The BMWs cycle the undercliff to Ovingdean

The BMWs -- The Brighton Multicultural Women's Cycling Club  formed in 2021 as a Covid safe activity for TDC's MESH project, in partnership with Brighton Bike Hub. Recently they went on a group ride to celebrate The Great Big Green Week, the UK’s biggest ever celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature.

TDC's Cicely Lloyd reports:

On Thursday 29th September, with an invitation from the Ovingdean Community for tea, cheese scones and cake in the church, we met at 11am in Brighton Marina.
We cycled along the undercliff to Rottingdean, then on top of the cliff and inland to Saint Wulfran’s Church, which is 900 years old, in Ovingdean.

We were 13 women from Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Japan, Ukraine and the UK. For some of us, it was our first cycle on roads and our first time on the undercliff.

The sun shone, friendships strengthened, bicycles flew and spirits lifted.

For more information about the Brighton Multicultural Women’s Cycle Club, please contact Poppy on 07926 111 823

Brighton Streets Project Nominated for Prestigious National Award

 

We are delighted to announce that Brighton Streets has been shortlisted for another award.  The already award-winning Brighton Streets detached youth work project is now shortlisted for a Howard League Community Award!

The prestigious awards are presented annually by the Howard League for Penal Reform to people and organisations whose innovative work helps to make communities safer.

The winners will be announced on the 22nd November 2022.

Supporting LGBT Young People at Brighton Pride

In 2022 Brighton Pride returned to the city, celebrating its 30th anniversary after two years of Covid cancellations. The huge event took place on a blazing-hot August day with the theme of Love, Protest and Unity. 300,000 LGBT people and allies from the city and all around the world packed the streets for the iconic parade and events. 

As ever TDC's Youth Team were present with a Youth Welfare station just outside Preston Park. The shady spot offered young people at Pride space to chill-out, charge phones and rest with their friends and was used by hundreds of young people out celebrating.

We also gave out essential supplies for a day out in the hot weather including free food, water, sunscreen, hand sanitiser and menstrual products. 16 of TDC's trained youth workers were also on hand, offering extra support if needed, helping to make the event more accessible and welcoming for LGBT young people experiencing this much-missed Brighton celebration. 

 

"A massive thank you. Can you be my new mum? This is so lovely. You're literally a lifesaver."

Young person

"You guys are incredible!"

Young person

Two new groups of students kick off a new term on our Finding Your Way course

Our course Finding Your Way  — which has helped scores of women and other marginalised groups into employment, volunteering and training — is kicking off again this autumn with two classes running from September to November. 

The courses are running in Brighton near Preston Park and in Hove. The course in Hove has free childcare available. We are delighted to be able to offer childcare to help more people access our courses.

Students also have their travel costs covered, get lunch and receive a £50 bursary to cover further costs. 

Topics Covered Include

  • Identifying your strengths and how to use them.
  • How to plan and set goals for your pathway into work.
  • Motivation and you, how to keep going.
  • Volunteering and how it can help you.
  • Online job applications and basic CV overview
  • Interviewing skills and techniques. 
  • Exploring your next steps including opportunities to progress onto accredited courses. 

"I really enjoyed the course and it gave me the confidence to think about volunteering and starting my own business."

"Thank you Emma. I find my inspiration and confidence."

We featured some of the brilliant graduates from last summer's course in this post. 

To find out more about Finding Your Way contact Emma Reeves on 07411 251969
or email [email protected]

Our Peer Educators Reach Thousands of People Across the City with Vaccine Confidence Message

In the early summer of 2021 Brighton and Hove City Council identified a need for the mobile vaccination unit sessions across the city to be more welcoming for people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities including visitors, migrants, and refugees.

Peer education is a tried and tested approach to health promotion where community members encourage healthy behaviour amongst their peers. TDC Peer Educators would be people representative of those communities, who could both welcome others attending for the vaccine and provide insight the mobile vaccine units could use to improve their accessibility. 

TDC recruited a total of eight peer educators, a diverse mix of newly arrived refugees and long-term Brighton and Hove residents. Between them they speak a wide variety of languages, including Arabic, Farsi, Turkish, Hindi, Bengali and Kurdish. TDC's Peer Educators increased vaccine uptake at approximately three mobile vaccination sites per week. 

The program reached a total of 2,935 people through our community outreach programme including 856 through closed social media groups (e.g. WhatsApp), 1,880 through flyers given out and 197 through conversations in community groups and out in the wider community

We also distributed 78 posters in locations frequented by people from ethnically diverse communities, including mosques, churches, shops and cafes.

Our peer educators project ran for one year in total, supporting the wide roll out of the Covid vaccine as it became available. 

"I always tried to do a friendly and comfortable site for our clients that helps everyone who is stressed about getting a vaccine feel relaxed and at ease. We had many clients from different countries with different cultures and languages and this was a challenge. Since I speak fluently Arabic and Farsi and English, my language skills have been useful for people."

TDC Peer Educator

"Mo is always updating his knowledge by asking me if there are any further vaccination changes. When performing translation services Mo is sensitive in his nature to the patients and would only ask appropriate questions.  He is able to recognise when the public needs more information than he is able to give, where he should then refer to myself or another senior member of staff. " 

Andrew, Nurse Vaccinator

Goodbye to our Community Development Worker Mark Drayton

West Hove newsletters Community Development

Last week we said goodbye to our long standing Community Development Worker Mark Drayton, most recently part of the central Brighton team.

Mark said of his time with TDC:

"After many years being involved with TDC as a trustee and a worker, I am leaving the organisation in September.

It is hard to say goodbye but I know the important work TDC do with communities across the city will continue. I have worked in various roles in the city supporting the work done by an army of volunteers. These residents offer a range of services from Food Banks -- like The Purple People Kitchen and the Phoenix Food Shop -- to community events and fun days for local people; while neighbourhood forums, like Portslade Community Forum and the Hanover and Elm Grove Forum, offer the chance to get involved and make a positive difference to neighbourhoods.

I am in awe of the work done by so many in Brighton, Hove and Portslade and it is this I will miss most along with my colleagues at TDC of course!"

Everyone at TDC is sad to see Mark leaving us. We will miss him and TDC won't be the same without him. We are so grateful for all the amazing work he has done as part of our Neighbourhoods Team and wish him all the best for the future.

Right: Mark working on the West Hove newsletter. 

West Hove newsletters Community Development

Kirsty Walker, Director of Neighbourhoods said:

"Mark will be really missed by those he has supported. His commitment to things being genuinely led by the community has fostered some fantastic community leadership that we will continue to benefit from across the city."

Young men from Brighton talk about their lives in new audio documentary ‘Young Ends’

Young Ends youth project promo image
Young Ends youth project promo image

Young Ends is a powerful piece of audio that amplifies the voices of young men from Brighton, in a project created by TDC’s Youth Team and Next Gen Radio Station Platform B.

The young men featured in the project, who all attend youth sessions at the 67 Centre in Moulsecoomb, chatted with TDC’s Senior Youth Worker SeanO Older in intimate, anonymous conversations where they expressed what it is really like growing up in the area and life for young men today.  Subjects up for discussion in these chats included risk, manhood, the challenges the young men face and the support they need. The experiences and opinions they shared are frank, raw and honest, but their personalities, humour and bravery always shine through.

To create the Young Ends soundscape, Platform B producer Ed ApIvor and sound artists Michael Melville and Alfie Newman blended the young men’s words with music from local producer and rapper Madaliso to create an evocative audio piece framing the stories of the participants.

TDC are delighted to be able to present the finished piece of work here, a creative and moving insight into the lives and thoughts of these incredible young men.

This project was financially supported by Brighton & Hove City Council and the Brighton & Hove Violence Reduction Partnership.  The views and opinions captured are those of the young men and not necessarily of TDC, Platform B or our funders.

Celebrating the Community in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean.

Saturday, 30th July was a busy day in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean neighbourhoods.

It started with a community breakfast at the Bevy Community Pub where Moulsecoomb Local Action Team (MLAT) invited residents to a get together to plan the future of the forum and gather ideas and priorities for Moulsecoomb & Bates Estate. A new committee was formed that morning, following the sad deaths of two vital committee members, Terrence Hill and Barry Burtenshaw.

Over the past two years MLAT has continued to be committed to the local community, helping their voices get heard and supporting grassroots activities and projects. If you want to join in, contact MLAT here: [email protected] or follow on Facebook

St George’s Hall in North Moulsecoomb held a Jumble Sale that weekend and is hoping to provide more events on a regular basis. The sale will help make affordable second-hand clothing, household and leisure items available in the community, as well as offering a place to meet people for a cuppa and a chat. Future sessions also involve more signposting and advice on money saving services and further support. The next event is on Saturday, 27th August!

You can get in touch with St George’s Hall here: [email protected]

 

Action for Bevendean Community (ABC) brought people together for a summer event at Holy Nativity Church and Hall for food and fun activities. The event was visited by more than 100 people from the local community making connections, learning about local groups (ABC, Bevendean Foodbank) and city-wide services (Brighton & Hove Libraries and Cycle Team, Sussex Police), sharing ideas to strengthen their community as well as enjoying the entertainment provided by magician David Croucher, face painter Kerry from Reds Remarkable Facepainting and musicians from Skylark music group!

It's really wonderful to see so much happening in our communities this summer. 

“I have lived and worked in the area for so long, but have met so many new people at this event and seen so many new families here.”

Bevendean Fun Day attendee

Beautiful Henna Designs for Our Young Women’s Groups

Recently our Young Women's Groups in North and East Brighton were visited by Henna artist Huda of Henna by Huda, who created some beautiful intricate designs for them.

Huda first encountered TDC through our Multicultural Employability Support Hub: MESH. She previously shared her skills at TDC with with Learn Around the World, creating henna designs for our English language learners, and now our Young Women's Groups have had the chance to experience the fun too. 

Huda has been a henna artist since she was 16, specialising in creating these distinctive semi-permanent tattoos, which last for a couple of weeks. 

Evie Beardmore who runs one of the Young Women's Groups said:

It was brilliant having Huda at our young women’s session. It was a great atmosphere; Huda and the girls spoke about henna and the years of practice Huda has had. Huda shared that she moved to the UK from Sudan four years ago and we had the pleasure of meeting her two children. Huda is incredibly talented and the girls were so pleased with their designs. It was great to bring new people together and connect.

TDC has loved working with Huda bringing her skills to our different projects and helping different groups in the city to connect over this brilliant activity. 

Our 50+ Group Visit an Extraordinary Painted Church in Goring-by-Sea

Tucked away on an unassuming residential street in Goring is the Catholic Church of English Martyrs.  A 1970s building that from the outside looks quite ordinary. Inside the church, however, is an incredible 2/3 replica of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, thought to be the only such replica in the world.

TDC's 50+ group visited the church last week to see the amazing spectacle for themselves. 

After a fascinating morning exploring the church, the group rounded off the trip with  lunch in a local cafe.

TDC's 50+ outings are running through the summer, providing essential connections for isolated and other vulnerable older people. Our trips mean people can access free, fun social activities and make connections in the community. 

To find out more about our work with older people visit our Ageing Well page. 

Sharing Inspiration, Information and Ice Cream at Whitehawk Community Day

On Thursday last week we held a community day at Whitehawk Community Hub. TDC staff joined Hawks Cafe, Brighton and Hove City Council's Healthy Lifestyles Team, Little Green Pig, Our Place, Brightstore and more to hold consultations, chat to local residents and enjoy a selection of free refreshments including an ice cream van dishing out free ice creams. 

Consultations topics were focussed around different hubs: Health and Wellbeing for All, Children Young People and Families, Learning and Employment for All, Diverse and Inclusive Community Spaces, Safety and Housing For All and Diverse and Inclusive Celebrations and Activities.

The day was well attended and plenty of new ideas were gathered from local people to feedback to service providers in the local area.

A highlight of the event was a photography competition for local peoples' images inspired by where they live. The entries were brilliant.

Huge congratulations to under 18s competition winner Tassia (picture on left) and adults competition winner Della (picture above).

Thanks to everyone who came along and supported the event.

Learn Around the World Celebrates with the Mayor of Brighton and Hove

Learn Around the world is a multicultural drop in that has been running on Mondays at Community Base since March. The event offers a chance for people to practise English conversation while they connect with their community and there's also IT support, social prescribing and employability support on offer. 

This week the drop-in wrapped up for the Summer with a visit from The Mayor of Brighton and Hove who presented the attendees with certificates and a celebratory lunch with food, appropriately, from Around the World.

The project will be back in September. Watch this space. 

“This was very helpful, now I am booked on an ESOL course”

“Finding out new things and meet nice people” 

“For me, it’s chance for talking get better at English”  

"Everyone nice and friendly so I came again."

“Great idea to promote people’s skills. I will like to see more of this support, so a way for small business/individuals that may want to have business, in the community to be known” 

“Mel was lovely and now she’s connecting with me with Befriending so I am going to support elderly people” 

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