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PREVIEW: DWP Deaths In Battersea by Vince Laws

Artist and activist, Vince Laws, has produced a series of shrouds, eight of which will be on display at Battersea Arts Centre as part of the Rest & Resilience Festival, till March 16.

Vince Laws
Vince Laws

THE DWP Deaths Make Me Sick shrouds describe the circumstances of death of named people dealing with the DWP including:

♦ Mark Wood – Found ‘fit for work’ by Atos, against his doctor’s advice. Complex Mental Health, benefits stopped, starved to death.
DWP Deaths Make Me Sick. Just doing my job.

♦ Brian McArdle – Suffered a fatal heart attack the day after his disability benefits were stopped. Dead People Don’t Claim. Justice Not Charity.

♦ Elenore Tatton – Died just weeks after the Government found her ‘fit for work’.

From January 2011 to February 2014 a total of 91,970 people on Incapacity Benefits and ESA died.

 

The DWP’s response to concerns about death rates was to stop publishing them. (Source Mo Stewart Welfare Weekly 2018)

The DWP Deaths Make Me Sick shrouds were the backdrop to a live performance art piece called A Very Queer Nazi Faust put on by Vince Laws and 13 Norfolk based disability rights activists at Norwich Arts Centre in September 2018.

There is now a DWP Deaths Make Me Sick Facebook page. Images of all 22 shrouds made so far are on the page, with the text printed under them.

The shrouds will be displayed around the UK in 2019.

“I want to get them seen,” said Laws. “I feel the need to carry on screaming about the human rights abuses of this current Tory government. The shrouds are actually quite painful to make. I take breaks. They are very sad. But also very powerful because they are the truth.”

A Very Queer Nazi Faust was commissioned and supported by Unlimited, celebrating the work of disabled artists, with funding from Spirit of 2012. Funded by Norfolk County Council. Supported by Norwich Arts Centre.

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Exeter Pride appeals for Crowdfunder support to keep event free-of-charge

Exeter Pride goes from strength-to-strength, delivering for the past ten years an annual free celebration of LGBT+ diversity and visibility.

ONE of the UK’s few remaining ‘free Prides’, the eleventh Exeter Pride will take place on Saturday, May 11.

To keep the event free for those attending, the trustees and volunteers who run it are appealing for individuals, businesses and organisations to back the charity’s appeal and raise £5,000 within the next two weeks.

Exeter Pride is Devon’s biggest celebration of the LGBT+ communities and one of the biggest free Pride events in the country.

Exeter Pride is a key annual event in the city’s calendar, recognised this month when it won Best Event in 2018 in the Exeter Living Awards.

Exeter Pride 2017
Exeter Pride 2017

On May 11 the event will include a colourful rainbow flag march through Exeter, and volunteers are wanted to help carry the enormous 50-metre rainbow flag through the city centre..

The march, beginning at 12 noon, will include a fire engine, an ambulance, police car, Street Heat, Morris Dancers, music and much more. Representatives from community groups and organisations as well as individuals will also be taking part to show their support.

The Lord Mayor of Exeter, Councillor Rob Hannaford will lead the parade and will officially open the main stage at the end of the march at 1.30pm.

Entertainment will include live bands and cabaret acts on two stages and there will be a marketplace with more than 80 stalls including a health zone, talking zone, family zone, workshops, film shows, panel debates, drumming, trans workshop, ceilidh and much more.

There will be information and advice from local, national and international organisations, as well as demonstrations and fun activities.

Adam Rank
Adam Rank

Adam Rank, chair of Exeter Pride committee, said: Exeter Pride is a celebration of the city and county’s LGBT+ communities. It is about us having pride in our contributions to not just a vibrant and diverse city, but all of Devon and the city and county having pride in us.”

Exeter Pride would not be possible without generous donations from local businesses, organisations and individuals and the fundraising efforts of volunteers.

“We are currently welcoming approaches from those who would like to get involved as volunteers, have a stall or be a partner or sponsor.”

He added: “We love Exeter Pride and we are proud of Exeter, but it costs in the region of £30,000 to stage it each year.  This is why we are asking for financial donations.

“From road closures to toilet hire and from insurance to security, we rely heavily on donations to keep it going.”

Mr Rank said that there are many reward categories on the Crowdfunder site which people will find appealing.

He added: “Please consider making a Crowdfunder donation.  We would really appreciate any contributions.”

Alan Quick
Alan Quick

Alan Quick, the co-founder of Exeter Pride, also appealed for people to back the appeal. He said he was delighted how the annual event had grown since the very first Pride in the city in 2009 and extended thanks to all those who had supported Exeter Pride since it began.

He said: “Without the support of previous trustees, volunteers, committee members, sponsors, partners and other supporters, as well as those currently involved, Exeter Pride would not be the tremendous annual event it is now.

“Year-on-year it has grown thanks to the active involvement of so many people.

“Those people have helped Exeter Pride fulfil its aims, to promote equality and diversity for the public benefit and in particular the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity through awareness-raising, advancing community education, and by holding an annual LGBT+ festival.

“Whilst Exeter Pride is a celebration of how far we have come with regards to equality, the charity is also keen to recognise and to educate on LGBT+ history, contributions to culture, and raise awareness of on-going LGBT+ struggles in the UK and further afield.”

A range of events LGBT+ events are being organised by Exeter Pride prior to the main event on May 11.

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For more information about Exeter Pride, click here:

Exeter Pride 2016
Exeter Pride 2016

London boroughs respond to concerns raised about distribution of places on extended ‘Impact’ PrEP trial

London boroughs restate their commitment to reducing HIV in London while supporting the expansion of the ‘Impact’ PrEP Trial.

FOLLOWING concerns raised last week by NAT (National AIDS Trust) about the take-up of the extra places by London clinics on the NHS, PrEP Impact Trial, Cllr Ray Puddifoot, London Councils’ Executive Member for Health & Care and Leader of the London Borough of Hillingdon, has written an open letter to all colleagues and stakeholders.

In the letter Cllr. Puddifoot wrote;

“We are disappointed that national partners have not taken up our offer, or agreed a way forward to ensure the funding for PrEP is sustainable.

“London boroughs are proud of their work to tackle HIV. The borough-funded London HIV Prevention Programme has been central to achieving historic improvements in the rate of new diagnosis.

“Figures released in September 2018 confirmed HIV rates are declining, with a substantial decrease over the past two years.

Cllr Ray Puddifoot
Cllr Ray Puddifoot

♦  1,675 people were diagnosed with HIV in London in 2017 compared to 2,090 in 2016. This represents a fall of 21 per cent in 2016-17 in London, compared to the UK-wide decrease of 17 per cent.

♦ The number of new diagnoses in 2015 was 2729, meaning London has seen a decrease of 38% between 2015 and 2017.

“London’s work on testing and prevention has been key to this success. PrEP has been a core element of our combination prevention strategy.

“As a signatory to the UN-backed Fast Track Cities Initiative, London has already met the 90:90:90 targets, and has surpassed 95:95:95 for all three measures.

“But London boroughs are not complacent.

“We are committed to the PrEP trial. Well over half of the trial places released so far have been through London clinics. We are committed to making the further expansion of the trial a success, but the responsible thing to do is to ensure it is delivered in a way which is sustainable, ensures continuity and does not destabilise other critical sexual health services. London commissioners are working with clinicians and the PrEP trial team to achieve this. We have already committed to taking on additional trial places as part of the expansion, as well as agreeing to take more places through the new online service operating across the capital. Boroughs remain committed and hopeful of finding a way forward. We want to continue taking a leading role in tackling HIV and urge national partners to take up the opportunity of working together to deliver the successful expansion of PrEP in the capital.

“London boroughs play a leading role in tackling HIV. The borough-funded London HIV Prevention Programme has been central to achieving historic improvements in the rate of new diagnoses. The latest official figures have confirmed HIV rates in London are falling, with a substantial decrease in the past two years.”  

Brighton Festival calls for young poets to enter Peacock Poetry Prize!

The Peacock Poetry Prize returns to Brighton Festival 2019 to encourage young people across Sussex to explore the written word from a creative point of view.

Photo: Summerdean - 18
Photo: Summerdean – 18

THIS year’s competition/theme is Journeys, chosen by Brighton Festival Guest Director Rokia Traoré.

The competition is open to young residents of Brighton & Hove, East and West Sussex aged between 8 and 19 years.

Each budding writer can enter up to three poems with a maximum length of 20 lines, with participants divided into three age groups: 8-11, 12-15  and 15-19 years..

Finalists will be invited to a tea party and prize giving with friends and family at Brighton Dome on Thursday, May 23 at 5pm when the winners of each age category will be announced.

Pippa Smith
Pippa Smith

Pippa Smith, Brighton Festival’s Children and Family Producer said: “The Peacock Poetry Prize offers a great opportunity for young people to have their writing appraised and appreciated by our panel of judges. The theme of journeys can be literal or abstract, whether it’s about a favourite stroll or the distance between you and your dreams, we want to walk alongside these young poets through every step of their creative imagination.”

Rokia Traoré
Rokia Traoré

Rokia Traoré, Brighton Festival 2019 Guest Director, added: “I want my journey to be a shared experience and feel responsible to share that journey with young people. Brighton Festival allows its audience to travel and learn about the rest of the world through the stories and journeys of its guests without leaving Brighton, which is extended to young people by the Peacock Poetry Prize.”

William Baldwin, Principal of Brighton Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College added: “We’re proud to be sponsoring the Peacock Poetry Prize because it allows the work of young people to be recognised and appreciated within the Festival. Poetry permits both its author and audience to go on a journey together, expressing their creativity and imagination. As poetry is such a universal vehicle of human expression it’s vital that we continue to nurture a love for it in the younger generation.”

Entrants should send their poems, along with their name and age to: peacock@brightonfestival.org by Friday 12 April 2019.

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