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Maria Jastrzebska

Whoosh!, an anthology of queer writing from the South East, will launch tonight (Tuesday 29 July) as part of Pride festival. Queer Writing South, which spearheaded the project, will hold a party at the Sanctuary Café, Brunswick Street East, Brighton from 7:30pm.

There will be readings from contributors, poetry from Jay Bernard and music from singer songwriter Al Start and DJ Bec Chalkley.

Whoosh! is the result of a year-long project funded by Awards for All and supported by Brighton and Hove Pride and literature development agency The South. Queer Writing South, led by poets Maria Jastrzebska and John McCullough, ran ten weeks of workshops at Brighton Writers’ Centre on Grand Parade. The resulting anthology, published by Pighog Press in association with Queer Writing South and The South, is a fresh, innovative and varied mix of new poetry and prose.

Shaun Levin, editor of Chroma Magazine in London, described the anthology as: “A collection of new and bold queer voices from Brighton. Queer Writing South is a community that will keep growing.” Admission to tonight’s event is free of charge.

For more information contact Nathan or Bec on queerwritingsouth@gmail.com

Pride and the Brighton & Hove Federation of Disabled People are working together to improve accessibility to this year’s parade and park event on Saturday 2 August.

These include a pre-booked park-and-ride service, accessible toilets and a viewing platform to watch the parade.

These options will need to be booked through the Federation of Disabled People at www.bhfederation.org.uk

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Brighton and Hove City Council has been urged to make a commitment to stamp out homophobia in schools. The Green Group has called for the council to sign up to Stonewall’s Education Champions Programme.

Cllr Bill Randall, Green council spokesman on LGBT issues, presented a petition at a council cabinet meeting last week. He decided to put together the petition after Latest Gay told him about the national campaign. Cllr Randall said: “Green Party councillors wholeheartedly support this important initiative. Children who learn in schools that homophobic bullying is unacceptable and can destroy lives will carry that message into their adult life in the work place and the wider community.

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A youth project has appealed for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and unsure volunteers aged 16 to 25 to help their peers get into voluntary work. Young People’s Voice, the young branch of local charity Allsorts, is setting up a group to oversee voluntary projects in Brighton and Hove. It will meet about once a month for one or two hours to develop volunteering opportunities, events and promotion.

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