Latest People

Pedal in Preston Park; Young Start Up Talent; Jamie McCartney’s ‘The Sum Of Our Parts’ exhibition

Cycle the UK Coastline – Without Leaving Brighton!
If you’re a cyclist you can join hundreds at the UK’s oldest velodrome in Brighton’s Preston Park on Saturday 25 October, and help cycle the equivalent of the UK mainland coastline (roughly 30,000 laps) whilst raising money for two vital charities. Everyone from serious cyclists to families just wanting to get out on their bikes are welcome. There will also be cakes, refreshments and live music to keep spectators entertained.

Pedal in Preston Park was created by the family and friends of Rachel Evans-Milne who died in 2009 from Motor Neurone Disease, aged 44. They wanted to do something positive in her memory.

Alistair Milne, Rachel’s husband, explained: “Our first Pedal was in October 2010. 200 people took part and it was an amazing experience that raised £18,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. It’s a fantastic event, and lots of non-cyclists attend. It’s fun, social, and not competitive in any way. The idea is that you register online, ask friends and family to sponsor you, then cycle as many laps of Preston Park velodrome as you can. Each year we set a distance challenge. This year it’s to collectively cycle the distance of the UK mainland coastline. I know it’s ambitious, but if enough cyclists sign up I think we can do it.”

Pedal in Preston Park takes place on Saturday 25 October from 9am–5pm. Club cyclists ride between 9–12pm and then the track is open to all riders. Entry is £10 for adults, and under 16s go free. Everyone’s welcome and the minimum age is six years.

To enter, visit www.pedalinprestonpark.co.uk or turn up on the day.

Jamie McCartney’s ‘The sum of our parts’
Brighton-based artist Jamie McCartney, the man behind the infamous ‘Great Wall of Vagina’, launched the latest exhibition of his experimental photographic work, ‘The Sum Of Our Parts’, at this year’s Brighton Photo Fringe.

Created using an adapted document scanner as his ‘camera’, Jamie jokingly described these artworks as the executive version of sitting on the office photocopier at the Christmas party, but with an artist taking charge. Jamie took many separate shots and then collaged them to recreate the whole body or composite images of many body parts. They are largely nude portraits, engaging deliberately with the inescapable topics of sex and death, “avoiding any image manipulation or airbrushing so that they portray the beauty of natural bodies,” explained Jamie.

Jamie gave a brief introduction to the work to guests, followed by drinks and lively discussion.

To find out more about Jamie’s work, visit: www.jamiemccartney.com

£50k prize fund from Young Start-up Talent
Young Start-up Talent’s search for Brighton and Hove’s entrepreneurial 16-25 year olds from local universities, colleges and schools is well under way. This week, Young Start-up Talent worked with City College students to inspire, encourage and instil a ‘can do’ attitude towards business. The workshop was a chance for students to gain an insight into the world of business, discuss their ideas and pitch them to their peers. The workshop was taken by Lorraine Nugent, a Founding Partner of the initiative who was recently announced as Influential Woman of the Year at the Natwest Venus awards.

Those students were excited to see the initiative back in the area for a third year, with the opportunity for their idea to gain the £50,000 prize fund to help take their business proposal to the next level.

Earlier this year, Natalie Evans of 42Juice was the winner, and has made leaps and bounds since she entered the process. Natalie has now opened her first shop in the heart of Brighton with orders increasing every week.

Latest TV were also in attendance as part of a six part ‘fly on the wall’-type documentary which is following the Young Start-up Talent process, and will be following every step of the process from now on.

The closing date for initial entries is Friday 31 October. For further information about Young Start-up Talent or to find out how to enter, visit: www.youngstartuptalent.co.uk