The Bulldog in St James Street closed the doors for one night only on December 14 for their annual staff awards and Christmas party for the staff.
The Awards section of the evening were hosted by DJ Marcia, the Bulldog’s long serving DJ who after eleven years is hanging up his ear phones on New Year’s Eve and retiring to the Jane McDonald twilight home for old DJs in Newhaven. Cabaret was provided by Cassidy Connors, and the hospitality was spectacular.
The evening gave an opportunity for everyone past and present, to pat themselves on the back in what has been a very difficult few months for Dean, Bobby and staff at the Bulldog.
Brighton and Hove Holocaust Education Project have organised a memorial event for the afternoon of Tuesday, January 26 at the Old Court Room from 2.45-4pm.
During the Second World War, it is estimated that 17 million “undesirables” were murdered by the Nazis which included many thousands of gay men and to a lesser extent gay women.
Brighton and Hove’s memorial event aims to remember those who suffered discrimination, celebrate diversity and encourage acceptance within our own community.
The afternoon will include a presentation from the son of a Holocaust survivor followed by an open discussion of panel members including a representatives from Brighton’s Kurdish community, the Racial Harassment Forum and Jess Woods from Allsorts.
Everyone is welcome to the event and refreshments will be provided.
As part of the occasion, local school communities will be taking part in an art project to collect unwanted Lego bricks to represent the lives lost during the Holocaust.
To find out more about the project and/or donate any bricks, click here:
Event: Holocaust Memorial Day
Where: Old Court Room, 118 Church St, Brighton East Sussex BN1 1UD
Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, visits Lloyds Pharmacy, Wellsbourne Health Centre in Whitehawk.
He wanted to witness how community pharmacies operate at the heart of the communities they serve, offering high quality health services and advice.
Open daytime, evenings and at the weekend, accessible without an appointment, your community pharmacy can dispense prescriptions, provide advice about common conditions, health and medicines which may save an unnecessary trip to the GP or even A&E.
Community Pharmacies also offer:
♦ personalised medicines advice,
♦ help to quit smoking,
♦ flu vaccinations,
♦ treatment for minor conditions,
♦ advice on preventing disease,
♦ help with the safe use of medicines,
♦ assistance to care homes and
♦ support for patients to live independently.
This winter, community pharmacies can provide free NHS flu jabs to all adults aged 65 years and over, and those aged 18 years or over and in clinical risk groups.
They also offer guidance and support on how to use medicines, to help people manage their treatment better and reduce the number of medicines that go on to be wasted or incorrectly used.
If you start to feel unwell, even if it’s just a cough or a cold, then get help from your pharmacist.
Simon said:“It was great to visit Lloyds Pharmacy in Whitehawk last week and speak to the Pharmacist about the important work Community Pharmacies do.”
Brighton & Hove seafront officers urge residents and visitors to stay away from the sea this winter.
The warning comes as the recent mild weather has drawn more people than usual for this time of the year, onto the beaches, many getting dangerously close to the crashing waves.
Seafront Officer Chris Ingall explained:“The continuing mild weather has meant that the Seafront has been much busier than in previous winters. It’s been great to see so many people enjoying a stroll on the promenade and its good news for seafront businesses, but we would ask people to stay on the path or high up on the beach, especially when the sea conditions are rough.
“Please keep a close eye on children and hold their hand when on the beach. Do not allow children to play ‘chicken’ with the surf washing up the beach – we see this regularly on big winter surf days and this is precisely how people become washed out to sea. Parents need to take greater responsibility and keep little ones close at all times when visiting the beach.”
Dog owners are also advised to keep their pets on leads and away from the shoreline.
The council will once again be taking extra measures to discourage swimmers from taking a Christmas Day dip by closing access to the beaches around Brighton Pier.
“Sea swimming takes skill, stamina and knowledge of the physical dangers and should only be for the very experienced, using suitable wetsuits, in very calm conditions and with a friend,”said Chris.“Even on a calm day sea currents, undertow or a sudden change in weather can create life threatening hazards without warning. Even experienced swimmers can get caught out.”
Roger Cohen
Roger Cohen, Operations Manager for Brighton Lifeboat, added:“Christmas Day is like any other day for the RNLI. If assistance is required, our volunteer crews will turn out and aid where we are needed.”
The following Winter Water Facts, endorsed by the RNLI, show why it is better to stay on the shore rather than in the water at this time of year:
♦ Sea temperatures in the winter months are about 5 degrees centigrade and can be even colder.
♦ Even on an apparently clear sunny day, the sea temperature can drop body temperature quickly and fatally.
♦ It only takes a few minutes for the body’s core temperature to drop by two degrees and for the onset of hypothermia to begin.
♦ It is never safe to go into the sea after drinking alcohol. Even a small amount of alcohol speeds up the onset of hypothermia in cold water. Drinking also reduces your capabilities. You may also think you are a better swimmer than your true ability and take unnecessary risks.
♦ Anyone with a pre-existing medical condition or taking medication runs additional risks by subjecting their body to a sudden drop of temperature by entering the sea.
♦ Winter environmental conditions can be extremely challenging, even for the most experienced swimmers. The tide and the weather dictate the conditions and these should not be underestimated.
♦ There is no beach lifeguard service provision in place during the winter months
♦ Large crashing waves close to the shore can place emergency services’ lives at risk and make it impossible to reach those in need.
For more information about Sea Safety, click here:
The Camelford Arms will be hosting the next Brighton Bear Weekend Quiz night on Thursday, December 17 starting at 9pm.
The Quiz will be will raising money for The Rainbow Fund a not for profit, grants giving organisation based in Brighton.
Look forward to easy questions from across the spectrum and maybe the odd one about bears set by Head Bear Munday.
Winners of the Quiz have a chance to go on win £300 cash.
There will be a raffle with great prizes and the new T-shirts for Brighton Bear Weekend 2016 will be available and on sale on the night when the new logo for 2016 will be revealed.
The quiz starts promptly at 9:00 pm and entry is £2.00 per person. It is always a busy night so book a table in advance.
Graham Munday
Graham Munday, chair of Brighton Bear Weekend, said:“It is important to get there early as the tables go very quickly. Better still telephone, make a table reservation and treat yourself to some of the best food in Brighton. The Camelford has a wide range of food and a daily changing special board.”
Grab a friend, sort out a team, book a table and you could be winning £300 just in time for Christmas shopping.
Prizes include:
♦ Choccywoccydoodah cake from Choccywoccydoodah
♦ Day at the Racecourse with drinks from Brighton Racecourse
♦ £25 voucher from Moodybear
♦ Jocks from Bear Bum
♦ Aussie Bum lanyard from Prowler Brighton
Event: Brighton Bear Weekend Christmas Quiz
Where: Camelford Arms, Camelford Street, Brighton
When: Thursday, December 17
Time: 9pm
Cost: £2 per person
To reserve a table or make a dinner reservation, Tel: 01273 622386
BBC suspends gay reporter pending an investigation into his public criticism of the broadcaster.
Andy West, a gay man, who works for BBC Northern Ireland was suspended after posting on his Facebook that he was “ashamed” to work for the broadcaster.
It followed the BBCs decision to nominate at a late stage, world champion boxer Tyson Fury for its annual Sports Personality of the Year Award after winning his World Heavyweight Boxing Championship fight against Wladimir Klitschko last month.
In an interview with the Mail on Sunday Fury said:“There are only three things that need to be accomplished before the devil comes home: one of them is homosexuality being legal in countries, one of them is abortion and the other one’s paedophilia.”
He has also been accused of sexism after a video emerged of him saying Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill “slaps up good”.
Adding:“A woman’s best place is in the kitchen and on her back – that’s my personal belief.”
Mr West wrote in his original Facebook post:“My employer is hurting me and other gay people by celebrating someone who considers me no better than a paedophile and who believes homosexual people are helping to bring about the end of the world.
“It’s tempting to see him for the laughable idiot he is but sadly there are many other idiots who will be inspired and encouraged by his naive, juvenile bigotry.
“I am ashamed to work for the BBC when it lacks bravery to admit it is making a mistake.”
Later on Twitter Mr West confirmed he had been suspended by the BBC pending investigation and could not say anymore.
Greater Manchester Police have confirmed they are investigating a hate crime allegation against the boxer.
To sign the petition in support of Mr West, click here:
Over a hundred and thirty thousand people have also signed a Change.org petition calling for Fury’s removal from the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year shortlist over his sexist and homophobic remarks.
To sign the petition to remove Fury from BBC shortlist, click here:
Four South East Healthwatch organisations have met with the CEO of South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) to seek assurance for patients.
This follows recent media interest and claims over problems with their call handling pilot project between December 2014 and February 2015.
In an open and honest meeting, local Healthwatch felt that they have an assurance from the Trust that there will be a platform for the patient voice to be heard from now on.
Fran McCabe
Fran McCabe, Chair of Healthwatch Brighton & Hove talking on behalf of all the local Healthwatch, said: “We have assurance that going forward, SECAmb will be doing a lot more to ensure the patient experience is at the heart of how services are shaped and delivered, and we look forward to working more closely with the trust in the future. We would encourage anyone who has concerns about this or any other health and social care issue to get in touch with their local Healthwatch.”
Santorini, a mythical name with associations of Atlantis and ancient Greek legends, is the rim of a dormant volcano which blew up roughly 3,500 years ago, causing the entire centre of the island to sink into the sea.
Santorini’s main business is tourism with over 800 hotels, most of which claim to be at least four star and charge accordingly. Today, over 3 million tourists a year from all over the world, half of which arrive on cruise liners, spend a few hours buying tourist tat, gaze at the over hyped sunset and then get back to the ship. There are only 10,000 permanent inhabitants living on the island which doubles during the high season, with young Athenian workers.
The caldera
It is undoubtedly a stunningly beautiful place, mainly because of the caldera, the cone of the volcano which flooded when it collapsed. All volcanoes have a caldera but the Greeks seem to have hijacked the word specifically for Santorini. This particular caldera is the largest on earth, the water is 380m deep and it is spectacularly blue.
Most of the hotels on the caldera cascade down the cliff, which means a lot of steps; without doubt the hotels are extremely luxurious and, of course, ensure spectacular views. We checked into the IRA Hotel in Firostefani which is about 15 minutes walk from the main town Thira, which is also the official name of the island. This can make things a bit tricky when checking in at Gatwick as the destination boards will sometimes just state Thira, with Santorini in very small letters.
Firostefani
The narrow streets of Firostefani are full of bars, restaurants and shops. The whole area is thronged with hundreds of selfie taking visitors.
The IRA hotel is quite stunning; the rooms are luxurious but watch out for those steps, we had no less than 17 down to the bathroom, risky in the middle of the night. The service was immaculate and the food terrific, meals are served wherever you wish, on your own balcony, by the pool or on one of the many terraces.
IRA Hotel
Most rooms have spacious balconies with a view which is always interesting, watching the cruise ships sail in and out of the lagoon and of course that sunset. We paid £200.00 a night which included an excellent breakfast, not bad value for money. You can pay a lot more at some of the more swanky places favoured by our friends from the Far East and the US.
That sunset
This side of the island is very excited by ‘the sunset’. All the restaurants, cafes, bars and hotels shout about their sunset view and yes it is spectacular but the best in the world? Maybe not, a sunset is just that, we could not see what all the fuss was about, but it is certainly beautiful and worth seeing.
If you want to see the island you really need a car and at 35€ a day not expensive. There aren’t that many roads, the traffic is challenging but no worse than anywhere else. The main problem is the idiot tourists on the 4×4 quad bikes, which cost the same to hire as cars. They are a curse throughout the Mediterranean; you should avoid driving at night, when they can be a real threat to safety.
You can spend a fortune with some of the many sailing and diving companies that are everywhere, water sports and sailing is the big thing, but very expensive.
Other side of the Island
Santorini is a ‘buy one get one free’ destination as the opposite side of the island is a totally different experience. It’s quiet, calm and scenic, being the part that wasn’t affected by the eruption.
Nude beach
There are some lovely beaches, at least one is nude and partially gay, many very pretty little villages and best of all, fewer tourists.
The contrast between the two sides is dramatic. We had a guide, Adonis (but they aren’t they all Adonis) who drove us down this side of the island. He took us to the ancient city of Akrotiri a 4,000 year old Minoan town that was covered in volcanic ash which has allowed it to be amazingly preserved, they have constructed a fantastic museum right over the huge site, well worth the 5€ entrance fee. In many ways it is similar to the ruins of Pompeii.
Roger, Adonis and Mike
The beaches are quite small but attractive. The main industry if you can call it that, is wine and tomatoes. Volcanic soil produces fantastic tomatoes and grapes but it would produce many other vegetables but the population has grown somewhat lazy relying on tourism to provide a living.
easyJet flies from Gatwick during the summer, we went in September which is the perfect time to go, the flights cost about £350 return.
Would we go back, probably not, it’s one of those destinations that you really should see – once.
A stronger focus on housing need as demand for Council homes soars.
The Council has unveiled proposals to restrict council housing to those that need it most and have been in the city longest.
The Housing and New Homes Committee agreed in September to launch a consultation in the city about the future of how it allocates social housing in the city and this has now gone live.
Currently the city has an open register with over 23,000 applications but this year the council will only offer about 750 properties. With such a small proportion on the waiting list having the chance of housing, the council is considering proposals that will prioritise need.
With continual changes in welfare reform and other areas announced in the budget it is possible the number of future allocations of properties is likely to reduce. It’s also unlikely that there is going to be any major increases in building social housing to rent in the city outside of those planned by the city council.
Cllr Anne Meadows
Cllr Anne Meadows, Chair of the Housing & New Homes Committee, said: “Demand massively outstrips supply in the city so it’s right that our housing register recognises this huge demand, is realistic and prioritises those in greatest need. We are doing everything we can to build new affordable homes but the pace of demand outstrips our ability to meet growing need.
“I must stress these are proposals and as such we want to hear feedback from residents and others affected in the city.”
The consultation will be open till February 28 and a report on the consultation will be submitted to councillor later in 2016.
The Museum of Liverpool is to host Dry Your Eyes Princess, an exhibition of photographs by award-winning photographer Stephen King.
The exhibition has been created in collaboration Dr Emma Vickers, Senior Lecturer in History, at Liverpool John Moores University, and exhibited in partnership with Homotopia the arts and social justice organisation that draws on the LGBT experience to unite and regenerate communities through the production, promotion and commissioning of great art, heritage and culture for everyone.
Award-winning photographer Stephen King lives in Liverpool. In 1998 he co-founded Document magazine where he was Senior Photographer and Photography Editor for 10 years. His personal practice is based upon social documentary, portraiture and communities, with a focus on identity and place. His projects have explored dementia, military veterans, community activists, workplace and masculinity. He lectures in photography on Merseyside as well as undertaking commercial commissions and developing personal projects. He has exhibited widely across the UK.
Dry Your Eyes Princess opens Wednesday, December 16 2015 until Sunday, January 31, 2016.
King has created 12 large-scale portraits featuring trans* military veterans from Liverpool and other parts of the country in settings that examine the link between gender identity and their experience of military service.
The title is an ironic re-appropriation of the derogatory command to toughen up, that is to ‘dry your eyes princess’, heard by many of the exhibition’s participants whilst serving in the British Armed Forces.
Those who were photographed participated in research conducted by Dr Vickers which examined their experiences of life before, during and after service. It is the first research in Europe to focus on trans* veterans and likewise, King’s response is the first to look at trans* experiences of military service through visual art.
Dr Emma Vickers said:“Trans* personnel in the UK were dismissed in significant numbers before 1999, and because of the limited understandings of trans* identities, officials tended to confuse gender identity with sexual identity. Many of the people I interviewed joined the Armed Forces as a form of therapy in the hope that the hyper-masculinity of the forces would rid them of the discomfort they felt with their gender identity.”
Stephen King added:“The settings and themes in each photograph drew on my own conversations with each subject as well as their oral testimonies used in Dr Vickers’ research. Having their true identity denied for so long, it was crucial to the success of each image that the collaboration represented each person faithfully and with integrity.”
Jen McCarthy, Deputy Director of the Museum of Liverpool, said:“Dry Your Eyes Princess deals with issues that understandably are challenging for those who come to realise they are trans*. Opening just a few weeks after Trans* Day of Remembrance which commemorates the lives of those who have died as a direct result of their trans* identity, through suicide or violence, the Museum of Liverpool is thrilled to host the exhibition. I hope Dry Your Eyes Princess encourages a dialogue with our visitors, tolerance and understanding.”
During the Second World War, it is estimated that 17 million “undesirables” were murdered by the Nazis which included many thousands of gay men and to a lesser extent gay women.
The afternoon will include a presentation from the son of a Holocaust survivor followed by an open discussion of panel members including a representatives from Brighton’s Kurdish community, the Racial Harassment Forum and Jess Woods from Allsorts.
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