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Day: November 14, 2018

The Grand Brighton Half Marathon – last chance to sign up to run

Posted on by Besi

General entry places in The Grand Brighton Half Marathon 2019 are close to selling out – people wanting to run in the race are urged to enter soon to avoid missing out.

Image: The Grand Brighton Half Marathon
Image: The Grand Brighton Half Marathon

THE 29th Brighton Half Marathon will take place on Sunday, February 24, 2019 and features a stunning seafront course which takes in many of the city’s famous landmarks.

Since its first staging in the 1990s, the race has become one of the most popular races in the UK. The 13.1 mile route takes runners from Brighton’s famous Pier through the centre of the city, before heading along Hove Prom, past Hove’s colourful beach huts and the new British Airways i360 viewing tower on the seafront.

Headline sponsor The Grand Brighton, the city’s iconic seafront hotel, is also featured on the course route.

The race is popular with both beginners to half marathons and seasoned distance runners and being one of the first major half marathons in the running calendar and is a great training event for anyone embarking on a full marathon in the Spring.

Martin Harrigan
Martin Harrigan

The Grand Brighton Half Marathon’s Race Director, Martin Harrigan, said: “As the race approaches sell out, we’re advising all runners interested in joining us on 24th February to register soon to avoid disappointment. Unlike some other races, we never re-open for general entries so this is a last chance to enter. The 2019 race promises once again to be a great celebration of running in the city and we welcome runners of all abilities and wheelchair racers to our 2019 event.”

The race is organised by Brighton-based charity The Sussex Beacon, which provides specialist support and care for people living with HIV through both inpatient and outpatient services. The charity helps hundreds of people living with HIV in Sussex and the race is the charity’s largest annual event.

To register to run, click here:

The healing power of nature

Posted on by Besi

Martlets Hospice has begun a unique project to support bereaved men as they tend to a community allotment.

FUNDED by Hospice UK, Earthworks is a weekly space for the men to get together to grow and harvest an abundance of vegetables, flowers and fruit.

Led by a hospice counsellor and a volunteer gardener; it’s a welcoming and supportive environment in which to work, whilst enjoying getting outside in the fresh air.

Jane Cato from the hospice’s Bereavement Team said: “It’s all very relaxed; each morning begins with a cuppa in the allotment shed around the wood burner.

“Previous gardening experience isn’t important; you can take on whichever jobs interest you, whether that’s lighter work in the greenhouse or getting really stuck into the digging and clearing.   Simply getting closer to nature can be very therapeutic, regardless of what the weather’s doing!

“It’s a very hands-on way for people to come together and to use their skills and energy to complete practical tasks, whilst gaining the benefit of talking to others who are in a similar situation – if that’s what they want to do.

“Less than a quarter of those using our hospice bereavement services are men and there’s nowhere else in Brighton & Hove for bereaved men to get together.  So, it makes sense to find an alternative way to support those men, since we know we can help them.”

To find out more about Earthworks, or to sign-up contact the Martlets’ Patient and Family Support Administrator on 01273 273400, or email bereavement@martlets.org.uk.

Sing, sing, sing – The Art of Good Health

Posted on by Besi

This year’s annual director of public health report asks Should we look closer at the role of arts in health?

The report highlights the positive impact being involved in the arts can have on health and wellbeing at all stages of life.

Headline figures show that locally people are more likely to engage with the arts than elsewhere in the country – but that we still have inequalities. People with disabilities and those who are carers engage less than the rest of the population. The report states that addressing this is a high priority so that everyone across the city can benefit.

The report illustrates that the arts can build better emotional health and wellbeing, promote healthy lifestyles, help people manage long-term conditions, reduce social isolation, improve communication and help support the bereaved. It links closely with the city’s cultural framework, which sets out how public bodies and the cultural and creative sector will work together to ensure more people can benefit from participating.

Alistair Hill
Alistair Hill

Brighton & Hove City Council’s Director of Public Health Alistair Hill said: “For my first report I have chosen to focus on the contribution arts and culture make to health and wellbeing locally – and what more we can do. We absolutely should be looking at the role of arts in improving health, especially in our highly creative city.

“There is good evidence on how the arts can help to improve health and wellbeing. Locally we already have so many community arts groups working in health and care settings, as well as health activities running in arts and culture settings. We also have a fantastic opportunity to promote better health and wellbeing at one of the 60 festivals we have each year in Brighton & Hove.

“If we work on the recommendations, continue to build on existing good practice and ensure that the arts are inclusive for everyone across the city, we could become a nationally recognised centre of excellence for the arts and culture in supporting wellbeing.

“I want to thank everyone for their input into the report, particularly the very talented Shanni Collins from our public health team who created the beautiful and vibrant artwork we used in the report.”

Geoff Raw
Geoff Raw

Chief Executive Geoff Raw added: “This report provides a new and refreshing twist on how we can nurture and improve the health and wellbeing of the city seen through the lens of art and culture. The strength of our arts and culture sector and the number of residents who participate, is one of our city’s defining characteristics.

“Working with a range of colleagues and partners, Alistair has reached out to embrace this vibrant sector and his report points to how we can channel its creative energy for our personal health and social wellbeing.” 

To read the full report, click here:

Santa comes to town!

Posted on by Besi

Father Christmas comes to town to visit the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital and Brighton Palace Pier on Tuesday, December 4 from 10am – 2.30pm.

Photographer: Juho Kuva
Photographer: Juho Kuva

THE Embassy of Finland, in conjunction with Brighton Fringe, are bringing the real Santa Claus to Brighton, all the way from Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland, in Finland.

Santa will first be visiting the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital at 10am where he will spend two hours meeting children and handing out presents from his homeland such as Moomin books and Finnish emoji colouring books.

He will then head to Brighton Palace Pier to meet the Mayor for Brighton & Hove; Councillor Dee Simson, and a group of local school children. Throughout his visit Santa will be joined by the Finnish Ambassador to the UK, Mrs Päivi Luostarinen and Julian Caddy, CEO of Brighton Fringe.

One of Santa’s little helpers explains why Santa will be making this special visit to Brighton: 

“Far away in northern Finland at the distant polar circle, lives Santa Claus, a warm-hearted and grey-bearded old fellow, together with Mrs Claus, the elves and the reindeer.

“He lives right at the foot of the Korvatunturi Fell (translation: Ear Mountain). The name of the Fell is no accident as the southern side of the mountain is decorated with a near hundred meter-tall ear-shaped rock formation.

“The ear cleverly mimics the structure of an elf’s ear and even has a gigantic ear canal. When standing on the far end of the canal you can hear even the quietest whispers from the other side of the world.

“We have been listening to the whispers, hence we are bringing Santa Claus to Brighton to bring joy to children and adults alike.

“Santa is the genuine symbol of goodwill and giving all over the world. He radiates warmth and inspires confidence. Santa Claus is everyone’s friend and treats all humans and animals equally.

“Santa wants to help the children of the world and to teach everyone how to care for one another.”

Brighton Fringe 2019 runs from May 3 to June 2.

Onjali Q. Raúf’s is ‘big read’ author in 2019

Posted on by Besi

Onjali Q. Raúf’s The Boy at the Back of the Class has been chosen as the 2019 ‘big read’ for children across Brighton & Hove, Sussex and beyond.

ONJALI Q. Raúf’s The Boy at the Back of the Class has been chosen as the 2019 ‘big read’ for children across Brighton & Hove, Sussex and beyond.

The concept is simple – one book, by one author is selected for the whole community to read, explore, discuss and creatively engage with.

The Boy at the Back of the Class is the story of new boy Ahmet, a refugee from Syria. It is told from the point of view of one of his classmates who goes to great lengths to make friends and give Ahmet a sense of belonging. The unexpected adventure that follows strikes the perfect balance between humour and poignancy, topped off with a terrific twist.

Onjali Q. Raúf
Onjali Q. Raúf

Onjali Q. Raúf said: “I am utterly thrilled to have ‘The Boy at the Back of the Class’ chosen for Young City Reads! It is such an honour. I hope all human ‘beans’ (of every age!) reading and engaging with it, reach its end feeling a little more understanding and hopeful about what we can all do to ease the plight of refugee children the world over. Sometimes the best, most joyous things start with a story, and my deepest wish for this book is that it helps inspire lots of interesting discussions and ideas about one of the biggest humanitarian crises of our times. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping to make this happen.”

Brighton Festival will take place from May 4-26, 2019 and will feature an extended Children and Young People’s programming strand with new partnerships and participatory activities in the run-up to the Festival.

The full Brighton Festival programme will be announced on Wednesday, February 13, 2019.

Brighton Festival announce theme for Children’s Parade in 2019 

Posted on by Gary Hart

The Streets of Brighton will feature folk tales of the world for the 2019 Brighton Festival Children’s Parade next May.

SCHOOLS from across the region will be allocated a folk tale from a selection, chosen to reflect the diversity of artists taking part in the Festival. The stories will be studied and explored by teachers and pupils before being presented in costume, music and carnival structures by around 5,000 school children and community groups.

Jointly produced with award-winning community arts organisation Same Sky and sponsored by the University of Brighton for the second year, the annual Children’s Parade will take place on Saturday, May 4 2019 to officially launch the Festival. The largest of its kind in Europe, the free event takes place in central Brighton and has delighted participants and spectators for nearly 30 years. With a different imaginative theme each year, previous parades have seen children dress up as paintings, letters of the alphabet, woodland creatures and street names.

Childrens Parade photo by Victor Frankowski (3)
ChildrensParade_VF-1034

The 2019 theme connects strongly with the next Brighton Festival Guest Director, Malian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rokia Traoré. With her work rooted in the Malian musical tradition, Traoré will present the UK premiere of Dream Mandé Djata, a musical monologue based on West African oral history storytelling. The Parade will be led by Rokia alongside schools representing folk tales originating from West Africa.

Pippa Smith, Brighton Festival’s Children & Family programmer said: “Folk tales are typically stories that are passed down from generation to generation and are often linked to childhood memories, when parents or grandparents would tell them at bedtime. There are so many fascinating folk tales to explore, from the Anansi tales of West Africa to European tales by Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm. We can’t wait to see the wildly imaginative creations that participating schools and community groups will present.”

ChildrensParade_VF-8247
Childrens Parade photo by Victor Frankowski (2)

One of the most impressive community events in the UK, Same Sky spend months working behind the scenes to create the Children’s Parade. Artists collaborate with teachers to make effigies, choreograph dance routines and compose parade chants, with free masterclasses to develop design ideas and encourage imagination to flow.

John Varah, Artistic Director, Same Sky added: “Same Sky is excited to be working again with 70 local schools to create next year’s Brighton Festival Children’s Parade. The theme of folk stories is a rich and colourful seam for us to mine and we think the schools will find something unique and wonderful to celebrate with their students. Same Sky is celebrating its 30th anniversary and we’re dedicated to creating new stories with communities. What better way to share the world’s stories here in Brighton and Hove.”

Debra Humphris
Debra Humphris

Professor Debra Humphris, University of Brighton Vice-Chancellor said: “The Children’s Parade is a real high point of the year in the City and it is always a great way to start the Brighton Festival. I am absolutely delighted that the University of Brighton will once again be sponsoring this wonderful and joyous event that does so much to bring the whole community together and is enjoyed by everyone, young and old.”

Do you KNOW your HIV status?

Posted on by Besi

Do you KNOW your HIV status? Would you like to be in control and check it more often?

DO you want an HIV test, but haven’t got the time to go to the clinic? Would you like a test to do at home, when YOU want to do it, with support on-hand if you need it?

You probably know that HIV self-tests were licensed for use in the UK in 2015, and the ones using a single drop of blood are 99.7% accurate (BioSure®).  Well here’s the REALLY exciting bit…. as part of being a FAST TRACK CITY, Brighton & Hove are the FIRST CITY IN THE WORLD to have these tests available through touch-screen vending machines!

HIV self-tests are available through these award-winning machines in and around Kemptown at The Rainbow Hub opposite the Bulldog on St James Street, Prowler Brighton also on St James Street, Subline, and The Marlborough Pub & Theatre (see map). And what’s even more exciting is they’re available for a third of the cost of on-line or tests which are available in your high-street pharmacy.

The Martin Fisher Foundation won the 2018 British Medical Journal (BMJ) Innovations Award. Testing at home isn’t for everyone, and for those who prefer to go to the Sexual Health & Contraception (SHAC) clinic, they are still happy to see you.

To book appointments on-line, click here:

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