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Sussex Beacon’s Garden Gadabout

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

The Garden Gadabout

The event raises money for The Sussex Beacon, a charity for men, women and families that 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 is being held on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June as well as on Saturday 28 and Sunday June 29.

Details of the open gardens are now online.

To plan your day and buy tickets, CLICK HERE: 

Mike Weatherley, MP
Mike Weatherley, MP

Mike Weatherley, the Conservative MP for Hove and Portslade, is encouraging local residents to support the Sussex Beacon by visiting the gardens around Brighton & Hove, now that the final garden list has been published.

Mike said: “I am delighted that people with an active interest in gardening have been generous enough to open their wonderful gardens to the public in aid of charity. The Garden Gadabout is a fascinating opportunity to explore interesting gardens around the city and help raise money for an important local charity, the Sussex Beacon.”

 

 

New sponsor for Newcastle Pride

Business Improvement District Company, NE1, has signed up to sponsor Northern Pride’s annual LGBT festival, Newcastle Pride.

Newcastle Pride

The free event, which is now the second largest of its kind in the UK, is expected to attract more than 65,000 visitors to the city between July 18 and July 20, contributing an estimated £5m to the regional economy.

NE1 will be sponsoring the festival’s main stage at the Town Moor, featuring high profile performances by acts such as Sinitta, Shayne Ward and the Vengaboys.

Sean Bullick, Chief Executive of NE1, said: “Since launching in 2009, NE1 has implemented a wide range of initiatives designed to raise the profile of the city and attract additional visitors, including Alive after Five, Newcastle Restaurant Week and Newcastle Fashion Week.

“The growth of Newcastle Pride over the past few years has been fantastic and it is now the largest free annual event in the city, attracting tens of thousands of regional, national and international visitors every year.

“We have been in discussions with Northern Pride for some time about how NE1 could assist in the further growth of the event and we are delighted to now be offering our support to Newcastle Pride 2014, which is set to be the biggest yet.

Newcastle Pride, now in its seventh year, will feature a wide range of music and entertainment split across the Town Moor and Newcastle’s Times Square, all free to visitors of all ages.

The festival’s main stage, sponsored by NE1, will feature live music throughout Saturday and Sunday (July 19 and 20), with a host of stalls, entertainment zones and a fun fair open across the Town Moor.

A second stage, specially-built outside the Centre for Life, will host additional live music on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (July 18 to 20) evenings, with performers including Kelly Wilde, Angie Brown and Steptastic.

Mark Nichols
Mark Nichols

Mark Nichols, Chair of charity Northern Pride which organises the event, said: “Newcastle Pride is a huge undertaking, even more so this year as it’s being extended from one day to three.

“This will obviously bring a welcome boost to Newcastle’s economy, in particular its leisure and hospitality businesses and we’re extremely grateful to NE1 and all our other sponsors for helping to make that possible.”

For more information about Newcastle Pride including a full line-up, CLICK HERE:

 

 

New honeymoon destinations campaigns

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have launched a new travel advice campaign called Know Before You Go (KBYG).

LGBT Honeymoon Destinations LGBT Honeymoon Destinations

The campaign is aimed at reducing the number of preventable problems faced by British Nationals abroad, to help make sure they enjoy safe and trouble-free travel.

As more weddings take place in the months ahead following the introduction of the new equal marriage legislation, there is likely to see an increase in same-sex couples booking honeymoons abroad.

The FCO is advising these couples, and LGBT travellers more broadly, to choose their travel destination with care.

The FCO has partnered with The Gay Wedding Guide to produce two digestible infographics highlighting LGB&T friendly destinations picked by its readers and its team. The campaign will be launched on June 3 and is intended to help ensure that British travellers can have a safe and happy honeymoon.

The infographic highlights:

· Attitudes towards LGB&T travellers vary considerably around the world and can be very different from those in the UK

· Research the destination you intend to visit before you book your holiday

· Visit the LGBT travel advice page on GOV.UK for more information and travel advice for LGB&T travelers

· Recommendations on some of the best LGB&T friendly destinations, broken into categories including Action, Romance and Culture

For more information about the guidance, CLICK HERE:

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Greens seek local powers to support small shops

Brighton & Hove Greens are seeking cross-party support for a national campaign to give Councils powers to introduce a levy upon bigger retailers, in order to rebalance the economy in favour smaller ones.

Brighton North Laines

The proposal is being considered at the Council’s Policy & Resources Committee meeting on June 12

Greens have highlighted research showing that money spent in local and independent shops is worth many times more to the local economy, as it is re-spent locally by shop-owners – whether in wages to local people, in contracts with local suppliers, or to local accountants.

In contrast research suggests that some 95% of the money spent in large shops is siphoned away from the local economy to head office and shareholders.

The government has ruled out reviewing nationally-set business rates for another three years – even though according to The Federation of Small Businesses business rates are five times more expensive for small businesses as a proportion of turnover than they are for large companies.

Cllr Jason Kitcat
Cllr Jason Kitcat

Councillor Jason Kitcat, Chair of the Policy & Resources Committee said: “A small local levy on large retailer outlets such as supermarkets would represent a tiny fraction of the multi-million pound profits they make.

“But it could really help us rebalance a national system that is weighted in favour of large retailers. This measure could see money redistributed to help smaller independent businesses through schemes like local rate discounts, area improvements or bus routes.

“Large shops like supermarkets have a part to play in our local economy. However we want to make sure that they contribute to as well as take from local communities – especially when their continued expansion threatens the diverse small businesses that make Brighton & Hove such a unique place to live and visit.”

 

Queens on top!

Lola Lasagne talks sequins, camp and drag ahead of this years Legends cabaret tent at Pride.

Lola Lasagne and Jason Sutton
Lola Lasagne and Jason Sutton

The sequins have been ordered, the wigs are being groomed and the frocks are being finalised. Yes the biggest day in Brighton’s cabaret year is getting closer so we decided to chat with Legend’s Cabaret Tent’s legendary hostess and organiser Stephen Richards a.k.a. Lola Lasagne and find out her plans for the big day. She was, as always, most obliging!

So Lola, what can we expect from the Legends Cabaret Tent this year at Preston Park?

“An eclectic gay mix of drag, singers, sequins, powerhouse vocals, pizazz, show tunes, camp, freedom, solidarity, love and respect.”

Sounds fabulous. But why is being part of Pride such a must-do event for you?

“Because it brings together our diverse, wonderful LGBT community and shows it off to the world. We prove to people young and old, LGBT and heterosexual, the worth and value we hold as fellow human beings. It allows us to continue to fight and show support for those still oppressed in the UK and all over the world. And it also lets us as performers help the wonderful voluntary and community organisations with much needed fundraising so they can carry on their wonderful and important work in Brighton and Hove”.

And for you personally, what makes the Legends Cabaret Tent work so well?

“I like to think of myself as a chef making the most wonderful cake for Brighton Pride. With the artistes being the right ingredients to make the tent so special. And its down to them and their performances that makes the day such a success”.

What: Pride Brighton & Hove 2014: Freedom To Live

Where: Pride Festival Preston Park

When: Saturday, August 2

Time: 12noon – 10pm.

Price: £9 /£12.50 Early Bird tickets Sold out. Discounted £15 advance (first release) until end of May. Then £17.50 in June /£20 in July and more on the day.

To book tickets. CLICK HERE:

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