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Help stop homophobia and transphobia – #Ask For Clive!

#AskForClive – LGBT+ safety campaign gains nationwide momentum.

ASK For Clive is a new campaign that encourages entertainment establishments to show solidarity against discrimination, in the fight against homophobia and transphobia.

The initiative encourages people to Ask for Clive at the bar if they are feeling threatened or experiencing abuse – this coded phrase will then prompt staff to take appropriate action.

Venues are provided with a FREE rainbow window sticker to display which reads:

Everyone is welcome here.

This venue will not tolerate any form of discrimination. Should you see or encounter any form of abuse, please Ask for Clive at the bar and we will resolve the issue.

The campaign also provides detailed training material for staff – so that they know what the coded call-to-action means, how to offer support as needed and to handle the situation without compromising their own safety.

Venue managers also agree to a pledge which means they will ensure all staff are trained and will respond to requests for Clive accordingly.

Ask For Clive was piloted in St Albans and is now rolling out across the UK following its successful launch. The campaign featured on BBC Breakfast news in June and since then has received enquiries from over two hundred pubs and bars, restaurants and cafes, gyms and sports clubs, along with a host of other entertainment venues.

Danny Clare
Danny Clare

Campaign founder and community activist, Danny Clare says: “We have big plans and media support is critical to get the message out there and drive as many venues to sign up. We have some very big UK household names keen to join us and also lots of interest from across Europe and the USA. This campaign is about taking a stand to eradicate unacceptable behaviour and build a visible support network for everyone in the wider community. Mash will be supporting us in rolling out Ask For Clive across the UK. Ultimately, we don’t want anyone to ask for Clive. We want our supporting venues to be inclusive and for everyone to feel safe.”

For more information search #AskForClive.

Sun shines down on Trans Pride Brighton 2019, eventually!

Record numbers join the Trans Pride Brighton 2019 protest march along Brighton & Hove seafront to enjoy the Festival event in Brunswick Gardens, Hove.

OVERNIGHT the weather forecast did not look great, in fact it was dreadful and the city was drenched with torrential rainfall to the early hours. However, this morning (July 20) the rain stopped and eventually during the afternoon, the sun shone down on the record numbers of people attending Trans Pride Brighton, 2019.

Following speeches at the Marlborough Pub, the 7,000 people on the parade marched along the seafront to Brunswick Gardens in Hove for the park festival event

Brunswick Gardens filled up quickly with trans folk and their allies enjoying an afternoon of eclectic entertainment on the main stage and the chance to look around the forty plus market stalls featuring voluntary sector groups, unions and statutory organisations.

First up was the Rainbow Chorus, Brighton oldest and only LGBT+ choir. Other artists performing included: singer songwriter Madeline Morris; Colours & Fires an Indy folk rock acoustic band from Reading; Alt-folk duo Bee & Jackrabbit; Georgie Femme, an art-rock/indie-pop outfit from Brighton; Levi de Forgeron; Wild & The-Mollusc Dimension; The Spirits an alternative/anti-folk duo and headliners Powderpaint a synthpop duo from Brighton. Poets Mud Howard and Alice Denny performed their poetry and the afternoon was compered by Emma Subira.

The atmosphere in the gardens was amazing, so laid back, and the event was a credit to the Trans Pride Brighton 2019 organisers, who are all volunteers.

Photos by Laura Waskinen and James Ledward

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Greens back student walk-outs for global climate action

Greens urge Brighton & Hove City Council to back student walk-outs for climate action Global action planned for September 20 to raise awareness of climate crisis.

Caroline Lucas MP for Brighton Pavilion supports demonstrating children
Caroline Lucas MP for Brighton Pavilion supports demonstrating children

GREEN Councillors are calling for the Council to lead the way in supporting people to take part in a planned day of mass climate action,

Young people around the world have called for a climate protest on September 20 as part of an international Youth Strikes 4 Climate, movement.

Students at several schools, colleges and universities in Brighton and Hove along with other groups in the city have taken part in walk-outs from classes since the movement began, calling for world leaders to do more to address climate breakdown.

Now, young people are urging all members of the public to take part in a global day of action on 20th September.

Following the council’s declaration of a climate emergency, last year, Greens have proposed that Brighton and Hove City Council do more to support people choosing to take part in the climate action, asking the council to work with the city’s schools and employers to establish safe and supportive ways for people to participate.

Greens also want to see the council recognise the demands of young people seeking action on climate change, saying that they stand to be “disproportionately affected,” by escalating climate breakdown.

Cllr Hannah Clare
Cllr Hannah Clare

Councillor Hannah Clare, Deputy Convenor of the Green Group of councillors who is proposing the notice of motion said: “The voices of young people are hugely important in the fight against climate breakdown – and solving the climate and biodiversity crisis. As a young person in politics, I’ve been a strong supporter of the youth movement for climate action over recent months.

“With the public-wide action in September coinciding with another youth day of action, we want to ensure that people of all ages are empowered to take part in raising awareness of climate change. We’re calling for action from the Government, asking that they recognise the demands of young people such as lowering the voting age to 16 – and calling on our own Council to support those committed to calling for change.”

Cllr Martin Osborne
Cllr Martin Osborne

Councillor Martin Osborne, added: The ‘Youth Strike 4 Climate’ movement has already shown us how raising awareness can keep climate change on the agenda of world leaders. Ahead of the general climate action planned for September 20, we want the council to support those residents who wish to take part. Council support would set an important example, and show we recognise the urgent concerns of people wishing to see action.

“Our proposals also ask the council to work with schools in establishing a standard protocol for young people leaving school, enabling those that choose to strike to do so in a safe way. Given our declaration of climate emergency, we must stand in solidarity with everyone affected by climate breakdown and the young people who stand to be disproportionately affected.”

Greens to call for end to trans hate crime at Trans Pride 2019

Greens march at Trans Pride 2019 to call for end to trans hate crime, following 43% rise in city.

Greens on Trans Pride March 2018
Greens on Trans Pride March 2018

A recent report to the Council revealed trans hate crimes on the rise in Brighton & Hove.

Members of Brighton & Hove Green Party will join the Trans Pride March in Brighton tomorrow, Saturday July 20 which starts at The Marlborough at 11.30am.

Promoting equality and celebrating gender diversity, Trans Pride Brighton is now in its seventh year and the number of attendees has been growing year on year with over 2,500 people marching last year.

The Green Party will march in solidarity to demonstrate its continued support for trans people, and that Brighton & Hove will not tolerate messages of hate against the LGBT+ communities.

This follows a successful Green amendment for all councillors to have Trans Awareness Training, after a committee reported that trans hate crimes in the city are up 43%. Nationally, trans hate crime has also increased 81% in the last year.

Caroline Lucas MP for Brighton Pavilion will be speaking at the march, which ends with a festival in Brunswick Square.

Caroline Lucas MP
Caroline Lucas MP

Ms Lucas said: “It’s inspiring to watch support for this incredibly important event continue to grow, as it heads into its seventh year, and I’m so proud that Brighton and Hove is home to the first ever trans pride in the UK.

“Trans Pride is about celebrating all that’s been achieved by the Trans community worldwide, celebrating diversity and – crucially – demanding real equality. The Green Party will continue to challenge stigma and do everything possible to eliminate discrimination so that everyone can live in dignity and safety.”

Cllr Hannah Clare
Cllr Hannah Clare

Councillor Hannah Clare, Deputy Convenor of the Green Group of councillors, who will be attending the march, added: “With hate crime on the rise both in the city and nationally, we are proud to show our strong support to trans people across Brighton and Hove.

“Trans people still face a totally unacceptable level of discrimination, prejudice and ignorance and there’s still a lot of work to do if we are to achieve equality for trans people. We need to improve access to medical services and strengthen hate crime laws to tackle harassment.”

“We remain fully committed to making trans equality a reality and with the trans community we will push together for a fairer future.”

Hove Town Hall flies the Trans Flag to celebrate Trans Pride Brighton 2019
Hove Town Hall flies the Trans Flag to celebrate Trans Pride Brighton 2019

Trans Pride Brighton and Hove 2019 ready to roll

Since Trans Pride Brighton and Hove commenced in 2013 organisers endeavour each year, to produce a bigger and better event with more variety and choice – this year is no different!

TRANS Pride Brighton and Hove (TPB&H 2019) have partnered with more people this year to bring something for everyone, including favourites such as the Film Night, the Park Event and the Afterparty. This year sees the return of the highly successful After-Gig – a punk night presenting some of the not-so-family-friendly bands that can’t be featured on the main stage at the Park Event as well as the introduction of a brand new punk, metal, rock DJ night to cater for those who have a taste for more alternative music.

This year’s focus has been on increasing the offerings to include several sports activities too.  The programme features wheelchair basketball where you get to have a go at whizzing around a basketball court with Sussex Bears Wheelchair Basketball, the much-loved long-running Trans Swimming Evening and Beach Volleyball with Trans Can Sport.

2019 sees the return of the Sports Area at the Park Event, which this year features demonstrations from sports people, personal trainers and fitness groups from the trans communities.

For the first time ever, there is also a Trans Pride Fun Run. The very first fun run organised by and for people in the trans communities. You can choose to do 2.5km or the full 5km and because it’s a flat tarred route, the run is open to wheelchair users too.

After the Fun Run, you can pop along to the annual picnic to wind down, hang out and relax.

TPB&H 2019 remain true to their grassroots beginnings and committed to make sure that their main Park Event is always free and all their events remain affordable.

In order to balance these priorities against the ever-growing cost of staging the event, TPB&H 2019 have had to seek funding from outside of the community. The vast majority of funding this year has come from grants, with organisers being very selective and only accepting grants and sponsorships from ethical sources that have proven track records supporting TNBI communities. They also try and consider the environmental impact as well.

This year grants have been received from Brighton and Hove City Council – Sports England, specifically to support the sports events happening throughout the week – The National Lottery Community Fund, specifically to replace the ageing infrastructure, the Co Op Community Fund and Bupa Healthcare.

Disabled Toilets have been sponsored by UNISON while the stage and all its surrounding infrastructure this year has been sponsored by Unite South East Region LGBT in memory of Rianna who was a member of Unite South East Region LGBT.


Saturday, July 20
Trans Pride Brighton and Hove March
Time: 11:30am – 1pm
Place: Outside Marlborough Pub & Theatre, 4 Princes street, Brighton, BN2 1RD
Tickets: Free

Gather at 11:30 am for the protest march from the Marlborough Pub in Brighton to the park event in Hove. Be surrounded by thousands of siblings and allies to show the world that trans people are visible and proud.

Trans Pride Brighton Park Event
Time: 1pm – 6pm
Where: Brunswick Square, Hove, BN3 1, United Kingdom
Tickets: Free entry

TPB&H 2019 returns again this year to Brunswick Square, Hove with community and food stalls, a stage featuring trans bands, musicians and spoken word artists as well as a Sports in the Park programme:

♦ 1:15 pm Yoga
♦ 1:50pmEuropean Martial Arts
♦ 2:40 pm Circus
♦ 3:30 pm Creating long term change and return benefits
♦ 4:05 pm Upper Body Workout
♦ 4:40 pm Boxing and Kickboxing Taster Session

Trans Pride Brighton Official After-Party Traumfrau
Time: Punk DIY Gig: 8pm–10:30 pm, Club and Performances 11pm – 3am
Place: Envy, Charles St and Patterns, Marine Parade, Brighton BN2 1TA
Tickets: Standard ticket: £8, Chaperone: £0, Pay it Forward: donation, Free ticket: people can claim a free ticket, no questions asked

Tramsfrau hosts the official Trans Pride afterparty where you can expect an extravaganza of the DIY Punk gig (8pm–10pm), followed by clubbing, dancing, live art, live performances, a community-led arts project and installation. The night spans three venues and will be epic!


Sunday, July 21
Fun Run
Time: Registration opens 8:30am Run starts 9:30pm
Where: The run starts close to The Lawns Café on Hove Lawns, BN3 2FR
Tickets: £8 for a standard entry, £3 concession entry. email sports@transpridebrighton.org for a limited number of £0 concession entries.

TPB&H 2019 is hosting its first ever fun run. They say fun run but that’s just because it rhymes, they plan to have lots of fun. You don’t have to run, you can walk it if you prefer. The route is nice and flat and asphalt, so it’s fully accessible for people in wheelchairs. The course can be run either as 2½ km or 5 km. The fun run is open to all trans, non-binary, intersex people, friends, family and allies.

Trans Pride Picnic
Time: 12:noon onwards
Where: Loading Brighton, 11 Lower Promenade, Madiera Drive, BN2 1ET Brighton
Tickets: Free

Wind down from a full-on week of activities on the beachfront at Loading, which serves food and drink, including veggie and vegan options with a good range of non-alcoholic drinks available too. There is outside seating and you’re within throwing distance of the sea for those who want to brave the pebble beach.

Accessibility Information: Wheelchair accessible, with an accessible and non-gendered toilets.

For more information about Trans Pride, click here:

Trans Flag flies from Hove Town Hall to celebrate Trans Pride 2019
Trans Flag flies from Hove Town Hall to celebrate Trans Pride 2019

Traumfrau – The Trans Pride Afterparty Festival!

Traumfrau join forces with Trans Pride Brighton to bring you the biggest, fiercest, and most diverse celebration yet to celebrate Trans Pride on Saturday, July 20!

THIS year with one ticket you can access three venues (Charles Street Tap, Envy and Patterns), for three different events!

The yearly DIY gig, with live bands, and alternative DJs, the afterparty with DJs and dancing, and a whole programme of performance and live art! All across two buildings. So you can float, be curious and check it all out!

For full lineup, tickets, bands, artists, and DJs, click here:


Event: Traumfrau – The Trans Pride Afterparty Festival!

Where: @Patterns, Envy, and Charles Street Tap on Marine Parade, Brighton

When: Saturday, July 20

Time: 7.30pm til 4.30am

Cost: £11/£9 concession

To book tickets online, click here:

Brighton Gin announces 2019 Limited Edition Brighton Pride bottle

Since 2016 Brighton Gin has created a one-off, limited edition Pride label, with a proportion of each sale being donated to the Rainbow Fund each year.

THIS year, Brighton Gin has teamed up with Brighton based artist Hizze Fletcher-King to create a label to recognise the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots which mark the birth of the Gay Liberation Movement (GLM).

It features Marsha P. Johnson, LGBT activist of colour and self identified drag queen, who was a prominent figure in the 1969 Stonewall uprising, when New York police raided the Stonewall Inn and provoked the start of riots and demonstrations.

 

Cathy Katon
Cathy Katon

Brighton Gin’s founder, Kathy Caton said: “We’re proud to support our LGBT+ communities and give something back to the city which has taken us to its heart. And by featuring Marsha P. Johnson on the label, we hope people will ask more questions about who she was and the origins of the modern day LGBTQ movement.”

The label will be on a limited run of 500 bottles, each one capped off with a special gold wax top. A percentage of each bottle sold will go to the Rainbow Fund, the charity created as the legacy project for the Brighton AIDS Memorial in 2010 to give grants to LGBT/HIV organisations who deliver effective front line services to LGBT+ people in Brighton & Hove.

Hizze Fletcher-King
Hizze Fletcher-King

Label artist Hizze Fletcher-King said: “Women have continued to be erased from their historical importance and Marsha P Johnson stands for that. While we celebrate Pride and the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots let’s remember that ‘Pride is a Protest’ which seems to have been forgotten.”

Through their Community Spirit initiative, Brighton Gin has supported dozens of charities across the city and beyond and is proud of the impact they’ve been able to have locally and across the UK.

The limited edition collectible Brighton Pride bottle is available direct from Brighton Gin’s website at brightongin.com, and when they’re gone, they’re gone!

“Now they got two little nice statues in Chariot Park to remember the gay movement. How many people have died for these two little statues to be put in the park for them to recognise gay people? How many years has it taken people to realise that we are all brothers and sisters and human beings in the human race? I mean how many years does it take people to see that we’re all in this rat race together!” Marsha P. Johnson 1992

Third Disability Pride attracts record crowds

The third annual Disability Pride Brighton event attracted more than 3,000 people to the seafront in Hove last Sunday.

THE event, hosted on Hove Lawns on Sunday, July 14, was organised “to raise awareness of the diversity and value of disabled people with visible and invisible impairments or conditions” and was organised by a diverse committee of disabled people.

Jenny Skelton, Founder and Chair said the event “couldn’t have gone better.”

She said: “All the hard work paid off and it was a wonderfully inclusive event.

“We had so many comments from people about what a wonderful day they had, and that is why we do it.

“We want to celebrate our identities and feel less isolated in the city, as well as engage with non-disabled people.”

Disability Pride Brighton was the first Disability Pride in England attracting over 2,000 attendees to it’s inaugural event in July 2017, on New Road in central Brighton.

The 2019 event began with a short parade along the promenade from the i360 led by Unified Rhythm – a carnival band with over 80% disabled members.

The event was officially opened by Alison Lapper MBE; Brighton and Hove Mayor and MEP for South East England, Cllr Alexandra Phillips; Caroline Lucas MP; and Jenny Skelton, Chair of Disability Pride.

Jenny Skelton (left) and Alison Lapper MBE (right), Photo: Perfectly Unique Photography
Jenny Skelton (left) and Alison Lapper MBE (right), Photo: Perfectly Unique Photography

Speaking at the event, Alison Lapper MBE, said: “What I love about this event is it doesn’t matter what you look like or who you are, we are all just human beings who should be working together and looking after each other. This is about being proud of who you are and togetherness and I think that is really important.”

Disability Pride received support from some other well-known disabled people including Eddie Kidd OBE, who attended the event.

Throughout the day, there was live music, acts, performances, and speeches from disabled people; work from disabled artists; activities, and stalls from organisations who offer support to local people and families, friends, and carers who are part of this diverse community.

The event also has a volunteering programme so that more people with both visible and invisible impairments or conditions can get involved and help organise the event.

This was funded by People’s Health Trust with money raised through The Health Lottery in the South East.

Speaking about Disability Pride Brighton, local MP, Peter Kyle, said: “I’ve loved supporting this and see it grow over several years. It really shows what a few caring but passionate people can achieve. It’s a chance for the disability community to come together, to celebrate and socialise, and for people like me to meet and listen to as many people as possible.”

Photo: Perfectly Unique Photography
Photo: Perfectly Unique Photography

The idea for Disability Pride came from disabled Brighton mum, Jenny Skelton, who also has three adopted children with various disabilities, after one of her children suffered an incident of disability discrimination. Since the first year, the event has attracted 30% more people. .

To date, The Health Lottery has raised over £109 million to support local charities across England, Scotland and Wales. Next month, funds raised from ticket sales will go towards funding projects in the South East.

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Councillors vote to maintain their parking perks

Labour and Conservative Councillors vote to maintain their parking perks. Time to set a positive example for the city and encourage public transport use, say Greens.

PROPOSALS that Councillors fully fund their own car parking passes have been rejected by Labour and Conservative Councillors.

Greens were calling on the council to abolish free parking for councillors in Norton Road and the Lanes as part of the budget in February 2019, a move supported at the time by Labour Councillors.

However, a request from Greens that a subsidy for councillor car parking be removed was voted down by Labour and Conservative Councillors during a meeting of Policy, Resources and Growth yesterday, Thursday, July 18.

A report going to the committee instead recommended that councillors receive a subsidy for car parking passes, with members making a small contribution towards the car park pass.

Cllr Hannah Clare
Cllr Hannah Clare

Councillor Hannah Clare, who proposed that councillors fund their own car park pass, said: “We recognise that Councillors will seek to use varied forms of transport to access meetings across the city. However councillors are supported in using public transport to do this. Providing discounted car parking passes disincentivises councillors from taking a more sustainable option – when we could be setting a positive example. Our residents will question why we are preserving dated parking perks.

“Where councillors do choose to drive, we asked that they pay for their own car parking in full. As we look to promote public transport use, this would be one way of demonstrating we recognise the need to shift away from car use. We are shocked Labour chose not to support this, given their backing of a climate emergency declaration and their previous support for public transport.” 

Council’s transport team pick up national award for report on city’s parking services

Brighton & Hove City Council named as winner of the Best Report at the PARC (Parking Annual Report Awards by Councils) event, which was held at the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday, July 16. It is the third time the council has won the award.

THE annual PARC awards which are organised by PATROL (Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London) recognises the local authorities who have published the best reports on their parking services, as part of their civil enforcement reporting.

The Best Report is judged on the overall presentation, how helpful it is to the local community, the policies, scheme design and the quality of the information provided.

PATROL congratulated the council on its award, saying it was reflective of a clearly presented and informative report across the board, with the inclusion of innovative projects, transparent performance data and detailed information on finances, including – crucially – how the surplus is used.

The award was received on behalf of the council by the Chair of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee, Councillor Anne Pissaridou, and City Transport officers Charles Field, Head of Parking Services and Paul Nicholls, Parking Strategy and Contracts Manager.

The council’s annual parking report offers an overview of parking in the city, highlighting new initiatives and developing trends, with the continuing aim of improving our services for both residents and visitors.

The tenth annual report was published in October 2018 and highlighted a number of major developments that have taken place in the city, including the completion of a large-scale project to replace and upgrade all of the city’s pay-and-display ticket machines, with over 800 new solar-powered machines. It also covered initiatives to tackle problem parking at our schools and along our main bus routes.

In 2017/18 the number of parking Penalty Charge Notices issued fell by 8%, while parking surplus income rose 11% to £15,209,926. Most of the surplus is spent on providing free bus passes for older and disabled people. The rest of the money has been re-invested back into other transport projects including highway maintenance such as resurfacing roads and repairing potholes and pavements.

Cllr Anne Pissaridou
Cllr Anne Pissaridou

Councillor Anne Pissaridou said: “We are delighted to receive this internationally recognised award for our work and I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard to produce the report. 

“The parking annual report is a critical aspect of our civil parking and traffic enforcement work and provides an opportunity for us to demonstrate the value of the city’s publicly operated parking to our residents, in an open and transparent way.

“We look forward to building on this success and engaging with our residents on the exciting developments planned for this year, including the installation of 200 Electric Vehicle on-street charging points.”

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