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DJ runs London marathon for THT

Chris Holliday
Chris Holliday

Radio DJ aims to bust HIV stigma by running marathon for Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), after interviewing the charity on his breakfast show.

Radio DJ, Chris Holliday, will be raising funds to support people living with HIV, as he takes on the London Marathon in support of THT.

Chris, 34, who presents Gaydio’s breakfast show, aims to increase knowledge of HIV and raise money to support the HIV and sexual health charity by taking on the 26.2 mile stretch in London.

Chris said: “I was chatting to someone from THT on our show about fundraising and suddenly said “I’ll run the marathon for you!”

Shortly after I got a text from my husband asking if I’m actually doing it – I thought I’ve just committed to doing this live on air so I best start training.

I’ve always admired THT and the work they do. In my job I speak a lot to charities, but I’ve got a personal connection to them as I have friends who have been affected by HIV.

Recently, HIV support services across the UK have and are being cut, but we can’t allow this to happen. We need THT and the work they do to support people living with HIV.”

There are around 101,000 people living with HIV in the UK, and although today someone with HIV can live a long and healthy life thanks to advances in treatment, stigma and myths around the virus still prevail.

“A lot of our Gaydio listeners, many who are LGBT+, are already aware of what THT do – which is great – but by running the marathon for the charity, I’m able to talk to friends and family who might not know about HIV.

“Today HIV isn’t a death sentence, but there are other issues people with HIV face, such as stigma and cuts to services, and it’s important people know about these.”

Chris dressed as Cheryl Cole for his first marathon
Chris dressed as Cheryl Cole for his first marathon

Chris is now getting people talking about HIV and raising money by offering personalised radio jingles and a chance to spend the day with him and co-host, Emma – no touching allowed – all to support people living with HIV.

“This will be my second London Marathon. The first was back in 2011 when I did it dressed as Cheryl Cole. Now I’m a bit older and feeling it. I’ve hurt my knee so I’ve had to be careful.”

“I’m about to take on my last long run before the marathon. It’ll be 22 miles and my best friend Jamie is coming up from London to support me. He’ll be borrowing my co-host’s bike to ride alongside me and will be on hand with Vaseline!”

Tom Woolveridge, Community Fundraising Officer at THT, said: “The awareness raising and fundraising that Chris is doing makes such a big difference to people living with and affected by HIV. He is already a fantastic champion of HIV awareness to his Gaydio listeners, so we’re incredibly grateful he’s decided to support us even further by taking on the marathon for Terrence Higgins Trust in his spare time. The money raised will help us deliver vital services to help us end the HIV epidemic, improve sexual health and empower people to live well with HIV.

We’re delighted to have Chris and Gaydio’s support as he runs his second marathon, and we’re wishing the best of luck to everyone running for us this year!”

To have a personal jingle or read the weather on Chris’ show, click here:

To find out more about fundraising for THT, click here:  

Brighton dental team run to raise money for mouth cancer

Brighton dental team staff to raise money for mouth cancer by taking on the BM10k run.

“A visit to the dentist is about more than looking after our teeth and gums, it could also save our life”.

This is the message from the team at Brighton’s Dental Health Spa on Queens Road as they get set to compete in the BM10k and raise awareness for a cause very close to their hearts – the growing cases of mouth cancer.

The team, from the practice at 14-15 Queens Rd, Brighton BN1 3WA, will be taking to the streets of Brighton on Sunday, April 9 for the BM10k to improve education, as well as encourage donations, for the Oral Health Foundation’s Mouth Cancer Action campaign.

With cases of mouth cancer in the United Kingdom increasing by a third in the last decade alone, runners from Dental Health Spa, who will be dressed as giant red mouths, are looking to use the annual ten-kilometer race as an opportunity to address the current mouth cancer epidemic by urging residents to be aware of any changes in their mouth.

Christina Chatfield
Christina Chatfield

Christina Chatfield, Clinical Director of Dental Health Spa, explains why the team are taking on this grueling challenge: “When we think about our dental check-up, we naturally believe that it is just our teeth and gums that are given a thorough examination. While this is true, not many patients realise that we also check for far more other conditions and diseases that relate to the mouth.

During a check-up, dental professionals will also carry out a visual examination of mouth cancer.”

More than 7,000 Brits were diagnosed with cancer over the last year with more people now losing their life to the disease than testicular and cervical cancer combined.

Christina continues: “We have seen first-hand the devastating impact mouth cancer can have on a person’s life. Fortunately, those who visited us were vigilant and quick to recognise that something unusual was occurring and came to us for further examination.”

Like any cancer, our chances beating the disease depends on the speed at which it is caught. Unfortunately, mouth cancer remains relatively unknown and awareness of the disease remains frightfully low. That is exactly why Dental Health Spa are taking on the BM10k.

We will be running the BM10k to raise awareness, education and money for Mouth Cancer Action. Three years ago, we developed a special initiative called Moveit4smiles, which helped support this charity cause and since then we have raised over £25,000 for mouth cancer.

By increasingly knowledge about the disease; what it is, what causes it, what to look out for, and where to go for help, we can ultimately help save lives through prevention and early detection.”

The Oral Health Foundation say if caught early enough, the chances of surviving mouth cancer are 90%.

Dr Nigel Carter OBE
Dr Nigel Carter OBE

Dr Nigel Carter OBE, CEO of the charity, highlights what everyone should be looking out for: “Early signs and symptoms of mouth cancer include mouth ulcers that have not healed within three weeks, red or white patches in the mouth, or unusual lumps or swellings in the mouth, head or neck area. It’s so important for us all to be mouthaware and alert to any unusual changes in the mouth.

If you recognise any of the symptoms, please checked out by your dentist or doctor.”

If you would like to support Dental Health Spa and raise money for Mouth Cancer Action, click here:

‘A Vision for Change’ from Stonewall

Following extensive consultation, the Stonewall Trans Advisory Group publish new trans report A Vision for Change.

In February 2015, following consultation with over 700 trans people, Stonewall, the equality charity announced that it was extending its remit to campaign for trans equality alongside lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) equality.

One of the commitments Stonewall made was to recruit an advisory group, to support Stonewall in its trans-specific work.

The Stonewall Trans Advisory Group held meetings throughout 2015 and 2016 to agree actions for Stonewall to take to support the advancement of trans equality.

A Vision for Change is the result of their efforts.

The document which took over a year to draft was released in February 2017 for public consultation and the Stonewall Trans Advisory Group heard feedback from hundreds of trans people across the UK.

The responses to the consultation are reflected in the final document, A Vision for Change which addresses the issues that most affect trans people and commits Stonewall to acting in line with the agreed ambitions.

The document is based on a shared mission: that trans people have the right to live full and authentic lives at work, home and in public. Written and produced by the Stonewall Trans Advisory Group, it underpins Stonewall’s work for trans equality until 2022.

To read the report, click here:

 

‘Smiley Sunday’ raises money for Rainbow Fund

The eighth Smiley Sunday returns to Dr Brightons on Sunday, April 9 for a night of laughter and to raise money for charity.

Admission is just £3 on the door with all proceeds going to the Rainbow Fund.

On the night there will be a raffle and happy hour prices at the bar all night as well as buy 1 get 1 free cocktails!

Ali Macfarlan
Ali Macfarlan

There will be an unmissable line-up of funny folk on hand hosted by Ali Macfarlan to entertain you including:

♦ Roland Hamilton

♦ Charmaine Davies

♦ Rick Murtagh

♦ Clifford Norton

♦ Fran Kissling

♦ Sam Middleton and

♦  Russell Arathoon


Event: Smiley Sunday

Where: Doctor Brightons, 16 – 17 Kings road,, BN1 1NE Brighton

When: Sunday, April 8

Time: 7.30pm-10.30pm

Cost: £3 on the door

REVIEW: Thoroughly Modern Millie@Theatre Royal

Based on the 1967 film, Thoroughly Modern Millie is a frothy, souffle-light musical comedy about sex trafficking. Having written that sentence I’m beginning to doubt my sanity but yes, it centres on an evil hotel owner (Lucas Rush) who kidnaps young women to sell them into the ‘depravity and licentiousness‘ of the white slave trade. It’s done as pantomime but given this slightly strange conceit you wonder why the show’s authors decide to have a scene where its heroine ponders whether it’s OK for a man to take a woman ‘by brute force’. Skipping over its dodgy sexual attitudes there’s also the problem that its ’20s pastiche songs are competent but, apart from the title song, fairly unmemorable. However, the two leads have enough talent and charisma that they pretty much save the day.

Millie Dillmount (Strictly’s Joanne Clifton) comes from rural Kansas to New York intent on finding herself a husband. After having her purse stolen she purposefully trips over Jimmy Smith (Sam Barrett) hoping he’ll come to her rescue. They instantly start rowing with each other which instantly made me suspect they’d be madly in love with each by the final curtain. The 2005 Spoiler Act prevents me from revealing whether this prediction came true or not. Millie finds herself at a hotel run by Mrs Meers (Rush) – this comedy sinister-Oriental is probably not racist as we’re supposed to be laughing at the character pretending to be Chinese and doing it in an offensively stereotypical way. I’m guessing. Again, let’s not dwell on this aspect of the show as just round the corner there’s a great dance routine set in a speakeasy. Millie has lots of adventures in the city as she tries to snare a rich man in marriage; as she read in Vogue the modern woman marries for money. But will she ditch this mercenary plan and instead follow her heart and find true love? I’d like to tell you but if I did some legislation from 2005 might see me doing jail time.

This production has some great dancing, some fantastic singing (Jenny Fitzpatrick as Muzzy Van Hossmere deserves a special mention here) and on the whole it’s a fun night out. Barrett has the requisite matinee-idol looks and a wonderful rapport with his co-star.  Apart from a great voice Clifton has genuine charm which makes it easier to suspend both disbelief and any nagging worries about the show’s politics.

Continues until Saturday 8 at the Theatre Royal, Brighton.

 

The music’s over for noisy neighbour

A Moulsecoomb resident has been ordered to pay £1774.50 and had his music equipment seized for breaching a noise abatement notice.

Clive Goodall, of Hawthorn Bank, pleaded guilty to the breach at Brighton Magistrates Court on March 28, 2017.

Mr Goodall was served a Noise Abatement Notice in August after reports to the council’s out-of-hours noise patrol led to them hearing loud music coming from his flat late at night.

After several warnings following further complaints over the autumn, council officers witnessed Mr Goodall disturbing his neighbours by playing loud music, shouting and banging on December 5 2016.

A warrant was obtained to remove all noise making equipment from the flat, which included sound systems, CDs and a DVD player.

The Magistrates gave Mr Goodall a two-year conditional discharge, ordering him to pay full costs to the council of £1754.50, plus a £20 victim surcharge.

They also agreed that his sound systems, DVD player and CDs would be forfeited and not returned.

Cllr Gill Mitchell

Councillor Gill Mitchell, chair of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability committee said: “Like all anti-social behaviour, noise nuisance can cause a great deal of distress. Our officers gave Mr Goodall every opportunity to comply with the terms of his noise abatement notice and, in the end, we had no option but to take the matter to court.”

I’d like to thank our noise team for their great work to restore some peace to the lives of Mr Goodall’s neighbours. I’d urge anyone experiencing noise nuisance to report it to us.”

The Council  noise patrol operates on Friday and Saturday nights between 10pm and 3am.

To contact them call 01273 293541 or emailing outofhoursnoise:

For more information, click here:

LETTER TO EDITOR: Housing benefits changes harm LGBT+ youth

Cllr Phélim Mac Cafferty
Cllr Phélim Mac Cafferty

This Thursday, Brighton and Hove City Council will consider a proposal from the Green group of Councillors condemning the Government’s removal of entitlement to housing benefit for 18-21 year olds. We are doing this for many reasons, but my letter seeks to identify the disproportionate impacts this proposal will have on the young people who self-define as LGBT+.

The proposals as they stand could have deep and disturbing consequences for our LGBT+ young people. Importantly and as many readers will recognise, not all young people have the option to stay at home. Many young people find that when they ‘come out’ they are rejected from family homes, often have to flee abusive households and face the real fear of community retribution.

According to the Albert Kennedy Trust, of the whole quarter of our homeless young people who are LGBT+, 69% have been actively forced out of home and have experienced aggression and physical violence.

The Conservative Government’s austerity programme has led to a 20% increase in young LGBT+ people seeking the Albert Kennedy Trust’s help with homelessness. With money tighter at home, homophobic parents have been empowered and found it easier to kick dependent children out- with Stonewall saying: “We have seen in difficult economic times that families that weren’t that tolerant anyway, under increasing financial pressure, excluding more.” This benefit change is an ideological kick in the teeth to young LGBT+ people who are to be penalised also now on the grounds of their age, sexuality and gender identity.

I welcome news that in some cases, such as where there has been domestic abuse or harm, this rule will not apply. But I remain concerned that the new rules fail to take into account the exact nature of why people are not able to live at home. Among many others, factors such as fear of retribution that lead to young LGBT+ people leaving home can be far less obvious.

The purpose of the change has been described by the former Chancellor George Osborne as “stopping young people slipping into life on benefits” however at that age, not all young people can afford university; not all will have access to the right employment, training and skills for a job.

The reason many young people need to move out of home or require housing benefit is not because they are ‘not in work.’ In fact figures from homeless charity Crisis show that the 11,000 young people in the country who do claim housing benefit at this age represent just 0.4% of the total annual spend on housing benefit.

I would argue that most – if not the vast majority – of young people do not make a conscious ‘decision’ to live on benefits. Even the figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show that almost £10bn in benefits in 2015 went entirely unclaimed. Add to this the fact that housing benefit has already been frozen and welfare rates reduced, the truth is that any young person on benefits has a measly living. As many of us will remember, young LGBT+ population have no choice where they grow up. They often flee home for their own safety, not because they are seeking housing benefit.

So what is the future for young LGBT+ people? Less young people will come out fearing that they might end up on the streets, with no other safety net.

Are our young LGBT+ people being told that they must rough sleep? A damning indictment when all of the evidence tells us depression is already too prevalent for LGBT+ young people.

Our young people have a right to live freely, away from the emotional or physical abuse that surrounds their decision to come out. Any decent society should be helping young LGBT+ people start their adult lives in a positive fashion, not be damned by Tory ideology that implies the poorest people relish in living off state benefits and have plenty of other options.

Yours sincerely,

Councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty
Convenor of the Green Group of Councillors, Brighton and Hove City Council and Green Group Spokesperson on the Policy and Resources Committee and Planning Committee

Brighton Council gives young lesbian family noon ultimatum

Shanice Hudson 22, is Brighton born and bred. 

Shanice and Clare
Shanice and Clare

For the last 10 months she, her wife Clare 27 and their young child who is under two years old have been suffering an emergency accommodation nightmare.

Since the council accepted responsibility to provide the couple with emergency accommodation in May 2016, they have been moved nine times including out of the area to Hastings and Eastbourne where they say they had to share kitchen facilities with injecting drug users and a convicted murderer (housed after 10 years in prison).

Clare, a care leaver, who originally had her own business when she and her wife became homeless, says she’s worked hard to provide for her family.

She has ADHD and other mental health issues which normally she can control. Despite knowing this, the couple claim Brighton & Hove City Council have chosen to move the family into a smaller room than they presently have, in a fifth floor flat up 8/9 sets of stairs, in the ‘notorious’ emergency accommodation block, Percival Terrace.

This move is happening because government legislation says families with children can only stay in non self-contained accommodation for six weeks. However, the family were only given the letter telling them about the move on Friday, March 17 at 4.30pm and told if they do not accept the offer today, Monday 20 at noon, the Councils responsibility to provide them with emergency accommodation will be discharged.

The family feel a few days notice from deadline is grossly unfair and reject the suitability of Percival Terrace, as a safe alternative to their present accommodation, as does Clare’s Consultant Psychiatrist.

In a letter to their independent advocate, the women wrote:

“I am writing to voice my concerns regarding an offer of emergency accommodation made to me by the council. This is our 9th emergency placement since May last year when a full housing duty was accepted. We have been in several unsuitable and dangerous properties since being ‘Revenge Evicted’ from Baron Homes for reporting disrepair.

Currently we are in the Baytree in a non self-contained room. I have made a complaint to the council regarding rats in and around the building and also requested a suitability review.

BHCC have contacted me today and offered us a placement at Percival Terrace in a self-contained room. We viewed the room today and I have the following concerns:

Percival Terrace is obviously a bigger hostel style building than the Baytree. I suffer from Bipolar, Severe adult ADHD and PTSD. I am LGBT+ and a care leaver. I suffer from severe panic attacks and anxiety and this is made worse by being around so many people and witnessing anti social behaviour triggers manic/depressive episodes.

The room is on the 4th floor with roughly 8/9 sets of stairs to access it. This will be impossible for my wife to get in and out with our nearly 2-year-old son who suffers from delayed developmental issues due to the trauma caused by the unsettlement we have endured and lack of space to play and learn in most of the placements we have been in. We were also moved from room 23 at the Baytree last year by BHCC’s own admission due to being on the 3rd floor and struggling with the stairs. BHCC have admitted this in the stage 2 response from my complaint.

The room is smaller than the one we are in now and only has a microwave to prepare food in. BHCC are unable to help us move/store our belongings and we physically would not be able to fit our stuff in the room.

The room is dirty and has pipes all around the floor. I am concerned my son will burn himself when the heating is on. I also feel unsafe about opening the window in case of an accident as it only opens from the bottom.

I have seen a lot of worrying stories on social media regarding Percival Terrace as well and I believe there was an incident recently where a room on the same floor had the ceiling collapse already. This petrifies me.

The whole situation has had such a negative affect on both me and my family so far and I feel like we are now in crisis and am desperate for any support you may be able to offer. Shelter’s media team and the Local government Ombudsman are currently investigating my complaint but are unable to assist with any new incidents or further offers of accommodation.”

Finally the couple claim throughout the last year the council’s housing team have refused to acknowledge them as Mrs, evident in council correspondence where they are are referred to as Ms despite providing the council with their marriage certificate and asking to be acknowledged as Mrs.

Gscene have asked Brighton and Hove City Council to explain their housing guidelines for rehousing people with mental health issues in emergency accommodation and also confirm if the council’s heterosexual clients are referred to as Ms in council correspondence.

What do you think? 

Should a young woman with mental health issues, a young child and wife to look after be placed in such accommodation?

Should the council’s priority be to keep this family together?

Regarding use of titles, the council’s responded saying it is their policy to use whichever title people identify with and ask them to use. They apologise if the couple asked to be called Mrs and this has not been done and promise to raise the issue with the council’s housing team.

A council spokesperson, continued: “We acknowledge the incredibly difficult circumstances all homeless households are experiencing, and place Mrs Hudson’s experience within the context of a very serious lack of affordable accommodation in Brighton & Hove.

We place a very great emphasis on early intervention to prevent homelessness. Since 2004, this authority has prevented nearly 11,000 households from becoming homeless.

Unfortunately for some, this is not possible and the council has to provide accommodation within the safety net of homelessness provisions. We very much regret that the Hudsons have had such a difficult experience.

Mrs Hudson’s case is currently being considered by the Housing Ombudsman. We have sent the Ombudsman a detailed response to the allegations that have been made. With legal correspondence ongoing and possible legal action pending it would not be appropriate for us to publicly divulge the detail of our response.

We are not aware of our providers evicting anyone in revenge of anything. Our investigations into specific cases have not found any evidence of this.

In general terms, the council investigates every eviction to consider the behaviour of the provider and that of the resident to ensure it is proportionate. Decisions about whether a housing duty is discharged are based on legislation and case-law.

When placing people in temporary accommodation we take into account all the written medical evidence that is made available to us. However, the accommodation that is available to us and affordable is very limited.

Where we have a duty under housing legislation to offer people temporary accommodation we always do so. Similarly, whenever we have a duty under social care legislation to offer people support we always do so.

As in many parts of the UK, there is a serious shortage of affordable permanent and temporary accommodation in the city. We therefore work with landlords in areas that are within reach of Brighton & Hove by public transport in order to offer accommodation to people for whom we have a duty to find accommodation.

All households are offered the opportunity to obtain alternative private rented accommodation. We also assist people to obtain social housing in areas of the country where there is less demand and where they can be housed quickly if this what they would prefer. These options remains open to Mrs Hudson.

We understand that the temporary accommodation we offer is basic and does not meet the aspirations of people to have a permanent home. However, all our contracted temporary accommodation has specified standards including the management.

We undertake regular inspections to ensure standards are adhered to or work is in hand to remedy disrepair and damages – which are inevitable with a high turnover of homeless households who have a range of needs. There will occasionally be incidents which our accommodation providers cannot prevent, but we are satisfied that such issues are managed swiftly and effectively.”

In a report to the Housing and New Homes Committee on Wednesday, January 18, 2017  it is mentioned there were 11,520 council properties in Brighton and Hove. A year ago, in February 2016, there were 11,650.

 

Gay paraplegic remains ‘trapped’ in second floor flat despite Council assurances to move him 6 months ago

A gay man with no use or feeling in legs remains ‘trapped’ in unsuitable temporary accommodation in Hove despite promises from Brighton & Hove City Council on October 12 to find somewhere more suitable for him with wheel chair access.

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Robert Carver 32, has been living in second floor temporary council accommodation that has no lift, for the last 5 years. During that time his condition has deteriorated considerably, especially in the last 6 months.

Robert says: ” I am a paraplegic, with no use or feeling in either of my legs. I started suffering from a disease five years ago which is so rare that a formal accurate diagnosis is not available, but is most likely to have been caused by a brain virus.”

Clinical investigations are ongoing but Robert says his condition is totally irreversible and his health has deteriorated considerably in recent months.

For the past two years, he has been unable to walk or use his legs and remains in second floor, temporary council accommodation, with a steep and narrow staircase, which is clearly totally unsuitable for the needs of someone who cannot use their legs.

He says his social worker and many council professionals have witnessed his situation first hand. This includes having, when he leaves the flat to go to hospital appointments, to have to lower himself using his arms and bouncing his bottom down the steep staircase to get out of the flat. Often he falls in the process hurting himself.

When he returns to the flat after medical appointments, Robert says: “It can take anything from an hour or more with assistance to pull myself up, step by step. How can that be fair, safe or reasonable?”

The flat is tiny and cramped, and none of the doorways are suitable for wheelchairs so he has to pull himself around on the floor, dragging his dead legs behind him.

There is little space in the bathroom for his part-time carer to help him and getting into his bath is very dangerous.

All of this means he is constantly damaging his bones and joints. He claims the damage is so bad that his doctors are refusing to embark on new treatments which could ease his condition until he is moved to more suitable accommodation.

In recent weeks, Robert says his condition has dramatically deteriorated. He can no longer move from his sofa and on the two days his 18-year-old carer is off, he is sometimes left without food, drink or the ability to go to the toilet or get washed.

Robert uses adult nappies and says that sometimes he has to sit in his own faeces until the next day when his carer returns.

He says: “I need accessible ground floor accommodation as a matter of urgency. I also now require a live-in carer, instead of the 28 hours per week I get at the moment, so I need a two bedroom property with suitable wheelchair access.”

His present flat is tiny, making the use of a wheelchair very difficult if not impossible.

He continues: “Currently I cannot use a wheelchair in this flat and due to my worsening condition I now have to be pulled around on the floor like an animal by my carer if he has to move me.

“It seems I am rather lost in the system. I get frustrated with my social worker as she seems not to be able to help me in the slightest and my young age seems to be a discriminating factor towards me getting the correct level of assistance. Why was I only classified as Level 1 on the mobility level three months ago?”

In desperation, in early October, Robert posted details of his plight on Facebook asking for help.

He wrote: “I would appreciate any assistance anyone could offer in rectifying all these matters and to end my suffering. No one should have to live like this.”

Robert claims in the last five years he has only ever been offered one other property by the Council, a property which Caroline Lucas the MP for Brighton Pavilion says is not suitable for housing vulnerable people.

ITV news brought Robert’s situation to the attention of their viewers when they ran a news story on Meridian on October 12.

To view the news story, click here:

At the time the council issued the following statement to ITN news: “We are aware that Mr. Carver’s condition has deteriorated and we also recognise that his current accommodation is unsuitable. We’ve recently acquired some emergency accommodation with wheel chair adapted units and were hoping to move him in on an interim basis in the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately there is an acute shortage of accommodation available that is suitable for his needs.”

Since that statement the Council have offered Mr Carver a bungalow in Whitehawk that was not wheelchair accessible and a ground floor studio in emergency accommodation in central Brighton notorious for damp, drug-use, drug-dealing and anti social behaviour, described by Caroline Lucas MP for Brighton Pavilion as being unsuitable for disabled people and previously ruled out by Brighton & Hove Council when they withdrew an offer of the property to Mr Carver in March 2016.

Robert has confirmed to Gscene that in the last 5 years he was never made aware that there was a dedicated LGBT housing officer working in the council’s housing team.

Brighton and Hove City council withdrew the LGBT housing post in June last year and has chosen not to respond to Gscene’s enquiry as to when that decision was made and which LGBT+ community groups were consulted by the Council’s housing department before making the decision to withdraw the post.

 

Brighton woman guilty of transphobic assault and harassment

A Brighton woman has been convicted of common assault and harassment without violence against a transgender woman after appearing before city magistrates on Thursday (March 30).

Isla Speirs, 31, of Regency Square, Brighton, was convicted after trial of common assault on September 11, 2016 and harassment without violence between September 12 and 27, 2016.

Ms Speirs was given a 12-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, a 12 month Restraining Order and ordered to pay £50 compensation to the victim.

Speirs targeted a woman in Brighton with transphobic abuse on a number of occasions throughout September 2016, as well as assaulting her by throwing a cup of coffee over her.

Sgt Peter Allan
Sgt Peter Allan

Sussex Police hate crime sergeant, Peter Allan said: “I am pleased the court has convicted the defendant in this case. No-one should be targeted in such a personal and public way because of who they are.

This sentence sends out a clear signal that we will take a robust approach to those who target individuals based on their disability, gender identity, race, religion or sexual orientation.

I hope this case will encourage other victims of hate to report such behaviour to the police. We appreciate how difficult it can be for victims and witnesses to give evidence and I am pleased the court agreed the victim could give her evidence from behind a screen and that Speirs was not allowed to cross-examine the victim directly. It is essential that we are able to reassure victims and witnesses that we will offer them as much support as possible to enable them to present their evidence in the best way for them.”

To report a Hate crime to the police emailing 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101 or 999 in an emergency.

To report online, click here:

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