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Homeless charity chosen as one of Mayor’s charities

Mayor chooses Sussex Nightstop as one of her chosen charities for 2019-20.

NEWLY elected Green MEP for the South East of England and Mayor of Brighton & Hove, Cllr Alexander Phillips, has chosen Sussex Nightstop as one of the 20 charities she will be supporting during her Mayoral Year.

BRIGHTON-based Sussex Nightstop provides a safety net for young, vulnerable people aged between 16-25 years of age who are at risk of becoming homeless by providing emergency accommodation in the homes of volunteer hosts.

Sussex Nightstop’s Executive Director, Alison Marino said: “It is an honour to be recognised and chosen as one of the Mayor’s 2019 charities.

“Sussex Nightstop enables the community to respond to the issue of homelessness amongst young people – every night a young person stays with one of our Volunteer Hosts is a night where they are safe from the risks and precariousness of rough-sleeping or sofa-surfing. Being selected as a Mayor’s Charity for 2019-2020 is a privilege. It provides us with the platform to help raise awareness of the issue of youth homelessness and fundraising through the Mayor’s Charity events will enable us to invest further in the recruitment and training of new volunteer hosts – enabling us to grow both in numbers and the range of young people we can support.”

Each year, The Mayor of the City actively supports a range of charities which operate in Brighton & Hove, specifically servicing the local communities and helping to improve the lives of residents in the City.

Alongside Sussex Nightstop, the other chosen charities this year are Allsorts Youth Project, Brighton Housing Trust, Brighton’s Women’s Centre, CRUSE, Grace Eyre, Oasis Project, RISE, Survivor’s Network, Sustrans, Whoopsadaisy, Amaze, Brighton Table Tennis Club, Clock Town Sanctuary, Extratime, Hummingbird Project, Off The Fence, Rockinghorse and The Martlets.

Fringe THEATRE REVIEW: Electric @The Caxton Arms

 

WHETHER you’re a seasoned raver, or if like me you’ve never been camping at a music festival, then grab the chance to vicariously experience all the associated pleasure and pain by catching this cracking jewel of a two-handed comedy from Dublin based ILA Productions.

As well as being a fun-packed, immersive experience Electric is a touchingly written girl meets girl falling-in-love story where post codes, social class and peer pressure conspire to keep posh Dublin south-sider Scarlett and streetwise north-sider Joni apart. But will this new found love which takes both girls by surprise overcome their social differences and conquer the day?

Writer and performer Ali Hardiman and Ericka Roe are both funny and moving in their respective portrayals of Scarlett and Joni. Hardiman’s Scarlett is cringingly anxious and self-obsessed and her vulnerability is a perfect foil for Roe’s savvy, seemingly super confident Joni. It’s a great fit.

Both also play the roles of their various friends, family and other colourful characters, convincingly switching between dialects and genders in a way that is effortless and very funny. Hardiman’s portrayal of Joni’s uber rough, foul mouthed side-kick Kelly is a particularly joyful creation.

The set is bravely simple and the staging distinctly lacking in props, so it’s the writing and the acting which carries the day and transports us right there to the festival fields, helped along the way by a suitably eclectic dance soundtrack.

Other clever touches include both actresses offering to decorate punters’ faces with glitter before the show, and then the provision of a festival wristband in exchange for your ticket. And there’s even a tongue-in-cheek handout on every seat with a glossary of Dub phrases and colloquialisms. It all adds to the immersive experience and gets you nicely in the mood for the exceptional craic that’s to come.

Electric runs until June 2 at the Caxton Arms, 36 North Gardens, Brighton

For performance times and tickets, click here:

Could Nala from Brighton be the National Cat of the Year?

A Brighton cat, who helped a terminally ill teenager and her family cope has been named as a finalist in Cats Protection’s National Cat Awards 2019.

TABBY Nala beat hundreds of other entries to take her place as one of three contenders in the Outstanding Rescue Cat category, celebrating cats that have been adopted from rehoming charities.

The 15-year-old puss was selected as a finalist in recognition of the love, support and friendship she gave to Charlotte Eades, who died from a rare form of brain cancer in February 2016, aged just 19.

Mum Alex said that Nala had since proved to be an immense support to her and son Miles, 24, as they come to terms with losing Charlotte.

She said: “Charlotte was seven when we got Nala and they grew up together. They both had such a sense of fun and enjoyed playing games together.

“When Charlotte became ill, that bond grew even stronger. Nala was at her side through thick and thin. During everything Charlotte went through, Nala was there for her to stroke, cuddle and talk to.

“That friendship meant everything to Charlotte and it gave her the determination to make the most of every day she had. Charlotte used her You Tube channel to talk about her favourite things – fashion, make up and, of course, Nala.

“Since we lost Charlotte, Nala has helped me and Miles so much. We sometimes watch Charlotte’s old YouTube videos and Nala still recognises her voice.

“Nala is a link to Charlotte but she’s also so much more. She really is the constant in our lives, the heart of our family.”

Alex and Miles have continued Charlotte’s inspiring YouTube channel and Nala remains a constant fixture in their videos.

Alex now needs to wait until Thursday, August 8 when winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at London’s Savoy, an event attended by celebrities including entrepreneur Deborah Meaden, former England goalkeeper David Seaman and his wife, Dancing on Ice star Frankie Seaman.

If Nala wins her category, she will also be in with a chance of being crowned National Cat of the Year, following in the paw prints of previous winner Theo, who helped his owner Charlotte Dixon survive a potentially fatal blood clot.

Cats Protection’s awards organiser Kate Bunting said: “Charlotte was clearly a devoted owner and it was her love, care and attention for Nala that created such a bond between them. It’s incredibly moving to hear how important Nala was to Charlotte and how Nala is now helping the whole family as they come to terms with their loss.”

Calum Macrae, Regional Director UK & Ireland at PURINA®, added: “The National Cat Awards is a wonderful celebration of everything we love about cats, in particular shining a spotlight on the incredible bond that can exist between pets and owners.

“All the finalists are truly inspiring and go to show the hugely positive impact cats can have on people’s lives, for all sorts of reasons. It’s no wonder that cats have earned a special place in our hearts and homes.”

Each category winner receives a trophy, a £100 pet store voucher, a year’s subscription to Cats Protection’s The Cat magazine and a three months’ supply of PURINA® cat food.

 

Photography exhibition of ‘Life in Whitehawk’.

Crew Club hosts community photography exhibition of Life in Whitehawk – Volume 1 – Lisa Pettitt and Sharon Scaife.

Club Crew - Photo: James Curtis
Club Crew – Photo: James Curtis

WHITEWHAWK, Volume 1 is an exhibition of documentary photography taken by local residents Lisa Pettitt and Sharon Scaife and organised by Curtis James.

The exhibition is the culmination of a year-long documentary process and aims to tell diverse, inside stories about Whitehawk: on death and life, housing, (extended) family and chicken pie.

Whitehawk is an estate originally developed by Brighton Council between 1933 and 1937, and added to in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Lisa has lived in the area since 1997 and Sharon since 2009. They had no formal photography experience until a year ago. Curtis James grew up on the Bristol Estate and went to school in Whitehawk in the 1980s.

Curtis James said: “I grew up in Whitehawk and this exhibition has been in the making since I left 26 years ago. I want people and policy-makers to see Whitehawk through Lisa and Sharon’s eyes, rather than through indices of deprivation or negative news stories.”

The exhibition is free to attend and takes place in the beating heart of Whitehawk, the Crew Club (started in 1999 by Lorraine and Darren Snow in response to the fatal stabbing of a 16 year-old on the Whitehawk estate).

It runs from Wednesday, June 12 to Saturday, June 15. Opening hours are 10.30am to 6pm every day, with tours/discussion at 11am, 1pm and 3pm on Saturday, June 15.

The exhibition is the first of a series of planned Whitehawk Volumes – community exhibitions/publications by, of and for the people of Whitehawk.

For more information or to get involved in the forthcoming Whitehawk, Volume 2, contact Curtis James at info@whitehawkvolumes.org.


Event: Life in Whitehawk – Volume 1 – Lisa Pettitt and Sharon Scaife

Where: Crew Club, The Crew Club, 26 Coolham Drive, Whitehawk, Brighton

When: June 12-15, 2019

Time: 10.30am – 6pm

Cost: Free entry

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