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RadioReverb “Reverbathon” raises over £2,000

Supporters boost community radio station’s birthday fundraiser.

Kathy Caton
Kathy Caton

RadioReverb celebrated its seventh birthday with an all day birthday fundraising Reverbathon on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 of March which netted a cash boost for the community station of more than £2,000.

Saturday March 8 was also International Women’s Day, so RadioReverb featured only female presenters in a Women’s Takeover Day from 8am-midnight.

RadioReverb is a non-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers and is celebrating seven years of broadcasting full-time on 97.2FM.

The station is distinct from other radio services in that it aims to reflect Brighton & Hove’s diverse population, and does not broadcast any adverts relying on public donations and show sponsorship to run the station.

Listener feedback indicates that radio adverts are not popular with a large section of the audience, and a recent listener poll showed that 71% of listeners like the fact there are no adverts on RadioReverb.

For the Reverbathon, the station offered micro-sponsorship deals of one-off show funding, linking independent local businesses up with individual producers.

Shows included:

• The Albion Roar, a fan’s eye view of the Albion

 Live improvised experimental music

 A local business show

 Live acoustic sessions with local bands

 An International Women’s Day pub quiz

 Refugee Radio; Out in Brighton, the city’s only dedicated LGBT programme

 And genres including punk, electro, dance, grunge and funk and soul

RadioReverb is soon moving to new premises which will allow it to expand its service to local listeners, and to provide training in a range of radio-related skills.

For more information, CLICK HERE:

 

Hove MP Weatherley encourages residents to open their gardens for charity

Mike Weatherley, the Conservative MP for Hove and Portslade, is asking all residents with interesting gardens and open spaces to support The Sussex Beacon’s annual open garden event.

Garden Gadabout

The Garden Gadabout sees over 60 private gardens and community spaces in Brighton & Hove and surrounding areas, open to the public during two weekends in June.

The event raises money for The Sussex Beacon, a charity for men, women and families who are affected by HIV. Open 365 days a year, The Sussex Beacon helps people to manage the everyday realities of living with this life-long condition.

The Garden Gadabout event is held on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June as well as Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 June.

Mike said: “The Garden Gadabout is a fascinating opportunity to explore interesting gardens around the city and help raise money for an important local charity. I hope that anyone who has an interesting garden or space and feels that they can help – even for a day – will get in touch with The Sussex Beacon.”

If you want to get involved, contact Cath Mattos at The Sussex Beacon on 01273 694222

Or EMAIL:  fundraising@sussexbeacon.org.uk

For more information on the Garden Gadabout, CLICK HERE:

Kemptown MP set to grill Ovingdean developers

Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven will tomorrow meet the developers of a new controversial housing development planned in the Rottingdean, Ovingdean and Woodingdean area.

Simon Kirby MP
Simon Kirby MP

All three locations are sited within Mr Kirby’s, Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven constituency.

The developers, Lightwood Strategic are intending to build a substancial number of homes at Meadow Vale.

Simon said: “I am receiving a huge amount of correspondence from constituents about Lightwood Strategic’s proposals and I will be sure to use this meeting to raise my concerns, and those of my constituents, with the company. Almost 1,000 local residents have already filled out my survey on this issue and I am receiving many more every day.

“Concerns frequently being raised include the threat to the village nature of the areas involved, the potential strain on local services such as GP surgeries and infrastructure, with the Falmer Road already being incredibly busy and long tailbacks often already a problem at the Woodingdean crossroads.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity of raising these points in person with the developers. I will also be keen to receive feedback from the public exhibitions running later this week.”

Nancy PlattsCommenting on the possible development, Nancy Platts, Labour parliamentary candidate for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, said: “Local people are contacting me with valid concerns about the proposed housing development at Meadow Vale and I will be meeting with them to hear their views in more detail as well as visiting the exhibition this evening (Tuesday March 11).

“If this proposal goes ahead then it needs to involve a range of housing, including low-cost homes for young families, better health facilities and the expansion of local primary schools. However; I am concerned about the impact upon children getting to Longhill High School as The Vale is the access road to the school and this is likely to be affected by the development.”

She added:  “A green gap has to be respected locally as it provides a vital link between Balsdean and Beacon Hill and Roedean, forming part of the South Downs National Park. Another area of concern is the extra pressure on the Falmer Road and Rottingdean High Street where traffic levels are already too high. This starts to raise the question whether the time has come for a Woodingdean by-pass.”

“Although I would urge local residents to visit the exhibition to find out more and make their views known, I do not feel that this is sufficiently robust as a consultation process in itself. I am concerned that residents who are not able to attend may miss out on the opportunity to speak to developers about the plans and I would like them to get in touch with me so I can represent their views.”

The public exhibition will take place on Tuesday, March 11 from 5pm – 8pm and Wednesday, March 12 from 4pm – 8pm at the School Canteen, Longhill High School, Falmer Road Rottingdean Brighton BN2 7FR

For more information about the development, CLICK HERE: 

 

 

Bangkok classics

Alan Stables tastes the delights of what Bangkok has to offer, visiting the classic Telephone Bar, Babylon Sauna and much more.

Bangkok

As we took the taxi from the Don Mueang, the low cost terminal at Bangkok, haze hovered over the city. Whilst we wonderered if this was smog, the lady taxi driver assured us  “No, this is winter weather.”  

I was not convinced. I am not alone. Supat Wangwongwatana, secretary of the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia, is also not convinced.  The levels of carbon monoxide and an increasing ozone hanging over Bangkok ensure that clear days are less likely these days. Don’t let that put you off though for a trip to Bangkok as this gay holiday destination is for the 3 S’s.

Well actually it’s for one big fat “S” – forget the Sun and the Sand.

Bangkok

No trip to Bangkok would be complete without tasting some of the classic delights that Bangkok has to offer. Bars for people watching, karaoke, massage, cabaret and disco, Bangkok has it all.

Tarntawan Place
Tarntawan Place

Hotels

Tarntawan Place at 119/5-10 Surawong Road  is a gay friendly hotel located in a strategic position for the gay traveller with deluxe double room rates from 2175 Bahts (approx. £40) to 2900 Bahts (approx. £54), breakfast included.  Clean and efficient, I found the staff friendly and helpful. Sorry to say I found the female breakfast staff less helpful and carpets throughout were shabby and in need of replacing. On the positive side, the extra that I really liked is that on checking in they give you a set of personalized cards with your name on and the hotel’s address. Useful for giving out to someone you like or to show the taxi driver the way back to your hotel. Couple that with a daily delivery of a piece of fruit, these are nice touches.

Another positive about staying at Tarntawan Place is the security. There is no problem about having guests, but they must register at reception on entry. When they leave, the receptionist will call you in your room to check that everything is okay. There is also a friendly security officer at the elevator. Security in Bangkok is an important issue, and should not be under estimated.

Tarntawan Place is located between the gay street area of Soi Boytown and Soi 4. Soi Boytown is a street is off the other side of the road of Surawong Road whereas Soi 4 is off Silom Road – which runs parallel to Surawong Road.

To help get your bearings, one of the best things you can do is head off to the legendary Telephone Bar  in Soi 4. From there, besides eyeing up the guys strutting down the street you can pick up a useful free GM guide with all the where-to-go places listed. The Telephone Bar also produces its own useful one page map.

Another good source of information can be found HERE:

BangkokBars

Telephone Bar itself is friendly with gin and tonics costing 150 Bahts (£2.80), and cokes at 90 Bahts (£1.70). People sit outside and do people watching, which can be very entertaining. If it’s full, try the bars next door, the Stranger and Connections.

The whole street of Soi 4, is full of gay places. Diagonally opposite from Telephone Bar for example is Balcony Bar a site that is highly rated having won a Metro Magazine High Fives Award. You can drink, play videos and connect to internet.

Whilst the locals attached to the bars and spas are young, and the clientele much older or even of retirement age, the bear community also has its niche bar at Bearibie Karaoke, opposite the Telephone Bar. As the name suggests it is a karaoke bar patronized by the bear community.

Having got your GM map you can now look up all the other places that may be of interest to you.

At Soi  Boytown, there are places such as Hotmale, Hotmale 2, Maxis, Bangkok Boys and Dream Boys on one side of the street, whereas you can find Future Boy, Dick’s Café, Bunny’s Massage and a few Go-Go Bars on the opposite side of the same street. Sit outside Maxis for example and watch the young masseurs of Massage Bangkok sit outside waiting for clients. Watch out too for door touts who will try to guide you into their clubs. Some are much pushier than others.

Massage

There are many massage parlours. Some are conventional ones offering services such as foot massage, but for a more intimate experience there are so many to choose from. You pay for two things. One for the massage service that goes to the establishment and the other being a tip for the masseur. Tips generally range from a minimum of 500 Bahts  (£9.25) up to 1000 Bahts ( £18.50). Make sure you establish the prices, including tips, before accepting any type of service.

Tarntawan Massage is adjacent to Tarntawan Place and the cost of a 90 minutes body massage is 750 Bahts (£14), not including the tip. One spa and massage place that appears to be heavily advertised as the newest and largest spa to be is The Prince found in Sathom Soi 3.

Bangkok saunas

Saunas

The mythical Babylon is well renowned. It is more of a high class fitness centre. On ground level there is a swimming pool with lounge chairs and gym, with a restaurant and a bar looking out onto the pool. There’s also a small sauna and dark steam room as well as cold showers on this level. Walk up one level and you have a snack bar, the changing rooms, hot showers and a small dark maze with cabins. The top floor is reserved for massage and a barber shop. It is a clean place frequented by  the 30 to 50 year old age group. You can train those muscles in the gym, show off those muscles around the pool  or be a sleaze bag – it’s your choice. The Babylon also doubles as a hotel.

Other saunas that you may wish to check out include Chakran, Men Factory, Troy and 39 Sauna.

Live sex shows also exist. The show at Tawan Bar has muscle guys penetrating a she-male doing a helicopter routine. The mind boggles. This is just round the corner from Tarntawan Place (go left and then your first left).

If you are looking for a disco to go to, D.J. Station  comes to mind. Most of the discos can be found in the street three roads down parallel to Soi 4.

Bnkgkok sightseeing

Sightseeing

Apart from the bars, clubs, go-go bars, massage parlours, spas, saunas and live sex shows, you may actually want to see another side of what Bangkok has to offer. Typical tourist trips include a canal trip stopping off at the temples and visiting a snake farm. Thai boxing is world famous so a trip to the boxing ring may be of interest. There are also excursions to see elephants. Getting a made to measure suit may be a good idea too, which will be posted on to you afterwards.  Apart from this, there is plenty of shopping to do in the streets as the street markets seem to bring the place alive selling anything from Singha Beer singlets to wrap around panda salt and pepper pots. Buy your mementos and then get back to the bars…

When To Go?

Temperatures range from 22 C to 32 C in December to 27 to 36 C in April. So no matter when you go, you can expect a pleasant climate. What differs is the amount of rainfall. Rainy season is from May to October, with most falling in September. With this in mind, planning a trip between November and April would seem the best time to visit Bangkok. Even still the humidity levels are over 70% even in the dry season.

Getting there

British Airways have daily direct flights from Heathrow to Bangkok starting from  as low as £363, and daily flights from Manchester to Bangkok for as low as £321 at the time of writing. British Airways have no direct flights from Gatwick to Bangkok.

Check out Thai Airways  though prices seem to be about double.

If travelling from another point in Asia, try the low cost carrier Air Asia for economical fares and to get about Thailand their own low cost airline is Thai Lion Air.

 

 

 

 

FEMME: An Exhibition for International Women’s Day 2014

As part of this year’s International Women’s Day celebrations, Brighton-based Thirteen Art Productions have organised a group-art exhibition featuring over 20 female artists from the South East.

FEMME

FEMME is showing at Velvet Tattoo in Norfolk Square, Brighton which is an all female run cooperative offering a variety of services to all genders including tattoos, hairdressing, nails and lashes.

The exhibition opened on March 8, Women’s Day 2014, with a private view. 10% of art sales and profits from the Private View will be donated to Brighton Oasis Project.

Brighton Oasis Project aims to improve the lives of women, children and young people affected by substance misuse. They seek to prevent and reduce drug and alcohol related harm to women and their families by providing services which offer a continuum of support from harm minimization through to total abstinence, which are complemented by specialist services for children, young people and women working in the sex industry.

Involved in the exhibition are a selection of award winning and international selling artists including Caia Matheson, Maria Rivans, Jess Eaton, Michelle Mindenhall and Mandy Webb to name a few.

Hizzie Fletcher
Hizzie Fletcher

Organiser Hizze Fletcher said: “With other gender and sexuality issues taking centre stage in the media at present it’s important that we don’t lose touch with the fundamental global issues faced by women. Women’s Day is an annual event that celebrates our gender and brings to light key issues associated with being a woman. Women are still fighting for true equality and exploited globally through, amongst other things, the sex industry, forced child marriage and female genital mutilation. It’s really important that women stand together to send a clear message that things must change. We’re really excited to have attracted so many talented artists and there will be a substantial variety of work on display at the exhibition”

What: FEMME Exhibition for International Women’s Day

Where: Velvet Tatoo, 48 Norfolk Square, Brighton and Hove, Brighton, telephone 01273 973746

When: Exhibition runs till March 31

Times: Daily 10am-6pm

For Facebook Group, CLICK HERE:

For more information about Thirteen Art Productions, CLICK HERE: 

 

 

REVIEW: Painted Ladies

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Painted Ladies

A Jasmine Frame Story

P. R. Ellis

Jasmine Frame was scared of knives when she was a policeman. Now she finds herself on the trail of a knife killer. But it’s not just her skin that is in danger, her identity as a woman is under threat. ..

Short of work, Private Investigator Jasmine Frame eagerly responds to a request to help identify a transvestite murder victim. Having done so, Jasmine is desperate to remain involved in the case despite friction with her former boss DCI Sloane. She persuades her ex-colleague DS Tom Shepherd to accompany her to Butterflies, a transgender social group to help build a picture of the victim. Following the meeting another of the members is murdered.

This is a good book from P.R. Ellis and (I suppose) the first in a series of books about this engaging and believable character and I liked the warm and personal way that Ellis allows Jasmine’s internal dialogue to echo the movement of the plot, it’s difficult to go into details without giving away some of the delights of the mystery in this book. It was a convincing journey into identity and how unwanted attention can bring reflection and resilience to a character under threat. That this threat is a choice and one that moves the story on in such a shocking way is even more intriguing and marks Frame as a police/crime/thriller to watch.

This book also does a very subtle but effective education of the subtleties and differences of gender identities and the complexities of modern constructed gender identities and often how these same complexities are not apparent to the cis majority.  It’s also a curious explanation of new fiction with intersectionality at the core of its narrative journey, although this may be by default rather than by design.

Overall it’s a good murder mystery, an enjoyable read and although not one of my favourite genres, it kept me interested enough to finish the book and to care about the protagonists journey.

Out now

paperback £8.99

For more into or to but the book or e-version see the publisher’s website here:

 

Rainbow Fund appoints Independent Treasurer

The Rainbow Fund has appointed Daniel Brookbank as its Independent Treasurer.

Daniel Brookbank
Daniel Brookbank

The voluntary position will provide additional professional expertise and scrutiny for Rainbow Fund’s financial procedures and practices.

The Rainbow Fund recently re-established itself as an independent grant-giving group, after three years with the Sussex Community Foundation. During that time it gave out over £100,000 in grants to the city’s LGBT volunteer-led groups providing frontline services to the LGBT community.

Daniel Brookbank has worked extensively in the voluntary sector as well as the NHS, and will provide external scrutiny to all of the Rainbow Fund’s financial processes. He is the current Chief Executive of the East Sussex Association Of Blind and Partially Sighted People.

Paul Elgood
Paul Elgood

Rainbow Fund Chairman Paul Elgood welcomed the appointment saying: “As we looked to the future we felt it absolutely critical to remain fully signed up to the principles of transparency and openness in all of our dealings. We need to give our donors the full assurance that their money is collected in a safe and timely way, and used in an appropriate manner. I have told Daniel that he is to act as a whistleblower should we ever fail to live up to these principles.

“I am delighted that the Rainbow Fund has attracted such high calibre interest. It really is an exciting time for the Rainbow Fund and the potential its work can do in supporting the local LGBT volunteer-led groups and organisations.”

Daniel added: “For fifteen years I worked in the NHS running GP practices and latterly setting up one of the first clinical commissioning groups. I was particularly proud to have launched  programme of ‘gay awareness’ training in the city in the mid 1990’s as it was obvious that a lot LGBT people in those days were very wary of telling their GP anything very personal. Our scheme helped a lot of people access medical services in a new safer environment. I took over at the helm of East Sussex Association Of Blind and Partially Sighted People in January 2011. I am pleased to say that three years later it is going from strength to strength.

‘To be able to work with the LGBT community in the city I love ticks all the boxes for me. Brighton has always been my spiritual home and the LGBT community the heart of that so I am very excited and honoured that they have chosen me.”

There are no salaries or expenses attached to any role at the Rainbow Fund so that the maximum amount raised is given out in grants each year to deserving LGBT groups and organisations.

Rainbow Fund

The Big Fill campaign!

Peacehaven residents demand action on potholes!

Peacehaven Pothole Story

Following the Government’s announcement that it is making available an extra £140 million to local councils to help repair the nation’s highways – Nancy Platts, Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Kemptown and Peacehaven says the people of East Peacehaven are determined that some of this money must come their way.

Nancy Platts, Labour's Parliamentary Candidate for Kemptown & Peacehaven
Nancy Platts, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Kemptown & Peacehaven

Nancy says: “You could plant a tree in some of the pot holes in East Peacehaven! However, this fact is of no comfort to local residents, who are in despair about the state of their roads”.

She continues:  “It has become a real challenge to drive or cycle in the area without damaging people or vehicles. So, East Peacehaven residents have mounted a campaign, called ‘The Big Fill’, to highlight their grievances”.

Local resident Peggy Madej, says: “No one cares about us around here.”

Nancys says that local residents claim that the state of the roads makes the whole area look run down, and contributes to a sense of hopelessness in the community – particularly since so many people in this deprived area of East Sussex are struggling to make ends meet.

Peacehaven Potholes

A cyclist who lives on Downland Avenue complained: I used to ride a bicycle, but it’s a no-go area for bikes now – one would be pitched straight off, seriously injured or killed.”

Nancy, said: “I have been meeting lots of residents in East Peacehaven and the hot issue on the doorstep is the state of the roads. Virtually every family complains about it. Of course, the roads come under the jurisdiction of East Sussex County Council, and East Peacehaven is represented on by two UKIP councillors. Dozens of people have complained to me that these councillors have done absolutely nothing about the pot holes.”

“It is worth noting that parts of Hastings, also within the East Sussex County Council borders, have similar problems to those of East Peacehaven, which include a comparable number of pot holes on their streets. However, their Labour councillor, John Hodges, has been extremely active on their behalf.”

Cllr JOhn Hodge
Cllr JOhn Hodge

Cllr Hodges said: “Since May of last year, I have seen over 7,000 pot holes fixed in Hastings, with 1,300 being repaired already in 2014. Every one of these has been as a result of an email from myself or my fellow Labour councillors, and in some instances via a member of the public.”

Nancy concluded saying that through their campaign The Big Fill, the residents of East Peacehaven plan to follow the example of Hastings and demand East Sussex Council deal with their local roads – which, many say, have not been properly repaired for a decade.

Nancy says that in the absence of any support from their local UKIP and Tory councillors,  local residents are delighted that she and the Meridian Labour group are spearheading their fight for proper attention to the Peacehaven pot holes.

To view a video of Peacehaven’s pot holes, CLICK HERE:

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