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Kemptown MP marks National Carers Week

Simon Kirby, the Conservative MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, has marked National Carers Week, which highlights the challenges that carers face on a day to day basis, by meeting with carers in Parliament.

Simon Kirby MP for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven
Simon Kirby MP for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven

CARERS Week is an ambitious campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges carers face and recognise the enormous contribution the nation’s 6.5 million unpaid carers make to families and communities throughout the UK.

Many people do not identify themselves as carers, and see what they do as part and parcel of family life, helping to support those closest to them, when they need help. The value of that support is £119bn per year – considerably more than total spending on the NHS.

Simon said: “There are over 9,000 carers in Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven who give up their time and often their careers to care for friends or family members.”

“I have met with many carers over the last five years and have learnt that caring can be a fulfilling and positive experience. However caring without enough support can have a negative effect on someone’s health, career, relationships and ability to live a life of their own outside their caring role.”

“That is why I want to highlight the challenges that carers face across Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven in National Carers Week.”

 

 

Stars sign up to national #SwitchboardSelfie campaign

Olympic diver Tom Daley, Radio 1 presenter Scott Mills and pop star Carly Rae Jepsen have joined hundreds of people online to post a #SwitchboardSelfie to raise awareness of the charity and the work it does.

Tom Daley
Tom Daley

LONDON Lesbian & Gay Switchboard (LLGS) provides confidential phone, e-mail and instant messaging services to support people who want to talk about sexuality and gender identity.

Supporters from across the world have posted photos of themselves on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using the international phone hand-sign.

YouTuber Calum McSwiggan is also supporting the campaign by uploading a new video every day throughout June featuring various celebrities and YouTubers from the LGBT+ communities.

Calum said: “It’s so important to make young LGBT+ people aware of the incredible services LLGS provides and that’s why I wanted to try to reach them in a unique and different way. In celebration of LGBT Pride Month, I’ve created a diverse series of 25 videos. I’ve had the pleasure of working with drag queens, porn stars, football teams, musicians, as well as sex and dating experts. I’m really proud of the series and it’s already receiving an incredible response.”

Theatre and film artist, Topher Campbell, and independent film-makers, Fox Fisher and Lewis Hancox (Channel 4’s My Transsexual Summer), have joined the charity as Patrons alongside existing supporters including author Sarah Waters and actor Mark Gatiss.

Scott Mills
Scott Mills

Further announcements are due before the end of the month as the charity counts down to its Re-Launch Gala at The Waldorf Hilton, London, on Thursday, June 25.

More than fifteen thousand people use LLGS services every year to talk about a variety of subjects including coming out, discrimination, and sexual health. Volunteers are trained to listen, signpost people to specialist services and to support them to make informed decisions for themselves.

London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard

To view celebrity photos that have been posted on Twitter: @switchboardLGBT

For more information about London Switchboard, click here:

To book tickets for the Re-Launch Gala at The Waldorf Hilton, London, on Thursday June 25, click here:

LLGS is a voluntary organisation whose aim is to provide an information, support and referral service for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans* people and anyone who needs to consider issues around sexuality.

They promote a positive attitude to being lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans* and are: –

♦ confidential
♦ welcoming
♦ supportive
♦ non-judgmental

They take all manner of calls, such as supporting a man who has been the victim of homophobic abuse, supporting a lesbian teenager thrown out of her home by her parents, providing the telephone number for a gay painter or the bus route to a local gay pub.

As the LGBT+ communities have developed over the years, so too have LLGS, changed their services to fit the needs of their callers.

LLGS are committed to discussing safer sex to prevent the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Whilst they never try to influence the decisions of their callers, they aim to make them aware of their own sexual health.

LLGS have about 160 trained telephone volunteers. All volunteers identify as part of the LGBT+ communities, which enables them to understand the needs and situations of their service users.

$100,000 to Change LGBTI Lives – Vote Now!

The International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHR) need your vote!

International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHR)

CREDO Mobile will give them a much-needed grant this month – but your votes will determine how much they get, up to a staggering total of $100,000.

When LGBTI people are in need, the IGLHRC answers their call. Your vote, and the critical funding that it will bring them, will go a long way towards changing the lives of LGBTI people all over the world.

Funding received by the IGLHRC will be used to support LGBTI people in many ways, including:

Emergency support: When new laws violate LGBTI rights, activists are abused and must flee, or an LGBTI centre is attacked or destroyed, they respond. Just this month the IGLHRC sent thousands of dollars to Nepal’s LGBT group, the Blue Diamond Society in their time of crisis.

Representing LGBTI people at the UN: Every country has a seat at the United Nations, and yet many discriminate and persecute their own LGBTI citizens. The IGLHRC speaks up and speaks out for LGBTI people around the globe, and brings activists to the UN so they can advocate for themselves.

LGBTI training for law enforcement: Many people suffer from anti-LGBT violence – but sometimes face further discrimination by those sworn to protect them. IGLHRC staff on the ground in the Philippines train police in the metropolitan area of Quézon City, and around the country – making sure that LGBTI people receive support and fair treatment when they face harassment or violence.

Voting is only open for a short time, so take a few seconds and vote for the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission – simply check the box that says “CREDO Action Member” when you click submit, and your vote will count towards the total.

CREDO Mobile offer regular grants to not-for-profit causes. The CREDO website states: “Every month CREDO members generate donations by talking on their CREDO mobile phones, using our long distance service or making purchases with their CREDO credit cards. And every month our members get to vote to distribute those donations among three progressive nonprofits. The more votes a group receives from our members, the greater its share of the donations generated that month, for a total of 36 groups a year. To date, CREDO has donated more than $78 million to hundreds of progressive groups including Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, 350.org, Jobs with Justice, and Freedom to Marry.”

To register your vote, click here:

Sound Tennis, Pole Fitness and Freestyle Frisbee to debut at TAKEPART

TAKEPART festival kicks off on June 20, offering attendees the chance to TAKEPART in a wide range of sports and activities.

TAKEPARTTHE event, will take place in Preston Park, and aims to offer a selection of activities that are collectively accessible to people of all ages and abilities. From traditional sports to more passive past times such as health walks and yoga, the festival aims to offer something for everyone.

By encouraging people to engage in activities the festival hopes to improve wellbeing and individual lifestyles. Incorporating activities accessible to those with disabilities and/or limited mobility, TAKEPART features many free activities to try including sound tennis for the visually impaired.

The festival begins on Saturday 20th June in Preston Park with more than 70 different multi-sports and activities, as well as the chance to get involved with new events at the Festival of Rugby to celebrate the Rugby World Cup 2015 coming to the city in September.

With brand new activities and taster sessions making an appearance this year, TAKEPART offers a great chance to get involved and try something new. For the first time in 2015, there will be Active After Work events, providing fun social events for adults in the city to get active after work.

Brighton & Hove City Council’s Sports Development team have joined up with 120 different sport, dance and activity organisers to organise TAKEPART – and many activities are either free, or low cost.

This means that the team are able to offer a mix of high-profile events and community-based ventures, which make up the foundation of TAKEPART’s success as well as increasing the fitness levels in neighbourhoods across the city.

Cllr Alan Robins
Cllr Alan Robins

Councillor Alan Robins, chair of Brighton & Hove City Council’s Economic Development and Culture Committee, said: “This year’s TAKEPART is bigger and better than ever, with new exciting events and taster sessions, alongside the variety of sporting opportunities that everyone can get involved in.

“The festival gives everyone the chance to try out something new and I hope everyone will participate this summer. For the young in particular, it’s an opportunity to get involved and find a love for physical activity, while for the not so young, a reminder that exercise is good for you too.”

TAKEPART 2015 highlights include:

♦         June 20, 12noon to 5pm – free family fun day in Preston Park, sports activities, performances and meet club members.

♦         June 25, 10-3pm – Best of Health, the only event in Sussex based on health with disabilities at the King Alfred.

♦         June 27, 11am – 4pm – Bikestock at Stanmer Park, a fun cycling festival for all the family (suitable for all levels).

♦         June 28, 12noon – 5pm – Wild Park Youth Event, a free event for teens ages 12+ to come and play football with the Albion in the Community, have a go at archery, rock climbing, dance and more.

♦         June 30, 10am-1pm (registration from 9.30) – Active Forever event, free activities.

♦         July 4 & 5Paddle Round the Pier, the country’s largest free charity beach festival.

♦         June 20 – 5 July 5 – TAKEPARTs ‘Active After Work’ – a programme of after work events, competitions and challenges with colleagues. Activities include beginner-friendly competitions in ultimate frisbee, raft racing, beach tennis, rounders and more.

University lecturer to tackle homophobia in primary schools

Huddersfield University lecturer wins award for his project that will address homophobia at primary school age.

Dr Jonathan Glazzard,
Dr Jonathan Glazzard,

Dr Jonathan Glazzard, course leader in primary education, will receive £10,000 for his National Teaching Fellowship project.

Success in the UK’s most prestigious educational awards scheme will enable University of Huddersfield lecturer Dr Jonathan Glazzard to carry out research that aims to stop homophobic attitudes taking root in young children. He describes it as “education for social justice”.

Dr Glazzard, who is a University Teaching Fellow and course leader in primary education in the School of Education and Professional Development (SEPD), is the latest member of the University of Huddersfield’s staff to have been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship (NTF) by the Higher Education Academy.

This scheme, now in its 15th year, celebrates outstanding achievement in learning and teaching in Higher Education and is backed by the Government’s Higher Education Funding Council. Every year, some 55 awards of £10,000 are made, enabling recipients to enhance their professional development.

Dr Glazzard, a former primary school assistant head who switched to Higher Education in 2005, is planning the research project that he will undertake as part of his National Teaching Fellowship.

“I am interested in looking at how schools and student teachers can address homophobia in the primary school,” said Dr Glazzard, adding that the issue was currently the subject of considerable political focus.

He will try to learn more about how primary age children can acquire attitudes that later become entrenched as prejudices.

He continued: “A lot of it is to do with the association of gender roles and identities and the singling out of children who don’t conform to those gender stereotypes – such as boys who don’t want to play sports, for example. It is an unconscious homophobia, but it develops later on.”

As a National Teaching Fellow, he is keen to explore the issues with the University of Huddersfield’s network of partner schools, which collaborate closely in the training of new generations of teachers.

“It is a particularly challenging issue for schools to address, but it is not just about dealing with it in a preventative or reactive way,” said Dr Glazzard. “It is about educating children about relationships, and gender roles and it starts with reading stories to children that show different types of relationship. It is about education for social justice.”

One of Dr Glazzard’s goals is to train students who would then visit schools and work with children on projects dealing with inclusion and diversity.

He emphasises the “critical” importance of good primary education and teacher training.

“Standards have been raised in schools, so expectations are very high. It is really important that primary teachers are of an exceptionally good standard because the bar has been raised,” said Dr Glazzard, whose recent cohorts of students have achieved exceptionally high marks at graduation. In 2013, all of them scored a first class or upper second class degree. In 2014, 94 per cent of them achieved firsts, with this figure expected to rise still further in 2015. In 2012, Ofsted rated the courses led by Dr Glazzard as “outstanding”.

The University of Huddersfield has had an unparalleled run of National Teaching Fellowship success. It has received at least one Fellowship annually for the past eight years, with a total of twelve awards in that time.

PREVIEW: ‘Break the Chains’ European Tour comes to Brighton

US-based internationally touring queer activist musicians, Evan Greer (Riot-Folk) and Taina Asili will be coming to Brighton with the Break the Chains European Tour on Sunday, June 21.

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TOURING, queer, activist musicians Evan Greer (Boston) and Taina Asili (New York) are bringing their high-energy social justice infused performances to Ireland, England, Netherlands, and Germany this summer.

They will be stopping in Brighton on Sunday June 21, 8pm, at The Greys, 105 Southover Street, Brighton. The night will also feature local band Pog. Entry is by donation.

Break the Chains Tour concerts feature music ranging from folk singalongs and political punk anthems to reggae and Afro-Latin rhythms of rebellion.

Evan Greer and Taina Asili, unique in their musical styles, both harness the power of music for revolutionary social change.

The Break the Chains Tour is an extension of the popular Break the Chains semi-monthly dance party held in Boston, MA, founded by Evan Greer.

The Break the Chains dance party is headlined by live bands that focus on lifting up the voices of queer and transgender performers, artists of color, and other marginalised musicians.

WEB.600.2

Evan Greer is an LGBTQ parent, organiser, and multi-instrumentalist who writes fearless and dangerously catchy original songs that inspire hope and incite resistance.

Equally at home leading singalongs in a union hall or sweating at a basement punk show, Evan has developed a cult following across North America and Europe, and has had songs featured on NPR, in college courses and major independent films.

At 28 years old, he tours internationally as a musician and facilitates workshops and trainings to support movements for justice and liberation. Howard Zinn called Greer “an eloquent and energetic writer,” who “reminds me of Phil Ochs.”

Evan has shared stages with artists as musically diverse as Billy Bragg, Immortal Technique, Gil Scott Heron’s Midnight Band, Holly Near, Against Me!, The Coup, Pamela Means, State Radio, Gaslight Anthem, Hurray for the Riff Raff, and Chumbawamba.

Tom Morello, guitarist of Rage Against the Machine wrote: “Evan Greer continues to write inspiring folk music in the tradition of the great protest singers … a heck of a guitar player.”

To listen to Evan, click here: 

Taína Asili is a US born queer Puerto Rican social justice focused singer, combining powerful vocals with energetic fusion of Afro-Latin, reggae, and rock sounds. Her eclectic style offers a sound that spans continents, with heartfelt lyrics sung in multiple languages.

Her debut album War Cry was released in 2010, and her latest album, Fruit of Hope, just released, has begun to gain national attention in the US.

During Taína Asili’s 20-year career of creating music for social change she has toured the country many times, performed in Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Spain, and has released five albums internationally with previous bands.

Taina has shared the stage with renowned artists such as Ursula Rucker, Sonia Sanchez, Paula Cole, Pamela Means, Talib Kweli and The Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars. Her voice exudes strength of Spirit, filling its listeners with the fervor of freedom and inspiring audiences to dance to the rhythm of rebellion.

To listen to Taína, click here:

For a full list of tour dates, click here:

 

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