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Davina Sparkles for Sport Relief

Local Brighton drag queens proved sparkling sequins and sport are perfect partners when they took to the seafront for their own Sainbsbury’s Sport Relief Mile.

Sport relief Brighton Cabaret Queens running a mile

It was hand bags at dawn as six drag queens from Adonis Cabaret donned headbands, hitched up their frocks and put their best heels forward in a fight to the finish line.

The performers came from far and wide. Coco Verdose flew in from Columbia and donned a leather corset to keep her running upright, but in the end the victor was Ivy Hilton who was full of grace as she crossed the finish line at Dukes Mound.

Ivy said: “I came dressed for the occasion; it was all down to the exceptional killer heeled running boots. I’m not normally much of an athlete, but I’m always up for getting involved with a good cause and it seems I will do anything to win!”

The purpose of the run was to encourgage more people in Brighton to sign up for the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile.

Local favourite Davina Sparkle, said: “If we queens can get involved and run for Sport Relief anyone can. It’s been a great laugh and I hope it encourages lots of people to sign up for the very worthy cause. Sport Relief is all about everyone getting active and having fun, whilst helping others. There are charities right here in Brighton that have benefitted from money raised through the events and I hope this year is even bigger and better!”

As well as getting involved in the Mile the bejewelled beauties and Adonis Cabaret have also donated £1,000 to Sport Relief from a weekly raffle held by Adonis Cabaret.

Davina said: “Sport Relief was an obvious choice!”

Sport Relief takes place from March 21 – 23 and for the first time ever the public can run, swim or cycle in the brand new Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games.

To find what events are happening across Sussex CLICK HERE:  

Money raised through Sport Relief helps people living incredibly tough lives in the UK and across the world.

 

Scotland stands with LGBT Nigerians and Ugandans

Tomorrow, Friday, March 7 at 12.15pm, the Equality Network, Scotland’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality charity, will hold a national protest in Edinburgh against anti-gay laws recently passed in Nigeria and Uganda.

Equality Network

The new laws punish LGBT people with up to life imprisonment for acts of “aggravated homosexuality” in Uganda and fourteen years in Nigeria. The laws also criminalise the “promotion” and “recognition” of same-sex relationships.

The Equality Network say the impact of the law is likely to make it almost impossible for people to be openly LGBT in those countries, and will severely restrict the work of human rights organisations and LGBT support groups in the country.

The Equality Network intends to send a message to LGBT people in Uganda and Nigeria that Scotland stands with them. We will also be calling for action from the UK Government to stand up for human rights internationally.

They will be joined by human rights supporters, trade unions and students groups; as well as an African drummer and Scottish piper to symbolize the strong Scottish African ties. The protest will coincide with other coordinated protests across the globe called for by Nigerian and Ugandan LGBT activists.

As Scotland hosts both Uganda and Nigeria during the commonwealth games and the eyes of the commonwealth are on Scotland, the Equality Network say it’s important to send a strong message supporting human rights.

Ground-breaking film teaches primary school children to celebrate difference

25 years after Section 28, Stonewall launches ground-breaking film for primary schools.

FREE

FREE, is a ground-breaking new film for primary schools to help tackle bullying and celebrate difference. 25 years after the introduction of Section 28, a piece of legislation that banned resources like FREE, the film follows the stories of four children exploring family, friendship and what it means to be yourself.

The film is the culmination of four years’ work with primary schools, pupils, teachers and parents to develop resources that engage and inspire children to be themselves.

Every primary school in Britain will receive the film complete with a detailed lesson plan which helps them to tackle bullying and celebrate different families in an age-appropriate manner. The new resources follow on from the success of the critically acclaimed FIT, the film sent to every secondary school in Britain to tackle and prevent homophobic bullying.

Directed by Rikki-Beadle Blair, FREE is backed by former Children’s Laureate Jacqueline Wilson.

She said: “Stonewall is doing a wonderful job working with teachers and young people to make sure no-one is bullied because they or their family might be gay.”

Mumsnet CEO Justine Roberts has also welcomed the film: “Despite best attempts many parents find it tricky to talk to their kids about relationships. Films like these from Stonewall are a great way to reassure and educate children.”

Ruth Hunt
Ruth Hunt

Ruth Hunt, Stonewall’s Acting Chief Executive said: “Every parent wants their child to grow up in a world where they can be themselves. A world where they can learn, play and make friends at school and beyond. A vital part of growing up in 21st century Britain is learning that difference is something to be celebrated, not shunned. FREE helps schools teach this important lesson in an age-appropriate way.”

For details and clips of FREE, CLICK HERE:

You can also join the discussion on Facebook and Twitter using #BeFREE

 

REVIEW: OperaUndone

operaundonegOperaUndone

I Capuletti e I Montecchi

Marlborough Theatre

March 5, 2014
OperaUndone gave a sharp, intense, chamber performance of Bellini’s I Capuletti e I Montecchi last night.  Based on the original 13th Century manuscript that gave birth to Shakespeare’s masterpiece Romeo and Juliet, the opera is set in a medieval empire where the strict bonds of blood are exposed to the power of love and sexual attraction. This is chamber opera, deconstructed.

The Marlborough Theatre has an unforgiving acoustic and this on occasion hampered some of the lyrical delights of the music’s more florid sections, but this was more a distraction and the singers compensated well for the difficulties of the space.  Soprano  Susanna Heard as Giulietta was precise and subtle and  mezzo-soprano CN Lester  as Romeo were convincing in their amorous passion for each other and their duets were the highlight of the night, wrapping their voices around each other and the music with a perfect balance. All the singers have good strong performances and should be commended on their attention to detail. Lester also nailed the surly impulsive passion of the young Romeo.  It’s always a pleasure to be able to feel the singing reverberating in your own body and this was certainly the case in the intimate setting of the Marlborough, it’s been a long time since I’ve been that close to singers of such quality and volume. Stephen East’s crepuscular bass baritone voice resonating with commanding power though my skull really added another dimension to the whole experience of watching opera.

Ruth Mariner who directed this piece has brought a fresh approach to what I expected to be a rather stilted chamber piece (as I’m no fan of Bellini and his constricted musical language) so it was a surprise and a delight to listen to a show where the emphasis is on the singers rather than the rococo drama, and giving the voices the space to allow this convincing emotional narrative to shine. The story is much the same as the Shakespeare version (unsurprisingly as they both use the same source material) the main difference here being the role of Romeo played by a woman, although the trouser role is familiar to opera fans it can often add an extra modern interpretation to the drama.

Bringing such formal work into the round and dispensing with any fussy add-ons and just letting the music and singing ‘do it’s thing’ is both brave and engaging and allowed the audience to relax and the singers to bring the rich emotional undertones of the music to the fore. This was a persuasive performance done with conviction and thoroughly enjoyable all round.  It’s also unusual to see music presented in such a straight foreword way at the Marlborough which has such a reputation for avant-garde and experimental works, but it’s a beautiful venue to experince live classical music in.

You can check out their website here:

Their voices blended well, even overcoming the rather limited acoustic of the Marlborough, I imagine in a warmer, larger venue they would be a real delight to listen to. It’s a pleasure to see such a diverse group of performers come together to present such an intimate and quality night of music.

Overall an interesting and well performed night in the presence of some quality singers who were obviously enjoying this production, if I had some criticism of the show it was that the lighting was too harsh for such a small room, the whole production would have benefited from a half dozen candelabras with candles dotted around the room. A nightmare for health and safety, I know, but an instant win for intimate ambiance, and if you’re going to deconstruct, why not go the whole way and stick everyone in black with some symbolic character identity.

These are mere quibbles from a spoilt elderly critic though as the strength and beauty of the combined voices of these accomplished singers moved me and gave us a night to remember.

For more info on this show or to see upcoming events at the Marlborough Theatre, see their website here:

WiSEUp! A new LGBT- inclusive campaign

The WiSE Project will be launching a new campaign called WiSEup in Spring 2014 to raise awareness about sexual exploitation for LGBT people.

WiseUpThe campaign, which has received funding from the Sussex Police Community Cashback aims to raise awareness about sexual exploitation as well as promote referral and reporting pathways. The campaign has been developed with youth-consultation for LGBT and non-LGBT venues.

The WiSE Project has carried out participatory workshops with LGBTU young people at Allsorts Youth Project to design innovative and interactive campaign materials and badges, which will be featured in venues across the LGBT-scene.

LGBTU young people can face additional challenges to their straight, cisgender peers. These challenges can include a lack of acceptance from family or friends or experiencing homo/bi/transphobic bullying.

In addition, many LGBTU young people do not receive appropriate education and advice around sex and relationships. These factors can compound and increase LGBTU young people’s vulnerability to sexual exploitation.

Alongside the awareness-raising campaign materials, the WiSE Project will be delivering training to people that work professionally within the night time economy, such as doorpersons, club and pub workers, hotel reception staff, in order to increase awareness of how to identify exploitative situations and report appropriately.

The project is being launched on March 28 at the Komedia in Brighton.

For more information about the campaign or ambassador training, EMAIL: 

Labour parliamentary candidate lays first plank on Hastings Pier

Sarah Owen lays the first plank welcomes community funds from GMB to help rebuild the Hastings Pier.

Sarah Owen
Sarah Owen with Paul Maloney and two GMB apprentices working on the pier Dan and Andrew

On Tuesday, March 4, the Labour parliamentary candidate for Hastings and Rye, Sarah Owen accompanied the regional secretary of the GMB union Paul Maloney on Hastings Pier.

They handed over a community donation of £10,000 to Simon Opie of the Hastings Pier Charity and Sarah helped lay the first new plank of the pier’s renovation. The pier is scheduled to reopen in Late Spring 2015.

Hastings-born Sarah has raised money for Hastings Pier in the past by climbing the 3 highest peaks in the UK and is very pleased that the GMB union used their community funds for such a brilliant cause.

Sarah Owen
Sarah lays the first plank

She said: “As a local person who loved going on the pier when I was young, it was a huge honour to lay one of the first planks on Hastings Pier and to welcome the donation from GMB Southern Region, which along with thousands of other people who’ve bought community shares, goes to fund what will be a fantastic cultural and economic asset to our town.

“Well done to the Pier team – the volunteers and the workers, the Sussex Coast College apprentices like Dan and Andrew who I met today, Hastings Borough Council and everyone else who has got behind rebuilding Hastings Pier.”

To find out more or buy your own share, CLICK HERE:  

 

The GMB’s Paul Maloney said: “I am really pleased that as a community-based trade union we are able to support the efforts of the Hastings Pier Charity. It’s clear that the Charity, working with the local council and partners, have achieved a great deal. We also have Sarah Owen, one of our members, standing for parliament and we are delighted to be able to join her fundraising efforts and show our mutual commitment and respect we have for the town.

“I am looking forward to the spring of 2015 and visiting the re-built pier.”

The charity has raised around £11.5million through the Heritage Lottery Fund and over £2million from other sources to fund the engineering works needed. The charity’s community share offer aims to raise a further £500,000.

 

Author to sign copies of her new novel

Pauline George will be signing copies of her new lesbian novel Jess at the Marlborough Theatre Bar on Saturday, March 29.

Pauline George

The first 30 guests will be offered complimentary nibbles, discounted drinks and a free glass of champers.

There will be a raffle on the night to benefit Speaking Volumes, a storytelling project that allows the voices of hidden, stigmatised and marginalised people to be heard. Prizes include a night at the Queens Hotel on Brighton seafront.

The book is available on Amazon.

For more information about Pauline George, CLICK HERE: 

The launch is in association with the lesbian and social dining group, Dining D’s.

For more information about Speaking Volumes, CLICK HERE:

What: Pauline George signs her debut lesbian novel Jess

Where: Marlborough Theatre Bar, Princes Street, Brighton

When: Saturday, March 29

Time: 6.30pm

Greens and Labour vote through a budget for the year ahead

Brighton & Hove City Councillors finally set a budget for 2014/15 last night.

Budget meeting

After failing to come to an agreement at the annual budget meeting last Thursday, February 27, the Green Party and Labour & Cooperative joined together last night to vote through a council tax increase of 1.99%

After being warned about their legal responibilites to set a budget, councillors voted through a joint amendment from the Green, Conservative and the Labour & Co-operative groups using £306,000 unallocated one-off reserves.

These reserves will fund:

£120,000 transition funding for Able & Willing, the supported service for disabled people allowing the service to continue until September 2015 allowing hopefully for further business to be generated

• £165m to the overall discretionary grants budget for one year whilst alternative funding options are developed

• £15,000 for Pride in addition to the £10,000 to be carried forward from the 2013/14 allocation to support the Parade and Village party

• £6,000 one-off transitional funding for Employment Support within Adult Social Care to shift to new models of working.

It is proposed to use the unallocated £23,000 resources in contingency:

To reverse the £9,000 saving in Children’s Services which will remove the 2% reduction in Community & Voluntary Sector contracts for short breaks for disabled children;

To reverse the £7,000 saving in Children’s Services thereby removing the 2% reduction in Community & Voluntary Sector contracts for Link Plus; and to use the remaining £7,000to reverse part of the £68,000 efficiency savings in the short break residential budget.

Cllr Warren Morgan
Cllr Warren Morgan

Cllr Warren Morgan, leader of Labour and Cooperative, said:  “This is a victory for common sense and the right decision for the city. We have set a sensible, inflation-linked council tax increase, avoided a referendum costing £900,000 and a tax freeze costing £800,000. We have not passed the cost of Conservative government cuts on to those who cannot afford it, and most importantly we have kept control of our local services out of the hands of Eric Pickles.

“I’m please we have been able to save funding for respite care breaks for disabled children, funding for community grants and Pride, and support for Able & Willing, the supported employer for people with learning disabilities. There is still £3 million in contingency funds in the Budget to support social care services.”

Cllr Geoffrey Theobald

Cllr Geoffrey Theobald who took Cllr Kitcat to task for remarks made during his speech about the Conservatives, said: “We have been clear and consistent for many months that the Administration should accept the £1.2 million recurrent funding on offer from the Government and deliver a council tax freeze. I am, therefore, very disappointed for the residents of this city that they have been lumbered with this above inflation increase. I am especially disappointed with the Labour Group for not supporting our freeze proposals. Their Leader is constantly banging on about a ‘cost of living crisis’ yet here he is voting to push up people’s council tax bills. There are many Labour councils up and down the country such as Manchester, Sunderland, Newcastle and most Labour London Boroughs who are freezing council tax – why should Brighton & Hove be any different? We have shown, through our proposals, that it is perfectly possible to freeze council tax and still put money in to protect vital services such as short break respite for disabled children. This council tax increase is completely unnecessary.”

Cllr Jason Kitcat
Cllr Jason Kitcat

Council Leader Jason Kitcat said he agreed to the budget with a heavy heart while denying the settlement had weakened his position: “It was important that the council budget was set. It is important local councillors retain the final say on this. I’m pleased there was cross party agreement on a series of areas which will help keep services going in the year ahead. Everybody had to compromise. It wasn’t the budget we hoped for but at least the city has certainty and the Secretary of State will not be involved.”

All Conservative councillors voted against the budget.

All Labour councillors voted for the budget.

Green councillors who abstained included: Ruth Buckley (Goldsmid), Rob Jarrett (Goldsmid), Stephanie Powell (Queens Park),

Green rebels who voted against the budget included: Ben Duncan (Queens Park), Phelim Mac Cafferty (Brunswick & Adelaide), Alex Philips (Goldsmid) Liz Wakefield (Elm Grove & Hanover).

All other Green councillors voted for the budget.

 

 

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