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Day: October 24, 2018

PREVIEW: Tis’ the season to be Mary!

Posted on by Ray A-J

RuPaul’s Drag Race alumni get into the Christmas spirit with a November tour and album

QUEENS from popular TV extravaganza RuPaul’s Drag Race have announced a new Christmas tour and album, set for November.

Dubbed Christmas Queens, the Europe tour will begin with a show in Birmingham on November 29, and will be supported by release of The Christmas Queens 4 album.

Hosted by season eight winner Bob the drag queen, the comedy-musical tour will feature performances from acts such as: season ten’s Asia O’Hara, Blair St. Clair, Eureka O’Hara, Kameron Michaels, season three’s Manila Luzon, and season four winner Sharon Needles.

“You won’t find this unique combination of talent, production and fierce holiday fashion with any other Christmas show out there. We’re preparing over the top production numbers that put a unique spin on many of the world’s favorite holiday carols from Let It Snow to We Three Queens. Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race will not want to miss this,” producer Brandon Voss said about the show.

“This Christmas show is the perfect way to cap off a most magical year,” season ten runner-up Asia O’Hara said about the tour.

Produced by Voss Events, the upcoming tour has been running each year since 2015.

 

Tickets for the tour are available here.

 

Dates for the tour are as follows:

Nov 29: Birmingham, UK – Symphony Hall
Nov 30: Sunderland, UK – Sunderland Empire
Dec 1: Glasgow, UK – SEC Armadillo
Dec 2: Liverpool, UK – Liverpool Empire
Dec 3: Brighton, UK – Brighton Dome
Dec 6: Belfast, UK – Waterfront Hall
Dec 8: London, UK – Troxy
Dec 9: Manchester, UK – O2 Apollo
Dec 10: Dublin, Ireland – Bord Gáis Theatre
Dec 11: Bristol, UK – O2 Academy Bristol
Dec 13: Amsterdam – Theater Amsterdam
Dec 16: Copenhagen, Denmark – Vega
Dec 18: Oslo, Norway – Folketeateret
Dec 19: Stockholm, Sweden – Gota Lejon
Dec 21: Helsinki, Finland – Finlandia Hall
Dec 22: Helsinki, Finland – Finlandia Hall

Amex art – what a load of rubbish!

Posted on by Besi

Rubbish dumped at an Albion Premier League game will be used to create a new art installation at the Amex Community Stadium.

Cllr Gill Mitchell
Cllr Gill Mitchell

THE sculpture, being unveiled this Saturday (October 27) before the Wolves game, will be a larger than life football made entirely from plastic, paper, cardboard, tin cans and other debris left behind at the recent Spurs match.

The art is part of a drive by the city council, the football club and environmental charity Hubbub to raise awareness of the vast amounts of litter left in and around the stadium on match days.

It’s also encourages fans to take pride in their city and remember that 35 per cent of fish off the Brighton coast have plastic in their gut and a massive 80 per cent of ocean plastics come from the land.

Through fun and education, supporters young and old will be encouraged to bin their litter in and outside of the ground.

This will include a group of special litter referees who will mingle within the crowds issuing ‘cards’ for good litter and recycling behaviour, which can be exchanged for a number of Albion-related prizes, such as player cards, wristbands, car stickers, key rings and pin badges at a special Trashconverter.

Cllr Gill Mitchell, chair of the council’s environment, transport and sustainability committee, said: “Fans get so caught up in the game and the atmosphere they can forget to bin their litter properly, especially when there are thousands of other supporters milling around.
 
“This sculpture will bring litter to the attention of the fans and be a football-related reminder of how much rubbish is tossed onto the ground before, during and after a game rather than binned properly.”

There will also be goal-shaped litter and recycling bins for fans to ditch their rubbish, plus half-time announcements promoting the campaign.

The day is part of the #StreetsAhead campaign that was launched in August 2017 by the council and Hubbub to create litter free streets and prevent rubbish ending up in the sea.

Albion facilities manager David Baker said: “Our supporters have always shown a commitment to keeping our stadia and surrounding area clean and tidy going back to our days at Withdean when a team of supporters used to complete litter clearances in the local area following each match. 

“Since moving to the American Express Community Stadium we have seen a continual increase in the amount of recycling we produce thanks to supporters making use of the facilities available. 
 
“We are delighted to be working with Hubbub and Brighton and Hove City Council as part of the Streets Ahead campaign to raise further awareness of this and encourage even greater use of these facilities both at our venues and elsewhere. 

“The campaign also links closely to the work we are doing with the Premier league and Sky in support of their Ocean Rescue project.”

Alex Robinson, Hubbub Enterprise’s Managing Director, added: “A huge amount of litter is entering the sea and plastic pollution has become one of our most pressing environmental and health concerns. 
 
“Sports stadiums present a great opportunity to engage people in innovative ways and help to stem the tide of litter.”

Film company acquire rights to local author’s new novel

Posted on by Gary Hart

Unstoppable Film & Television, the production company run by Noel Clarke and Jason Maza have picked up the rights to Juno Dawson’s new novel Meat Market, a story set in the world of modelling.

Meat Market follows Jana Novak, a 16-year-old girl of Serbian descent, as she is catapulted from her South London council estate roots to international stardom as a model. The book was written following two years extensive research by Juno Dawson into the fashion industry.

Juno is the multi award-winning author of eight novels, six of those for young adults. In 2018, she published the best-selling novel CLEAN, which was voted Cosmopolitan’s ‘Must Read’ book of the year in the Big Book Awards.

Juno is a regular contributor to Attitude Magazine, Glamour Magazine and The Guardian and has contributed to news items on BBC Women’s Hour, Front Row, ITV News, Channel 5 News, This Morning and Newsnight concerning sexuality, identity, literature and education.

Meat Market is scheduled for publication by Quercus Children’s Books, an imprint of Hachette Children’s Group, in May 2019.

Juno said: “I’m beyond thrilled to be collaborating with Unstoppable on my first TV adaptation; their warm enthusiasm for Jana’s story was overwhelming. The fashion industry can be a scary place and it feels timely to explore the ugly side of something that’s outwardly beautiful. As well as being a model, Jana is a normal teenage girl, going through heartbreaks and triumphs – I want ‘Meat Market’ to be as funny and outrageous as it is compelling.’

Noel Clarke and Jason Maza, directors of Unstoppable added: “‘Meat Market’ is an irreverent, entertaining and funny story that also tackles the huge contemporary themes of #MeToo and the hypersexualisation of girls. We were instantly drawn to the story itself and to the power of Juno’s writing, which has great warmth and humour even when she takes us to dangerous places. Juno’s research gives the story absolute authenticity and it is ideal to adapt as a returning series for television.”

Report highlights need for LGBT+ specific services for victims of same sex domestic violence

Posted on by Besi

A new report from the Home Affairs Committee on Domestic Abuse emphasises the need for and value of specialist services and the role those services have in supporting vulnerable and minority groups.

THE report identifies how LGBT+ survivors might feel unsure of, or are reluctant to disclose their relationships and identity with non-LGBT+ organisations and fear and/or anticipate being misunderstood, prejudiced or discriminated against.

It further acknowledges LGBT+ survivors as one of the groups that benefit from specialist targeted services.

There is currently disparate provision of specialist services and programs supporting LGBT+ survivors, which remains inconsistent and patchy across the UK. There’s also a lack of refuge provision for LGBT+ survivors fleeing violence and abuse, including those with no recourse to public funds and currently only four services in England provide LGBT+ specialist Independent Domestic Violence Advisor support.

Nik Noone
Nik Noone

Nik Noone, CEO of Galop the national LGBT+ Anti Violence charity said: “We welcome the explicit recognition within the report that domestic violence impacts LGBT+ communities and that LGBT+ survivors experience additional barriers when seeking support. Our communities have a history of discrimination at law and it is vitally important that they are visible, included and protected in legal provisions and services. This is key if we are to overcome the underreporting of domestic abuse and ensure that LGBT+ survivors access appropriate support.”

She continued: “We therefore strongly support the Committees’ recommendation that the Government’s review of refuge and other domestic abuse support services should document and report what specialist provision is currently available for protected, vulnerable or minority groups, and for people with additional needs such as debts or drug or alcohol dependency, and where there are gaps which need to be addressed.

“Finally, we also agree that further improvements in police response are required. It is imperative that in-depth training in recognising and responding to coercive and controlling behaviour as a key aspect of domestic violence is delivered to all frontline police officers. This must include a recognition of the experience of LGBT+ people, including identity-based abuse. Such training has to be ongoing, part of accredited Continuing Professional Development and not just one-off.”

Spooks and ghouls in Rottingdean

Posted on by Besi

Visit Phil and Paul at the Rottingdean Club for their Halloween Quiz on Tuesday, October 30, – it’s only £1 to play with a potential cash jackpot of £150 on offer.

IT’S fancy dress, (but only if you wanna) – every member of your team dressed up will automatically get an EXTRA ONE POINT each immediately before the quiz has even begun. There will be a spot prize for the best dressed (Phil is the judge so be keen cause he’s the queen of mean)!

On top of that, when the quiz ends there will be 241 on all draught lager, ale, and £12 bottles of wine until midnight. So who’s up for a monster mash of a night?

Quiz night is always very busy so if your going along to have the willies put up you, it’s VITAL you book your place in advance.

To avoid disappointment call: 01273309529

Event: Halloween Quiz Night

Where: The Rottingdean Club, 89 High St, Brighton BN2 7HE

When: Tuesday, October 30

Time: 8pm

Cost: £1 to play

Greens select parliamentary candidates for Brighton and Hove

Posted on by Besi

Brighton and Hove Green Party announces candidates for Brighton Pavilion, Brighton Kemptown and Hove constituencies in the event of another snap election.

Caroline Lucas MP
Caroline Lucas MP

A city-wide ballot of members returned the candidates earlier this month. Sitting Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas is joined by two current councillors as the party looks to fight all three of the city’s seats if an early election is called.

Caroline Lucas has been elected as MP for Brighton Pavilion three times since becoming the UK’s first Green MP and doubled her majority in 2017, receiving over 50% of the vote as the Labour and Conservative vote share shrank.

Following her re-selection Caroline said: “It’s been an incredible honour to represent the people of Brighton Pavilion in Parliament since 2010 and I’m proud local Green Party members have re-selected me as their parliamentary candidate.

“No matter who’s in Government, I will always stand up for our city – our local schools and hospitals, our unique local businesses and diverse communities – as a strong, independent Green voice in Westminster.”

Caroline a former Green Party leader has been a loud opponent of Brexit and spoke at the national People’s Vote march in London on Saturday (Oct. 20). Brighton Pavilion voted overwhelmingly to remain in the European Union in June 2016.

Green Party Councillor and Finance lead Ollie Sykes has been selected as the Green candidate in the Hove and Portslade constituency.

Cllr Ollie Sykes
Cllr Ollie Sykes

Ollie said: “I’m thrilled to have been selected to stand for Parliament for the Green Party in Hove. All over Europe we’re witnessing very strong results by Green Party candidates as the abject failure of mainstream political parties to tackle the big issues of our time has become crystal clear. Evidence of environmental decline and the effects of climate change are in the news almost every day. Greens have positive answers to the big questions facing us and our country and I hope our message will resonate with the residents of Hove.

“I’m proud of the role that Greens have played in the city; leading on the campaign against single-use plastics, taking urgent action on the homelessness crisis and holding the Labour council to account. As parliamentary candidate for Hove I would look to highlight the difference a second Green MP would make for our city.”

Ollie has been city Councillor in Hove for seven years including four when Greens led Brighton and Hove City Council and has been the party’s Finance Lead since 2014.

Green Party councillor Alex Phillips, who will become the city’s youngest ever mayor if re-elected as a councillor in May 2019, has been selected as the Green candidate for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven.

Alex said: “Having lived at the bottom of Whitehawk for over five years, across the road from where my husband has worked for the last decade, and especially since giving birth to my baby Rafi last year, I feel more and more embedded in my local community.

Cllr Alex Phillips
Cllr Alex Phillips

“Brighton Kemptown is quite a mixed constituency and the demographics vary enormously from the deprivation that exists in neglected parts of our city like Whitehawk to the grandeur of Roedean. As an experienced local councillor I am well positioned to fight for campaigns that matter to everyone in the constituency: from the NHS services including the hospital, as well as opposing austerity to the human rights and environmental legislation which we will lose next year through Brexit.

“I’ve lived in Brussels and speak French and German and I know the huge benefit that EU nationals have had on our city. A European city like Brighton and Hove needs proud European representatives. Caroline Lucas has been essential to the movement against a hard Brexit and we’re ambitious about sending other Greens to join her in Westminster.”

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