West End director and choreographer Carole Todd drew a full house to her show Tales of Toddography (Showbiz Facts & Fiction) last month at the Queens Arms.
Carole (with an ‘e’) waltzed her way through a series of anecdotes about the famous stars she has worked with over her years directing and choreographing musical theatre productions in the West End. The audience appeared really up for it and listened intently to her stories in respectful silence, a rare feat when you play to a gay audience in a gay venue these days.
The evening attended by the Mayor of Brighton and Hove Cllr Pete West and his wife was organised by Danny Dwyer from Bear-Patrol, hosted by Miss Jason and raised £311.44 for Brighton and Hove Guide Dogs for the blind.
The raffle prize of a hamper was donated by Co-op Funeralcare.
The Grosvenor Bar in Hove are organising Gift Boxes to be handed out to the homeless in Brighton & Hove this Christmas.
Robert Beveridge and Collin Day need donations of deodorants, socks, mouthwash, gloves, underwear, hairbrushes, combs, dog biscuits, cigarette papers and filters, chocolate, biscuits, quiz books and pens, in fact anything you think will bring a smile to the face of a homeless person on Christmas Day.
All goods donated will be packed into attractive Christmas boxes and distributed by Brighton Housing Trust. Take your donations to the Grosvenor, 16 Western Street, Brighton, United Kingdom, BN1 2PG by December 12. Telephone 01273 438587
Join fifty Gscene readers on a magical trip to Disneyland Paris from May 19-21 2017, to see the dazzling new Disney shows and glittering new parade.
You will be whisked away from Brighton early on the morning of Friday, May 19 arriving just a few hours later by Eurostar direct into Marne-la-Vallée train station in Disneyland, staying for 2 nights at the luxury Vienna Dream Castle Hotel, a Disneyland Resort Paris associated hotel.
The price includes return journey from Brighton to Disneyland by Eurostar and coach transfers to London, two nights stay at the named hotel, a three course meal on the first night, unlimited access to both parks and a £10 per person donation to the Rainbow Fund.
Cost is just £399 per person based on two people sharing.
To reserve your place call 01273 749 947 (25% deposit required. Full payment by April 1, 2017).
The 8th edition of Leather & Fetish Pride Belgium takes place in Antwerp, Belgium from February 15-20, 2017.
The 2017 edition will be doubling its size to over 5,000 square metres, marking a milestone in the development of the event and making it the biggest gay fetish production in Europe.
Current hotel bookings and ticket sales indicate visitor numbers of between 5,000 and 7,500 for the weekend.
Darklands, The main event, is the world’s only indoor gay fetish festival and offers a safe haven for adventurous gay men who are looking to expand their sexual horizons. Your entry ticket (€15 pre-sale) is valid for all three days of Darklands and all workshops and film screening are free.
In addition to the regular Saturday and Sunday opening, Darklands will also be open on Friday evening for Leather & Fetish Pride 2017.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
– Darklands (main event)
– Mr Leather Belgium election
– Mr Puppy Europe election
– Mr Superhero Fetish election
– Mr Sportswear election
– X-Awards show
– Lars Deike Exposition
– More Pixx (Fetish photography contest)
– Dress code dinners
– Screenings (Secret life of human pups, chemsex)
– Various live acts
– Fusion (opening party)
– The joint forces of 4 leading fetish parties (Xtreme (DE), Revelation (BE), DADDi (IR), Twisted (UK)
After 10 years at the helm, Sharon Barr, owner of the Zone Bar moves on to pastures new.
Sharon Barr (far right)
Sharon’s last weekend will be on December 3-4 when she is throwing a farewell party to make sure she goes with a bang.
An integral part of Brighton’s gay scene for over a decade, this cocktail and cabaret venue attracts a mixed crowd of party-goers at weekends and has been especially popular at major celebrations, such as St Patrick’s Day and Halloween.
Of her departure, Sharon said:“It has been a pleasure and an honour to have owned The Zone for the past 10 years. However, it is now time for me to relinquish control and move on to new challenges. I have loved meeting such wonderful people – the customers, the staff and the brilliant acts that have passed through the doors. It’s a great testament to the hard work of the team over the years that the new owner, Steven, doesn’t wish to change a thing – and I’ve very proud about that”.
Sally Vate, The Zone’s resident cabaret artist since the early days will host a special farewell party on Saturday, December 3 from 7pm.
Sharon continued:“I would love to see friends old and new and raise a glass or two to The Zone – and if anyone has any special memories of The Zone, I would love to hear from them.”
Sharon will be taking some time out to see family in Australia and tour parts of the South Pacific that she has always wanted to visit.
The venue’s new proprietor is expected to take ownership of The Zone in early December and has no plans for any changes, expecting a very smooth transition.
He said:“The Zone will continue to remain a fun, friendly and fabulous place with a great atmosphere. A place where a broad spectrum of people of all ages can have a drink and enjoy live music and entertainment at the weekend. The current team of experienced and friendly bar staff will continue to provide a warm welcome to all”.
The Zone will be open throughout Christmas and New Year, including Christmas Day, and has an excellent lineup of entertainment – all of which can be found in the Gscene listings and on The Zone’s website.
Celebrities commemorated the lives of those lost to the AIDS epidemic at St Paul’s Cathedral yesterday, November 23, where the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt was on display for the first time in 20 years.
The UK AIDS Memorial Quilt is an irreplaceable piece of international social history, telling the stories of people whose lives were lost at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. Hundreds of individuals made quilt panels in memory of loved ones who had died from AIDS in the 1980s and 1990s, inspired by a global project that started in America.
Canon Philippa Boardman with David Furnish, Gill Brigg & Siobhan Lanigan from The Food Chain.
David Furnish and Jay Rayner visited St Paul’s Cathedral to see the UK quilts and hear from the people who made quilt panels in memory of their lost loved ones.
Elton John
Sir Elton John, supporter of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, said:“The Quilt, both here in the UK and in America, is an extraordinarily poignant reminder of just what the AIDS epidemic has done to individual lives, to families and communities. This disease has killed over 35 million people around the planet.
“I’m so moved by the human spirit that weaves that tragedy into something powerful and beautiful to see and touch, and delighted that the Elton John AIDS Foundation was able to support the collaborating charities and bring this project to public notice for World AIDS Day.”
Dr. Gill Brigg, 57-year-old Drama Teacher made a quilt for their school friend Vaughan Michael Williams speak at St Paul’s, said:“I recall the day Vaughan told me about his diagnosis, we were in his flat in London. He was wearing his favourite hand knitted jumper – he was a great knitter – and the kitchen was a mess. He said he’d just seen his doctor and had been told he had HIV. We sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Right, I said, let’s clean the kitchen.
“His decline came fairly swiftly and he spent some time in the London Lighthouse where he received wonderful care.
“On a visit to San Francisco I became aware of the Names Project and had seen photos of the display in Washington. We made Vaughan’s quilt panel at his friend Paul’s flat. A group of us had various artefacts of Vaughan’s that represented his life and personality.
“I haven’t seen the panel since we made it in 1991 – thinking about the panel recently makes me realise just how much time has passed. Vaughan would be very proud.”
Quilt panels will be on display as part of the AIDS Quilt Trail across London taking place on the weekend of December 3 and 4, as part of a series of events marking World AIDS Day.
These exhibitions have been organised by a coalition of charities including George House Trust, Terrence Higgins Trust, Positive East, The Food Chain, Positively UK and Sahir House, with support from Elton John AIDS Foundation. The charities hope the exhibitions will help remember those lost, raise awareness of HIV to younger generations and help find a permanent home for the UK quilt to ensure its preservation.
Canon Philippa Boardman with Jay Rayner
Jay Rayner, restaurant critic, writer and broadcaster, said:“The Aids epidemic and the appalling number of lives taken by it was all too often portrayed in the media as being about a faceless mass of unknown people.
“In truth, of course, it was an all too large patchwork of individual stories; of real people with names and lives, with loved ones and families and careers and talents never quite allowed to reach fruition. How better to represent that than through the Aids quilt, which gives individuality back to so many people who risked becoming mere statistics?
“It is both work of art and a vital social document, and I wholeheartedly give my support to the coalition of charities and it’s ceaseless work to make sure the quilt finds the home it so richly deserves.”
The Quilts remind us how far the UK has come in the fight against HIV – it no longer stops those living with the virus leading long and healthy lives – but there is still much to be done to tackle stigma, stop transmission and diagnose the 1 in 6 who are unaware they have the virus.
Reverend Canon Philippa Boardman said:“We warmly welcome the display of the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt at the Cathedral. Behind each panel is a profoundly moving story of the courage of each person who died in the early years of HIV/AIDS in this country, and the enduring love of partners, families and friends who continue to remember them. As we honour their memory, may we continue to work and pray for those worldwide living with HIV/AIDS today, for their right to treatment and care, dignity and respect.”
For more information about the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt and full listings for the exhibitions on December 3-4, click here:
Eighteen year old man found guilty of murdering civil servant in Mayfield, East Sussex.
After a two week trial at Lewes Crown Court, on November 22, Ben Bamford was found guilty of the murder of Paul Jefferies in Mayfield, East Sussex on February 23, 2016.
Mr Jefferies, 52, worked in London as a senior civil servant for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) advising the government on tax policy. He lived alone in his Mayfield cottage having moved to Sussex in 2010. He was described as “private but diligent” and a “hard-working person.”
Police believe Bamford went to see Mr Jefferies with the intention of exploiting him for money to pay off a drugs debt that was due for payment.
Police officers went to a home in Coggins Mill Lane, Mayfield, at 6.15pm on February 25, 2016 after receiving a call from an employer who expressed concern for the welfare of a member of their staff who lived there. They found the body of Paul Jefferies covered with a towel in the kitchen of the cottage. He had significant head and neck injuries. There were signs of a struggle throughout the property but no forced entry.
Paul Jefferies
Mr Jefferies had been killed in a prolonged brutal attack two days before, on Tuesday, February 23 after which the suspect locked the door of the cottage and fled taking Mr Jefferies’ car keys and grey Audi TT from his driveway.
On Saturday, February 27 a 17-year-old boy handed himself him into Eastbourne police station accompanied by his mother, stating he been involved in a fight at an address in Mayfield. The boy, Ben Bamford who is now eighteen of South Street, Crowborough, was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken into custody.
Investigations carried out by detectives established that Bamford was a drug user and had a £400 drug debt, which he was being pressured to pay. Bamford told police he had met Mr Jefferies on the mobile gay dating app Grindr. They had arranged to meet on three occasions – the last being on February 23. Previously they had engaged in oral sex.
On the fatal night when Bamford arranged to meet Mr Jefferies, his mobile phone connected automatically to the internet router at Mr Jefferies home. Investigators found that the connection lasted from 9.34pm to 10.57pm by which time Mr Jefferies was dead.
Bamford claimed to police that Mr Jefferies had sex with him but he did not like it and told him to stop. He said that when he tried to leave he found the door locked and a scuffle ensued and he stabbed Mr Jefferies using three knives and candlesticks, inflicting more than 40 injuries, including a slash to his throat.
A forensic examination found the weapons and a glass broken into 49 pieces on the double bed. A horizontal cut was also seen on a pillow case on the bed.
Following house-to-house enquiries, a neighbour told police that they had heard the sound of wheels spinning on the gravel as a car pulled off the shared driveway. Police established that this was Bamford fleeing from the scene after stealing his victim’s car, to meet up with two friends to help him get to hospital, as he had suffered a serious injury to his hand during the fight.
He told hospital staff he had self-harmed but police believe the injuries were caused during the attack. Just a few hours after the attack he was transferred to the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, for surgery.
Ben Bamford was charged with murder on March 1 and his trial started at Lewes Crown Court on November 7.
During the two-week trial Bamford said he had met up with Mr Jefferies in the hope he would help him pay off his debt. Beforehand he had taken Valium and smoked cannabis.
He said that they went up to the bedroom where they had sex. However, he claimed when he told Mr Jefferies to stop he carried on, so he told him he needed the toilet. Bamford said he went downstairs to get away but found the door locked. He left his clothes and phone upstairs and knew he would have to go back up. So he took a knife from the kitchen and stabbed Mr Jefferies.
He denied plotting to attack him and said he had not properly known what he was doing at the time.
After receiving hospital treatment for his injury, Bamford rowed with his mother and told her: “I think the man is dead. I stabbed him.” She persuaded him to hand himself into police where he admitted killing Mr Jefferies but denied murder claiming he was trying to protect himself.
On November 22 a jury found him guilty of murder.
Adrian Cooper, deputy director of specialist personal tax at HMRC who worked with Mr Jefferies, said: “Paul was a highly valued colleague and friend. While he was private and reserved he was also a warm and humorous man, kind, thoughtful, professional and dedicated to public service.
“He will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by all who worked with him.”
Detective Chief Inspector Tanya Jones
Detective Chief Inspector Tanya Jones, who led the investigation for Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said:“This was a horrific attack by a teenage boy who preyed on his victim with the aim of exploiting him for money.
“The level of violence he inflicted on Paul Jefferies was extreme and then he fled the scene in his victim’s car. He showed no remorse smirking for a selfie photo just hours later.
Although this can never undo what he has done, I hope it will bring some justice for Paul’s family, friends and colleagues.”
Bamford was sentenced to life imprisonment when he appeared at Lewes Crown Court on Wednesday November 23. The judge ruled he will serve a minimum of 16 years before he can apply for parole.
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