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Statement from Chris Gull, Chair of the Brighton Rainbow Fund

Posted on by Gscene Editorial Team

Dear Community Members,

I am writing in response to the recent news blog story regarding the Brighton Rainbow Fund (BRF) and my actions as Chair. As I am also an unpaid Director of both the Ledward Centre and Scene magazine, I feel it’s important to address these matters directly and transparently.

First and foremost, I take full personal responsibility for all decisions that have led to delays in grant payments approved by BRF. While the 2022/23 BRF accounts have been independently examined and submitted to the Charity Commission as required, I recognise the community’s concerns deserve thorough attention.

To ensure complete transparency and proper oversight, I have:

· Supported the referral of this matter to the Charity Commission for a comprehensive review

· Engaged with Community Works to facilitate communications between BRF and affected groups

I want to be clear that all funds directed to the Ledward Centre and Scene have been properly invested in operational costs and facility improvements. Throughout my nearly 30-year journey of running charities and non-profits since 1992, all my roles have been unpaid, driven solely by a commitment to serve our community.

I acknowledge that some of my decisions have caused difficulties for community groups and individuals. This weighs heavily on me, particularly given my long-standing dedication to supporting and strengthening our community. I am fully cooperating with the Charity Commission’s investigation and look forward to their findings being made public.

BRF remains a vital and unique institution that has been instrumental in advancing many essential services in our city. The dedicated staff at the Ledward Centre continue their important work, and Brighton & Hove Pride, under Paul Kemp‘s leadership, maintains its crucial community fundraising mission.

In their recent headline about BRF, the online blog headlining its story misrepresented my relationship with Pride. While I understand the need for scrutiny of community organisations, the headline unfairly conflates separate entities and risks damaging public trust in Brighton & Hove Pride, which has consistently demonstrated exemplary financial management and transparency.

Brighton & Hove Pride, under Paul Kemp’s leadership, has made community fundraising central to its mission and has been instrumental in supporting numerous local LGBTQ+ organisations. The current matters under investigation relate solely to decisions I made as a Trustee of BRF, for which I take full responsibility. Brighton Pride & Hove’s role has been limited to their admirable commitment to fundraising for our community.

It would be regrettable if misleading headlines were to undermine public confidence in an event that has not only raised substantial funds for local LGBTQ+ causes but has become a cornerstone of our city’s commitment to equality and inclusion.

Scene magazine stands as a thriving cornerstone of LGBTQ+ media, representing and amplifying our community’s diverse voices for over two decades. Any suggestion of it struggling misrepresents this vital publication’s current reality.

For more than 30 years, Scene (formerly GSCENE) has proudly and fiercely championed LGBTQ+ and TNBI rights, serving as an unwavering platform for our stories, triumphs, and ongoing journey toward equality. Today, Scene remains a powerful advocate for LGBTQ+ communities in all their beautiful diversity. Our strength lies not just in survival, but in sustained, meaningful impact and steadfast commitment to authentic representation.

I remain committed to full transparency throughout this process and welcome the Charity Commission’s thorough examination of all matters. Their expertise will ensure a comprehensive review that will provide our community with complete and accurate information.

To further support this process, and ensure vital LGBTQ+ community trust is maintained in BRF, the Ledward Centre and Scene magazine I have also:

· Submitted my resignation as Trustee of BRF (effective once a new Trustee is appointed)

· Ceased all funding to the Ledward Centre and Scene magazine during this period.

Sincerely,

Chris Gull

P.S. I am looking forward to transitioning from my role at the Ledward Centre within the next 12 to 18 months as I approach my 74th year, allowing for new leadership to guide these important community resources forward.

Scene magazine statement regarding recent news report on Brighton Rainbow Fund and our director Chris Gull

Posted on by Gscene Editorial Team

Dear readers,

In light of recent news regarding the Brighton Rainbow Fund and our director Chris Gull, we at Scene magazine want to reassure our community. We remain, as we have always been, a community-focused publication produced and maintained by a dedicated team of volunteers. This core aspect of our mission has not changed.

Following the sudden and unexpected passing of our beloved editor James Ledward five years ago, Chris Gull stepped into the role of director to preserve James’s legacy. Chris has acknowledged the potential conflict of interest between his roles as Scene‘s director and as a trustee of the Brighton Rainbow Fund. He has taken responsibility for decisions made and their impacts on community groups, expressing regret for some choices. The Brighton Rainbow Fund has appropriately sought guidance from the Charity Commission.

Scene magazine continues its commitment to producing LGBTQ+ news from the heart of Brighton & Hove for readers across the UK. Our mission to support diverse LGBTQ+ groups and share information, news, and insights into our communities remains steadfast. This has not changed and will not change.

To address any potential misconceptions, there is absolutely no suggestion of personal impropriety in Chris Gull’s behaviour. The current news story is solely about the Brighton Rainbow Fund’s organisational structures and decisions around some grant processes, not about any individual misconduct.

At Scene magazine, we’ve always believed in the power of transparency and honesty – a principle our late editor James Ledward held dear. It’s this approach that builds trust and confidence within our community.

Our dedicated team of volunteer community journalists continues to produce a wide range of content that amplifies LGBTQ+ voices, challenges misinformation and prejudice, and provides a platform for diverse perspectives across our community. This mission remains unchanged and unwavering.

We take pride in James Ledward’s legacy, recognising that each of us – from our writers to our readers – plays a part in carrying it forward. As we navigate recent developments, we remain committed to these values.

In the coming days, we will publish a statement from Chris Gull to address recent concerns. We appreciate your continued support and trust in Scene as your community news source.

Scene magazine continues to be your reliable voice for LGBTQ+ news and perspectives from Brighton & Hove and beyond.

We appreciate your continued support and trust in Scene as your community news source.

Trans Pride Brighton & Hove 2024: 45,000+ celebrate Trans Joy at city’s biggest Trans Pride event yet!

Posted on by Gscene Editorial Team

The vibrant heart of Brighton & Hove was filled Trans Joy on Saturday, July 20 where Trans Pride Brighton & Hove 2024 unfolded in a spectacular display of solidarity, joy, and resilience. The city’s streets came alive with a sea of TNBI & LGBTQ+ flags as an estimated 45,000 people gathered to celebrate the transgender and non-binary community in a triumphant showcase of love and acceptance.

This year’s Trans Pride event, spread across four bustling venues in the city centre, was a testament to the strength and visibility of the trans and non-binary community. Allies, families, and tens of thousands of trans and non-binary individuals turned out in force, their presence a powerful statement of unity and support.

The air was electric with excitement as attendees of all ages, backgrounds, and identities came together to march for equality. The diversity on display was truly heartening – from elders who had fought for trans rights for decades to wide-eyed children experiencing their first Pride event, the crowd represented the full spectrum of the TNBI, QTIPOC and LGBTQ+ community and beyond.

As the large vocal protest march wound its way through Brighton’s historic streets, bringing the city to a standstill, it was impossible to ignore the strong political undercurrents that ran through the event. Marchers carried banners and placards that spoke volumes about the ongoing struggles faced by the trans community – ‘Trans Rights Are Human Rights’, ‘Protect Trans Youth’, and ‘F*&K the Cass Review’ were just a few of the powerful messages on display.

Check out Trans Prides Facebook page for a host of amazing photo’s from the day

There was overwhelming support for trans children. Countless signs and chants echoed the urgent need to safeguard the youngest members of the trans community. Parents marched alongside their trans children, with pride and determination. It was a poignant reminder that the fight for equality is not just about the present, but about securing a brighter, more accepting future for generations to come.

The atmosphere was a perfect blend of celebration and activism. While the dummers drumbed and glitter sparkled in the summer sun, there was no mistaking the resolute determination of the attendees. Our community united in its demand for change, for acceptance, and for the right to live authentically without fear or discrimination.

Brighton, long known as a bastion of LGBTQ+ culture in the UK, truly outdid itself for Trans Pride 2024. The entire city centre was transformed into a gender queer wonderland, with every corner seemingly dedicated to the celebration. From the bustling food stalls offering an array of cuisines to the pop-up shops selling TNBI merchandise, the event had something for everyone.

The four main venues – each with its own unique flavour – were packed to the brim with revellers. At the Brighton Corn Exchange, a series of vibrant thumping bands took over the stages, thrilling the audience. New Steine Garden hosted a community village with stalls covering topics from trans healthcare to workplace inclusivity along with a hugely popular DJ dance tent.

Dorset Gardens hosted a family-friendly picnic area, with a live stage of singers, and performers, community food stalls and crafters alongside community activists’ stalls with face painting and storytelling sessions that captivated children and adults alike. The Dorset Gardens stage saw speeches from prominent trans activists interspersed with show-stopping performances. The Mayor of Brighton & Hove also appeared and joined the attendees to meet, talk to and celebrate the hard work of the diverse communities creating a family friendly space in Dorset Gardens.

Over at Jubilee Square, a line-up of trans and non-binary speakers spoke to the urgent need for change, their words moving the crowd and getting the march off to an energised start. And at the heart of it in the evening the Corn Exchange hosted a huge packed fundraiser and was epicentre of the evening’s celebrations.

Social media was flooded with images from across the city, of people having the best of time, check out Chris Jepsons’ Insta for a range of photo’s from across the day & venues.

The crowds had an overwhelming sense of joy and liberation. Smiling faces, laughter, and countless moments of connection and solidarity. Trans and non-binary individuals of all ages proudly displayed their true selves, for some – the first time in a public setting. The love and support from allies was palpable, creating a safe space where everyone could be unapologetically themselves. With people from across the UK and Europe, people from Australia, Canada, and South America taking part in this affirming event.

The weather celebrating along with the attendees, with blue skies and warm sunshine bathing the city in a golden glow. The pleasant conditions added to the festival atmosphere, as people spilled out of venues and into the streets, turning the entire city centre into one giant party. Sunset saw a huge pink bow across the city, as a blessing on this hugely successful day.

It’s worth noting that Trans Pride Brighton is more than just a one-day event. The organisers, a dedicated group of volunteers, work tirelessly throughout the year to create this inclusive and empowering space. Their efforts showcase what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared vision and unwavering commitment.

The success of Trans Pride Brighton 2024 is testament to the hard work and passion of these volunteers. From securing permits and coordinating with local businesses to arranging speakers and ensuring safety measures were in place, every detail was meticulously planned. The result was an event that ran smoothly from start to finish, allowing attendees to focus on what really mattered – celebrating their identities and advocating for their rights. Trans Pride is a model of accessibility and inclusion, keeping these principals at the heart of all it does.

As the sun began to set on this remarkable day, the energy showed no signs of waning. The streets of Brighton remained alive with the spirit of pride and defiance and the chants of “Trans rights now!” continued to echo through the night air.

Trans Pride Brighton 2024 was more than just a celebration – it was a powerful statement of existence, resilience, and hope. In a world where trans rights are often under threat, where discrimination and violence against the trans community persist, events like this serve as a crucial reminder of the strength and beauty of the trans and non-binary community.

The overwhelming turnout, the passionate displays of solidarity, and the joyous atmosphere all point to a community that is not just surviving, but thriving. It’s a community that refuses to be silenced or pushed into the shadows, one that stands proud and demands to be seen, heard, and respected.

There was a sense of optimism for the future. The success of Trans Pride Brighton 2024 shows that change is possible, that acceptance is growing, and that the fight for trans rights is gaining momentum.

Season’s Greetings from Scene

Posted on by Gscene Editorial Team
To each and every one of our special readers this evening, we send you love. We reach out across the frosty night and hold our virtual hands tight. We remember that even though many of us may not be where we may usually be, or want to be, we are in a place which is home for us right now.
We are all community, going through this year together, in different ways, with many different experiences, but a community non-the-less.
We are connected. We are family. We see you. We stand with you.
Scene sends you a hug, a huge LGBTQ+ hug, a queer hug so tight it makes you giggle, a trans hug filled with unconditional love, a nonbinary hug that’s warm and reassuring, a HUG for all of us, all our wide diverse family on this special day in yet another difficult year.
If you can, or if you are able, or if you just need to hear someone’s voice, reach out the next few days, reconnect to a friend, call someone you’ve not talked to in a long while. Put the awkwardness to one side, forget the embarrassment, take a deep breath and just call.  Simple acts of gentle kindness are what will get us through these dark winter nights and days. If you have love in your life, share it.
However you may be spending the day, celebrating  or not, working, looking after others, with a few members of cherished family, with a friend, with your cats, we wish you the very best wishes and send you seasons greetings.
If, like us, you are alone this Xmas, then we raise a glass to your good heath and send you extra warm Yuletide Blessings and dedicate this slightly overexcited, but relentlessly cheery song to you.

 

Season’s Greetings from the Scene team.

More to Me Than HIV – An Exhibition, by Glenn Stevens

Posted on by Gscene Editorial Team

From a simple idea to tackle HIV stigma through a photo exhibition, two years of planning and hard work, The More to Me Than HIV project is now on display at Jubilee Library and will be on show until Sunday, December 12 with photography by Angus Stewart.

Once again, I would like to say a big thank you to the team who have helped shape this project and a huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the online part of the project and to those who had their photos taken for the exhibition at Jubilee Library.

As I have said before, I was inspired to create this project when I heard Sue Hunter speak about the groundbreaking work she does with Positive Voices, by engaging with the public who do not have the topic of HIV on their own radar. From that point, I knew I wanted to create a project that would tackle HIV+ stigma.

“To use a phrase used throughout the promotion of this project, we are no longer patients, we are people living with HIV and those on effective antiretroviral treatment can live happy, fulfilling lives”

The main hurdle we have all had to tackle is the tired views regarding what it means to be a person living with HIV and to replace the images of the tombstones and icebergs from the Conservative government’s terrifying campaigns in the ’80s with something much more positive.

TV programmes like It’s A Sin and Pose put the topic of HIV/AIDS firmly back on the on the map, which helped remind people of what it was like to be a person living with HIV in the 1980s/90s, and it would be brilliant if both shows brought everything up to date and show what it means to be a person living with HIV in 2021.

And this is what the More to Me Than HIV project hopes to do with the photo exhibition, by showing the wide variety of interests people have, beyond the fact they are living with an HIV+ diagnosis.

To use a phrase used throughout the promotion of this project, we are no longer patients, we are people living with HIV and those on effective antiretroviral treatment can live happy, fulfilling lives.

By changing the narrative this way through a public photo exhibition we can start a conversation, correct misinformation and help break down HIV+ stigma. And by breaking down HIV+ stigma, we can encourage others to take control of their sexual health by regularly taking an HIV test and seeking treatment should the test come back positive. Thanks to the Martin Fisher Foundation, you can now pick up a free STI/HIV test kit from Jubilee Library.

If you haven’t been to see the exhibition yet, then please visit Jubilee Library, Jubilee St, Brighton BN1 1GE.

On World AIDS Day, December 1, members from the project will be on hand throughout the day at the library to talk about the project between 10am-4pm. The portraits will also be on show throughout the city libraries via each branch’s digital screens.

Additionally, promoted by the fact that one of our participants is blind, we have QR codes for the visually impaired; describing each portrait and giving further information by the individual.

For more info, CLICK HERE:

Giving Thanks for the Life of Jonathan Best 

Posted on by Gscene Editorial Team

Giving Thanks for the Life of Jonathan Best 

It was with the greatest of sadness that I heard of Jonathan’s passing. I met Jonathan when I applied for a role at Brighton and Hove City Council around 2004 and I have the strongest memory of him immediately taking me under his wing and steadying my nerves. I have no doubt that it was this kindness that helped me find much needed last minute confidence to secure the job and start a new career. Along with his incredible professionalism and passion for the Third Sector, it is this  extraordinary warmth and compassion that I remember the most from the 12 years or so I worked with Jonathan.  

I was asked to write a piece about Jonathan to recognise his life and contribution to our communities and I reached out to a number of people and received so many wonderful reflections, all with the same themes running through them.  At the end of this article are the details of the Jonathan Best Fund which has been established by The Rainbow Fund to support young homeless LGBTQ+ people needing emergency accommodation.

Cllr Phélim Mac Cafferty, Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council on hearing of Jonathan’s passing wrote to me and said ‘on behalf of the entire city council I would like to mark our sadness at Jonathan Best’s death. Jonathan was an excellent council officer of many years, with huge experience, talent and compassion which he harnessed to enormous effect helping some of the city’s most marginalised communities and our incredibly valued and revered community and voluntary sector.  He is sorely missed and leaves our council worse off with his passing’. 

Eric Page, the City Council’s LGBTQ Community Safety Coordinator, remembered Jonathan ‘as an avid racing and tennis fan who enjoyed a flutter on the horses, he was a keen photographer and closely observed nature when out walking’. Eric reflected, ‘He had the most wicked dry wit and was kind to a fault, very discreet about his generosity, and looked after his elderly family in the later years’. Eric recalled how Jonathan loved his high energy disco and Jonathan’s stories of his days as a bar boy,  ranging across the Manchester Queer scene in the late 80’s and 90’s and being behind the bar at the Black Horse in Brighton. On the other side Jonathan was a hard defender of inclusion, ‘he understood what it meant to be an outsider so always had time for people new to the city or from communities yet to establish themselves. His quiet championing of trans communities was typical of his ‘leave no one behind’ attitude’. 

It is fair to say Jonathan dedicated much of his life to helping Brighton and Hove’s Third Sector thrive, perhaps most significantly through the administration of the council’s Community Grants Programme. 

Photo: Donna Edmead

Donna Edmead worked with Jonathan for over 15 years on this grants programme and remembers Jonathan as ‘a kind and generous colleague who freely shared his knowledge and expertise’. ‘He was passionate about the sector and wanted groups to thrive. He loved being Grant’s Manager and described it as a perfect mix of words and numbers. He took calculated risks in championing the funding of new and emerging groups’. Donna also remembers his love of sport, in particular horse racing, and how he loved to study form and follow the jockeys and horses.  ‘Jonathan had a huge brain and was knowledgeable in many subjects.  He was as comfortable talking about archaeology as he was his passion for nature which came alive on many a team walk on the muddy downs’. Donna went on to say that she will miss him greatly and that she was proud to have known and worked with such a one off character.  ‘A kind colleague who fought to keep the council’s community grants programme when the rest of the country had lost theirs, the city owes him our gratitude.’

Councillor Leo Littman, Chair of  the Members Advisory Group (MAG) that oversees the Third Sector grant and commissioning schemes described Jonathan as a great servant to the city. ‘He was one of very few Council Officers whose name I knew before I became a Councillor, due to hearing it spoken with great enthusiasm by friends who had been involved with him in terms of helping them obtain funding for community events’. Councillor Les Hmailton also commented on how highly regarded Jonathan was in the voluntary sector and he was there. ‘He was very thorough and conscientious in all that he did. He was a great servant of the council and will be greatly missed by many’. Cllr Dee Simson, the third member of the advisory group, talked about how devastated the members of MAG were when they heard the news.  ‘Jonathan was an amazing officer and a lovely person. His commitment to the community and voluntary sector in the city was second to none. He knew every organisation, club and group and worked hard to ensure they all survived and were sustainable. He was, without a doubt, the most organised officer I’ve ever worked with. His passion for the city carried into those who worked around him and this will be his lasting legacy’.

Chris Gull Chair of the Rainbow Fund, talked of Jonathan’s ‘extensive knowledge of the bigger picture regarding need within the various communities, together with his knack of understanding the “politics” at play within and between those communities, meant that what funds there were to distribute as grants were thoughtfully, and strategically placed to produce the best outcomes. This was particularly true within the LGBTQ+ groups and projects in the city, who received not only grants, but guidance and support. He’s missed. Reflecting Jonathan’s contributions we feel the Jonathan Best Fund is a fitting tribute, helping young homeless LGBTQ+ people needing emergency accommodation’.

Jessica Sumner, CEO of Community Works talked of  Jonathan as the person many voluntary and community (VCSE) organisations went to for support. ‘He provided us with useful information and guidance and acted as a vital source of knowledge about the sector within the Council. Jonathan built up relationships with people from large and small VCSE organisations and helped many navigate through funding processes.  He supported them in identifying the best ways to make their ideas a reality. Losing Jonathan as a colleague has come as a shock to many in the VCSE sector and we will miss him. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, and colleagues’.

Switchboard talked of the staff’s sadness at hearing of Jonathan’s passing. Like others, they remember Jonathan as a great supporter and advocate of the Third Sector and how they valued his honesty, candour and skilful advice.  ‘In 2019 Jonathan worked closely with us to submit a funding application to the government to bring a new wave of equalities funding into the City to enhance LGBTQ support.  Through this support Jonathan’s passion and commitment to community work was so apparent and he had an ability to be able to work within the bureaucracy of the council departments to get the best outcomes for the sector and ultimately the residents of Brighton and Hove.  Jonathan will be truly missed and his legacy will live on through those organisations that he supported – thank you Jonathan’.

Jonathan ( right) and his Brother Bren.

AllSorts echoed many of these feelings, ‘Jonathan Best did so much good for so many people – dedicated to public service, driven by values and kindness, he took public responsibility seriously which made him entirely trustworthy and admirable.  He worked with us here at Allsorts Youth Project to ensure young LGBT+ people in the city had a place to go where they were supported and heard, without Jonathan’s support Allsorts wouldn’t be where it is today and for that we are forever grateful’.  Helen Jones from MindOut described Jonathan as an important part of the LGBTQ community.  ‘He was really helpful and supportive in the early days of setting up MindOut, especially when we became an independent charity 11 years ago; we have much to be grateful to him for.  We will miss him and send our condolences to his nearest and dearest’.

Sarah Tigh-Ford who worked closely with Jonathan on equalities at the Council for many years recalls him as ‘a generous, imaginative, unexpected, funny, eclectic, sensitive man’ and that his death is a huge loss to the council, the city and most of all to those of us who knew him. We laughed remembering his obsessive attention to detail that at times drove us potty but we knew made him brilliant at his job.  ‘I remember once interrupting him as he studied an excel spreadsheet. Jon explained (sketching the ideas with his hands, as he usually did) that he always first ‘absorbed’ the data, ‘feeling’ what picture it gave him. Then he did the maths and the analysis. The two always tallied, a beautiful combination of his intuitive and methodical instincts – which also served him well when betting on the horses… In a conversation with Jonathan you always learned something new… often unpredicted, not always the thing you had asked him, but frequently something that delighted him and allowed that sudden grin and laugh to flare out’.

It has been a privilege and delight gathering these memories together.

Dearest Jonathan, thank you for all you did, for the person you were and the example you set. You spent much of your life helping this extraordinary and blessed city to thrive and blossom. Thank you for everything.

May you rest in both peace and power. 

Fr Richard

frrichardtuset.com

Jonathan’s funeral took place on Monday 16th of August at Stockport Crematorium and the family have asked for donations to a charity in Jonathan’s memory.   The Jonathan Best Fund is a ring fenced fund that has been set up within The Brighton Rainbow Fund. The money within this fund will be available to homeless charities to draw on when they need to arrange emergency accommodation for young homeless LGBTQ+ people. This will allow them to be in a safe environment whilst longer term support is sorted out. Please help us to create this lasting legacy for Jonathan, helping those who desperately need help and support, exactly when they most need that help and support 

We would invite you to donate if you are able to>

You can donate here. 

LGBTQ+ Vaccine Session at the Rainbow Hub Saturday

Posted on by Gscene Editorial Team

LGBTQ+ & not had your vaccine yet?

What you waiting for?

Getting vaccinated not only protects you and your family but also protects the wider communities across the UK and world. Help stop the spread of Covid, get yourself fully vaccinated in the conformable Queer friendly space of the Rainbow Hub up on  St James St.

The Rainbow Hub is hosting their second walk in jab session for LGBTQ+  communties in the city, so if you’re in town and need your first jab or second (and it’s 8 weeks since you had your first) then pop in and get it sorted.

10.30-14.30 – Rainbow Hub, St James’s Street, Brighton, BN2 1TP. For all adults, 1st and 2nd doses (2nd dose after 8 weeks), Pfizer

You can just walk in or if you would prefer to book call  0300 303 8060.

Very friendly NHS vaccine staff will be there if you have any questions about the vaccines, along with the charming vaunters from the Rainbow Hub providing a safe space for LGBTQ+ people.

The Sussex COVID-19 Vaccination programme is offering more walk-in vaccinations over the next few weeks. 75% of people in Brighton have had their first dose, but rates are lower for those aged 25-34 year olds (60%)

Alister Hill, Director of Public Health in Brighton & Hove said

“PLEASE GET YOUR VACCINATION

If you, or anyone you know, hasn’t started to get vaccinated yet, please don’t put it off any longer.

Rates of Covid-19 infection in our city went up again this week and they remain much too high for comfort. Added to that, we still have high numbers of unvaccinated adults in our community.

This week we learned the great news that nine in ten of the UK adult population have had their first jab and three in four are fully vaccinated after having both doses. But here in Brighton & Hove we’ve got some catching up to do.

So far, only 75% of adults in Brighton & Hove has had their first vaccine dose. Take-up is especially low among 25 to 34 year olds at just 60%

With Covid circulating so widely among us we really must protect ourselves and each other. It’s important that everyone takes up the vaccine offer, especially because so many more of us are mixing socially again in our homes and venues across the city.  ”

Who can book?

Anyone over 18, those who have a serious long term health issue and unpaid carers who do not have the means to attend an appointment at their local vaccination site. Please note – clinics that are AstraZeneca only are for over 40s.

More info via the

SECOND APPOINTMENTS

People who are aged 40 and above can bring forward their second dose appointment to 8 weeks after their first appointment.

Anyone in this age group is encouraged to arrange their new appointment date as quickly as possible.

HeathWatch Vaccine website

 

Scene wishes everyone of our readers a Safe & Happy Brighton & Hove Pride Weekend 2021

Posted on by Gscene Editorial Team

Here we are Brighton & Hove, Pride weekend 2021, and our second in as many years without the familiar celebrations, parade, community events  or huge park festivals. What we do have, the most important elements are EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US!  The LGBTQI+’s of the city who make it Proud.

Scene hopes you are with family or friends and in a good place, we send you our love and good wishes.

Pride is about memories, making new ones, recalling fond ones, remembering people we have spend Pride’s with, who are no longer with us, or not able to join us.

Pride is the way we feel, Pride is what we share, Pride is reaching out, smiling, sharing love.

This year, Pride is in the streets, Pride is on-line. Pride is on at the Ironworks, Pride is at home. Pride is streaming. Pride is in the parks, on the beaches, in our backyards, gardens and kitchens. Pride is always personal, this year more than others. Pride is what we make it, want it to be, need it to be and find it to be. 
It’s a year to remember, as it always is, and although we are not able to celebrate how we may want to, or be with our loved ones, or dance, protest,  platform, or strut, or flirt or laugh or do any of the myriad things which Pride is to each and every one of us.  We ARE still PROUD. Of who and what we are.

We remember always that Pride is a protest, and still we have LGBTQ+ people who live in fear, of their lives in some countries of the world,  for their safety in others. Here is the UK our community is under attack in ways that it’s not been for a long time. The forces of division, extremism, harmful speech, twisted lies, misinformation and wicked political point scoring target us, each and every day. Some of us more than others. As always in our community it is the most vulnerable who suffer the most. Step up and protect each other Queers.

We must look out for each other, we must reach out to each other, we should try and be considerate and understanding of difference and we should honour each other’s truth.

Pride is about change. Many years ago Queer people of colour, Gay men, butch Dykes, rent boys and a host of other tired persecuted people ran out of patience and decided to fight back.  Stonewall was just one of those instances. There have been many. Understanding our own history, gives us the ability to comprehend what is happening now.   We are still wrapped up in this damn pandemic, causing social upheaval on a scale that none of us have experienced in this country.  There is a global movement around recognising & confronting racism in all its forms and driving for real change. Here it feels like it might be over, that’s not the case for most of the world. 
The LGBTQ+ community is part of this struggle.  We always have been, always will be. We are a community of difference. Each one of us adding our own glorious difference to the whole. Our own uniqueness to the rainbow of community that we share.

Our difference makes us stronger, gives us insight, allows us empathy, courage and understanding. If we chose to listen.

Pride always changes, it always has, from riot to protest, from march to parade, from picnic to international festival with famous Divas, we have had it all.

This year, we have the essence of Pride in each of us, in our hearts, homes and smiles. Share a Pride smile with a stranger, smile with your eyes if you have your face-mask on. Be kind, share kindness.  Share the Love.

Deck out our streets with every flag you have, out the windows, from our gardens, let them fly. Be Proud where you are.
Be Fierce today Brighton & Hove, in small ways, in ways filled with joy. We all miss the wonder of the parade, and Pride, the street party, the park picnics and sense of community we share from being a huge crowd of our peers, when we own the streets and parks, when we are in the majority.  We all miss that. We are still HERE and in this city we are EVERYWHERE!

Whatever you do stay safe, and be considerate. Wear a face-mask if you’re out and about, protect our community- be considerate of the most vulnerable amongst us. But SHINE, shine with such a furious LGBTQ light, let’s burn fiercely. Like a million Queer suns!

Happy Pride 2021

We took a walk up St James St earlier to look at some of the Pride themed windows on display this year..

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Happy Trans Pride, wherever you are in the world.

Posted on by Gscene Editorial Team

Today is Trans Pride Brighton.

Like many other Prides, Trans Pride has had to abandon a physical protest march and celebration due to Covid-19 for the second year.  We’ve experienced profound loss over the past eighteen months and now we also lose the ability to come together in a physical way to show our strength as a community, to demand respect, protection and dignity in our trans lives. Trans Pride Virtual Pride event, The Sofa Years is a superb opportunity to feel connected on this special day.

Our message must be heard loud and clear: trans rights are human rights. We affirm that trans women are women, trans men are men, and non-binary identities are valid

Many will miss the magic of meeting other trans people, some for the first time, coming together as a critical mass, no longer being the only trans person in the ‘room’. Nothing can quite replace that feeling of not being alone, of meeting your kin, cut from the same cloth. When we take over the streets and the park we don’t have to explain ourselves. All our sofas are connected today, to one long lovely trans affirming sofa.

For many too, coming to Trans Pride is the first time they are ‘out’ in public. It is an incredibly uplifting and empowering experience.

The trans community is resilient. We organise online, share information over message boards and can explore our identities in the cyber realm. In the past few years we’ve increasingly stepped out of the shadows and let the people of Brighton & Hove hear our roar! So today will be a bit different, but we have not disappeared. Now more than ever we celebrate how far we have come and we fight the good fight against those who would have us banished from public life.

Our visibility can make us vulnerable but it also gives us strength.

Happy Trans Pride, wherever you are in the world.

Don’t forget, you can join the Trans Pride Brighton & Hove 2021 livestream on three different platforms. Join in the fun here: 

Trans Pride are also running workshops all day long ( till 7pm) , free, full info on what and how to join transpridebrighton.org/workshops/

 

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