Keith Taylor, Green MEP for South East England, is holding a public meeting to discuss the potential impact of BREXIT for Brighton and Hove and what we can do about it.
Keith will also talk about the role of the European Parliament in the negotiations.
Keith campaigned for a remain vote in the EU referendum, and was bitterly disappointed at the result.
Two years on, Keith remains convinced that the best way to serve the economy, the environment and our communities is to tackle the collective challenges we face together with our European friends and neighbours.
Keith says that now, more than ever it is important that Brighton and Hove stands united in the face of an uncertain future.
Keith will share his insights on the most recent developments in the Brexit negotiations, listen to the questions and concerns of the people of Brighton and Hove and will discuss the ‘Green Guarantees’ that he is actively campaigning for.
Until the negotiations are concluded and the UK formally leaves the EU, all UK MEPs, including Keith, will remain full members of the European Parliament, where, as always, he remains committed to representing the people of Brighton and Hove, working for a better, fairer Europe and securing the best deal for his constituents.
This event is FREE to attend but places are limited so please book your tickets on Eventbrite as numbers are limited.
Event: BREXIT: What it means for Brighton and Hove and what we can do about it
Volunteers from Samaritans’ local branch in Brighton and Hove are getting people listening this summer by being present at Brighton station from 7am to 7pm on Tuesday, July 24.
IT’S all part of a nationwide push called The Big Listen to raise funds for Samaritans and show how really listening to another person can be the first step to saving a life.
Both listening and support volunteers will be attending Brighton station for the whole day, engaging with the public, encouraging people to talk to Samaritans, giving out information on their SHUSH listening tips, collecting funds and inspiring people to become volunteers.
The Big Listen activity up and down the country will culminate in a marathon 24-hour event kicking off at midday on July 24, chosen to reflect the availability of Samaritans’ emotional support services 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.
Famous faces from across the worlds of sport, music, TV, entertainment, business and fashion will be lending their support, as well as donating some unique prizes to help promote The Big Listen to their fans.
Volunteer Lisa Rodrigues from Samaritans’ branch in Brighton and Hove says:“As many as 1 in 5 adults have thought about taking their own life at some point. When people feel like that, they need to be able to talk about it, which means they need people to listen.
“As Samaritans volunteers, we know how much listening to someone at a low point can help them feel less alone. It makes them more able to deal with difficult thoughts and feelings and gives them the time and space to reflect and move on.
“Not everyone will feel ready or able to talk to family, friends or colleagues, but the more we promote what good listening is, and how you encourage others to talk, the more we hope people will open up to someone they trust before they reach crisis point. With The Big Listen, we’re asking people to give, share and save a life.”
Funds raised by The Big Listenwill help Samaritans keep its services free for anyone who needs them, as well as helping to recruit, train and support volunteers and run local branches across the UK.
There are lots of ways to get involved in The Big Listen: make a donation, learn about listening or plan your own fundraising event. Find out more at: www.samaritans.org/media-centre/big-listen.
Samaritans is a charity and it’s the public’s kind donations and more than 20,000 trained volunteers that mean they are always there for anyone struggling to cope. Your money or your time could save a life.
Charity invites local businesses and workers to attend public consultation on groundbreaking new charter.
MANCHESTER Pride is organising an exciting and innovative project that aims to bring real change and a true commitment to LGBT+ inclusion and equality across the region once and for all.
The charity which campaigns, fundraises and curates events is looking to the businesses and organisations of Greater Manchester to stand up and be counted as it invites them to sign a pledge to commit to the promotion of equality and inclusion for all LGBT+ people in the region.
It asks them to do this by tackling all forms of discrimination and inequality faced by LGBT+ people in order to create a safe environment for all people to thrive within.
The charity which takes a trailblazer role for LGBT+ issues, and in particular equality, is making a commitment to rid Greater Manchester of inequality for all LGBT+ people.
This will take the form of a charter which the organisation will ask all partners, suppliers and grant recipients involved with Manchester Pride to sign.
But, the charity has aspirations to take the initiative to the wider community of companies and organisations across the region inviting them to show their commitment to this vital issue.
The charter will also ask organisations to recognise that there is diversity amongst LGBT+ people. That there is no one size fits all strategy and there are many differences in needs, aspirations and experiences of LGBT+ life.
It is felt important that the region recognises that some LGBT+ people face discrimination and inequality based on a person’s characteristics such as race, religion or disability, in addition to their sexual orientation and or gender identity.
The initiative is born out of the personal experiences of the team behind Manchester Pride and as those affected by inequality in their day-to-day lives the charity is inviting the people of the city to join them in a consultation to interrogate what the team commissioned to draw up the charter has come up with so far.
This Inclusion Equality Charter is a first of its kind and will be finalised with a collaborative approach following discussion of the initial white paper which they hope to refine by working hand in hand with the region’s LGBT+ people before the publication of the final document later this year.
Mark Fletcher
Mark Fletcher CEO of Manchester Pride explained:“Businesses and organisations within the region control have such a strong influence over day-to-day life for everyone, be they LGBT+ or otherwise. From workplaces to public spaces such as theatres, bars or retail outlets, they set the tone for how people are valued and create touch points between people and communities and we feel that they must take responsibility for how these spaces and the people within them interact. Setting examples, educating through training and policy and committing to take action against anything that is seen to be hate or discrimination.”
The first consultation, which will form a series of interactive events, will take place on Thursday, July 19 at Manchester Pride sponsor Barclays’ offices at Piccadilly in Central Manchester.
The Charter will be based on a set of principles, and values and, commitments, and requires all those who sign-up, to it to take action to meet the Charter Standards.
Manchester Pride will review its own activities to ensure that everything it does implements this Charter. Plus it will actively engage with public services, voluntary and community organisations providing services to LGBT+ people in Greater Manchester to adopt this Charter.
Mark Fletcher continued:“A huge amount of work has already gone into the development of the charter to create what we hope will be a trailblazing initiative that will not only help us bring workplace policy inline with what ought to be the norm in 2018 but also shine a light on some of the brilliant practises that are employed within businesses across our region.
“We, and many other organisations, have already done so much work to ensure that LGBT+ people feel comfortable and supportive in all elements of their lives but we are still shocked on too many occasions by the prejudice and lack of education out there. I myself have experienced both homophobia and racism at the hands of people representing organisations whilst out and about in Manchester and I found it shocking that in such a safe and accepting city we still have a long way to go to reach true equality.
“However Manchester has always been a leader when it comes to LGBT+ history and rights and we know hope that the city will show its commitment to making real change in the name of equality and sign our charter with pride.”
For more information or to express an interest in attending a consultation, click here:
A day in the life of Anita Johnston, Team Leader at The Sussex Beacon’s Inpatient Unit.
ANITA Johnston is a vital staff member at the Inpatient Unit (IPU) at The Sussex Beacon, a Brighton based HIV charity. No day is the same in the charity’s 10 bed hospital, which offers support and care to people living with HIV. Here, Anita offers a rare insight into life at The Sussex Beacon’s Inpatient Unit, and talks about the challenges and changing needs of those living with the virus.
Everyday reality at the IPU
Prior to working as a HIV nurse, Anita studied a degree in International Relations and later worked for Brighton & Hove Council, before embarking on a career change. “What I really wanted to do was to help people, so going into nursing felt like a very obvious choice to me”, she says.
Whilst completing a three-year degree in Nursing at the University of Brighton, Anita had a placement at the Royal Sussex County Hospital’s HIV ward and later with the HIV Community Team. These experiences made Anita realise that she wanted to specialise in HIV care. After working at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in acute wards for 2 years, including the HIV ward, she began her career at The Sussex Beacon’s Inpatient Unit.
After three years of working as a nurse at the IPU, Anita was promoted to her current role as team leader early in 2018, where she oversees various clinical and managerial tasks.
A typical day on the ward starts with a detailed shift handover, where clients’ needs are identified and individual action plans developed for the duration of their stay. The medical team at the IPU provides different care and treatment options, and regularly supports people who switch or restart antiretroviral medicines, or take them for the first time. Whilst there is no cure for HIV at present, current treatment can keep the virus very effectively under control if the drugs are taken correctly. These work by keeping the level of HIV low in the blood, allowing the immune system to recover. Anita explains that a common priority in this process is “to enable clients to fit their medications into their daily lives beyond staying at the Beacon, as the timings when the tablets have to be taken are crucial”. Possible interactions with medications prescribed for other health reasons in addition to HIV drugs also need to be considered, and are often the reason why clients need continuous support.
New challenges and clients’ changing needs The advancing quality of antiretroviral drug treatment means that the needs of HIV+ people are changing too. “Because of the improvements in HIV research, people on the latest HIV drugs now have near-normal life expectancy”, says Anita. As a result of an ageing HIV+ population, there is a growing need to combine HIV drugs with other medications for conditions that are generally associated with ageing. This process is not always straightforward, as HIV drugs can impact on other medications and need to be monitored carefully to ensure the effectiveness of treatment.
Another rising client need at the Inpatient Unit in recent years is around mental health. “We now have more patients looking to undergo drug and alcohol detoxes with us than ever before, especially since the closure of the Promenade Ward at Mill View Hospital in Hove, a former detox ward for people struggling with such addictions”, Anita explains.
Funding cuts to health and social services also continue to pose fundamental challenges for The Sussex Beacon and its service users. One of the biggest problems experienced by many clients is the issue of housing. “This is way beyond the Beacon’s ability to help, but it nonetheless limits the progress clients can make when they stay with us”, Anita says. “Many of our clients live in inappropriate or unstable housing situations, and some even face homelessness”, she adds. Lacking personal safety and a secure home are worrying concerns for mental health but can also have serious practical implications, such as limited or unreliable facilities to store medication.
Stigma of being HIV+ in 2018 Despite increasing awareness of HIV, Anita points out that a lack of education around the virus in the health care sector continues to exist today. “Many healthcare workers still do not fully understand how the virus can be passed on”, Anita explains. Such lack of knowledge can make it difficult for those living with HIV to engage with vital services. The Sussex Beacon’s role is therefore crucial as it offers “a safe place where people feel they are not judged for having a condition that still has a stigma attached”, Anita adds. The IPU’s medical team has become more skilled in recent years, and has recruited new staff members from acute backgrounds, including mental health. “We are lucky to have a strong and enthusiastic team, where everyone connects to the patients and their work”, Anita adds.
The team is eager to specialise in additional areas and will continue to increase their skill set so that they can meet the changing needs of their clients. Whilst working in nursing can without a doubt feel challenging at times, Anita’s dedication to her work remains as high as ever. “Seeing clients who were feeling hopeless and unable to imagine how they were ever going to manage their condition when they arrive at The Sussex Beacon, to then leave here feeling optimistic and able to cope with day-to-day life really makes you feel like you have achieved something”, concludes Anita.
For more information about the work of the Sussex Beacon, click here:
Lesbians in Brighton and Hove launch grassroots action in response to the unchallenged presence of a transphobic hate group leading the parade at London Pride.
THE call to action involves cisgender, female lesbians sharing a 5-second video saying “I am a cis female lesbian, I support trans rights – trans women do not erase me. Keep the L with the T”, with the hashtags #LwiththeT and #notadebate.
The group aims to counter hatred with visible solidarity across all women, and cis female lesbians showing love for trans people. “
They say: Trans women are women, and trans lives are not up for debate. The transphobic group does not speak for the lesbian community.”
The group is not satisfied with London Pride’s response to the protest, saying a verbal apology is not enough; and urges London Pride to donate to trans charities, which are providing life-saving services to those affected.
Many watched on as transphobic activists led the London Pride parade, carrying banners displaying slogans such as Lesbian not Queer and Trans activism erases Lesbians and called to take the L out of LGBT+, alongside distributing flyers containing trans hate speech – further pushing ideas that are dangerous to the safety and wellbeing of the trans communities.
Although this protest group was not a registered part of the parade they were allowed to continue fronting the parade through the streets of London. There were reports of trans people who aired frustration at this abhorrent show of transphobia being threatened with arrest by police.
A call to action Lesbians in Brighton and Hove decided to take immediate action, and channel their rage into acts of visible solidarity and love.
They asked those who identify as cis, female and lesbian to share a 5 second video of themselves stating: “I am a cis female lesbian, I support trans rights – trans women do not erase me. Keep the L with the T”.
They did not want this small section of the lesbian communities to claim to speak on behalf of all cisgender lesbians, or allow their hatred and call for separatism to lead the London Pride parade.
A spokesperson for the group, said:“This is a way to show love to our trans sisters in this difficult time. We are firm in our knowledge that trans women are women and trans lives are not up for debate. Our action counters the onslaught of sensationalist headlines with a clear message of love and solidarity between all women.”
These videos were posted alongside the hashtags #LwiththeT and #notadebate. Within 24 hours, #LwiththeT was trending on twitter and the initial video, consisting of members of Brighton’s LGBT+ communities, was watched over 9K times on Facebook.
Alongside these videos, countless cis female lesbians from all over the world have posted or tweeted in solidarity with the trans communities.
Pride was originally started by sex working trans women of colour, who protested against the police and the structures they represent. #LwiththeT organisers urge London Pride to recognise and live up to its history.
Stonewall released some alarming statistics in 2017:
· 64% of trans pupils are bullied for being transgender in Britain’s schools
· 48% of trans people under the age of 26 have attempted suicide
· Two in five trans people have experienced a hate crime or incident because of their gender identity in the last 12 months.
#LwiththeT is a community-led, grassroots initiative that does not belong to anyone. Organisers intend for the social media campaign to continue, and they encourage everyone to post their statements of solidarity in various shapes and forms to :put pressure on London Pride to offer reparations as a matter of urgency.
This statement has been collectively drawn by members of Brighton’s LGBT+ communities, who want to remain anonymous.
To read London Pride’s response to Saturdays protest, click here:
Keith will also talk about the role of the European Parliament in the negotiations.
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