a volunteer to help source funding opportunities, create and co-ordinate submissions for funding and organise charity fundraising events.
The role will involve working with Peer Action members and partners to source funding and fund raise for future services and activities.
The ideal candidate should have experience in these areas; however good organisational skills and a passion for making this happen will go a long way during the interview process.
The person will work alongside the Peer Action Steering group.
The role will benefit from having had exposure to working with partner organisations and supporting those with HIV and on-going skills development.
For further details of the role and the application process, email: PeerAction
The closing date for applying is November 30, 2012.
following an attack on a 36-year-old local man in St James’s Street, Brighton, in the early hours of Friday October 26, have been released on police bail until January 8, 2013 while police continue with their enquiries.
The victim was transferred to Hurstwood Park Neurological Centre in Haywards Heath where he remains in a critical condition.
The week, runs from November 23-30, and is being co-ordinated through HIV Prevention England (HPE), a partnership of community organisations funded by the Department of Health to carry out national HIV prevention work in England among communities at an increased risk of infection.
It forms the centrepiece of HPE’s autumn campaign Think HIV, which aims to encourage gay and bisexual men to test more regularly for the virus.
To take part in the campaign, gay and bisexual men can visit: thinkHIV and complete a short survey about their sex life, to receive personalised advice about how regularly they should be testing for HIV.
In the UK, gay men are one of the groups most disproportionately affected by HIV. However, one in four gay men with HIV currently remains undiagnosed and therefore at risk of serious health problems.
Someone who is diagnosed late, after a point at which they should have started treatment, is nine times more likely to die within a year of receiving their diagnosis than someone who tests in good time.
In addition, undiagnosed HIV is a key factor driving the epidemic among gay men, with the majority of onward transmission coming from men who are unaware that they have the infection.
Paul Ward
Paul Ward, Deputy Chief Executive at Terrence Higgins Trust, said:
“National HIV Testing Week gives us a great opportunity to remind men of the importance of regular testing. Terrence Higgins Trust recommends that sexually active gay and bi men test for HIV at least once a year, and more regularly if they have a high number of partners. However, at present less than a quarter of men take an annual test. If the gay community can drive that figure upwards by testing more often, we will see a reduction in undiagnosed HIV, which in turn will begin to put the brakes on the spread of infection. “We believe it is within our grasp to halt the spread of HIV, but solving this lies just as much with the gay community as it does with the Government. That’s why we need the whole community – venues, gay businesses, and every one of us – to get behind this new initiative and turn a spotlight on HIV testing, not just during testing week but all year round.”
Think HIV will be promoted via adverts in gay media, posters in gay venues, and on bus adverts in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Luton.
A number of regional organisations across England will also be commissioned through HPE to promote the campaign in their local communities.
National HIV Testing Week runs from Friday 23 – Friday, November 30, 2012. It is planned that the week will be an annual event.
A 17-year-old boy from Brighton, and Max Corbett, 18, unemployed, of Albany Villas, Hove, will appear in custody at Brighton Magistrates Court today, Monday, October 29 charged with two robberies, of two local men, aged 20 and 21, in Washington Street, near the Level, at 2am on Friday, October 26.
One victim had his Iphone stolen, and the other had his Blackberry, personal cards and £20 cash taken. The victims received cuts and bruises and their property was recovered.
Two teenagers, aged 17 and 18, arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm following an attack on a 36-year-old local man in St James Street, Brighton, in the early hours of Friday October 26, have been released on police bail until January 8, 2013 while enquiries continue.
local business owners are calling for a public meeting to discuss safety issues in the St James Street area of the city with senior police officers and ward councillors.
Alex Matthews
Alex Matthews, chair of the city’s Gay Businsess Forum and owner of the A-Bar on Marine Parade, said:
“Every day brings another problem whether it be a violent attack on someone or my customers being accosted on the street by aggressive beggars and street drinkers. It has come to the stage where business is being damaged. There is a perception that the St James Street area is unsafe and that perception is stopping gay people city wide from coming into the village at night to socialise.”
Mike Dalley owner of Cardome on St James Street, said:
“I have been complaining about cyclist driving down the footpath and road the wrong away for the last 12 months. I have even tried to capture evidence on my CCTV cameras.
“The most recent response I got from the police is that they do not consider it a major problem.
“Well, it is a problem for me because it is dangerous and stops people coming into the village to shop.”
Chris Cooke
Community activist and chair of the LGBT Community Safety Forum, Chris Cooke, said:
“Whether or not it transpires that the recent serious assault in the heart of the LGBT community is a hate crime or not, the time has come to address the ongoing problems in St.James’s Street.
“Clearly the area is not safe for residents, businesses and visitors alike, in fact over the last 18 months it has at times been downright dangerous.
“Not a week goes by without a serious incident. No longer can we say it’s quirky and bohemian, the street is a mess. It is dirty and the daily rat run of beggars, street drinkers and people just out to cause trouble are getting worse.
“We need to reclaim our neighbourhood and quickly.
“The LGBT Community Safety Forum is happy to facilitate at the earliest opportunity an open public meeting for all local residents and business owners to air their views.
“We will ensure that senior police, local councillors and the Kemptown MP are also invited. Let’s get started and make St.James’s a proud neighbourhood and a desirable destination to live in and visit once more.”
Tony Chapman, owner of Legends Hotel who has run venues in the St James Street area for the last 20 years, said:
“There are many issues affecting St James Street not least the street lighting is too low. What are the ward councillors doing in all this.
“Maybe some of the money collected from increased parking charges which is driving visitors and customers away from the area could be used to improve the street lights and at least make the area appear brighter and safer.”
“I invested three million pounds when I re-developed Legends Hotel. The least I should be able to expect is that my customers feel safe coming to visit my venue.”
Starting Out is supported by Credit Suisse and features profiles of 425 employers from sectors including banking, defence, retail and local government who are members of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme, and are committed to making their workplaces gay-friendly. The guide is targeted at the 150,000 lesbian, gay and bisexual students in Britain, as well as all discerning jobseekers and graduates.
Colleen Humphrey, Stonewall Director of Workplace said:
“We know people perform better when they can be themselves, and the number of employers featured in Starting Out shows they know this too. Every employer featured is eager to recruit the very best in lesbian, gay and bisexual talent. They all know that creating a fully supportive and inclusive work environment makes sound business sense because when staff achieve their full potential, businesses clearly benefit.”
15,000 copies of Starting Out are being distributed to students’ unions, university career services, employment agencies and university lesbian and gay societies and sixth forms across Britain.
Job seekers can also access an interactive Starting Out online, which includes current jobs vacancies from Stonewall’s jobs site Proud Employers, helping jobseekers quickly identify the opportunities they are interested in.
Blake Anthony Willows became positive in 2007 when he was raped at a house party. He was just 21-years-old. Five years on he is finally over the trauma and depression that followed and has slowly started to piece his life back together again.
Blake was a young party boy visiting Brighton for the weekend in September 2007 when he was raped at a house party. Someone dropped a rape drug into his drink and he woke up many hours later bleeding from his behind.
I asked Blake the obvious first question; did he report it to the police?
He said:
“I never reported it to the police. I didn’t think they would take it seriously. I was young and scared.”
Blake went along to the Lawson Unit and was given PEPS, the short, intensive HIV prevention treatment administered over a one month period. Unfortunately the treatment didn’t work and Blake tested HIV positive shortly afterwards.
Following his diagnosis he moved to Brighton permanently to be near good HIV services and part of a ‘caring’ local gay community. During the next two years his life spiralled downwards. He sunk into a deep depression and used alcohol to deal with the pain.
Blake came out to his family when he was 18. He was brought up by his gran, a Scottish catholic who he says: “loved him to bits” and somewhat reluctantly accepted his diagnosis and his gayness. His coming out split his family apart. His mother and father pushed him away and his father has not spoken to him for the last eight years.
During the first year after diagnosis, he didn’t tell anyone about his status. He suffered deep depressions and attempted suicide. After the suicide attempt, friends were quite inquisitive so he started telling some of those closest to him, who he thought were good friends, what had caused his suicide attempt.
Blake said:
“Some people were very judgmental and said I deserved what happened to me. I lost all my friends in London and more than half my Brighton friends just stopped calling and texting me. It was a traumatic time and very difficult for me to deal with. When I was at my lowest ebb after trying to take my life I was just abandoned by people who I trusted and took into my confidence.”
Blake grew up in Nottingham and left school with good qualifications before going to performing arts school. He was bullied at school for being open and flamboyant but blossomed when he went on to study performing arts where the fun aspects of his personality were a hit with the other students.
He said:
“I now realise I was bullied at school because I was camp. I didn’t realise that I was different at the time but over the years I’ve learnt to present myself in a different way. I now speak in a lower voice which helps, but I should be able to be who I am and not worry about those sort of things, especially in Brighton in 2012.”
As Blake’s world fell apart following his diagnosis he got no support from his family. Many of his friends abandoned him so he left Brighton and spent the next three years running away from his emotional problems.
At different times he popped up in Bournemouth, Manchester, Torquay and Wales before returning to Brighton where, after receiving counselling, he is much more confident to deal with the stigma attached to his diagnosis.
When he meets someone he always tells them quickly about his status. He finds he gets knocked back 75% of the time but the other 25% of people are generally supportive towards him.
Five years on Blake has got his life back together. He goes to the gym regularly, eats healthily and both his CD count and Viral load are good and he has yet to need any HIV combination drugs.
He said:
“After my diagnosis I went off the rails. I was depressed and drank too much. I let myself go and allowed myself to become and act like a victim. I’m much more confident now and I’ve come to terms with everything that a positive diagnosis brings. I think positively all the time. It’s the only way.”
Blake has just started a new job nursing older people with dementia which he loves. He has found himself a new flat and has surrounded himself with a small group of reliable friends.
His biggest regret now is that he didn’t report the rape to the police in 2007.
He said:
“I didn’t report my situation to the police because I thought they wouldn’t take it seriously. If the same thing happened to me now I would report it to the police, not because my views of the police have changed but because, during the last five years I reached rock bottom and have slowly put my life back together.
“I don’t want what happened to me to happen to anyone else. I have a new confidence in myself and don’t care anymore how the police would react.
“I just don’t want someone to be allowed to do to another 21-year-old what they did to me. For this reason whatever your concerns I would encourage anyone to report this type of incident or in fact any other Hate Crime to the police.”
following an assault in Brighton in the very early hours of this morning, October 26.
Sussex Police have cordoned the area off while specialist officers carry out a forensic examination of the area.
Police officers are talking to members of the public to find out if anyone saw anything.
Detective Inspector Miles Ockwell from Brighton and Hove CID said:
“We are in the early stages of the investigation and would appeal to anyone who has not yet spoken to officers to please come forward.
“Did you see or hear any suspicious activity between 11.30pm (25 October) and 12.30am (26 October) in the area of St James’s Street, the New Steine or Lower Rock Gardens.
“We believe the suspects may have fled the scene of the attack on a motorcycle. Please call 101 quoting Operation Redshank as a matter of urgency.
“You can also leave an anonymous message with the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
The area in St James Street around New Steine and the Brighton Aids Memorial remains cordoned off.
The police have said, there is no indication this was a hate crime.
The form must be submitted by October 31, 2012, to ensure they are eligible to vote in the first Police and Crime Commissioner elections, which take place on November 15, 2012.
If you need a voter registration form, telephone: 01273 291999
• Katy Elizabeth Bourne – The Conservative Party Candidate
• Ian Chisnall – Independent
• Godfrey Daniel – Labour Party Candidate
• David Rogers – Liberal Democrat
The Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner will replace the Sussex Police Authority. This individual will be responsible for overseeing the Chief Constable, and holding the police force to account.
a volunteer to help source funding opportunities, create and co-ordinate submissions for funding and organise charity fundraising events.
following an attack on a 36-year-old local man in St James’s Street, Brighton, in the early hours of Friday October 26, have been released on police bail until January 8, 2013 while police continue with their enquiries.
It forms the centrepiece of HPE’s autumn campaign Think HIV, which aims to encourage gay and bisexual men to test more regularly for the virus.
A 17-year-old boy from Brighton, and Max Corbett, 18, unemployed, of Albany Villas, Hove, will appear in custody at Brighton Magistrates Court today, Monday, October 29 charged with two robberies, of two local men, aged 20 and 21, in Washington Street, near the Level, at 2am on Friday, October 26.
Starting Out is supported by Credit Suisse and features profiles of 425 employers from sectors including banking, defence, retail and local government who are members of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme, and are committed to making their workplaces gay-friendly. The guide is targeted at the 150,000 lesbian, gay and bisexual students in Britain, as well as all discerning jobseekers and graduates.
The form must be submitted by October 31, 2012, to ensure they are eligible to vote in the first Police and Crime Commissioner elections, which take place on November 15, 2012.
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