Sophie Mei

World Aids Day Vigil electronic flyer

Please share the news not the stigma

ACT AWARE – RED PARTY

Please join us for a Red Party – dress in red, free entry, red cocktails and lots of chat next Wednesday

World AIDS Day is a chance to raise public awareness, and hopefully breakdown some of the unwarranted stigma that surrounds HIV. There are many ways in which you can do something to make a difference.

More people than ever are living with HIV in the UK and each year new infections occur.

People living with HIV in the UK

The number of people living with HIV in the UK has trebled in the last 10 years

More than 90,000 people are living with HIV in the UK

Over a quarter of people with HIV in the UK are undiagnosed

About two thirds of people living with HIV are men and a third are women

Over half of all people living with HIV are aged between 30 and 44, but there are significant numbers both of young people and older people now living with HIV

What people living with HIV have asked…

“I would like to see society’s attitudes change, so that I don’t feel that I have to hide the fact that I have HIV” Alan, London

“I would like people who are living with HIV whom are confident to do so, to share their own stories about how they have overcome the barriers and challenges of living their everyday lives” Danny

“I would like everyone to think seriously about HIV and what it means to live with HIV – and therefore be realistic, aware and practical when it comes to safer sex” Maurice, London

“I would like there to be a focus on education and stigma within younger groups of people, with attention paid to cultural differences and needs” Richard

“I would like to see more positive role models of people living with HIV” Danny

“I would like it to become possible for people to write they are HIV+ on job application forms without fear of being discriminated against” Michael, Somerset

“I would like people to realise that HIV and AIDS is a pandemic that can potentially affect everyone and is not confined to the gay community and drug users.  It’s unfair for people to categorise the huge problem in this way” Sean

“Within some high risk groups e.g. young gay men, lack of self worth and hope for the future can be a big demotivator for safer sex.  I’d like to see this understood more fully and see more action to help change this” Mike

“I know my status – do you know your status.  Be visible and stand out, stop the prejudice and discrimination in our society” Mark

“Having lived with HIV for nearly 27 years, have attitudes changed. No, so ask yourself why? Ignorance and fear, so changing attitudes and improving education at all ages and levels of our society may make that difference.  More awareness, better understanding and increased acceptance that HIV is here and not going away” Michael

# 2: Cairo Travels

Monday morning and as ever running late – had not even packed yet for my flight that afternoon. After a mad screwing up of my clothes and shoving in some shimmy belts I was good to begin my trip to Cairo… well asides from needing currency, buying train tickets and meeting my good friend Jen.

Needless to say, at midday Jen and I united at Sheffield Station to embark upon our first trip to the Nile Festival, Cairo.

We had a fun and frivolous journey as we changed planes in Amsterdam along with another security ‘strip’ check and throwing more bottles of water away. We finally found ourselves at 3am Tuesday morning in a relatively humid Cairo airport. As per, I was stopped at passport control due to the dodgy nature of my passport photo…

Whilst waiting for our bags a simple task of buying bottled water turned into a mass ogle in the duty free shop with the assistant pushing gin and ‘Nile water’ into my basket.

We were saved by our taxi driver, from Beach Tours, who sampled the dirty looking bottle. And off we went to Pyramisa hotel for a week – long festival of everything bellydance!

TIME TO GET MOVING this week as celebrity sports personalities are amongst the thousands of people participating in physical activities to improve their mental well-being for Mind’s annual initiative.

Whether you’re a sports fanatic or a couch queen, statistically, you have a 1 in 4 chance of developing a mental illness in any one year. As a consequence of having a mental illness, you have over 50% a chance of not finding a date or flatmate due to mental health discrimination.

Jo Flemingway, a Sheffield-based youth worker, who suffers from Bipolar disorder said;

“When applying for a job I decided to be open about my mental illness and I was consequently dubbed ‘unsuitable’ for the role. I now find that regular physical activity can help me each day, such as gardening and walking.”

Around 80,000 people are expected to follow in Jo’s footsteps this week at sporting events across England.

Cricketer Marcus Trescothick said:

“I know first hand how difficult it can be to open up about your mental health experience. I’m hoping to go along to my local event. Together we can show the world that mental illness is nothing to be ashamed about and help end mental health discrimination.”

The events are part of Time to Change, England’s biggest campaign to end mental health stigma, and will see people run, box and dance their way to better mental health.

Seb kane, a Sheffield-based personal trainer and fitness coach to the stars, said:

“Exercise releases natural endorphins that can help you to having a better mental health. We need exercise for our holistic health. Boost your body to boost your mind. ”

One man who has leapt ahead with the campaign is world champion triple jumper Phillips Idowu, who led a walk last Sunday across London as part of World Mental Health Day, Phillips said;

“I hope that people from across England will come together to take part in the Time to Get Moving campaign, get active and help raise awareness of mental health problems.”

TIME TO GET MOVING this week as celebrity sports personalities are amongst the thousands of people participating in physical activities to improve their mental well-being for Mind’s annual initiative.

Whether you’re a sports fanatic or a couch queen, statistically, you have a 1 in 4 chance of developing a mental illness in any one year. As a consequence of having a mental illness, you have over 50% a chance of not finding a date or flatmate due to mental health discrimination.

Jo Flemingway, a Sheffield-based youth worker, who suffers from Bipolar disorder said;

“When applying for a job I decided to be open about my mental illness and I was consequently dubbed ‘unsuitable’ for the role. I now find that regular physical activity can help me each day, such as gardening and walking.”

Around 80,000 people are expected to follow in Jo’s footsteps this week at sporting events across England.

Cricketer Marcus Trescothick said:

“I know first hand how difficult it can be to open up about your mental health experience. I’m hoping to go along to my local event. Together we can show the world that mental illness is nothing to be ashamed about and help end mental health discrimination.”

The events are part of Time to Change, England’s biggest campaign to end mental health stigma, and will see people run, box and dance their way to better mental health.

Seb kane, a Sheffield-based personal trainer and fitness coach to the stars, said:

“Exercise releases natural endorphins that can help you to having a better mental health. We need exercise for our holistic health. Boost your body to boost your mind. ”

One man who has leapt ahead with the campaign is world champion triple jumper Phillips Idowu, who led a walk last Sunday across London as part of World Mental Health Day, Phillips said;

“I hope that people from across England will come together to take part in the Time to Get Moving campaign, get active and help raise awareness of mental health problems.”

so yes, i am getting a late start on talking about this past years’ AWESOME experience, but i’m getting around to it NONE THE LESS!  This year was my BY FAR my favorite Raqs Britannia! It was a new location in Sheffield which the windy “snake pass” road’s beauty DID NOT disappoint! I started off with a quick TV spot with Issam, Stefanya, myself and Sohpie Mae from Britains’ Got Talent. We performed OUTSIDE with a London Eye look alike as our backdrop! (Pictures to follow) and lots of enthusiastic participants to help kick off the excitement! the classes i taught for the weekend were: Double Veil and Simplified Spinning, Emotional Release (a single veil choreo class filled with tips on how to tap into your emotions and use them in your dancing), and a Body Conditioning class that kicked my own butt BUT, was so worth it. The event was organized brilliantly and showcased artists and teachers from all over the world. I attended the Friday Night Show and watched the amazing Tamalyn Dalal dancing an intense and moving single veil piece which was really special to watch. Roland and Leyla Jouvana performed a medley of routines filled with their charming and infectiously happy energy, as usual. Uzume dutch tribal group was innovative and chilling as always. Hilde makes me smile from ear to ear with her classic beauty, amazing body and unique musical interpretation! I was totally diggin on the Slumdog Millionaire mix that bollywood dancer Lopa Sarkar was grooving to! LOVED IT really enjoyable evening! I unfortunately, could not take part in the auditions as 2 of my classes were offered during the audition times, BUT I WAS THERE IN SPIRIT routing everyone on and wishing for the best! I mat some new friends and met up with some old one’s, one of my favorite parts about the Raqs events. Such a joy to see my friend Sabrynah again and meet her bestie, Reana. Had a mini 2010 Castle Retreat Re-Union with Romy and Kasia. I got to hang out with Taca from Colorado for a good while at the fun after party’s. Loved listening to DJ Phil Meadley drop some science for us to boogie to which was a blast! And loved the Arab League as great entertainment too! The classes were fabulous and the bizarre, i think, the best ever!  I bought an amazing 1940’s pill box style black feather hat with an italian laze overlay that melted my heart on first sight, HAD to get it! So great shopping, great people, awesome classes, my favorite show ever, STARBUCKS nearby, what more can Petite Jamilla ask for??  and at our Bellydance Superstars show Saturday evening of The Art of Bellydance, i was moved to tears because i felt so close to that theme! I felt the most attached to The Art of Bellydance over any other BDS show we’ve ever performed, so it was bittersweet to me to be presenting it to England for the first time and for it to also be the last time that we perform it!  All things come to an end though, and new bright shiny things always glitter in the horizon to re-inspire! And with the dawn of Bombay Bellywood just around the corner, IT’S CRUNCH TIME to put all the pieces together to create the best show we can for you all in the Fall of 2010!!