Imagine a play where the stars are walk-ons and the extras are the star performers. No, it’s not Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead where Hamlet has no lines; more like Waiting for Godot with no expectant menace.
MARIE Jones, its creator, captures the essence of the complex interplay of humans with the two male characters creating a myriad of people in this small rural Irish village, from a 17-year-old tormented drug addict to an old crippled squeeze box player, a spoilt Hollywood diva and her mindless hulk of a bodyguard.
The show – though just over 90 minutes long plus an interval – is delivered in Act 1 at breakneck speed- new characters being created in an intake of breath and revolve of the actor’s body.
Act 2 , after the suicide of the 17-year-old, is more thoughtful and less funny but nonetheless entertaining.
It’s an anti-Hollywood play; a group of vacuous Americans arrive in the village to film a historically inaccurate epic about the peasants’ uprising, using the locals as extras at £40 a day – a fortune in the poor inhabitants’ eyes.
Owen Sharpe as the high-energy idealist Jake is counterpoised with Kevin Trainor as the laid-back Charlie who seems to care for little, except the dreadful film script he has written and tried to foist on the movie-makers.
Some of their character creations work better than others but outstanding is Trainor’s version of the Hollywood star Caroline Giovanni and Sharpe gets great fun out of a bent-double old drunkard .
As the Hollywood director reveals when Charlie explains his script “You go to the cinema to be happy and to the theatre to be depressed”. It’s of course an over-simplification of what movies and drama are about, but we get the point.
There’s much humour in the little cameos of the team producing this Irish Poldark epic and we even get some Irish dancing where the two leads dance in the style of all the main characters.
It’s a tour de force by both actors, even if at times Lindsay Posner’s direction isn’t always sharp enough to delineate all the bewildering array of characters we meet- sometimes for just a few seconds at a time.
And the play has a twist in its tale, which you need to see to believe and laugh at.
Stones in his Pockets runs at the Theatre Royal, Brighton until August 3.
Green Councillors on Brighton and Hove City Council condemn Brexit impact and lack of support for businesses, council and EU residents.
LOCAL Green Councillors claim that continued uncertainty over Brexit is putting residents, businesses and council funding at risk.
At a meeting of full council on July 25, local councillors were asked to support a set of proposals designed to support residents and businesses affected by a potential ‘no-deal’ Brexit.
It is estimated that Brighton and Hove receives an estimated £340k a year in European funding, with council ‘Brexit scenario testing’ stating that no-deal could lead to business closures and recruitment and retention problems.
Pointing to statements that indicate new Prime Minister Boris Johnson would be prepared to take the U.K out of the European Union on a ‘no-deal’ basis, Green Councillors urged the council to establish how E.U funding programmes for the city would be replaced.
Green Councillor Marianna Ebel also asked the council to provide better support to EU citizens hoping to stay in the U.K in the event of the U.K’s exit from the EU. An estimated 20,000 EU citizens reside in Brighton and Hove, but will be expected to apply for U.K settled status, to keep living in the city.
Cllr Ebel voiced the concerns of EU residents who say they have been provided with little information on how to apply for settled status, including how to manage the online application, which to date is only available on an Android phone.
Green Councillors Siriol Hugh-Jones and Cllr Ebel called on all councillors to consider how the council can do more to support our European ‘colleagues, partners, family and friends.’
Cllr Siriol Hugh-Jones
Councillor Siriol Hugh-Jones, who put forward the proposals to the council, said: “It is estimated that a ‘no-deal’ Brexit could mean the loss of 3,950 jobs in Brighton and Hove alone. When I first saw this, I admit I found it remarkable that a UK Government would allow a ‘no-deal’ Brexit to happen. After all, Brighton & Hove would be far from suffering alone.
“Sadly, the incoming Prime Minister appears to care little about people’s jobs and livelihoods or the impact of any loss of EU funding. Greens refuse to allow this critical issue to be neglected by our council.
“We have secured Labour backing for the council’s Chief Executive to write to the Minister to find out how the government intends to replace this funding. We have also requested that Government consider a freeze on business rates for local businesses to help them weather the loss of staff and potential downturn in the economy following a no-deal Brexit. I am disappointed that our Tory colleagues failed to support local business and instead chose to abstain. But perhaps this is the logical outcome of their new leader’s dismissive attitude towards the impact of Brexit on our economy.”
Cllr Marianna Ebel
Councillor Ebel added:“In addition to the impact that will be felt by our businesses and council in terms of funding and jobs, the prospect of Brexit is also causing a great deal of anxiety and distress for EU citizens living in Brighton and Hove. EU citizens are our friends, partners, family members, neighbours and colleagues. The Government’s expectation that people who have already been living and working here apply for ‘settled status,’ has not been matched with good support. Instead, they have created anxiety, fear and uncertainty. EU citizens who have lived and worked here for years should not have to fear deportation. Instead, we want to see the council do all it can to ease the pressure, provide support with applying for settled status – and demand that the Government rethink the entire, failed, ‘no-deal’ Brexit process.”
Labour councillors voted in support of the Green proposals at a meeting of full council on July 25. Conservative councillors abstained.
Gay Star News, the National LGBT+news website ceases trading.
BEN Hunte the BBC’s LGBT+ correspondent broke the news on Twitter on Monday, July 29 reporting that the company’s twenty staff had been told 48 hours before pay day via meetings of the impending closure and voluntary liquidation.
In an open letter to their readers published on Tuesday, July 30, co-founders Tris Reid-Smith and Scott Nunn explained why they were closing, citing uncertainty caused by Brexit and Rainbow Washing by national brands and corporations of LGBT+ issues.
Tris Reid-Smith and Scott Nunn: Photo Gay Star News
Here is their letter to their readers reproduced in full.
Why is GSN closing?
Firstly, we feel you deserve to know why we have to close. Since we started almost eight years ago, Gay Star News has been able to serve our community and grow.
It was clear from the outset that you, our readers and supporters around the world, wanted to hear about and engage with the stories we were telling. However, it has always been a tough business. This year, it got unexpectedly much tougher.
We entered 2019 with every reason to be confident we were going to have a strong year. But as the year progressed, decisions have been delayed and projects people had committed to do with us have fallen flat.
There are a number of reasons, of course. But the biggest change was the level of confidence brands and businesses in the UK have, due to the uncertainty over Brexit. It won’t surprise anyone to hear that many media organisations are struggling with the same problem.
There has also been another trend which has become more apparent this year. Brands which are wishing to ‘do’ LGBTI work are increasingly doing so in a tokenistic way.
Rather than working with us to engage and serve LGBTI people year round, many have chosen to ‘rainbow wash’. They have turned their logo rainbow coloured for Pride week or month and – at best – made a small donation to an LGBTI good cause. Worst still, we have learned that some brands have done this while at the same time funding anti-LGBTI politicians to the tune of millions of dollars. Tokenism has reached a new low.
Of course, most brands and businesses don’t even bother to rainbow wash. They ignore LGBTI customers and colleagues entirely. Anyone who has ever tried to encourage organisations to engage with our community will know they get more rejections than expressions of interest. Very often, one or two individuals in a company are keen but others block activity because it is ‘not a priority’ or even because they don’t want to be a ‘gay’ brand. (The nuances of our LGBTI+ rainbow family obviously escape them.)
That’s why we have consistently said other LGBTI media and organisations are not truly our competitors. They are our friends. Our only enemy has always been tokenism and apathy. In fact, there are very few who serve our global LGBTI community. And if companies and sponsors took us even half as seriously as we deserve as LGBTI people, there would be far more of us and we would be hugely successful.
So we would like to thank our ‘competitors’ for keeping us honest and making us innovate. Your work is vital. And with us gone, please support those who are left – or eventually there will be none left.
To avoid any doubt, our problem has been entirely financial. By all the statistics, Gay Star News is now more widely read, watched and loved by the international LGBTI audience than ever. It is a sad paradox that our popularity has not transferred into our survival. We are convinced we are closing at a time when more people want and need what we offer than ever before.
Thank you
We felt you deserved those answers. But the real point of this letter is to thank you.
Firstly, to thank our shareholders and business loan providers. None of us have ever made a profit from Gay Star News, despite our best efforts. In fact, our first and biggest supporters have all lost massively with our closure, including us personally. As time has gone on, it’s become clear the real reason people were continuing is that they loved what we do and wanted it to succeed. We all believed it would – but time and money have turned against us.
Secondly, we want to thank our clients. For all we have said about business apathy, there are some noble exceptions. Chief among these are our clients and sponsors. Like our shareholders, they took a risk on us. Like our shareholders, they will lose out due to our closure. We have always encouraged them to do authentic, long-term campaigns to really serve our community. They have responded, often magnificently, despite the tokenism of others.
Thirdly, thank you to our partners and colleagues in other LGBTI organisations and beyond. It has been a privilege to share your passion and commitment. We are beyond sorry we will no longer be there to work alongside you and support you – after all, your work is hard enough as it is.
The most heartbreaking moment, of course, was telling our team about our situation. They are exceptional, dedicated, talented. They are our family. We have tried our best to be the team leaders they deserve and are truly sorry that ultimately it wasn’t enough. We can’t imagine ever being lucky enough to work alongside such an amazing group of people again. If you have the opportunity to work with any one of them, now or in the future, please seize it.
And we need to thank you. Without our supporters and audience, there would, of course, been no Gay Star News. It has been an honour to serve you. Your comments, frequently witty and heartwarming, have brightened our days. At other times, when haters have made ignorant or stupid remarks on our social media, you have shut them down for us and stood up for others in our community. Your recommendations have made us grow. Your, often valid, criticisms have forced us to improve.
We have worked hard to empower, engage, unite, inform, inspire and entertain. We have solidly believed in the power of journalism. We have always believed in our community.
Our amazing team have pushed clients to do challenging, positive work. And they have emphasised exclusivity and telling the stories others don’t bother with. We have tried to represent all the diversity of our global LGBTI family and have monitored ourselves to ensure we never forget how important this is. For all the times we’ve fallen short, we are truly sorry. For all the times we have succeeded, we are grateful to you all.
For the two of us as company founders, and indeed for our whole team, Gay Star News has never been about our egos or even what it can do for us. We have wanted to tell your stories and make the world a brighter, better place for LGBTI+ people. We know we’ve helped people, even saved lives. We have been honoured every day to have your trust. We hope all that has shone through.
As we said, the news broke before we could tell it. But since then we have been overwhelmed by an outpouring of positivity and love for Gay Star News and the people who have created it. People who have every reason to be angry or disappointed have responded with love and compassion. There have been a lot of hugs and a lot of tears. Thank you all, so, so much for how you have responded.
To the two of us, this response shows two things, which we hope will be our legacy. That Gay Star News was, in all meaningful senses, owned by the community it serves. And that community really did understand how incredible our colleagues were and how much passion they invested in everything we did. Despite what has happened, we are proud of that.
Gay Star News and Digital Pride have never just happened. They have been willed into being by incredible people. Until the very end we had good reason to believe we would survive. We have fought through and won through so many times. We were incredibly close. But this one has broken us, and truly broken our hearts.
With love and thanks,
Tris Reid-Smith and Scott Nunn Founders, Gay Star News
The Macmillan Coastal Garden Trail, took place over the weekend of July 27-28.
TWENTY one gardens across the city opened to the public over last weekend (July 27-28), with eleven brand-new to this year’s trail. Organiser Geoff Stonebanks says on several levels it was the best ever trail he has produced over the last eight years for MacMillan Cancer Support.
Two of the favourite gardens based on feedback to Geoff were the walled garden in Bishopstone and a new garden in Wivelsfield Road, Saltdean.
Geoff said:“Despite the poor weather on the Saturday, which saw TV gardener, Christine Walkden and Macmillan’s Head of Volunteer Development, Ruth Leonard deliver their speeches in the rain, while the assembled forty present stood in my garage, we raised well over £9000 for the charity.”
Ruth added:“Every day, twenty eight people in Sussex hear the devastating news that they have cancer, with more than 10,000 people diagnosed every year it is expected that the amount of people living with and beyond cancer in Sussex will be 95,000 by 2030.
“Fundraised income makes up 98% of Macmillan’s income – which means the dedication and generosity of our supporters like Geoff is absolutely essential to changing the lives of people living with cancer. Geoff has singlehandedly raised nearly £80,000 for the Horizon Centre through his Driftwood Fundraising Group Committee; including £54,000 from this amazing Macmillan Coastal Garden trail alone.
“We hope to continue to inspire people like Geoff and others to donate, volunteer and campaign so we can be right there for years to come.”
Christine Walkden loved the day and spent seven hours with Geoff at Driftwood before visiting three of the other gardens too.
She said:“What is really obvious from all the gardens that opened is the very hard work and effort that everyone puts in to make the day a success. It’s not just this effort but the emotional journey that takes place for everyone involved. From despair to success when a visitor turns up. The gardens, all in their own way were special and really worth seeing. What an amazing effort from all involved. I admire the determination, flair and love that is shown in each garden.”
Geoff has already had three more brand-new gardens put their names forward for the 2020 event, which will be held on the weekend of July 25-26.
To read more details about the 2019 event, click here:
Room For Love a new exhibition of Pride posters from artists and illustrators who are part of the They Made This collective, launch at their new pop-up print shop on Brighton’s Dukes Lane to kick off Pride celebrations on Saturday, August 3.
THE exhibition will feature twenty Pride designs from 20 artists, featuring names such as Morag Myerscough, Camille Walala and Supermundane. Each design has been created specifically for this exhibition, and will be available to buy to raise money for the akt (Albert Kennedy Trust) – a national LGBT+ youth homelessness charity, providing safe homes and better futures for LGBT+ young people.
Throughout the launch on Saturday, August 3, They Made This will transform the Dukes Lane community into a chill-out family friendly space for Pride, with fundraising activities to raise money for akt.
Creator of They Made This, Aine Donovan, will be on hand running screen printing and craft activities. Makeup touch-ups will be available from the team at Bare Minerals, and Aveda will be on hand with the glitter.
There will be a chance to win a pair of Dr Martens, which will be hand-customised by artist Ben Chisnall with a portrait of any Pride hero of your choice. For the adults, Holly’s Kitchen have created a rainbow Pride themed cocktail to enjoy out in the courtyard, where a DJ will be providing a camp disco soundtrack for the day.
The day will be geared around celebrating Pride in Brighton, and to raise money for the akt.
The They Made This store will be open until September, but the artists have left their mark on Dukes Lane, with a permanent colourful Pride mural emblazoning the phrase We’re all Brighton lovers – designed and painted by artist couple, Rude.
Model, activist and social campaigner Munroe Bergdorf tells how a University of Brighton lecturer saved her life.
Munroe Bergdorf: Photo by Simon Dack
MUNROE, who regularly appears on TV to comment on race, diversity, gender and LGBT+ issues, was battling severe depression, an eating disorder and had “so much sadness, anger and confusion inside of me” until she received an email from Dr Jessica Moriarty, Principal Lecturer in the University’s School of Humanities.
Munroe, who was studying English Language and Media at the time, was speaking after being made an Honorary Doctor of Letters at the University’s graduation ceremonies at the Brighton Centre today (July 30).
The email asked why she hadn’t been attending lectures and, she said:“it most probably saved my life – I hadn’t been attending lectures because I was extremely ill. I wasn’t eating, I wasn’t sleeping.
“I stepped into Jess’s office and I could see her face drop. I was painfully thin. I can’t even begin to describe how lost I was at that point. How desperate I was to put into words what was going on inside me to help it make sense.
“From that point on, Jess helped me to start helping myself. She encouraged me to own the hurt I was feeling and put it into my work.
“She helped me to develop the skills that I now use every day within my activism, my writing and beyond. She helped me to communicate how I have felt, how I feel and allowed me to connect with how others may be feeling.
“If it wasn’t for those meetings in Jess’s office. If it wasn’t for the kindness, understanding and patience that she showed me when I needed it. I probably wouldn’t be here today.
“So I would like to dedicate this doctorate to Jess, for being the most incredible role model I could ever wished for (she’s probably crying now and I’m definitely going to cry soon) and giving me your time and understanding in some seriously dark times.”
Munroe, who received her award for her major contributions to transgender issues, was assigned as male when born but, was never comfortable with her gender and described her adolescence as challenging. She came to the University and after graduating in 2008 pursued a career in fashion and modelling, using this as a platform to speak out on a range of issues.
Munroe has spoken at Oxford, Cambridge and Princeton universities and writes for publications including the Evening Standard and The Guardian. She was named Cosmopolitan’s Changemaker of the Year in 2018.
Photo by Simon Dack
She told graduates:“As you go out into the world be ambitious, yes, but also be kind, be understanding, be patient. Because every single one of us are going through or will go through something where we need someone to believe in us when we don’t believe in ourselves.
“Be that person to help someone else fly when their wings feel heavy.”
The powerful image of two men lying together and the message that people living with HIV and on effective treatment can’t pass it on has been popping up on billboards and phone boxes up and down the country to tackle the stigma surrounding HIV.
HOWEVER, the campaign by charity Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) has been targeted by unknown vandals who are whiting out the image in what is thought to be homophobia-related vandalism.
That’s why THT has taken to social media to ask supporters to off set the damage of this important message being covered up and Twitter users have been calling out the vandalism.
The poster campaign comes off the back of a nationwide survey commissioned by the charity which revealed that knowledge of HIV remains stuck in the 1980s. It found that just under one in five (19%) Brits are aware that people on effective HIV treatment can’t pass it on – which is the focus of the vandalised posters.
The charity’s YouGov survey also revealed almost half (48%) of Brits would feel uncomfortable kissing someone living with HIV – even though there is zero risk of transmission through kissing or other day-to-day contact.
The campaign features real people living with HIV and on effective treatment: Sadiq Ali (far left) and Charity Nyirenda (far right).
For the past 20 years, evidence has been building to show that the likelihood of passing on HIV is linked to the amount of virus in the blood, also known as viral load. Treatment is deemed effective when it reduces this to undetectable levels. This can take up to six months from starting treatment.
The landmark PARTNER and PARTNER 2 studies provide the medical evidence that people with an undetectable viral load definitively cannot pass on HIV.
Can’t Pass It On has been the focus of Terrence Higgins Trust’s messaging during Pride season, including at Pride in London and Black Pride earlier this month.
Ian Green
Ian Green, Chief Executive at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “This vandalism is so sad to see. Whether our posters have been targeted because it features two men in an affectionate embrace or because it’s about HIV, we will not be silenced. In fact it makes us even more determined to get the message out there that people on effective HIV treatment can’t pass it on.
“Despite this medical progress, public attitudes towards HIV are firmly stuck in the past. That’s exactly why it’s so important to remove the fear and misinformation about HIV by celebrating the fact that thanks to effective treatment people like Sadiq who is featured in our poster, are living normal and healthy lives and cannot pass the virus on.
“We have been heartened to see supporters offsetting the damage caused to the posters by sharing information about our Can’t Pass It On campaign. If everyone knew the facts on HIV we could not only end HIV stigma, we could end new HIV transmissions.”
Councillor Alexandra Phillips, will be the guest speaker at The Village MCC Pride Service, on Sunday, August 4.
COUNCILLOR Phillips, the present Mayor of Brighton and Hove, is a member of the Green Party, and was elected as the MEP for the South East England constituency at the European Parliament elections of May 2019, as the lead candidate on the Green party list.
The Village MCC Brighton and Hove is a church that was created by LGBT+ Christians, their families, friends, and allies. It’s an MCC (Metropolitan Community Church) called to support the LGBT+ communities in whatever ways it can.
The Village MCC Brighton and Hove offers a safe space where anyone can feel at home, fully affirmed in their sexuality and gender identity.
Church members are active in the larger community, offering emergency aid and support to the homeless and vulnerably housed. Their minister, Rev. Michael, offers spiritual direction and pastoral care.
They worship together every Sunday evening at Somerset House Day Centre, 62 St James’s St, Kemptown, Brighton from 6pm – 7.30pm.
Event: Mayor of Brighton and Hove speaks at The Village MCC, Pride Service
Where: Somerset Day Centre, 62 St James’s Street, Kemptown, Brighton
I was exhausted, in constant pain and waiting for neck surgery – until I tried ‘Intervertebral Disc Decompression’…. says Gail Redpath.
FACING a major operation on her neck and frightened of the potential consequences, Gail Redpath was desperate to find an alternative to relieve her debilitating pain.
The 46-year-old payroll officer was suffering pins and needles and numbness in her arms which was making her working life unbearable. Added to that, severe pain in her neck and head was leaving her exhausted after disturbed sleep and restricting her from carrying out everyday chores such as shopping and gardening.
Over a period of two years she underwent physiotherapy, acupuncture and sports massage but nothing worked.
An MRI scan showed Gail had two bulging discs in her neck which were responsible for the pain she was suffering. At this stage she was booked in to see a neurosurgeon.
From there things started moving quickly. Gail was told that she needed surgery. The operation would involve making a small incision at the front of her throat from where the surgeon would then move behind her vocal chords to get to the discs. The operation was to be carried out within weeks but Gail was anxious from the start.
“My husband, Michael was away at the time and I remember feeling very apprehensive,” she says.
“I wasn’t comfortable with what I was reading about the operation when I researched it. The surgeon had said I wouldn’t be able to do much for a couple of weeks after the operation, but when I looked into it, that was more like six weeks and even then, it might take a whole year to fully recover.
“Obviously people are warned about the worst-case scenario if the operation doesn’t go according to plan and whilst small, the risks in this case were death, brain damage or paralysis. I was pretty terrified at the thought of having to go through such an operation and very worried about the outcome. I didn’t feel I wanted to take those risks,” says Gail.
However, she knew she had to find a solution as her day-to-day life was becoming unbearable. Lack of sleep was taking its toll, and the exercise routines such as Zumba and the gym that had previously helped her to relax, had to be abandoned as she was in too much pain to continue.
Gail says:“I didn’t know what to do, but I knew I had to do something and being the sort of person I am, I kept searching for a solution.”
During her search, she discovered the Edinburgh-based clinic, Move Freely Sports + Spine. Move Freely was just about to introduce a ground-breaking treatment from the USA and she became one of the first people there to try it out.
IDD Therapy (Intervertebral Differential Dynamics) is a non-surgical spinal decompression treatment which treats targeted segments of the spine in the lower back or neck. Using computer-controlled pulling forces, IDD Therapy gently stretches and opens the joint where a disc may be compressed or bulging. This helps to take pressure off the disc which may be pressing on to nerves and at the same time very gently stretches the muscles to help free movement in the joint.
“My treatment involved holding my head in a cushioned neck harness which is set at an angle to gently stretch my neck.” says Gail.
“As soon as I started the first session, I knew it was exactly what I needed. By around the fourth or fifth session I started to feel a difference. Three months after finishing the treatment, I felt I was back to normal and have not had a reason to go back to the clinic,” she says. “The pain I had been suffering was taking over my life. I wanted to fix it.”
Gail is now back at the gym, doing yoga and swimming as she says she is acutely aware of having to keep mobile as she gets older and she follows the exercises prescribed for her by the clinic.
“I don’t know if I will have to go back for more treatment but so far, so good, I haven’t had any problems. Apart from feeling so much better, I am pleased that I was able to avoid the surgery. The staff at the clinic really looked after me. For me IDD was the answer I was looking for and I can honestly say it has been the best thing I could have done.”
Daniel Cassells, clinic director at Move Freely Sports and Spinal said he first became aware of the IDD Therapy around five years ago.
He said: “I knew that there were quite a lot of clinics in England and a few in Scotland so I was following its progress. When we took on more space at our clinic in April 2018, I didn’t hesitate to bring in the IDD Therapy. Since then we’ve had some great successes with it.
“We don’t solely use IDD Therapy when we treat patients. We have physiotherapy and sports therapy at the clinic and we look to create an overall plan involving exercise. Most patients who have IDD have already tried physio or other forms of manual treatment.
“The IDD machine gives us a tool which has some of its origins in traction. But the way we can now treat targeted spinal segments in such a controlled manner is a game changer. Not all patients will respond and a few may still need to go down the surgery route. We treat back pain and sciatica with IDD, but it also treats necks and in Gail’s case we are delighted for her.”
ABOUT IDD THERAPY IN THE UK Intervertebral Disc Decompression or IDD Therapy is the fastest growing non-surgical spinal treatment for intervertebral discs with over 1,000 clinics worldwide and 35 clinics across the UK. Safe, gentle and non-invasive, IDD Therapy helps patients who need something more for their pain when manual therapy alone is insufficient to achieve lasting pain relief.
Queens Park Councillor says restoration of Terraces will ‘showcase what is possible’ and boost local area.
GREENS secure council backing for a plan to restore three of the Madeira Terrace arches using sustainable building materials.
Clare Rainey the Green Councillor for Queens Park ward, had raised concerns that the keenly-awaited restoration of the Terraces could be further delayed if councillors did not use money available now to repair some arches.
A crowdfunding campaign for the restoration of Madeira Terraces in 2017 raised nearly £500,000 in donations from the public. However, despite funding being available to spend, Cllr Rainey raised concerns that residents had yet to see any restoration work begin.
Councillors had been asked to use the public donations to pay for design plans to be drawn up for 30 arches, despite no funding being available to complete a full-scale repair. Pointing to the insufficient budget to restore 30 arches, Cllr Rainey had called on councillors to instead consider repairing three arches as a way of “showcasing what is possible.”
Cllr Rainey said that long delays to the restoration of the arches had left many residents concerned the area was being “neglected” by the council.
Calling on the council to “showcase the potential of the arches” in order to attract further investment, Greens secured a commitment that the council would seek to restore three arches, and to consider the arches nearest the venue Concorde 2, using sustainable, eco-friendly building materials.
Cllr Clare Rainey
Cllr Rainey said:“Madeira Terraces are hugely historically significant and like Brighton Pavilion, the Palace Pier, the North Laine and the Lanes help to give Brighton and Hove its iconic status as a tourist destination.
“While out canvassing, and from attending numerous community meetings in Queens Park ward, I have consistently heard from residents that there is a feeling that the area has been allowed to fall into decline. Restoring at least some of the arches sooner rather than later will demonstrate that the area is being prioritised for improvement and investment. The three arches can be restored with a view to restoring all 30 when funds are available.
“The three restored arches will showcase what is possible, potentially increasing interest and investment from business in the overall restoration project. Madeira Terraces can showcase not only restoration work fit for current purpose, but also best practice of how innovative renewable technology, which will protect all of our futures, can be used in design, engineering and construction.”
BEN Hunte the BBC’s LGBT+ correspondent broke the news on Twitter on Monday, July 29 reporting that the company’s twenty staff had been told 48 hours before pay day via meetings of the impending closure and voluntary liquidation.
THE exhibition will feature twenty Pride designs from 20 artists, featuring names such as Morag Myerscough, Camille Walala and Supermundane. Each design has been created specifically for this exhibition, and will be available to buy to raise money for the akt (Albert Kennedy Trust) – a national LGBT+ youth homelessness charity, providing safe homes and better futures for LGBT+ young people.
IDD Therapy (Intervertebral Differential Dynamics) is a non-surgical spinal decompression treatment which treats targeted segments of the spine in the lower back or neck. Using computer-controlled pulling forces, IDD Therapy gently stretches and opens the joint where a disc may be compressed or bulging. This helps to take pressure off the disc which may be pressing on to nerves and at the same time very gently stretches the muscles to help free movement in the joint.
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