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and/or questioning+) communities together with their allies, to celebrate diversity in the town.
This year’s theme is Your Time to Sparkle which has been chosen by young people who regularly attend the Proud2Be youth group.
In a recently published set of videos where young people spoke about what the theme means to them, Charlie said: “Your Time to Sparkle is such a great theme, to me it’s all about celebrating us as individuals and as a community and saying that there is something amazing about everyone, especially at the moment when there’s so much in the media attacking LGBT people, having this theme as a celebration in defiance to that is fantastic.”
The day will start at 10.45am outside The Dartmouth Inn with a special debut performance from Proud2Be Youth Choir and opening speeches by Proud2Be youth members.
The award-winning Samba ROC Band, will then lead a procession up Fore Street and High Street to Totnes Civic Hall at 11.30am. Road closures will be in place between 10.30am – 1pm at Ticklemore Street and from the bottom of Fore Street up to where the High Street meets Castle Street.
Community bus service Bob the Bus will be running a park and ride service from 10am at King Edward VI Community College (KEVICC) and will also be transporting wheelchair users and those with mobility issues up the procession at 11.15.
It will be at the Civic Hall, Birdwood House Café and The Red Wizard Café from midday, where visitors can enjoy workshops, talks, live music, community stalls, Dot’s Cafe, a youth space and a variety of family-friendly activities including art and craft, face painting and much more.
This year, for the first time, there will be a ‘Pride Garden’ at Heath’s Garden behind the Civic Hall where visitors of all ages can take part in outdoor games and children can enjoy ‘Drag Storytime’.
There will be a panel discussion from 3:00pm at Totnes Cinema, where local young activists will discuss the theme: Where Is Our Sex Education?.
There will be a pop-up changing places facility, gender neutral toilets, a quiet room and two British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters available throughout the day.
The fun continues into the evening at Totnes Pride Cabaret from 7.00pm at Totnes Civic Hall, which will be hosted by the fabulous Rhi Rhi Rhythm & Alex Ambiguous and feature an unmissable performance from Marilyn Mournroe and live music from popular Disco Funk band Golddust and internationally renowned tribute act Maybe Gaga.
Due to successful continuation funding from People’s Health Trust using money raised by Health Lottery South West, entry to all daytime events is free.
Tickets to the Cabaret are £10 in advance and £12 on the door (16 and over).
To mark the event Totnes Town Council will once again, raise the rainbow flag over Totnes Civic Hall on Wednesday, September 4 at 6.30pm which will include a performance by members of popular Totnes Choir Global Harmony.
Inspired by their experiences of bullying, discrimination and shame – identical twins Max and Maya Price set up Proud2Be in 2011 when they recorded the first Proud2Be video. Since then various public figures and members of the public have contributed to the campaign.
As well as campaigning and hosting Totnes Pride, Proud2Be facilitates well attended and inclusive peer support groups and a youth project, which now includes a fortnightly youth group, a peer mentoring project, a 1:1 mentoring service and a new families support group.
Proud2Be deliver awareness training to schools and organisations around the UK.
Discussing this year’s event, Proud2Be co-founder Max said:“For the past year, the Pride Action Group have been working tirelessly alongside Proud2Be youth members to ensure that Totnes Pride continues to be an inclusive and thoughtful event that we can all be proud of. For us, Pride is both a celebration and a protest and we invite everyone to come and join us for the seventh Pride in the town.”
Proud2Be are looking for volunteers to help out on the day. If you would like to get involved, email: jules@proud2be.co.uk
This money will go towards The Martin Fisher Foundation’s aims to raise HIV awareness, increase access to HIV testing, and reduce HIV stigma.
The Write Release aims to promote creativity by providing safe and supportive environments for writers and performers to network and showcase their work.
Aiden Bex
Aiden Bex from The Right Release said:“Huge thanks to all the wonderful local businesses who donated raffle prizes. The raffle alone raised £1080 in ticket sales – thanks to such an incredible mix of over 40 prizes. Such amazing generosity from the local community for which we are so very grateful.
“Despite the insane heat, all of the performers gave it their very best and it was a really fun and entertaining evening.”
Hosted by Stella Pint (Ali-H Comedy), there were performances from Qukulele, Mark Oh, Laura Darrall, Jen Ives, Honk Improv, Aiden Bex, and Harlequeens.
Four individuals, Amber Dewstow, Nick Lane, Emma Clowsley, and Hazel Rogers performed on the ‘open mic’. Each brilliant in their own right with different styles and beautifully written material.
Two talented photographers Carley Dale Photography and Richard Gunn Photography covered the event. Their photos are amazing….all 375 of them.
Here is the official video of the event, created by Carley Dale Photography.
For more great videos check out their videos page or subscribe to The Write Release YouTube channel.
Brighton & Hove Pride and its partners declare post-Pride 2019 cleansing efforts a resounding success.
Photo: Alex Bamford
THIS year’s clean up after Pride was the culmination of months of planning to encourage less waste over the busy weekend and to continue to improve cleansing operations. Streets were clean and free from litter in record time in an effective, co-ordinated clean-up campaign.
As well as cleansing all the Pride event footprint, following the threat of potential industrial action by the GMB union, this year Brighton and Hove Pride paid for additional contractors and road sweeping machines to clean London Road, jet wash the streets of the Pride Village Party and follow the Pride Parade through the city.
Although Brighton & Hove Pride does not organise any events on the beach, this year as a first, they sponsored the inaugural Big Pride Beach Clean, delivered by Oceans8 Brighton, which saw Brighton’s beaches transformed on Sunday morning. All the refuse collected was sorted on site, ready for recycling which has highlighted the scale of the challenge of keeping beaches free from materials that cause great harm to marine life and the environment. Pride will continue to engage with the businesses on the seafront to share the responsibility of the clean up after a bumper weekend for their businesses.
This work is part of our ongoing mission to encourage residents, visitors and businesses to take Pride in the City.
Paul Kemp
Paul Kemp, Managing Director, Brighton & Hove Pride CIC said:“Even though Pride hosts no events on the beach, in the spirit of collaboration we wanted to support a collective approach to maintaining a cleaner, more sustainable city.”
Melanie Rees, Creative Director of The Green Centre and one of Oceans 8 Brighton said:“Oceans 8 Brighton are thrilled that the Pride sponsored beach clean was such a success. Thanks to the over 1,000 volunteers who registered for our 3 sessions on Sunday morning, and the support of BUPA, the beaches on either side of the pier were left in a better state than a normal weekend and all the rubbish was sorted on site ready for recycling.”
55,000 people stood in Preston Park on Saturday, August 3 to hear Stephen Richards aka Lola Lasagne bring to a climax the Brighton and Hove Pride #WeStandTogether campaign with this powerful video.
Lulu has been added to the Festival Line-Up for Manchester Pride.
IN the year she is celebrating 55 years since the release of her debut smash hit single Shout, Lulu will perform at the Gay Village Party at Manchester Pride.
She will join the ‘Danny Beard and friends’ extravaganza on Saturday evening along with Seann Miley Moore and Rhythm of the 90s.
The event will form the heart of Manchester Pride’s August bank holiday Manchester Pride Festival in the world famous Gay Village. The four-day event will this year bring live performances, a food and makers market, family focussed activities and more to the iconic cobbled streets and area surrounding them.
The focal point of the event will be Sackville Gardens where music and performances will be programmed throughout the weekend with Liberty X opening the event alongside Sara Aalto and host Stephen Bailey. Proms in the Park will take over on Saturday daytime.
A huge part of the weekend will be the Queer Music Stage which will be programmed by Manchester Pride’s year-round programme of culture Superbia. It will run on Sunday from 2pm to 11pm.
American rapper and producer Khalif Diouf, known by his stage name Le1f, will headline the celebration. As a gay rapper he has garnered attention for his unique and subversive musical and performance styles.
Pieces of Man lead singer and synth player To!u A¡ayi will perform on the same stage on Sunday night. The Manchester based six-strong soul collective Pieces of a Man electronically manipulate and push the sonic boundaries of a conventional soul band.
Trans Pride will also take place on the Sackville Gardens Stage on Monday in partnership with Trans Creative and as always the weekend will close with the Candlelit Vigil in the evening.
Trans Creative is a pioneering trans arts company, founded and directed by Artistic Director, Kate O’Donnell.
The EXPO will continue in the space on Bloom Street where it has been for many years, along with the hugely popular silent disco on Friday and Singalong Cinema on Monday. The films shown will be selected by a poll via Manchester Pride’s Facebook page.
In the evenings the space will be transformed into The Fetish Emporium, a place of pleasure and exploration, The Fetish Emporium will celebrate fetish lifestyles and communities providing an educational, safe space which encourages sexual positivity. It’s programme will include lectures on the origins of Fetish from Alison Pilling, discussions fetish from Jean McDonald, shibari rope tying workshops, demonstrations from local communities and kink performances curated by Lady Wildflower.
Plus market stalls, selling high quality goods such as erotic art, pup play, rubber wear, leather wear, silicone goods and more. The Fetish Emporium is 18+.
The car park, which in the past has played host to the main stage, will this year host the Sackville Square Fair with a host of food and drink traders and a makers market with DJs playing all weekend. Plus the much-missed fairground rides will return to the site to make the most of the space which has become much reduced as a result of the construction work happening across the area.
Mark Fletcher
Mark Fletcher, chief executive for Manchester Pride, said:“I can’t wait to see Lulu performing at the Gay Village Party. She’s a legend and we know the audience will love it.
“It was important to us that alongside the big name performers such as Lulu, Liberty X and Saara Alto we gave the stage to emerging LGBT+ performers as part of the Superbia takeover. It’s very exciting to be adding Le1f and To!u A¡ayi to the Queer Music Stage, they will a bring an element that we haven’t seen at the Festival before.”
Ticket prices for this event are subsidised by Manchester Pride to help deliver a safe, community pride celebration.
Guests can expect wristband checks in bars and the same security as previous festivals to ensure a safe and welcoming space for LGBT+ people to celebrate all weekend long.
Manchester Pride Festival 2019 will be made up of Manchester Pride Live, the Candlelit Vigil, the Superbia Weekend, the Gay Village Party, Manchester Pride Parade, Youth Pride MCR and will run from Friday, August 23 to Monday August 26,
For more information about Manchester Pride, click here:
THE lessons will take place at the 
Lulu has been added to the Festival Line-Up for Manchester Pride.
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