Q:alliance

• Tell the BBC to give us at least 1 hour of LGBT programming a week! http://is.gd/3QV7t

• The HQMK youth group are off to see The Rocky Horror Show next week. We have changed our profile pic in honour of this momentous occasion! Find out more about the youth group at http://bit.ly/OXmVN

• A new social group is starting soon in MK (yay!) and are looking for name suggestions. What do you think it should be called?

• Eleven to Sixteen? Check out an essential guide to using the internet - http://bit.ly/eutIc

• Stonewall have recently published an online guide for gay asylum-seekers –  http://bit.ly/2q2NBX

• Our training for professionals looking to support and empower LGBT youth on 14th Oct in CMK has a few spaces left – more details: http://bit.ly/e0hqz

• Got a problem you want to sort out? Need someone to talk to in confidence? Q:alliance offers counselling in Milton Keynes… http://bit.ly/3AQ24k

• We still want your Celebr8 pictures – send them to website {at} qalliance.org(.)uk and tell us if you want credit.

• What do you think of Labour’s exclusion of LGBT people from the anti-harassment clauses of the Equality Bill? Vote here - http://bit.ly/DisZt

• Should gay sports stars come out of the closet? Urm, yes! http://bit.ly/4gcnd

• Gay Education (a funny You Tube video) - http://bit.ly/9ViUG

• Video of a kiss-in in a Parisian shopping centre to combat homophobia… (via Towelroad.com) –  http://bit.ly/bRI4h

• Is it a steakhouse or gay bar – you decide! - http://bit.ly/GtiEz

• He needs regulating -Warren G’s remarks about gay people - http://bit.ly/3LocdF

• Desmond Tutu says that homophobia equals apartheid - http://bit.ly/Ub0uN

• British Government continues to deny gays protection in law! – http://bit.ly/1Uerg8

• A quote: “Some women can’t say the word lesbian… even when their mouth is full of one.”- Kate Clinton

• Training on how to support, enable + include young lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people on Oct 14th in Milton Keynes – http://is.gd/3F1nF

To join us on Facebook, you can become a fan at www.facebook.com/Qalliance, or you can follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Qalliance.

• Know of anyone that could do with a greater understanding of how to support and empower lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people? We have some spaces left on our October the 14th training in CMK – visit Qalliance.org.uk/training for details!

• Here’s a short video of MK council leader’s vision for MK – what do you think?

• Did you know that LGBT young people are more likely to become homeless than their straight friends? If you are, or know someone who is, homeless or in danger of becoming homeless in Milton Keynes the following information may be of help – http://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/housing-needs/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=17538

• The Citizen has a gallery of Celebr8 pics up on their website

• It’s Celebrate Bisexuality Day in the US today.  AfterElton are celebrating with a list of their 8 favourite male bisexuals – who are yours?

• Great Celebr8 article and pictures in this weeks MK News! Click here to see the e-edition.

• A wonderful article looking at how you can learn to love yourself - http://www.breaktheillusion.com/?p=1805

• Lovely lesbian site – check it out - http://www.lesbilicious.co.uk/

• Latest celebrity coming out – Mika! He’s a lovely bisexual! Who’s next?

• Including a question on sexual orientation in the next Census will end the bizarre state of the LGB community still being an ‘invisible’ minority on what is the one survey which has such a central role in defining our population! Sign the petition here – http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/lgb2011census/ (we also think getting ‘T’ information would be useful!)

To join us on Facebook – become a fan at www.facebook.com/Qalliance.

A great video from AskMK.tv about Celebr8 – the Milton Keynes Diversity Parade…

If you don’t see the video above then click here to go to the video on the AskMK.tv website.

The video above is a lovely montage of yesterday’s fantastic Celebr8 Diversity Parade in Milton Keynes! (for a full set of pictures see our Facebook page – you don’t need to be a member to see the album). What an amazing, fun and well organised day – congratulations to all involved. Roll on next year!!!

Celebr8 – the Milton Keynes Diversity Parade is tomorrow, Monday the 21st of Sept! Join us, Pink Punters, The Thames Valley Gay Police Association, Make A Difference and a whole bunch of groups from in and around Milton Keynes to celebr8 all that’s good about our city! You can be there at the start in Campbel Park at 4:30 (meeting at the Events Plateau go to www.tinyurl.com/Celebr8MK for a map) or join us at 6pm outside Christ The Cornerstone Church (just opposite M&S in CMK).

The 2009 Celebr8 parade will take place on World Peace Day, 21 September 2009, celebrating the diversity of our community, past, present and future and looking outwards towards the issues of global poverty. The parade at its core celebrates the seven strands of diversity. Diversity is about ‘difference’ – difference across race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, faith, age and economic circumstance.

It’s about recognising that not all people are the same and that people have different, equally valuable, skills, experience and knowledge to offer. The parade will mark the launch of the entire fringemk Festival 2009 with the Mayor of Milton Keynes opening proceedings, along with Ruth Stone of the MKCVO (Milton Keynes Council of Voluntary Organisations).

The parade will allow groups to celebrate their differences with over 470 groups registered with the MKCVO alone and another 1200 being invited and encouraged to register and participate.

For more information visit the Fringe MK website, or join the Celebr8 group on Facebook.

PARADE TIMINGS

4:30pm – Gather at Campbell Park to allow for schools to join the parade.

5:00pm – Parade moves off led by the ION Puppett, along the designated route, cordoned where necessary and stewarded.

6:00pm – Staging post at Church of Christ the cornerstone, allowing people who have been working to join the parade.

6.30pm – Parade leaving for Station Square.

7.15pm – Parade Arrives at station Square.

7.30pm – Guest speakers and launch of 2009 Festival.

8:00pm – Entertainment.

Also,

Fabulous local singer Nicky Prince will be singing live on stage at the end of the parade.
The Mayor of Milton Keynes will be walking with the parade.
The fantastic Make A Difference will be hosting post-event fun at their fabulous new venue, the BUSZY!