It’s that time of year when football fans feel a little bit lost.
The European Championships are over and now there’s the wait for the new league season to begin. Don’t think there’s no other tournaments out there though. On Saturday, July 23 it’s the Pride Diversity Games in Brighton with a major LGBT football tournament taking place.
All the action takes place at the Falmer Sports Complex up at the University of Sussex with two competitions due to take place.
BLAGSS football rep Elliot Toms can’t wait for the tournament to begin: He said:“LGBT teams from across the UK were invited to take part in a day of competitive football on the south coast, and so far a total of 12 teams have signed up for the separate men’s and women’s competitions.”
It’s the second consecutive year that the Pride football tournament has been held and Elliot hopes “it will become a lasting fixture in the sporting calendar.”
Teams due to take part include BLAGSS (Brighton LGBT Sports Society), London Titans, Soho FC, Bexley Invicta, East End Phoenix and Cunning Linguists.
The tournament kicks off at 11am and there’s a café bar open serving snacks, food, soft and alcoholic beverages. There’s limited parking but you can get a 25 bus up to the University that stops just around the corner from the venue.
It’s all part of a fantastic weekend of LGBT sporting action with funds being raised for the Rainbow Fund.
Saturday July 23 also sees a cricket tournament at the same venue and golfing action at the Hollingbury Golf Course. Then Sunday is Funday with the FunDay Games at Preston Park starting with the Rainbow Run at midday. That’s followed by an afternoon of fun with everything from tossing the handbag to a three-legged race.
For more information about the Pride Diversity Games, click here:
Brighton, Hove & District Samaritans and the LGBT Community Safety Forum (LGBT CSF) will be offering a listening ear to people attending Pride this year.
Ensuring that people have a safe and enjoyable Pride is one of main aims of the LGBT CSF and this year they are working with Brighton, Hove and District Samaritans as they realise that for everyone Pride is not always the happiest of times.
Both organisations will be working together to ensure that trained Samaritan volunteers are available at the park to offer a listening ear to people throughout the day. Samaritan volunteers will be based at the Access Tent at the south-side of the park.
Billie Lewis
Billie Lewis, volunteer Chair of the LGBT CSF, said:“The LGBT CSF have seen an increase for the need for this service over the past two Prides. We have developed our partnership to provide a consistent service that can be effectively lead and delivered by volunteers. The service from the Samaritans is discrete, consistent and focussed. Having experienced festival volunteers available across the park will not only be reassuring for some Pride attendees but will provide a safety net of support and advice to those that need it the most”.
Samaritans as an organisation is available around the clock, every single day of the year and Brighton and Hove volunteer Branch Director Daniel Cheesman is particularly keen to support Pride in this way saying: “supporting Pride is very important to us and it gives us the opportunity to remind people that we are here and our trained volunteers will be in the park and available to talk to and listen to people throughout the afternoon”.
This initiative between the LGBT CSF and Samaritans is a natural development of their existing partnership that has been developed over the last year, where people calling the LGBT CSF Helpline can be directly put through to Samaritans.
Whatever you’re going through, call them free any time from any phone on 116 123 (this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill), email jo@samaritans.org or visit them in person at Dubarry House, Newtown Road, Hove. BN3 6AE.
LGBT Community Safety Forum helpline 01273 855620 – option 1 to be directed to Samaritans.
For more information about Brighton, Hove & District Samaritans, click here:
Take along your favourite books to discuss and share your passion for reading with other friendly, like-minded people.
The European Championships are over and now there’s the wait for the new league season to begin. Don’t think there’s no other tournaments out there though. On Saturday, July 23 it’s the Pride Diversity Games in Brighton with a major LGBT football tournament taking place.
For more information about the Pride Diversity Games, 
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