Cheers

For a change we've used our own picture to wish you a Happy Christmas because we can't have you thinking we're some Mickey Mouse recycling outfit. It's just there are some cracking images around on the internet which suit our posts so well. Thankyou photographers and artists for the stimulation your efforts bring.

COME ON EILEEN - Town Hall Communications SABOTAGED

Looks like someone has blocked Ramsgate Town Council from communicating with Solo Gays about a Neighbourhood Plan? Whoever did this obviously did not discover the back-up email I had planted...

I dunno, what would you do without me????

HEADED NOTEPAPER NEEDED (For the Information Commissioner)

How nice of that Mr Harvey Patterson to spare the time to look through a few drawers at TDC,  to see if he can find any papers relating to the decision to Install Halogen Lamps at Winterstoke Gardens. Well, I suppose if the Planning Manager couldn't find anything, then I guess Mr Patterson was never really going to find anything?

Peter Checksfield & Mental Health

I had to smile when I saw Peter's comment  published on Cllr Simon Moores blog today  heralding as it does Peter's return to the Good Councillor's fold. Ever since I started blogging back in April this year I noticed Peter periodically bemoaning his ban from commenting on Simon's blog (everyone is blocked from commenting on mine temporarily, not wishing to further indulge the attitudes of a tiny vocal minority whose views remain tediously polarised).

Ramsgate Arts - Budget Entertainment in Margate, Ramsgate & Broadstairs

What's Looping the Loop? it's the idea that we can link up the three towns of Thanet (Margate, Ramsgate & Broadstairs) with some mesmerising theatre and do it all through travelling on the Loop bus!

Full information is at www.loopingtheloopfestival.org.uk or http://ramsgatearts.org/looping-the-loop . Some details are attached and we hope you like the project!

With best wishes from us all

Ramsgate Arts

Creating inspiring new activities for local people and visitors

www.ramsgatearts.org 

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Registered charity 1150096

Kents Young Homeless Turning to Prostitution

For months now I have been trying to get a local homeless charity to back me up with the support I have been providing to a young man who is in receipt of services from them.  My initial contact with him was through a cruising site where he appeared to be offering "services" in return for being "helped out"?  I have noticed this way of working among some gay/bisexual young homeless men lately. The advice given by the charity was vague and non-committal so I decided it was best to ignore him.  After all, I thought, he was bound to get enough contacts where he was hanging out?

Motherhood & Apple Pie - Transexuals and Cross Dressing

Our beautiful cat had to be put to sleep today.  So you can imagine I wasn't really in the mood to face the quarterly lgbt meeting at their hideout in Whitstable.  But I thought it's no good moping, and I did want feedback from members about the first social event to have taken place in Thanet, which was arranged and then cancelled in strange circumstances.

Transgender identity versus cross dressing proved a flashpoint when I remarked how some liked to walk about Winterstoke Gardens late at night in short leather skirts, black stockings and suspenders etc., and that you just don't see them now?

Age UK etc: Support for Over 50's Progressing

I have been busy making sure Gay in Thanet is listed on the Thanet Community Support Partnership  older persons website.

Here at Gay in Thanet we firmly believe Support goes hand in glove with Leisure (gosh I must sound like one of those retirement brochures!).

Staying Active.........

Approaching 50 myself, I feel our philosophy should be to encourage our generation to be involved in Civil Society.  Like cherishing and enhancing our beautiful public open spaces and amenities.

OMG!  Where did those new houses come from?

Cream Tea with Margate Pride 2013

Following my recent coverage of a half hearted attempt by  East Kent LGBT Network to organise a Coffee Morning: Gays Devastated by CANCELLED Coffee Morning, it appears the Business Community

have stepped in and created a weekend of "flash sale" events for the 27th, 28th and 29th of September to cater for lgbt/all.

Inventively dubbed  "Margayte Pride" this event enables gays to have a (Thanet) Ball after all! Anyway,  I shall be going along to the Walpole Bay Hotel for a Cream Tea if anyone wants to catch up with me there? (only snag being no-one knows who I am?  Oh well, you can't have your scone and eat it as my grandmother used to say).

Community Inclusion Coordinator Job Vacancy PL277

*POST NO LONGER AVAILABLE*

Working with an Inclusion Worker from the homeless charity Porchlight is one way of bringing projects off the back burner.

Picture credit: Communities of Practice

"The History of TDC Legal Advice is Worrying"

Gays Devastated by CANCELLED Coffee Morning

A Police Community Liason Officer had recently found somewhere "safe" for us to meet in Birchington-on-sea for an eagerly anticipated Coffee Morning. As it was to be held this Friday at the Ice Cream Parlour our intrepid PC  has been chasing the owners for an explanation as to why they had appeared to cease trading?  Turns out it's been sold and the place is closed while new owners wait to take over.   Notice was issued with apologies that no alternative could possibly be found at such short notice.  Poor old ducks, I feel sure some must have been looking forward to showing off their summer outfits?

Picture Credit: Kazuki Yamamoto

The Heritage Regeneration Game

There is funding around for community groups to partner businesses to restore heritage assets like the rockery pictured.

In the Spotlight

I notice over on Cllr Ian Driver's post that Kent Police have repeatedly failed to criminalise  protesters for calling for an end to live animal exports.

I went down to the port in support a few times last year and recognised a familiar face.  It was a Police dog handler known by many in the gay community for all the wrong reasons (harassment).