Pride London 2015

London Pride took place this year on Saturday 27 June 2015 with both the parade and concert starting at 1pm. Organised by Pride in London, this year’s theme is Pride Heroes which celebrates individuals and organisations “who’ve contributed to LGBT+ rights over the years”.

I would have to say my Pride Hero is Lady Gaga and not because she has such lovely ways with her words and support for the LGBT community, but her boundless love she has for everyone. Her Born This Way was released in 2011 and it gave me enough strength to come out to my friends and family.

My volunteering experience for this year’s Pride wasn’t really on par as the previous 2 years I volunteered for Pride in London, which I sense was because of the wrong sense of direction partly due to being short on stewards. Good thing about Pride in London is that they listen to their volunteers so I will definitely be voicing my feedback. Nonetheless, I had a lot of fun with fellow stewards in the team with lots of freebies and group photos on the way.

Packs donated to Pride in London volunteers were put together by Tesco consisting of food, water and summer essentials such as wipes, sun cream and rain poncho (thrown in for good measures after last year’s poncho gate). Baristas at Starbucks were put into overdrive as volunteers flocked to the nearest Starbucks for their free drinks and I, for one, really appreciate it.

The arrangements for the flags in the parade were re-arranged in light of recent events in USA which saw a Supreme Court ruling allowing all gay and lesbian couples the right to get married across all the states. They are joined by Ireland which too in light of recent events saw votes in legalising gay marriage. The love can be felt in Trafalgar Square where the concert were taking place where many artists were taking the stage to voice their happiness of the USA’s ruling.

The spirit of Pride doesn't end there, you can find other information on the website where you can also find out information on how to volunteer.

#PrideHeroes

Chinese New Year Celebrations 2015

Kung Hei Fat Choi! It’s Chinese New Year! Chinese New Year was on 12 February 2015 celebrating Year of the Sheep which happens to be my zodiac. Celebrations for the London event took place on Sunday 22 February 2015.

The event started with a parade down Shaftesbury Avenue showcasing different styles of Chinese culture. Taking centre stage at the Shaftesbury Avenue Stage were performances of dramatization, martial arts and dance with music which included strangely K-Pop.

With events taking full swing, Trafalgar Square Stage opened up with fireworks and speeches of different representatives of the events and the Chinese community. In the surrounding areas, there were stalls with freebies galore, Chinese food and drinks. Met Police were there at hand to offer advice on staying safe at the event near their double decker bus. Next door to them were the Royal Air Force giving experiences of taking flight into the air. The design on it is reminiscent of the Chinese flag of the 5 stars in the corner.

On Charing Cross road, you’ll be able to find the Leicester Square and Charing Cross Performance Hub with performances of different kinds which includes martial arts. Just nearby, there were small rides adorned with Chinese decorations and lanterns.

In Chinatown, there were many things to do such as enjoying the views of the Chinese lanterns of all different colours on display, watching and following the lions as they dance their way around Chinatown. There were many food stalls placed outside their respective restaurants. There was also a pop up exhibition in the Q Car Park.

#CNY2015LDN

LonCon 3: The 72nd World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon)

LonCon 3 is the 72^nd World Science Fiction Convention which brings Worldcon to London. Dates of the event were between Thursday 14^th to Monday 18^th August 2014 and was held in the Excel Centre.

Some round-ups of LonCon3:

• The opening ceremony was held on Thursday 14^th August 2014 at 12:00 with the closing ceremony on Monday 18^th August 2014 at 15:00.
• Each member was given a programme and Worldcon Souvenir Book with attendees receiving an additional badge.
• The Retro Hugo Award winners were announced on Thursday 14th August 2014 to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of the first Worldcon.
• The Hugo Award was held on Saturday 17^th August 2014 at 20:00.
• Guests of Honour for this year were Iain M Banks, John Clute, Malcolm Edwards, Chris Foss, Jane Gomoll, Robin Hobb and Bryan Talbot.
• In the Exhibit Hall, there were the Art Show (showcasing SF art works on display), Dealers’ Zone (stall sellers of SF novels, comic books and merchandising) and the Displays area (different organisation displays ranging from charities to fan websites).
• The Capital Hall had the Fan Village/Hospitality Hall where you can find other Worldcon bids, board games tent and an opportunity to find out about many other clubs and societies.

There was plenty of opportunity to look around and stallholders were friendly and approachable. I began my crusade to look out for any She-Hulk but only managed to get an issue of The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Master Edition) #6 with She-Hulk smack down in the middle of the front cover. The stallholder was nice enough to go look for any other She-Hulk loot he may have in his car but sadly came out with nothing. Continuing from the Hulk family, I also found Hulk: Gray by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale which was an excellent find.

Before the event, I volunteered to help out with the general setting up. Volunteers were called in to start helping out on the 11^th August and I volunteered from 12^th August to 13^th August. A lot of work goes in which was expected and it was a great opportunity to meet people from all around the world who have a pair of hands to lend. It was fun to meet people from such different backgrounds who have one universal interest in science fiction. It’s like an exclusive behind-the-scenes with what goes into running an event which an experience that I will take away was.

Just like any geek convention, LonCon3 had the whole lot: art and literature, film and music, gaming, comics. They held film screenings, talks and Q & As in various rooms and halls in the Excel. You can find out more about LonCon3 on their website.

#LonCon3 #WorldCon

The Big Volunteer THANK YOU Party

The Big Volunteer THANK YOU party is for all the Pride in London volunteers. It was held on Saturday 12^th July 2014 starting from 18:00 to 22:00 at the Two Brewers in Clapham.

I entered the main lounge and initially thought “where the party at?” and I’m sure I wasn’t the first to think that. After being pointed to the right direction, I crossed the threshold into a dingy underground illuminated by limited dim lighting skirting around the edges of the room with the main stage being lit.

The evening started with a chance to mingle with the other volunteers. Spoke to a few people there: a couple on the parade route, a groupie at the Trafalgar Square and an electrician. They all had amazing Pride experience stories to share and the electrician had stunning pictures.

The evening was home to two drag acts who belted out hit after hit with humour that added that dazzle of glitter on the evening. The evening ended with the prize draw with a lot of the tickets a miss with the people having already left. It was vouchers galore and runner ups were given Pride in London t-shirts. It ended with music dancing into the nights.

#FreedomToStrutDownTheRunway

Pride in London 2014

Pride London 2014 was a quite a blast being Pride in London’s second year organising it. The running theme this year was “Freedom To...”

Meeting point for Pride volunteers was Metropolitan University where everyone was provided with a bag of food and goodies donated by Tesco and a drawstring bag donated by Citibank. Each volunteer was given a pink Pride volunteer wristband to show to participating shops along the parade route for free refreshments and discounts.

Split into groups, everyone made their way to the designated areas of their post. Once on site, we were orientated about the whereabouts of everything and a chance to get to know the group.

As it progressed on to the 12pm touching point, we were then suddenly greeted by heavy rain which had me completely waterlogged from head to toe. For the whole day, I did not manage to dry off but it definitely did not dampen any spirits as the atmosphere kept the love alive.

Got complimented for looking good with a “flag” around my head, got mistaken for “Bart Stewart” (still have no idea who he is... anyone please enlighten me!) and taking random selfies with pride goers were the many things that came out during my day at Pride. Bumped into a load of people I knew and having seen for some time. It’s so wonderful how Pride can bring everyone together – a celebration of the individual and community.

This year had a stellar cast of performers on stage with the 80’s making a grand comeback from the likes of Sam Fox and Sinitta. Sir Ian McKellen came on much to the applause of everyone. He then introduced Conchita who was the headline act for this year and I can pretty much say that received the hugest applause of the day. Conchita performed That’s What I Am and Rise Like A Phoenix.

Pride was amazing and I had a chance to meet so many amazing people. It’s why I will always keep coming back year after year and it will never grow old for me. Drinks up for Pride in London 2015!

#FreedomToThrowGlitter