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Prowler and Avert – Working together

Millivres Prowler

Millivres Prowler Group, the parent company of Prowler in St James’s Street have established a partnership with six charities linked to the LGBT community.

The charity receiving a particular focus throughout November is Horsham-based AVERT. A creative and pro-active HIV & AIDS charity, AVERT works to avert the spread of HIV through education, treatment and care.

The charity’s believes that education provision is a major factor in combating the HIV epidemic, so they provide continually updated, impartial information on all issues relating to HIV and sexual health on their website.

To view their website, CLICK HERE: 

The site has sections dedicated to information and advice for people living with HIV, LGBT communities and young people. It has a worldwide reach and received over 30 million hits in 2012.

The Information and Advocacy service answers enquiries from all over the world, providing confidential help and advice to the general public.

Earlier in the year AVERT produced a special Myth-Busting Factsheet (www.avert.org/media/pdf/myth-busting-factsheet.pdf), which provides answers to the most common queries received regarding HIV transmission and testing.

AVERT also partners with independent organisations to implement projects emphasising sustainable community-based responses to HIV and AIDS in South Africa and Malawi, two countries that have been worst hit by the HIV epidemic.

Prowler Brighton is teaming up with the rest of its stores and MPG divisions to support AVERT, through in-store fundraising and other activities. Simply by popping into Prowler Brighton and leaving your contact details, you have the chance to win a fabulous bottle of champagne and a box of chocolates, courtesy of AVERT. All donations are of course gratefully received, so simply pop your loose change (or notes, if you’re feeling flush!) into the collection tin in the store.

With World AIDS Day approaching, one or more members of the AVERT team will also be in the store, to provide further information about its services and help raise funds for the organisation.

Simon Forrest, Chair of the Board of Trustees for AVERT said:

“The provision of accurate, clear and evidence-based information about HIV & AIDS is still one of the most important components of HIV & AIDS work. Enabling people to make informed choices about their lives, empowering and supporting them to mobilise communities is demonstrably valuable and important in both prevention and provision of treatment and care. AVERT is proud and pleased to partner with MPG with its strong links and focus on community. We look forward to helping to spread further awareness of AVERT’s role and contribution and much more importantly, refocus hearts and minds on HIV prevention.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allsorts Youth Project awarded Santander Foundation Grant

Allsorts Youth Project

Allsorts LGBT Youth Project has received a £5000 grant from the Santander Foundation to fund a series of activities for lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or trans young people aged 16-25 living in the Brighton, Hove and Sussex area.

The grant was provided from the Foundation’s Community Plus initiative which provides grants of up to £5,000 for projects that help disadvantaged people in local communities.

The  funding will go towards a summer programme to ensure that cleints have somewhere safe and friendly to go in the summer holidays. They can have fun, get support and learn about themselves in such a way as to come out of the programme more confident and relaxed about their identity and with a whole set of new friends.

Additionally, the funding  will also cover the creation of a resource that they can give to their carers/parents when they ‘come out’.

This will help their carers/parents understand what is happening and support their children through this difficult time. Moreover, the donation will pay for 28 Peer Education sessions in schools and colleges to tackle homo, bi and transphobia.

Craig Banes of Santander Foundation, said: 

“Community Plus allows our staff and customers to nominate local charities that are most in need of assistance.  We are delighted to be supporting the [enter charity name here] and hope the donation makes a real difference to local people.” 

Jess Wood
Jess Wood, MBE

Jess Wood MBE, Project Director, said:

“We are thrilled that Santander are offering us this amazing grant. It is going to make a real difference to our capacity to create safe spaces for LGBT young people in our community.”

The Community Plus fund provides grants of up to £5,000 to small, local charities with funding available to cover salaries, equipment or materials.

For more information, CLICK HERE:  

Working for the community in St James Street

St James Street Action Group

Community activists, local businesses and the Council’s street lighting manager were joined by The Brighton Crime Reduction Partnership, a local councillor and the police for an unusual but important event this Halloween.

St James Community Action Group (SJSAG) organised a street inspection of lighting throughout the St James Street area. Following on from the significant achievements achieved with improved lighting last year on St James St, the team concentrated its efforts on the side streets.

Assurances were received from council officers that specific attention would be given to additional/enhanced lighting in New Steine Mews, the area adjoining the Peace Park in Dorset Gardens, Steine Street and the car park adjacent to Cavendish Street.

The missing column on the High Street is to be installed and new white lighting introduced on Chapel Street and Rock Place.

The Community Action Group urges all local residents to report sites that require attention either directly to the Council or via the SJCAG at sjcag2012@gmail.com

 

NATIONAL ADOPTION WEEK : Do you want to adopt a child? 4,600 children waiting to be adopted

Frist4adoptionFirst4Adoption has launched a campaign to highlight the need for more people to consider adopting one of the 4,600 children in England currently waiting for new loving families, as it publishes research on behalf of the Department for Education that shows people’s likelihood of adopting varies depending on where they live.

Myths continue to be a major barrier to people coming forward to adopt, warns the adoption information service, with many wrongly believing that you can’t adopt if you are over 40, single, gay or lesbian, living in rented accommodation or already have children.

According to the research, published today by First4Adoption at the start of National Adoption Week, Londoners are the most likely to offer a child a loving home.

Of the 1 in 7 people (or 4 million people) in England who say they are ‘certain’ or ‘very likely’ to adopt, the largest group (7% or 309,800 people) live in London. Meanwhile, the smallest group who are ‘certain’ or ‘very likely’ to adopt are those living in the South East, East Anglia, Yorkshire & Humber and the South West (each at 3% of the total group).

Gemma Gordon-Johnson, Head of Service at First4Adoption, said:

“There are thousands of boys and girls who would massively benefit from the love and security that a new loving family could give them.”

“Many more people can adopt than is commonly believed. So this National Adoption Week, we are encouraging more people, wherever they live in England and whatever their personal circumstances, to give us a call on 0300 222 0022 to find out more about adopting a child.”

Additional research from First4Adoption published today shows that of those who have contacted the service to find out more about adopting:

  • Nearly a quarter (23%) of those who are living in London and nearly a fifth of those living in the West Midlands (19%) are single
  • Around a third of those living in the North West, West Midlands, East Midlands, South East, South West and London are women aged 41-50 years old.

Gemma Gordon-Johnson, continued:

“It’s really encouraging that so many people who are aged over 40 or who are single are starting to come forward to find out more about adopting,”

“However, we need to continue to bust those persistent myths around who can adopt so that more people come forward to adopt one of the thousands of children who urgently need new homes.”

Adoptive mum Ali, who adopted a two-year old girl with her partner Lauren, said:

“Being able to give a loving home to someone who wouldn’t have one otherwise is a fantastic thing, but we did this for ourselves, so that we could have a wonderful family.”

First4Adoption has also launched a handy guide to adopting Exploring Adoption: Step By Step to mark National Adoption Week.

To downloaded from its website, CLICK HERE:  

To find out about information evenings being held by adoption agencies in your local area CLICK HERE:  

The government is currently introducing wide-ranging reforms of the adoption system to make it faster and easier to adopt.

Under the new two-stage adopter assessment process, prospective adopters should know if they have been approved to adopt within six months. The government also recently announced the creation of £19.3 million Adoption Support Fund providing post-adoption support for adoptive families.

For more information about adopting a child in England, telephone 0300 222 0022 or CLICK HERE:  

Local lawyer appears on list of best lawyers and law firms

Philip Warford
Philip Warford

Philip Warford, managing director of Renaissance Legal, a Sussex-based law firm has been listed as a Ranked Lawyer in the directory of best law firms and lawyers published by Chamber & Partners.

Chambers & Partners, who been ranking the best law firms and lawyers since 1990, is widely recognised as the principal directory for those needing to find the most appropriate legal representation.

Philip, who has been ranked under the Private Client section for Brighton and its surrounding areas, said:

“The selection process is carried out by in house researchers conducting in-depth telephone interviews with myself, my clients and other professionals I work with. Renaissance Legal was only formed in 2010, so this is a real testament to how far we’ve come in such a short space of time.

“I’m particularly delighted that I’ve been recognised for the work I do with disabled people and their families as so few firms provide this specialist service.”

For more information on Renaissance Legal, CLICK HERE:

To see the listing and for more information on Chambers & Partners, CLICK HERE:

 

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