The Brighton Connectiv: October 2024

A celebration of dynamic 'doing' by and for people who live, work, love, build and collaborate in Brighton & Hove. Use this news to reach out and build a connected web.

Richard Freeman

Sarah Ticho

Charlie Symonds

, and 3 others

Oct 21, 2024

Edited by Richard Freeman, CEO of always possible

A bit later than planned this month - apologies.

But a super lovely welcome to new section sub-editor for Arts, Culture & Sport - the awesome musician, writer, cultural chronicler and podcaster Chris Thorpe-Tracey 🙌

What did she say?!

SheSays Brighton is back with an empowering evening of talks, happening on 25th October as part of the Dreamy Place festival (see below). This free event will bring together inspiring female voices in creative technology, providing a platform for discussion on the importance of diversity in the industry.

Attendees can expect insightful talks from leaders in tech and the creative sectors, with a focus on breaking barriers and fostering inclusivity in these rapidly evolving fields. SheSays is a global network for women in creative industries, and its Brighton chapter continues to champion gender equality, offering inspiration and practical insights to women pursuing careers in tech.

Light in the darkness

Midnight Communications, a Hove’s multi-award-winning PR agency, is the latest B&H business to secure B Corp certification. This achievement highlights the agency’s commitment to high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability - with a recent focus on tackling diversity and social mobility in the sector’s recruitment. B Corp businesses are focused on balancing profit with a positive impact on society and the environment.

Grace and Maureen are from Silicon Brighton.

Hope for the mind and soul

A radical new counselling pilot has been launched in Brighton & Hove secondary schools to provide students with better access to mental health support. The initiative aims to address the increasing need for in-school emotional and psychological assistance among young people, hopefully offering new services tailored to need.

An award-winning second career

Brighton-based Natasha Paling, who retrained as a teacher at the age of 41, has won the prestigious Teacher of the Year award in a national contest run by gift card company Miconex. Starting as a volunteer at Balfour Primary School in 2011, Natasha worked as a teaching assistant while completing a part-time degree in education. Now a reception teacher, she is celebrated for her commitment to her pupils and for establishing a food bank, later renamed The Pantry, to help families during the pandemic and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Whatever you do, don’t wake up!

Dreamy Place, the latest iteration of the Brighton Digital Festival, is set to make its mark in the city from 25th—27th October. Following a successful weekend of events in Crawley, the Brighton edition promises a packed schedule of free talks, panels, and interactive events focusing on immersive technology and creative AI. Curated by Jamie Wylde’s Video Club, Dreamy Place invites both tech enthusiasts and creative minds to explore cutting-edge innovations and their impact on the digital landscape.

For more details, visit: dreamy-place.com

Life through a lens

Photo Fringe 2024 is in full swing, running through October and November with an impressive lineup of over 100 exhibitions, events, and talks, both live and online.

While centred around Brighton & Hove, the festival stretches along the south coast from Newhaven to Portsmouth, transforming the region into a vibrant hub for photography enthusiasts. Locally, free exhibitions are being hosted at various venues, including Helm, ONCA, Jubilee Library, Sea Lanes, Regency Town House, and Phoenix Art Space, as well as Brighton Beach, Phoenix Art Space (and even Moulsecoomb railway station).

Lives lived in colour

Alexandra Loske, the curator of the Royal Pavilion and Brighton’s renowned art history polymath, has released her highly anticipated new book, The Artist’s Palette, published by Thames & Hudson (USA: Princeton University Press). Known for her deep knowledge and passion for art, Alexandra will be celebrating the launch with a series of events and author evenings across Sussex and beyond.

This exciting new release explores the fascinating world of colour in art, highlighting the palettes used by history’s greatest painters. Don’t miss the chance to attend one of her insightful talks and discover the inspiration and research behind the book.

A f*ing bunch of b****ing tossers

Modern Toss are marking their 20th anniversary with a unique and interactive exhibit, The First 8,000 Days, at Brighton Dome’s Corn Exchange. Running from Friday 25th to Wednesday 30th October, 10am-5pm each day, this free-entry celebration offers a quirky look back at two decades of Modern Toss’s satirical artwork and humour.

In addition to the exhibit, a series of free events will accompany the main show. On Monday 28th October, 10am-1pm, visitors can drop in for a Work Therapy Session, where the soothing sounds of birdsong and waterfalls are hilariously mixed with the sounds of workplace swearing. The session includes breathing exercises timed to a slow gong, alongside a free biscuit and warm drink.

For a different flavour, Tuesday 29th October from 10:30am-12pm will feature a Senior Citizens Art Appreciation Tour, with a special talk by Modern Toss curator Dan Hipkins. The week wraps up with a closing ceremony on Wednesday 30th October at 3pm.

A ping pong gong!

In an exciting tribute to one of Britain’s rising Paralympic stars, Brighton Station has been temporarily renamed ‘Blyton’ in honour of table tennis ace Bly Twomey. At just 14 (!) Bly’s achievements are just beginning and paralympic bronze medals is a pretty phenomenal place to start.

Chris’ popular blog on culture is The Border Crossing

Pur-fect purpose

Led by the fabulous Jane and Michael Tully, along with a passionate team of volunteers, City Cat Shelter is in the spotlight this month. Located in Coldean, Brighton, the shelter offers a safe haven for rescue cats across southern England, with a mission to find each one a loving, permanent home.

The shelter relies solely on donations and is run by cat-loving volunteers who generously give their time to care for the many cats housed at any given time. Each month, they provide rehoming services, and medical care, and cover shelter and vet costs that typically total between £6,000 to £8,000. They are always looking for additional support—whether through financial donations or volunteering at the shelter. To support or learn more, you can book a tour here: citycatshelter.co.uk/about-us.

The sound of change

Different Noise is a new initiative driven by an incredible team—Gemma, Josh, Kim, Mark, Niki, and Shaila—united by their passion to empower children and young people to make their voices heard. Their goal is to equip youth with the skills and confidence to create positive change. While the team founded Different Noise, they aim to have young people shape the direction of their work and are currently forming a youth board. If you can help spread the word or know someone who can, reach out: differentnoise.org.

Driving ambition

Brighton-based retired accountant Paul Samrah, best known for helping to save Brighton & Hove Albion FC by exposing irregular accounting by former club bosses, has raised £34k to support Ukraine. Samrah is personally driving an ambulance filled with medical equipment to the frontline, in collaboration with Medical Life Lines Ukraine. This vehicle will join 11 other ambulances already donated to aid efforts in the region.

We wunt be druv*

Sussex Community Foundation is a charity committed to making Sussex a fairer and more equal place. They do this by enabling local people to support causes that matter, awarding grants to small charities and voluntary groups across the county. In the past year alone, they’ve distributed £2.6 million to over 400 local organisations.

Their grant-making focuses on four key areas: Tackling Poverty, Improving Health, Reaching Potential, and Acting on Climate. From homeless services and debt advice to community education and support for vulnerable children, they address a wide range of local needs. Their latest report, launched in September 2024, delves into the challenges surrounding "Reaching Potential." It offers insights into educational disparities, barriers in disadvantaged communities, and the need for better job training opportunities across Sussex. You can download the full report here

For more information about their work, get in touch at info@sussexcommunityfoundation.org or visit sussexcommunityfoundation.org.

*a shoutout next month for the first person to reply to this email explaining what you think this means…

Toni Finnimore is founder of The Social Society

A natural fit (with your legs behind your head)

The Brighton Natural Health Foundation has announced its merger with the Brighton & Hove Yoga Centre, combining 40 years of expertise in health and wellbeing. This merger strengthens the services offered by both organisation.

Founded in 1997, the Brighton & Hove Yoga Centre has built a reputation as one of the city’s leading wellness hubs, with thousands of students benefiting from its classes over the years. Brighton Natural Health Foundation, established in 2007, shares a similar legacy of supporting community health, offering a range of services from mental health support to fitness training. The merger aims to pool their resources to deliver more comprehensive health and wellness programmes.

Kindly grows, plastic goes

Kindly of Brighton, the eco-conscious refill and zero-waste shop, has expanded with the opening of a second store in the heart of Brighton. This new location, taking over the former HiSBE site near St Peter’s Church, continues their mission to reduce single-use plastic and promote sustainable shopping. The expansion highlights growing demand for eco-friendly products and sustainable living solutions in Brighton.

Against the tide

A new movie - in selected cinemas and on Apple+ - tells the inspiring true story of Mercedes Gleitze, the first British woman to swim the English Channel. Set in the 1920s, Vindication Swim chronicles her incredible journey against the odds, battling both physical and social barriers. Born in Brighton in 1900, Gleitze's grit is at the heart of this biographical drama, which highlights her legacy as a pioneering female athlete in an era when women in sport were often overlooked.

The film is thought to be the first entirely carbon neutral production - down to materials, equipment, transport, digital footprint used in the making.

On the rise

Open Bakery has been named Best Bakery in the South East at the UK Bakery Awards. The small artisan bakery in Kemptown, opened in 2011, has earned national recognition for its quality and service.