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Elf and safety goes mad this Christmas!

More than 100 homeless residents in Brighton & Hove City Council hostels received presents this Christmas after the council’s Health and Safety Team collected more than 600 donations to distribute.

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EVERY YEAR the team organises a collection from some of the council’s 7,000 staff and this year’s target of 100 was well beaten.

The gifts were restricted to warm clothing such as socks, scarfs, gloves, hats and underwear as well as toiletries, chocolates and sweets.

The presents will be shared between the 111 residents spread out across West Pier Project, Glenwood Lodge and New Steine Mews.

Cllr Bill Randall
Cllr Bill Randall

Cllr Bill Randall, chair of the housing committee, said: “Christmas is a special time for everyone but for those that are homeless it can be the hardest time of the year.  For many of the residents these gifts will be the only ones they receive this year.

“Any kind of life change from losing a job to a relationship breaking down can lead to homelessness so the work that the council and other organisations do in the city to help people in their hour of need is vital.

“Every year the council’s Health and Safety Team organise this collection and this year they have excelled themselves so that homeless residents can join in with the Christmas spirit.”

 

Are you an local unsigned musician or in a band?

Mike Weatherley, MP for Hove & Portslade is encouraging budding local musicians in his constituency to enter the Rock the House competition before the deadline closes on December 31.

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ROCK THE HOUSE, backed by the Prime Minister and Parliament’s largest competition, raises awareness of the importance of protecting intellectual property rights among legislators and the general public.

Musicians enter their original material to their MP, who ultimately nominates one entrant per competition category.

A panel of industry executives presides over choosing the finalists and winners, who go on to have their pieces played in Parliament and win an array of prizes, from equipment, festival slots, exposure, recording sessions, radio and TV airplay and more.

Patrons include: Alice Cooper, Brian May, Young Guns, Ian Gillan, Rick Wakeman, Mark Hoppus, Charlie Simpson, Matt Tuck, Don Broco, Yngwie Malmsteen, Steel Panther, Scott Gorham, All Time Low, Bernie Marsden, Adam Perry and Bob Daisley.

Mike Weatherley MP for Hove & Portslade
Mike Weatherley MP for Hove & Portslade

Mike said: “Every year the competition gets bigger and better and my thanks go to our Patrons, Sponsors, Judges, the entrants, the MPs who take part and the loyal team who have run the project since its inception in 2010. If you’re a keen musician and especially if you’re from Hove and Portslade, make sure you take part in the 2014 competition.”

For more information on how to take part, click here:

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The Rt Hon David Cameron MP, Prime Minister, said: “I would like to offer my congratulations to Mike Weatherley and all who have participated in Rock the House…it is a great opportunity for us to celebrate up-and-coming unsigned British talent in a fantastic setting. I wish the 2015 competitors the best of luck.”

 

Brighton Pride propose new social impact community fund

Pride 2015 will take place over the weekend of August 1-2, 2015 marking 25 years of Pride in the City.

Brighton Pride

THE PRIDE Festival and Pride Village Party in 2014 were hailed a resounding success raising almost £65,000 for local LGBT community organisations while delivering a safe and diverse weekend.

Feedback from the weekend has been overwhelmingly positive from visitors, Brighton & Hove City Council, Sussex Police, community organisations, resident groups and local businesses.

Following broad feedback from community groups, Pride plan to set up a new community fund that’s could benefit local projects where Pride has a social impact on local residents.

Paul Kemp
Paul Kemp

Brighton Pride director Paul Kemp, explains: “Pride have been gathering feedback from a variety of community sources and would like to thank everyone for their constructive feedback. The majority of community feedback has been positive with many feeling the village party was a safer and more controlled event, but recognise we still have lots of work to do on improving the impact on the local area.

Pride remain committed to our ongoing fundraising for the Rainbow Fund but we hope to set up a new fund that could benefit all our communities in the area’s most affected by the social impact of the Pride weekend celebrations. Our priority remains to deliver a safe and sustainable Pride weekend but with the continued support of local businesses for the Pride Village party 2015 we hope that more local good causes that benefit all our communities could be supported in the future”

After meeting with Friends of Preston Park and local residents after this years Pride event, Pride are also considering options for better use of the infrastructure on Preston park for a possible community and family event on the Sunday of Pride weekend.

Paul Kemp continues: “This certainly won’t be a second Pride day on Preston park as Pride’s main focus will be to build on the success of the Pride village party Sunday, but it seems a shame not to utilise the park facilities for wider community use.

“Any proposed Sunday event could help spread infrastructure costs of staging Pride and could help contribute towards the community fund benefitting local community projects around Preston Park and St James St. 

“Pride will continue with our ongoing community engagement as we move forward in planning Pride 2015.”

Pride have asked for suggestions to what local residents would like to see taking place on the park.

James Ledward
James Ledward

James Ledward, editor of Gscene, said: “For many years Pride failed in its primary duty of raising money to benefit local LGBT/HIV organisations who provide effective front line services to LGBT people in Brighton and Hove culminating with the old organisation ceasing trading with huge debts as recently as 2012 .

“The present organisers have now created a model that guarantees money is raised every year to support those groups and this funding stream will become vital to the very survival of all LGBT/HIV organisations over the next two years as statutory funding streams to the voluntary sector are cut in line with Government policy.

“The success of Brighton Pride is integral to the success of the local economy in Brighton and Hove and that will only continue while everyone continues to support the organisers in moving their plans forward in 2015. 

“Brighton Pride is now viewed internationally as a ‘blue ribboned’ event with a reputation of excellence in concept and delivery and importantly benefits all sections of the community both gay and straight in Brighton & Hove. Long may that continue and well done to everyone that has made it happen.”

 

 

 

Portsmouth plan a Pride in 2015

Organisers are planning to hold a Pride in Portsmouth on June 20, 2015.

Portsmouth Pride 2015PLANS ARE at an early stage for a parade starting from Victoria Park, progressing through the city centre and culminating with an event at the Guildhall where there will be stalls and live music.

Chair of Pride, David Lee Bastable, said: “Our theme will be ‘Pride in the City’ to highlight how we take pride in all the iconic symbols that we have in Portsmouth such as the Spinnaker Tower, the Guildhall, Portsmouth Football Club – basically all the things that make Portsmouth great.

“So far we have received positive feedback, and support from the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth and all the local MPs.

“We are looking for more volunteers and sponsors to help us and are hoping to get some funding from the Big Lottery Fund’s ‘Awards For All’.

“We have successfully passed the first stage and been given permission by the Council to hold an event, now we go to the second stage of discussions with the police and obtaining road closures etc.”

“I hope that we can bring together the LGBT communities in Portsmouth, the local people, the ethnic minorites and  have an absolutely fantastic day. We want to put Portsmouth on the map. Portsmouth has lagged behind when it comes to LGBT issues so I think it’s very important to go forward and show that Portsmouth is diverse and supports equality.”

For more information click here: 

If you would like to get involved with the event, email:

 

 

Christmas Hamper for Sussex Beacon

Danny Dwyer, organiser of Bear Patrol, delivered a hamper to the Sussex Beacon on Christmas morning on behalf of the members of Bear Patrol.

Sussex Beacon

THE CONTENTS of the hamper were donated by members of Bear Patrol at their Santa Bear Bash Christmas Party at the Camelford Arms on Sunday, December 21 which raised £320.21 for the Sussex Beacon.

Danny said: “The staff and inpatients were delighted with our gifts and it was lovely to see them on Christmas Morning and show that we were thinking of them over the festive season.”

Santa Bear Bash at Camelford Arms
Santa Bear Bash at Camelford Arms

 

 

Eight organisations named as ‘Stonewall Star Performers’

New Stonewall Star Performers “take workplace equality to the next level”.

Stonewall Star Performer

STONEWALL THE LGB equality charity have launched a new programme to bring together top-performing organisations who over the years have consistently demonstrated good practice to support their lesbian, gay and bisexual staff.

The new Stonewall Star Performers – named as Accenture, Barclays, EY, Gentoo, Goldman Sachs, Home Office, IBM and Simmons & Simmons – will lead the development of best practice in Britain and around the world.

Star Performers recognises the work of eight organisations who have consistently been ranked as top ten gay-friendly workplaces in the annual Workplace Equality Index.

Star Performers lead their industry and will now work with Stonewall on pioneering initiatives that will define best practice for tomorrow. From launching global campaigns to revolutionising service delivery, Stonewall’s Star Performer organisations will share their expertise and pave the way for other organisations to follow.

Star Performers will actively mentor another employer who are working to create a workplace culture that is inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people. Through regular contact, the two organisations will develop strategies to transform workplace cultures across the country.

All Star Performers have agreed a number of challenging in-year goals with Stonewall to help drive the agenda forward in their workplaces. One of each Star Performer organisation’s goals is listed below:

Accenture will work with Stonewall on pioneering research into the impact that staff LGBT network groups can have on driving business and creating value for clients.

Barclays will launch a global campaign to engage straight allies and will hold events and awareness raising activities to increase the visibility of LGBT people in around the world.

EY pledges to strengthen its commitment to LGBT equality by increasing the visibility and reach of its LGBT network group to regional offices in the UK and Ireland.

Gentoo, a social business who provide housing in Sunderland, has committed to an ambitious programme of work to support older LGBT people in their homes as well as to help tackle domestic violence in same-sex relationships.

Goldman Sachs will work with their offices in India to build momentum around their network group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender staff.

The Home Office pledges to continue to improve the situation for LGBT asylum seekers by continuing its work with Stonewall and LGBT staff to review how those fleeing persecution are treated

IBM will increase awareness of LGBT equality in offices around the world through a global mentoring programme.

Over the next three years, Simmons & Simmons will revolutionise how they engage with their suppliers and support them to improve their approach to workplace equality

Ruth Hunt
Ruth Hunt

Stonewall Chief Executive Ruth Hunt, said: “All eight of our Star Performers have consistently proved that they can make the world a better place for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people. It is therefore only right that we harness their best practice and commitment to changing workplaces across the country and around the world. Each of our Star Performers has committed to an ambitious programme of work to improve the lives of LGBT people which will have real, tangible results. This takes workplace equality to the next level.”

 

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