An event to help victims and potential victims of loan sharks is being held at Jubilee Library next week (14 November from 2-4pm).
Cllr Ian Davey
BRIGHTON & HOVE CITY COUNCIL is hosting the event to raise awareness of the work the East Sussex Credit Union is doing to make low cost credit available to those who need it most.
The event has been organised jointly by the council, the credit union and the office of the Bishop of Horsham, the Right Reverend Mark Sowerby – who will be a keynote speaker at the event.
The council is investing £90,000 a year over the next two years in the credit union as part of its strategy for tacking inequality in the city and helping vulnerable people.
Credit unions offer valuable support to people who are struggling financially, many of whom have no easy access to bank accounts or low cost credit.
They are an alternative to high-cost lenders who charge exorbitant rates of interest, and who often have very restrictive terms and conditions.
Because they are not-for-profit organisations, credit unions can offer affordable loans, as well as advice, guidance and financial education.
The East Sussex Credit Union – one of the biggest in the country – has more than 3,500 members. A number of local businesses have also signed up to the credit union’s payroll deduction scheme as a benefit for their staff, including the council.
Representatives of the credit union will be on hand at the Jubilee Library event to answer questions about the full range of services they offer and enable people to become members on the spot.
Deputy leader of the Council, Cllr Ian Davey said:“More and more people are suffering with spiralling debt with no access to mainstream credit and banking services.
“I believe the East Sussex Credit Union could potentially help thousands more local people. We want to spread the word that in this city there is an affordable and ethical local alternative to loan sharks.”
Residents who wish to join the credit union at the event itself will need to bring proof of ID such as driving licence or work ID card and proof of address.
For more information about the services offered by the East Sussex Credit Union, click here:
Brighton & Hove’s town halls, museums, housing offices and children’s centres will soon offer free public wifi hotspots.
Cllr Jason Kitcat
VISITORS TO more than 50 buildings across the city will be able to access the free facility on their mobile devices, including at the Brighton Centre, Portslade’s Village Centre, Hove Town Hall and the seafront office.
Youth centres across the city will be switched on, as will King Alfred Leisure Centre in Hove, Foredown Countryside Centre in Portslade and the newly refurbished St Luke’s swimming pool in Brighton.
The free wifi will be available for anyone living, working, visiting or studying in Brighton and Hove.
Council leader Jason Kitcat said: “People will be able to keep in touch at a variety of locations supplied by our public buildings and offices. The hotspots will be all over Brighton & Hove, from the city centre to the countryside, and can be used for leisure, learning, doing business, or simply keeping in touch with friends and family.
“Brighton & Hove City Council won government investment to provide improved digital connections. We are one of only 17 places across the UK to be selected for the super connected cities programme which complements the innovation and energy of our growing digital economy.”
Funding has been provided by BDUK through the government’s super-connected cities programme. Other projects in the city include a broadband voucher scheme where businesses can apply for a grant to improve their broadband connection, and a ‘digital exchange’ to offer ultrafast low-cost broadband for local creative and digital companies, based in New England House.
Brighton & Hove’s wifi hotspots are expected to be available towards the end of March.
Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist La Voix will star as Widow Twankey alongside Ben Richards as Abanazar in Aladdin at the Shaw Theatre in London.
ALADDIN is one of the only traditional pantomimes playing in central London this year and will feature a live band, stunning sets, glittering costumes, and plenty of audience participation.
La Voix whose accolades include Best Drag Act at this year’s London Cabaret Awards is a vivacious performer with live spine tingling vocals and an uncanny ability to switch between the vocal styles of Tina Turner, Shirley Bassey, Liza Minnelli, Judy Garland or Cher with the click of a finger.
Ben Richards starred in the UK Tour of Rock of Ages, with other recent theatre including leading roles in Oliver! at Sheffield Crucible, the UK Tour of 9 to 5, Priscilla Queen of the Desert at The Palace Theatre, Guys And Dolls at the Piccadilly Theatre, Grease at the Victoria Palace Theatre and Saturday Night Fever at the London Palladium. Ben is well known for TV roles including PC Nate Roberts in The Bill, Justin in Holby City and Bruno Milligan in Footballers’ Wives.
The cast also features Justin Thomas (Wicked, Dirty Dancing) as Aladdin, Helen Kurup (CBBC’s I Dream) as Princess Jasmine, Matthew Wesley (From Here to Eternity, Cabaret) as Genie of the Lamp, Lauren Storer as Genie of the Ring, Paul Lawrence Thomas as Wishee Washee, Oliver Broad as PC Pongo and Mark Lyminster as Emperor of China.
Event: Aladdin – A Traditional Pantomine
Where: Shaw Theatre, 100-110 Euston Rd, London NW1 2AJ
When: Thursday December 11, 2014 to Saturday January 3, 2015
Time: Times vary, for more information: click here:
Toilets entered in this year’s Loo of the Year competition have all been awarded either gold or platinum awards, giving the council its best results yet!
BRIGHTON & HOVE CITY COUNCIL entered 39 public toilets into the national award scheme this year. They included five new entries at the King Alfred, West Pier Arches, Vale Park, Black Rock and Park Road in Rottingdean.
Cllr Pete West, Chair of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee, said:“We are absolutely delighted, particularly following one our busiest ever summers.”
“Each year judging gets tougher, the required standards are raised but budgets are squeezed, so to continue to scoop so many top awards is a huge achievement.”
“It’s fantastic news, not just for the council, but for all our residents, people who work here and those who visit our city.”
Top scoring toilets included those at Blakers Park, Rottingdean Recreation ground, The Lanes, Wild Park, Norton Road and Royal Pavilion Gardens.
Cllr Pete West
Cllr West added:“Credit must go to the dedicated team of staff from Wetton Cleaning Services who work so hard to achieve these constant high standards which continue to rise year after year.”
The awards will be presented at a star studded glittering ceremony in December when the council will find out whether it has maintained its place at the top of the local authority league table for public toilet provision.
Picture shows Cllr Pete West opening the new seafront toilets earlier this year with attendant Fred Bridle.
Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, which includes Saltdean, met with the Minister whose portfolio covers the Saltdean Lido this evening to support the funding applications made by the Saltdean Lido Community Interest Company.
IN HER role as Parliamentary-Under Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government, Penny Mordaunt MP is responsible for coastal towns.
Simon said:“I am a strong supporter of the CIC who are doing excellent work trying to bring our wonderful Lido back to life. I am pleased to have secured this meeting to once again champion this cause. A thriving, vibrant Lido would be of huge benefit to the local community and I will be making this point to the Minister.”
The Government recently awarded the Lido £439,800 which will enable the pool to re-open next year. The funding has been allocated to restore the main swimming pool, install a new plant room within the grounds of the site, landscaping to the external grounds and temporary changing rooms and toilets.
More funding is still required to restore the other parts of the building.
If successful in securing other funding the CIC hope to begin works on the main building in late 2015 which will see the creation of a gym, community space, meeting rooms, café/restaurant and a library created within the listed building.
Simon added:“We have taken a huge step forward with the recent investment and news that the pool will be open next year and I will be doing all I can to help the CIC build on that momentum. I know the group has made a number of other applications for funding and I will be adding my weight to these.”
Community social networking group, Bear Patrol and women’s choir, Brighton Belles, hosted a coffee morning at the Queens Arms on September 27 for MacMillan Cancer Support.
THE EVENT, supported by Miss Jason, 90s Soul Diva Angie Brown and the Queens Arms raised £425.
For more information about Bear Patrol, click here:
For more information about Brighton Belles, click here:
A ONE OFF special fundraiser organised by the Brighton Bear Weekender guys, GRRR!! FOR MEN, arrives in town on Saturday, December 13 at Envy above Charles Street.
A MEN ONLY dance night that promises great funky house music from DJs Josh The Barber and Gary Watts, drinks promos and a fantastic cruisy atmosphere.
What a great way to kick start your christmas celebrations.
Event: GRRR!!! FOR MEN
Where: Envy, upstairs at Charles Street, Marine Parade, Brighton
From glittering TV stardom to the showbiz doldrums, 70s telly host Derek Daniels has been off our screens for quite a while, with only his glamorous assistant and trusty wife Bev for company.
In a bid to rekindle the nation’s affection, Derek is making a comeback with Crimplene Millionaire, with a new live telly gameshow to be broadcast on the Retro Channel.
Derek and Bev invite you to play a round of Crimplene Millionaire, the 1970s board game that style forgot. Your hosts roll back the years to a pre-digital world of Mateus Rosé, Brut 33, fondue and butterscotch Angel Delight where you can compete for top prizes (subject to availability).
If you didn’t experience the decade first hand, prepare to be illuminated; and if you did, prepare to feel young again!
Can Derek win back our hearts, or will it be a dark night of the soul for light entertainment?
What skeletons are lurking in Derek and Bev’s walk-in-wardrobes and to what desperate lengths have they gone to survive in the z-list celebrity wilderness?
Performed on a unique life-size hand painted board-game, Crimplene Millionaire is prime-time edutainment, an interactive game and engaging social satire in one artful theatrical package.
Event:Crimplene Millionaire – A Special Christmas Performance
Where: The Marlborough Theatre, 4 Princes Street, Brighton BN2 1RD
You joined them on the journey from the judges’ room to the arena, witnessed the dramatic six-chair challenge at Bootcamp, travelled to Judges’ Houses, tuned in to see the starlets transform in the live studio shows…and now is your chance to see your favourite acts live in person as they embark on The X Factor 2015 Live Tour.
Hot favourite to win X-Factor Andrea Faustini
THE TOP eight acts taking to the stage on this year’s live arena tour are: Andrea Faustini, Ben Haenow, Fleur East, Jay James, Lauren Platt, Only The Young, Stevi Ritchie and Stereo Kicks.
Following the shock elimination of one the the shows strongest singers Paul Akister on Sunday night, Simon Cowell broke the news to the final eight acts.
Andrea Faustini a huge favourite with the viewers, said: “I feel overwhelmed. It’s an amazing chance for me to show everyone who I am. It’s going to be a massive experience for me.”
Ben Haenow
Ben Haenow: “I actually can’t believe it, to get to go back and play at arenas such as Wembley and to get to go and meet the fans up and down the country. It’s just going to be probably the most amazing experience of my life and it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long, long time. I’ve always tried to get into big venues and to do something like this, like a huge prestigious tour, it’s kind of like, yeah, that’s it for me, that’s made my life.”
Fleur East
Fleur East:“(Screams!!) I can’t believe I’m on the X Factor tour. This is incredible. I’m so excited, I can’t wait!”
Jay James
Jay James who was in the sing off on Sunday, said: “I’m ecstatic! Absolutely ecstatic! To go out and meet all the people that have supported me and given me this amazing opportunity; it’s going to be a real honour!”
Lauren Platt
Pop princess Lauren Platt, added: “Oh, I cannot believe I am going on tour with everyone. It’s the craziest thing knowing that the journey doesn’t stop here and I get to continue my X Factor experience with the rest of the guys.”
Stevi Ritchie
Crowd pleaser and Simon Cowell’s secret pleasure, Stevi Ritchie, said: “Wow! It’s crazy, mental really. I never expected to go on tour, you know I really wanted to go on tour, it’s one of my dreams. Wow! I can’t believe it. It’s going to be mental. And to perform in front of thousands of people each week, I really can’t wait. It’s a dream come true. It’s amazing.”
Only The Young
Parissa from Only The Young, said: “Oh, it’s just incredible. We’ve waited for two years to do something like this and to get to go to the arenas all across the UK is just insane.”
Stereo Kicks
Charlie from Stereo Kicks the worlds largest (in numbers) Boy Band, concluded saying: “We are so excited that we are going on tour. This is the biggest opportunity for us so far. Touring at least 30 places, and it’s where all the big people from X Factor started and built up their fan base. That’s where One Direction started. If you had asked me previously before the show, what would be your main thing to do, I’ve always said touring, and now we actually have the opportunity to do it, up and down the country, it will be incredible.”
The tour kicks off on February 13, 2015 in Belfast, and visits to Aberdeen, Bournemouth, Birmingham, Brighton, Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield with contestants performing classic songs and viewers’ favourites from the TV series.
The Tour comes to Brighton on Monday, March 16.
Many of the finalists can be seen Fridays at Revenge as they eliminated.
For more information about Revenge dates, click here:
Tour Dates:
February
Friday, February 13 – Belfast Odyssey Arena
Sunday, February 15 – 3 Arena Dublin
Wednesday, February 18 – Bournemouth BIC
Friday, February 20 – Manchester Arena
Sunday, February 22 – Nottingham Capital FM Arena
Thursday, February 26 – Newcastle Metro Arena
Friday, February 27 – Glasgow The SSE Hydro
March
Sunday, March 1 – Aberdeen GE Arena (AECC)
Thursday, March 5 – Sheffield Motorpoint Arena
Saturday, March 7 – Leeds First Direct Arena
Sunday, March 8 – Liverpool Echo Arena
Monday, March 9 – Cardiff Motorpoint Arena
Thursday, March 12 – London The SSE Arena, Wembley
Saturday, March 14 – Birmingham LG Arena
Monday, March 16 – Brighton Centre
Friday, March 20 – London The O2
Tickets for the Brighton Centre show on Friday, October 10, are priced £19.50, £35 and £55
Box office: 0844 847 1515
Tickets including limited availability Family Tickets (4 tickets maximum 2 adults) are available from the venue box offices, select ticket agents and the official hotlines listed below.
England rugby World Cup winner Ben Cohen kicks bullying into touch with a new campaign launched on the anniversary of his father’s death.
BEN, WHOSE FATHER Peter lost his life after stepping up to protect someone else, will encourage people to take to social media to give a united, resounding message against bullying of all types: “We must stand up.”
The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation will be encouraging people to take to Twitter and Facebook on Friday November 14 to post their own messages about bullying and donate to good causes as part of his first “UK StandUp Day”.
Using the hashtag #WhyIStandUp, Ben hopes it will show a unity of strength against bullying in every aspect of society.
He said:“Bullying is not just confined to the school playground, it can go way beyond that into every part of our lives, from sports clubs and institutions to trolls on Twitter and Facebook. You only need to look at the endless headlines about people being driven to suicide by online bullying.
“The only way to banish this is by standing up to it – acknowledging it exists and changing attitudes.”
Peter Cohen, the brother of 1966 World Cup-winner George, died from a blood clot a month after he was beaten up in his own nightclub in Northampton when intervening for someone who was being beaten.
Ben added:“Every single thing that has happened to me since then is down to that. It drove me on to become the best winger in the world and to win the World Cup. It has also pushed me on to help change attitudes about bullying and helping victims.”
The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation has played a particularly important part in supporting equality for gay and transgender men and women in sport.
Ben continued:“I’ve heard from many fans and friends how bullying has impacted their lives, and I am moved to make a difference for them. Parents have written to me, sharing painful stories about how their children, who might be perceived to be different, are ruthlessly attacked and scared of their own schools.”
“I hope people join the cause on November 14 so we stand up for what is right and support people who are being harmed. Every person on this planet has a right to be true to themselves, to love and be loved, and to be happy.
“I encourage others to stand up with me and make a difference. Your efforts will help fund extremely important work.”
BULLYING: THE FACTS:According to The Annual Bullying Survey 2014, by ditchthelabel.org in partnership with 36 schools and colleges across the UK interviewing over 3,600 young .
• 45% of young people experience bullying before the age of 18.
• 26% of those bullied have experienced bullying on a daily basis.
• 40% of respondents reported being bullied for personal appearance 36% reported being bullied for body shape, size and weight.
• 39% have never told anybody that they are being bullied.
• 51% were not satisfied with the bullying support that they got from teachers.
• 34% reported being bullied for prejudice based reasons (homophobia/ racism/religious discrimination/disability discrimination/cultural discrimination/transphobia).
• 63% of respondents with a physical disability were bullied, and were more extremely socially excluded.
• 61% of respondents have been physically attacked.
• 30% have gone on to self-harm as a result of bullying.
• 10% have attempted to commit suicide as a result of bullying.
• 10% of respondents reported been sexually assaulted.
• 83% said bullying had a negative impact on their self-esteem.
• 56% said bullying affected their studies.
• 41% of those who had never been bullied achieved A or A*grades in English. 30% of those who had been bullied in the past achieved an A or A* in English. 26% of those being bullied achieved an A or A* in English. The trends were similar across Science and Maths.
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