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BLAGSS 

Brighton Lesbian And Gay Sports Society Autumn 2008 

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Welcome to the third issue of GO 

BLAGSS. Some things have changed 

around here. I’ve taken over as Chair – a 

big responsibility and a huge privilege. 

I’d like to say thanks to the outgoing 

chair, Tim, and the other members who 

left the committee this year for their 

outstanding achievements. BLAGSS 

relies on voluntary effort to survive and 

thrive and I hope this issue will inspire 

you to get involved in our work as well as 

our sporting activities. 

We’ve also taken a wider focus in this 

issue to look at homophobia in sport 

and what we can do to tackle it. One 

of the best ways is to be out and proud 

about gay sport and that’s why BLAGSS 

works so hard to have a high profile. We 

want to be visible so that the local LGBT 

community knows what we have to offer, 

and to show the wider world that the 

words ‘gay’ and ‘sport’ do go together. 

Otherwise, it’s business as usual. 

The nights may be drawing in and the 

temperature dropping, but we have no 

intention of hibernating. This edition is 

packed full of information about ways 

you can keep fit and active and make 

friends this autumn. And there’s no 

need to worry about the credit crunch 

– BLAGSS membership works out at 

less than the cost of a packet of crisps 

each week, and is much better for your 

waistline. 

Enjoy your sports! 

PAUL CHAiR 

Please reuse 

or recycle 

this magazine 

when you have 

finished with it. 

Summer 2008 

theregulars 

insidepages 

News Get ready for 2012, BLAGSS AGM and much, much more 

Reviews EuroGames, Summer Pride and the Half Marathon 

Columnist Carol Grant on the success of BLAGSS 

Columnist Karen Riches gets in a spin 

thefeatures 

Feature One Homophobia in Sport 

blagssactivities 

badminton 18 

cycling 18 

darts 20 

football 20 

golf 21 

gym 21 

martial arts 22 

petanque 22 

p.10 

Feature Two Another smashing year for BLAGSS tennis 

Feature Three Celebrating eleven years of BLAGSS 

p.12 

p.05 

p.04 

p.05 

p.09 

p.14 

p.10 

p.13 

p.17 

sailing 24 

skiing 24 

squash 24 

swimming 25 

tennis virgins / tennis 26 

tenpin bowling 26 

walking 27 76 

friday walking 27 

rollerblading 22 (beach) volleyball 28 

running 22 yoga 28 

3

thenews&reviews 

BLAGSS at Brighton Pride 2008 

The Theme was CounTries around The world, BlaGss wenT all sCoTTish 

Brighton Pride once again this year proved 

to be one of the most successful Pride 

events in the UK. 

BLAGSS turned out in force to join in 

the walking tableau with the theme of 

‘The Highland Games’. With an estimated 

attendance in the region of 160,000 

people, it was little wonder that the BLAGSS 

marquee was very busy, and this has led 

to an increased membership of BLAGSS to 

over 600 members. 

“Once again, BLAGSS was well 

represented at the parade and festival in 

the park,” said outgoing Chair, Tim Rose. 

“It’s an exciting event that never ceases to 

give me much pride. Although I am stepping 

down as Chair, I will still be at the parade 

and party in the park next year.” 

The 2009 Winter Pride dates have 

now been moved to 7-15 March, as this is 

thought to be more convenient for people to 

celebrate the event. 

Sussex Beacon Half Marathon Sun 22 February 

Entries are now being taken for the 2009 

Sussex Beacon Half Marathon. It’s one of 

Brighton and Hove’s biggest sporting events 

and this looks set to be the biggest to date. 

“Last year, the runners in the half 

marathon raised £10,000, but this year we 

are looking for people to get themselves 

sponsored,“ says Lucy Brandrum, Sussex 

Beacon Communications Officer. “If anyone 

out there would like to get involved, please 

contact us at www.sussexbeacon.org.uk for 

further information.” 

London Olympics 

BlaGss GeTs ready for 2012 

Do you aspire to participate in the 

London 2012 Olympics? But the thought 

of four years’ intense training with no 

social life is just to much to bear? Then 

how about volunteering at the Games 

and helping put London and BLAGSS on 

the world sporting stage? 

The 2012 Volunteering Programme does 

not start until 2010, but at past events (e.g. 

Sydney 2000), volunteers from sports clubs 

were placed at the more high-profile sporting 

events. We do not yet know that that will be 

the case at the London Games, but now is 

the time to find out what we would need to 

do to raise both a team of volunteers and our 

chances of the more popular voluntary roles. 

We are therefore seeking levels of 

interest from BLAGSS members in putting 

together a team of volunteers so that 

we can approach the organisers now 

with potential numbers and the range of 

sporting events in which we participate. 

If you are interested in volunteering, 

please contact the coordinator, Richard 

Phillips [richard.k.phillips@btinternet.com] 

and we will get back to you in the very 

near future with the feedback we receive 

from the 2012 organisers. 

Homophobia 

fooTBall’s final TaBoo 

Kick It Out, the organisation dedicated 

to removing prejudice from football, 

have launched new campaign to kick 

homophobia out of football. Professional 

footballers will link up with schools, 

universities, community and youth 

centres, for a nationwide stand against 

discrimination and for diversity. More than 

1,000 events and activities are scheduled 

to take place. 

Paul Elliott, who played for Celtic, 

Chelsea and Aston Villa during his 12-year 

career, was speaking at Homophobia: 

Football’s Final Taboo, hosted by the FA at 

their central London headquarters. He has 

told a forum on homophobia that he knows 

of a dozen gay men at the top of the game. 

He now works as an adviser to the Equality 

and Human Rights Commission, he said gay 

players do not come out because they fear 

the reaction of fans. 

Human Rights Activist Peter Tatchell 

said: “I would like to see the FA to organise 

a dozen premier league straight players 

to condemn homophobia in a MTV-style 

video. Straight voices are likely to have 

the strongest impact on homophobic fans. 

To challenge and diminish prejudice, this 

video could be distributed to football clubs, 

schools and youth clubs, and it could be 

played on stadium screens before matches 

and at half-time. 

4 www.blagss.org 

4

BLAGSS at the Barcelona 2008 EuroGames 

BlaGss brought home a stash of medals from the 

Gay euroGames in Barcelona 

Sally Cushing won the Women’s Champoinship at BLAGSS Pride 

Golf Tournamount this year and took gold at the EuroGames 

This year’s EuroGames saw further triumphs 

for Brighton’s gay athletes with Out to Swim 

South (and BLAGSS members) Kate Whitmill 

and Phil Griffiths achieving spectacular 

success. Kate won four Golds (50m 

Butterfly, 100m Freestyle, 50m Freestyle, 

50m Breaststroke) and a Silver (Mixed 

4x50m Relay) for her age group, and Phil 

won two Silver medals (200m Backstroke, 

4x100m Individual Medley Relay). Tony 

Mann brought home a Silver for Petanque. 

Martin Chalons-Browne, BLAGSS coordinator 

for EuroGames, said: “Walking 

as part of Team UK into the opening 

ceremony arena, packed with over 6,000 

LGBT folks and their supporters, was a 

real highlight for us all”. 

Sally’s victorious return was marked 

with further good news when she scooped 

the women’s championship at the second 

annual BLAGSS Pride Golf Tournament on 

30 July at Pyecombe and Waterhall Golf 

courses. The men’s championship was 

won by Ken Coales. 

Presenting the awards, BLAGSS Golf 

co-ordinator Helen Woodcock-Downey 

said: “With 48 golfers taking part, our 

tournament is now as large as the 

EuroGames event and is fast becoming a 

highlight of the gay sporting calendar.” 

BLAGSS is now in talks with 

Manchester-based Pride Sports to host a 

national summit on LGBT Sport in 2009 in 

Brighton, and will be sending competitors 

to next year’s World Outgames in July in 

Copenhagen. 

Tony Mann won gold in Petanque in Barcelona 

Out to Swim and BLAGG members Kate Whitill (won four gold medals) and Phil Griffiths (won two siver medal) with the rest of team 

thenews&reviews 

BLAGSS 2008 AGM 

lookinG BaCk aT a suCCessful year 

BLAGSS held its 11th annual AGM in 

Legends Bar in September this year. 

It was a resounding success with over 

40 members and sports co-ordinators 

showing up to hear what a success 

BLAGSS has become this year. 

This year was Tim’s last year as Chair 

and he handed over the reigns of the 

organisation to Paul Ellison. “This has 

been an exceptional year for BLAGSS,” 

said Tim. “At our AGM in 2007, we had 

350 members – I’m happy to say a year 

later, there are now over 600. 

“One of this year’s highlights was 

being voted the UK’s Best Gay Sports 

Group by the Pink Paper, and this year 

BLAGSS has been nominated for the 

Stonewall Sport’s Award of the Year.” 

The following officers were elected 

unopposed. Chair: Paul. Vice Chair: 

Sandra. Secretary: David. 

Ian was elected new Website Manager 

and a special thanks for developing such 

a popular and easy-to-use website went 

to Andy. 

Paul will continue to be the 

Membership Secretary. Karen and Carol 

will remain in publicity, although Robyn 

will be taking over from Carol during 

the coming year. Dawn remains social 

secretary. Martin, health and safety 

officer and Debbie was re-elected as 

Equality Officer. 

“I would like to thank Tim, Viv and 

Andy (M) for all their hard work and 

dedication over the years,” said new 

Chair, Paul. “And I am very pleased that 

Tim and Viv have agreed to continue their 

work for BLAGSS by taking on the role of 

National Liaison Officers.” 

Autumn 2008 5

oursponsor 

GOBLAGSS 

ISSUE 3 • AUTUMN 2008 

ISSN 1757-3742 

Published quarterly by Brighton Lesbian and Gay 

Sports Society (BLAGSS), founded in 1997 to 

address the sporting and social needs of the gay 

and lesbian community of Brighton and Hove. 

Membership is open to all, althogh the majority 

of our members are either gay or lesbian and 

join to be with like-minded company. 

Chair: Paul (chair@blagss.org) 

Vice Chair: Sandra (pride@blagss.org) 

Secretary: David (secretary@blagss.org) 

Membership: Paul (membership@blagss.org) 

Webmaster: Ian (webmaster@blagss.org) 

Treasurer: Viv (treasurer@blagss.org) 

Safety: Martin (safety@blagss.org) 

Publicity: Carol (publicity@blagss.org) 

Managing Editor: Karen Riches (07811 324 193) 

A special thanks to BLAGSS members, Elaine and 

Matt (proof reader) and everyone else for helping 

out in the production and distribution of this issue. 

Telephone: 0845 65 BLAGS www.blagss.org 

GOBLAGSS 

is produced by The Magazine Doctor Ltd 

Editorial Director: Paul Disney 

Business Director: Louie Mears 

BM9797, 27 Old Gloucester St, London WC1N 3XX 

Advertising: 01273 690 602 

www.magazinedoctor.co.uk 

Registered in England & Wales Number 6249150 

© Magazine Doctor Ltd and BLAGSS. All rights 

reserved throughout the world. No part of this 

publication may be reproduced, stored in a 

retrieval system or transmitted in any form or 

by any means, mechanical, photocopying, 

recording or otherwise, without prior permission 

of Magazine Doctor Ltd or BLAGSS. Information 

has been obtained from sources believed to be 

reliable, but its accuracy and completeness, and 

the opinions based thereon are not guaranteed. 

We would like to thank our sponsors and 

advertisers for their involvement with 

GOBLAGSS magazine. However, we would 

like to stress that neither sponsors nor 

advertisers have any influence over editorial 

content within this magazine. 

DISCLAIMER: Publication of the name or 

photograph of any person or organisation, 

articles or advertising in GOBLAGSS 

should not be construed as any indication 

of the sexual orientation of such person or 

organisation or advertiser. 

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8

BLAGSS needs 

Carol Grant 

The suCCess of BlaGss 

This is on top of a range of social events 

like parties, bowling tournaments and 

our annual involvement in the Winter and 

Summer Pride festivals. 

What’s even more amazing is that 

the basic organisation of BLAGSS hasn’t 

changed. New members are often surprised 

to learn that there is no shiny BLAGSS 

head office with expensive potted plants 

and earnest staff running around wearing 

tracksuits and brandishing clipboards. 

Our success is built on the hard work and 

commitment of individual members. One 

of the strengths of BLAGSS is our voluntary 

ethos – we work as a team to promote the 

benefits of a healthy active lifestyle to the 

local LGBT community. 

We know that many people join BLAGSS 

for the social side as much as the sports 

opportunities. It’s why we put so much effort 

into making sure that the society is friendly and 

welcoming. And one of the best ways of making 

new friends in BLAGSS is to get involved in the 

organisation as well as just participating in the 

activities. We’re always looking for new people 

to help share the work and allow us to expand 

our activities even further. 

So whether you’re thinking of joining 

BLAGSS, or are already a member, why not 

consider also taking on a role in one of the 

following ways: 

tHE BLAGSS CoMMittEE 

We are run by a committee made up of 

members who take on specific roles. You 

may be a financial whizz who could help our 

treasurer, or you may be brilliant at writing 

Autumn 2008 

reports and be the perfect person to help 

with our annual council grant application. 

Or perhaps you’ve got great ideas on how 

we could develop our website? And you 

don’t need to wait until our annual general 

meeting to step forward – the committee is 

always keen to get extra help. 

SPoRtS Co-oRDinAtoRS 

Our individual sports groups are run by 

voluntary co-ordinators. They are responsible 

for welcoming new members and organising 

the particular activities. This might involve 

anything from booking a badminton court to 

leading a weekly run or organising a walking 

weekend. If you think you could help out, 

either by becoming a sports co-ordinator or 

blagsscolumnist 

your support! 

it’s hard to believe that only eleven years ago 

BlaGss consisted of a handful of like-minded gay 

people. now we are over 600 members strong and 

offer over 500 opportunities each year for people 

to get involved in our sporting activities. 

Outgoing chair Tim Rose with EuroGames organiser Martin Chalons-Browne at the recent BLAGSS AGM 

by helping an existing co-ordinator, then step 

forward! We are particularly keen for people 

to lead new sports groups. 

SoCiAL EvEntS 

one of the best ways to have fun in BLAGSS 

is to help out at our social events. In the 

past year, you could have been using your 

talents to sew bells on sporrans for our Pride 

‘Highland Games’ procession, organise the 

teams for the Scalextric challenge or cater 

for the hungry masses at our annual Winter 

Pride bowling tournament. Not only will you 

have a laugh but you’ll earn the appreciation 

of your fellow members, many of whom 

will be secretly wishing that they’d had the 

confidence to volunteer too! 

9

Australian Matthew Mitcham 

homophobia & sport 

Sport is for 

everyone to enjoy... 

it’s been 11 years since BlaGss was first launched, and in that time the lGBT communities have 

almost gained full equality under the law. in almost every aspect of the arts, media, entertainment 

and government. so why is it so difficult for gay sports men and women to come out to their fans? 

Most people agree that the proportion of 

lesbians and gay men in sport must be at least 

as high as in society as a whole, which is one 

in every 10 people. However, out of the 10,500 

athletes competing in the Beijing Olympics this 

year, only ten women and one man were openly 

‘out’ about their gay identities. 

The only openly gay male athlete, 

20-year-old Australian Matthew Mitcham, 

made Olympic history in Beijing this year 

by winning a gold medal in the 10m diving 

platform. He came out as gay weeks 

prior to the event. However, as significant 

as that moment was for gay athletes 

everywhere, the fact remains that in the 

sporting arena, the words ‘lesbian’ or 

‘gay’ will always accompany any hard-won 

sporting achievements. 

But certain sports do appear to be more 

homophobic than others. Football, the UK’s 

national game, in particular has a bad 

reputation for homophobic attitudes. The 

Football Association (FA) has undertaken 

to kick out homophobia from the sport 

in much the same way as the Let’s Kick 

Racism Out of Football campaign. 

“We’re committed to a football-for-all 

ethos and are determined to provide 

opportunities within the game regardless 

of sex, race, religion or background,” 

commented FA Spokesperson, Matt Phillips. 

That may be all very well, but the recent 

chanting of homophobic and racist abuse 

directed at Portsmouth FC’s Sol Campbell in 

a match against Tottenham Hotspur has yet 

to be addressed by the FA. 


10 

Image: Jay W Photos courtesy Gay Games

To date only one football player has 

ever come out – Justin Fashanu. An early 

football superstar, he was Britain’s first £1 

million black footballer. In 1990, Fashanu 

encountered hostility after becoming the first 

prominent footballer to identify publicly as gay. 

In 1998, US police questioned him when 

a 17-year-old accused him of sexual assault. 

The police dropped the allegations because 

of a lack of evidence, but Fashanu killed 

himself in May of that year, protesting he 

had ‘already been presumed guilty’. 

Brighton Bandits, Brighton’s only gay 

football club alongside the Gay Football 

Supporters Network are currently in talks 

with the FA to kick homophobia out of the 

game. It is hoped that out of these talks 

a stronger will to combat homophobia will 

be achieved, possibly something along the 

lines of a day against homophobia or a 

one-minute silence to pay respect to Justin 

Fashanu before martches. 

“We are in the early stages of getting the 

FA to agree to do something proactive here,” 

says Brighton Bandit’s spokesperson, Jason 

Hall. “Take Brighton and Hove Albion FC, 

for example. The players and fans at many 

of the games receive so many homophobic 

taunts from the visiting side, just because 

Brighton is known as a gay city, so even 

‘straight’ fans get homophobic abuse, let 

alone an ‘out’ football player.” 

GAy GAMES 

However, despite all this, the LGBT 

communities across the globe have worked 

hard to combat the stereotypical ideas 

that gay people can’t play sport. The Gay 

Games, for example, is the world’s largest 

sporting and cultural event organised by, 

and specifically for LGBT athletes and 

others. It started in San Francisco in 1982, 

as the brainchild of Tom Waddell, who says 

his goals were “to promote the spirit of 

inclusion and participation, as well as the 

pursuit of personal growth in a sporting 

event”. The next event takes place in 

Cologne, Germany in 2010. 

EuRoGAMES 

Once a year, the European Gay And Lesbian 

Sport Federation (EGLSF) celebrates 

a huge European gay sporting event: 

EuroGames, the European Gay and Lesbian 

Championships. There are two levels: largescale 

EuroGames, which are held every four 

years, and small-scale EuroGames, which 

are held annually except for years in which 

Gay Games or Outgames take place. 

outGAMES 

The World Outgames was formed in 

Montreal, Canada in 2006. With more than 

18,000 participants from 111 countries as 

conference delegates, athletes, volunteers 

or participants in the cultural programme, 

the first World Outgames was deemed to be 

a huge success. Copenhagen was selected 

to host the second World Outgames in 

2009. From now on, the World Outgames 

will be a quadrennial event with the next 

one to be held in 2013. 

Whether on the international Olympic 

stage, EuroGames, Federation of Gay 

Games, Outgames or on a local level such 

as BLAGSS, athletes who are willing to come 

out have the potential to influence hearts 

and minds around the globe, including the 

stereotype that lesbians and gay men aren’t 

athletic. 

EARn youR RESPECt 

Chris Morgan is the UK’s most well-known 

gay athlete and he has a string of gold, 

silver and bronze medals under his belt. 

He has been ranked world number three 

in the British Drug Free Powerlifting 

Association. As the winner of four gold 

medals at the World Gay Games in 2006, 

and an Ambassador for the Federation 

of Gay Games, Chris is no stranger to the 

world of professional sports. He has also 

just taken a silver medal at the World Single 

Life Championships in Antwerp, Belgium 

on 10 October this year. “My chosen way to 

earning the respect of my sport is through 

performance. By participating and taking 

sport seriously, gay people earn the respect 

of their peers… The fact that I was taking 

the sport seriously and participating in a 

meaningful way was enough to trigger the 

process of acceptance. It’s time that more 

elite gay sports people operated openly, and 

the sports world accepted that gay people 

are competing at all levels of sport. 

“I’ve found many cases of gay slurs 

being used by sports people to unsettle an 

opponent,” says Chris. “I look at this whole 

concept from another angle and see my 

sexuality as an advantage when competing. 

The fact that I’m totally at ease with 

being a fully paid-up member of the ‘club’ 

puts me in the driving seat. Opponents 

probably realise that by using homophobic 

terms, they’re only going to improve my 

performance by adding fuel to the fire.” 

The problem is that for some people, 

homophobia & sport 

homophobia, like any other form of 

discrimination such as racism, can cause 

great distress, and diminished performance 

is often a direct result. It can also stop 

people participating in sport and recreation 

activities completely, thereby preventing 

them from gaining all the benefits that we 

know these bring. 

The answer to homophobic attitudes in 

sport may be amazingly simple then. Be good 

at your sport and train for the best you can be. 

This in itself appears to combat homophobic 

attitudes, while at the same time, getting 

rid of any stereotypical attitudes the rest of 

society might hold. Get out there and earn the 

respect of your fellow sportsmen and women 

regardless of gender or sexuality. 

For further information on this subject: 

BLAGSS: www.blagss.org (0845 65 BLAGS) 

Brighton Bandits: www.banditsfc.org 

(07791 583 088) 

EuroGames: www.eurogames.info 

Football Association: www.thefa.com 

Gay Games: www.gaygames.com 

Outgames: www.glisa.org 

11 

Autumn 2008 11 

Image: Chris Morgan, by Samantha Hamilton Image: Samantha Hamilton

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12

Another smashing year for 

BLAGSS tennis 

“Tennis is a perfect combination 

of violent action taking place in an 

atmosphere of total tranquility.” 

— Billie Jean king 

It may be autumn, but that doesn’t have to mean you can’t play 

tennis. In fact, if you want to take up the sport, this is probably the 

best time of the year to get started as, come springtime next year, 

people everywhere will be taking their rackets out ready for the 

tennis season (April-September). But get in early and you will be 

playing comfortably by that time. BLAGSS tennis runs a weekly mixin 

session from midday every Sunday in Hove Park. 

“BLAGSS tennis is not about coaching people,” says Matt Morgan, 

one of the BLAGSS tennis co-ordinators. “We play at a fairly high level 

and we are very successful in the Brighton and Hove Parks League 

over the last two years, winning Division Three and Four. You have to 

be fairly fit to play the game. Some additional sports I get involved 

with include – running, swimming and cycling. These all help in crosstraining 

as they build up your stamina and strength. 

“Currently, the tennis group consists of approximately 65 per 

cent men and 35 per cent women and there is plenty of competition 

at all different levels for those who are interested,” says Matt “…and 

we run events throughout the year.” 

SinGLES LEAGuE: This is for BLAGSS players only and consists of 

six divisions with five players in each. Each player has to play the 

other four players over a two-month period. At the end of the period, 

the points are totalled up and two players are promoted and two 

relegated then the next two-month rotation starts. This has now 

been continuously running for 5 years – not bad! 

tHE BLAGSS SinGLES touRnAMEnt: This again is only for BLAGSS 

players and is an annual knock-out singles tournament with the best 

players being seeded to meet in the later rounds. This year’s winner 

was Peter Bray, who toppled 2007 champ, Jeff West, in a tight 7-6, 7-6 

match. Last year we ran a separate women’s tournament, won by Karen 

tennisachievements 

Watson but due to lack of women players entering this year, I decided 

to mix in the women with the men. Next year we would like to run a 

separate women’s tournament again. 

tHE BRiGHton & HovE PARKS LEAGuE: This is for all the 

Brighton and Hove parks. There are four divisions each consisting 

of 10 teams (40 in total two of which are BLAGSS teams). Last 

year was our first year and as a new team we had to start at the 

bottom in Division 4, which we won and got promoted to Division 

3. This year, we added a second team, which again had to start 

in Division 4. BLAGSS top team won Division 3 and are now 

promoted to Division 2, winning the Division 3 trophy! The format 

for the competition consists of playing each of the other teams 

in your division both home and away, which means 18 weeks 

of competitive tennis in parks across the city. This is a doubles 

competition and each team consists of four men and four women (1 

x men’s doubles, 1 x women’s doubles and 2 x mixed doubles). The 

BLAGSS home venue is St Ann’s Well Gardens. 

BLAGSS BRiGHton v out4tEnniS DuBLin: 2008 saw the 

second annual competition between the two teams. 2007 was in 

Brighton, while this year was the return trip to Dublin. 2009 will be 

in Brighton again, with the overall result standing at one all. The 

competition consists of 12 players on each team rated 1-12 playing 

their opposite number at singles and then pairing up to play six doubles 

matches. The competition has been a men-only event for the past two 

years, but next year we plan to include some of our women players. 

GLtA EvEntS: These are international tennis tournaments for gay 

and lesbian tennis players. The events are run like professional 

tournaments with trophies and ranking points to be gained. Only 

a handful of BLAGSS players have entered these events so far in 

London, Manchester and Madrid... but there are events all over 

Europe and America. The standard in these tournaments is very 

high! The most recent success for BLAGSS saw Matt Morgan and 

Jeff West reach the doubles final at the Northern Aces Tournament 

in Manchester. 

If you are interested in BLAGSS tennis email: Matt, Jeff or Raymond the 

co-ordinators at: tennis@blagss.org or if you want to learn to play, but 

need some practice, then email Rob the co-ordinator at: tennisvirgins@ 

blagss.org 

13 

Autumn 2008 1

lagsscolumnist 

feeling good 

looking great! 

Karen Riches 

GeTs in a sPin 

There should be a word for it. It’s a bit like 

an epiphany – defined in the dictionary as a 

flash of insight or an experience that causes 

a moment of clarity. But ‘epiphany’ doesn’t 

quite fit the bill. It is a perfect moment 

– but calling it that sounds a bit Martine 

McCutcheon. I’m trying to find the right way 

to describe the experience I had the other 

week in a spin class at the gym. It was 

towards the end of a class when we were 

working really hard. 

The music was fab, the instructor brilliant 

and we had to push from ‘flat out’ to 

‘everything you’ve got’, just for 10 seconds. 

For the more technically-minded, we were 

pushing into our anaerobic zone – where 

the body gets its energy without the use of 

oxygen. You can only do it for a few seconds. 

It’s exhausting and exhilarating. And that’s 

when I had a perfect moment. Even though 

I was pushing at my limits I felt completely 

in control of my mind and body. I felt strong 

and unbeatable. 

I’ve had other perfect moments before 

– not always pushing myself to the limit, 

but where I’ve had absolute confidence 

in my body and its abilities. I remember a 

BLAGSS cycle ride with some girlfriends 

– we were chatting, enjoying the ride, the 

views, the weather and life. Then without 

any discussion we gradually began to pick 

up the pace, and the chatter stopped. For 

twenty minutes we moved in virtual silence 

feeling in charge of your body is a wonderful thing. 

and it’s something we can all achieve – it’s not about 

being dead fit, or the fastest or best at anything. it is 

about caring enough about yourself to look after your 

body and to understand what you’re capable of 

apart from the sound of our breathing. 

We cycled faster than we would normally, 

and we moved almost as one. We’d never 

agreed anything, it just happened like that. 

And at the end, we’d all felt that connection 

– not just with each other but with our own 

physicality. OK, I promise not to get too 

spiritual about it but it felt almost Zen-like in 

its intensity. Walks with BLAGSS often have 

the same effect on me – they make me glad 

to be alive. 

As a personal trainer I can see when my 

clients ‘get it’ too. Everyone has their own 

personal trigger – mastering an exercise 

they’ve always found too difficult, running 

along the seafront on a particularly lovely 

early morning, or seeing their breath on a 

cold evening as they power walk faster and 

further than they’ve done before. 

Feeling in charge of your body is a 

wonderful thing. And it’s something we 

can all achieve – it’s not about being dead 

fit, or the fastest or best at anything. It is 

about caring enough about yourself to look 

after your body and to understand what 

you’re capable of. And joining BLAGSS can 

be the first step. The great thing about us 

is that we’re such a varied bunch – we’ve 

got everyone from serious athletes to 

weekend walkers. Some of us take our 

sports very seriously, and some of us do 

it to meet new people. Whatever your bag 

– or fitness level – there is a place for you 

in BLAGSS, so please come and join us. We 

can promise you a whole heap of perfect 

moments if you do. 


14

15 

Autumn 2008 15


16

Gideon meade was the founder of BlaGss 

in 1997 after he returned to live in Brighton, 

having lived for a year in london 

what is the 

rational behind 

BLAGSS? 

While living in 

London, I was 

playing in one of 

the myriad great 

Lesbian and Gay 

sports groups there 

– at the time, there 

were at least three 

badminton clubs 

alone. I wanted 

to do something 

similar in Brighton, 

so I came up 

with the concept 

of an umbrella 

organisation for 

playing all sports. 

where did the 

name BLAGSS 

come from? 

Originally I wanted to call the club SLAGSS – Sussex Lesbian And Gay 

Sports Society. I was trying to get the Council involved at that time, but 

the SLAGSS name wasn’t exactly popular so I changed it to BLAGSS. 

what has been the highlight for you as the founding chair? 

One of the biggest highlights has been seeing the BLAGSS tennis 

group joining and winning in the Brighton and Hove Parks Tennis 

League! It is vitally important that BLAGSS succeeds in a truely 

sporting context – I didn’t and don’t want BLAGSS to become 

a social club, I wanted it to be about sport first, with a social 

context second. But most of all, I wanted BLAGSS to grow and 

compete with ‘straight’ clubs in local leagues. 

Have the LGBt communities now moved on from ‘only’ bars and 

clubs and moved into a new social setting for the 21 st century? 

Yes, there will always be people who don’t understand, but 

the fact that an openly gay group can play in a Club League, 

competing against straight people, is a fantastic example 

of acceptance in the community. That said, there is still a 

huge amount of bigotry and lack of understanding in all our 

communities – BLAGSS is helping to break down those barriers. 

We have lived through 10 years of very supportive government 

under Tony Blair, and people should never take for granted what 

his government did to improve equality for us. 

Has BLAGSS lived up to your expectations over the years? 

No – it has surpassed my expectations. BLAGSS is something 

I created, and it’s been a real pleasure to see it grow. This is 

due to the people who give up their time to run it. BLAGSS will 

always be my ‘baby’, and if it ever started to decline, I would 

step back into take it forward personally – that’s how strong I 

feel about the concept. 

then&now 

darcy hill was one of four new BlaGss 500 th 

members who joined in in august this year. 

she is from Canada but now lives in Brighton 

where are you 

from originally? 

I am from Calgary in 

Canada. I decided 

to do my Masters 

degree in in Dublin, 

Ireland, and then I 

moved to Brighton. 

why did you 

decide to join 

BLAGSS? 

I had been meaning 

to do so for a long 

time. Then when 

I split up with my 

girlfriend I decided 

the best way forward 

for me was to meet 

other gay people 

in the city – so I 

went on line and 

discovered the 

BLAGSS website and 

joined up immediately. I’m not a good drinker and very rarely use 

the gay bar scene. I wanted to meet people who where gay, but had 

a different outlook from Brighton’s commercial gay scene. 

Celebrating 11 years of 

BLAGSS 

what sport(s) have you taken up? 

Well, I’ve tried out a round of golf with Greg, one of the golf coordinators, 

and it was really cool. In Canada, golf is seen as a really 

trendy, popular sport – but here in the UK, it doesn’t seem to have 

that trendy edge. I’m also really into rugby, skiing and snowboarding. 

Have you made any new friends since you joined BLAGSS? 

I met a lot of people on the Pride march. They were really friendly and 

loads of fun. Gregg the golf co-ordinator was a really nice guy and I 

guess I will meet others when I join in one of the groups’ activities. 

what was your biggest worry about joining BLAGSS? 

I wasn’t sure whether bisexual people were included in the group or 

not. So I was a bit nervous about joining up. 

Has BLAGSS changed the way you see Brighton as a ‘gay’ city? 

Not really – I’ve been in Brighton and Hove for six years now and 

I’m pretty aware of the LGBT community here. However, BLAGSS 

has opened up a new aspect of that community, namely sports 

opportunities and the prospect of making new friends in a 

welcoming environment. 

what would you say to other members of the LGBt 

communities who might be thinking of joining BLAGSS? 

Just do it – don’t leave it like I did for so long. There are great people 

out there and it’s an extremely welcoming environment. 

Autumn 2008 17

lagssactivities 

badminton 

We meet twice a week 

Tuesday 8-10pm/Thursday 8-10pm 

The BLAGSS Badminton Group is a mixed- 

ability social group. All interested badminton 

players are welcome to come along but 

please contact the sports co-ordinator, Rob, 

before coming. We provide all the facilities, 

but please bring your own racquet and wear 

non-marking indoor soles. There is a small 

charge for each session, normally £2. 

We currently meet twice a week 

n Tuesdays 8-10pm. This session 

caters for all players, but the courts are 

designated between advanced players 

and all-comers to allow a bit more 

competition. Newcomers to BLAGSS are 

welcome at this session. If you haven’t 

played for a while we recommend that you 

practise first before attending. 

n Thursdays, 8-10pm. Anyone is 

welcome as long as they have picked up 

a badminton racquet at some point in 

their lives. We play mixed and matched 

doubles in a friendly, social environment. 

Thursdays can be busy, so please contact 

the co-ordinator before attending for the 

first time. 

cycling 

The BLAGSS Cycling Group 

Three rides every monTh 

Now that the autumn weather is upon us, 

why not get on your bike and out there? 

Sandra the cycling co-ordinator welcomes 

anyone, who wants to join in and, have fun! 

“The best thing about the Cycling Group 

is that they represent a whole range of 

18 

n As the sunny summer weather is over I am 

looking at running another coaching course. 

This would be open to 12 people maximum, It 

will run for five weeks and it will be a 1.5 hours 

session. The cost of the course would be £30 

based on these figures. If there is enough 

interest the course will start in late October. 

cyclists,” says Sandra. “From fair-weather 

casual cyclists to hardened commuters who 

brave all weathers, cycle path lovers, road 

riders and off-road trails, we all share one 

thing in common – we love cycling!” 

If you’re an inexperienced cyclist make 

sure you choose the right ride for your level 

of fitness – start with the short or social 

rides if you are not sure. 

n Off-Road: For those with off-road 

bicycles who want to experience some offroading. 

Different lengths, exploring off-road 

trails around Sussex and a packed or pub 

lunch where appropriate. Dates TBC. 

n Road Rides: Usually between 25-35 

badminton contact 

Co-ordinator: Rob 

Email: badminton@blagss.org 

Phone: 0845 65 blags 

miles on cycle routes or unclassified roads 

where possible. Leisurely pace, with a pub 

lunch/stop. Next ride 23 November. 

n Short Social Rides: These will be a 

series of short morning rides, less than 10 

miles, easy paced with a cake/ice cream 

stop assured. 

cycling contact 

Co-ordinator: sandra. 

Fast Rides: Darrell, Off Road: Richard 

Email: cycling@blagss.org 


www.blagss.org

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Autumn 2008 19


darts 

Mixed Darts Team 

ConTaCT Co-ordinaTor for deTails 

The Darts Group is inactive at present. If 

you wish to get a team set up or a venue 

to start playing in, then contact the darts 

co-ordinator below. Why not set up your own 

team? All standards of players are welcome 

to get involved. It’s very sociable. 

20 

darts contact 

email: darts@blagss.org 


Thinking of Joining? 

why noT Try ouT blagss for free 

To learn more about the group, try some 

sport and meet some of our members, come 

along with a FREE one day membership. Just 

go to the main BLAGSS website and click 

on sport page you are interested in. You can 

message the co-ordinator from there. 

join for free 

for a free one day trial, go to 

www.blagss.org Phone: 0845 65 blags 

click on the sport of interest 

football 

Mixed Friendly Football Team 

sunday evenings - hove park 

The BLAGSS Football Group is a mixed 

friendly group who play football each 

Sunday evening. In summer, we play at 

Preston Park meeting up at 7pm. However 

this has now changed to 6pm until further 

notice, until we move to our winter venue 

of Hove Park. Please arrive 10-15 minutes 

early so we can start promptly. 

The move to the winter venue of Hove 

Park was in October. Play will start at 

7.30pm. Again, please arrive 5-10 minutes 

early so we can start promptly. The winter 

venue is on Astro Turf under floodlights. No 

proper football boots can be worn on the 

Astro Turf, only trainers or special Astro- 

Turf boots. But trainers are quite adequate. 

“It’s a mixed team but we tend to get a 

lot more women players than men, even 

though guys are welcome,” says Leonie, 

the BLAGSS Football co-ordinator. “In the 

summer months we get between eight and 

15 players. The emphasis is on not taking 

the game too seriously,” she says. “And 

it’s definitely about having a fun time and 

really good exercise. Expect to run around 

a lot, get very sweaty and have a laugh. 

“You can take part if you’ve never done 

it before. If you get tired, go in goal for 10 

minutes, there’s no pressure to run around 

– you can take it as easy as you like. After 

doing it for three or four weeks you’ll be 

surprised at how your fitness levels will 

improve.” 

FOOtball buddy: If you have any 

reservations, you can contact Leonie who 

is willing to meet you before the game, 

introduce you to the team, and give help 

and advice. 

football contact 

Co-ordinator: leonie 

Email: football@blagss.org 


www.blagss.org

golf 

Sally Cushing won Gold at the Eurogames in Barcelona this year 

Autumn golfing sessions on offer 

if you would like To offer To hosT sessions ConTaCT The Co-ordinaTor 

BLAGSS Golfing had two main events this 

year. A Golf Challenge for Winter Pride 

where Ken Coales from Irons won the 

Men’s Shield and Caron Morton from Gigs 

won the Women’s Shield. 

In the week before Pride BLAGSS 

Golf Society ran the second annual 

BLAGSS Pride Golf Challenge in July this 

year. During the day, there were four 

events: The Brighton Pride Open Golf 

Championship, which was a Stableford 

competition played over 18 holes at 

Pyecombe Golf Course, Brighton. 

The men’s champion was Ken Coales 

with 40 points and in second place, 

David Howden with 37 points. The 

women’s champion was Sally Cushing 

with 46 points, and second was Melissa 

Chamberlain with 45 points. 

The second event was the Brighton 

Pride Rainbow Challenge. Again a 

Stableford competition played over 18 

holes at Waterhall Golf Course, Brighton. 

The men’s winner was Rod Jefferies with 

27 points and second was Greg Harris 

with 24 points. The women’s winner 

was Louise Harrison with 41 points and 

second was Kate Burrell with 38. 

The third event was Brighton Pride 

6 Hole Challenge. This is a mini golf 

challenge for those beginners who have 

not yet managed 18 holes – eight people 

played in this event. Also, the Brighton 

Pride Golf Clinic had 12 people joining in 

for lessons. In all 48 golfers took part in 

this event. 

Three BLAGSS members went to play 

at the Eurogames in Barcelona and Sally 

Cushing won a Gold Medal in her section. 

Why not try out your handicap? 

Golf is a sport that is slow to learn, and 

improve at and time consuming to play. 

This affects BLAGSS Golf Society quite 

badly. Greg has worked very hard to be 

available on Saturdays and Sundays all 

summer but still only a few people turn 

up. The beginners find it hard to get 

going and the low handicap golfers are 

members of clubs which means they 

will be playing there. It makes it difficult 

to become motivated when either one 

person turns up or none. 

However, Greg has continued to offer 

playing and we have one or two players 

now who are beginning to improve. 

We look forward to running sessions 

at Burgess Hill this winter which will be 

about practice and socialising to get ready 

for next season. We will meet on the first 

Thursday of the month from November 

onwards – more if people request it. 

golf contact 

Co-ordinators: Helen or greg 

Email: golf@blagss.org 



gym 

Train with a BLAGSS member 

ConTaCT oTher members online 

There’s no official BLAGSS gym team, but 

there is a section on the BLAGSS website 

where you can contact other members and 

meet a gym buddy for training sessions. 

Why not organise one yourself? 

gym contact 

Co-ordinator: gareth 

Email: gym@blagss.org 


TO JOIN ANY 

OF BLAGSS 

ACTIVITIES 

click: 

www.blagss.org 

Telephone: 0845 65 blags 

It only costs £12 per year to 

become a member. 

Autumn 2008 21


martial arts 

The Ishigaki Ju-Jitsu club is organising 

another free self defence class for BLAGSS 

members this autumn, probably around 

November time. Dates are yet to be 

confirmed so watch out for details on the 

website and register your interest soon as 

the last session was completely full. 

running 

22 

martial arts contact 

co-ordinators: andi and sensie 

Email: martialarts@blagss.org 


The Running Group 

join one of The many evenTs 

ThroughouT The year 

“Our main session is on Saturday mornings 

in Preston Park. We meet at 10.30am just 

down from the Clock Tower, and the session 

usually lasts between 60-75 minutes,” says 

Graham, one of the group’s co-ordinators. “We 

do a mixture of laps around the park usually 

three or four over the session, and intersperse 

with various circuit training exercises. BLAGSS 

Running Group have also competed in several 

races around the country, including the 

Edinburgh Marathon, Sussex Beacon Half 

Marathon and the Great North Run. 

“The main point we say to anyone who 

wants to get involved in running is to check 

with their GP and, if you are keen about 

running, invest in a decent pair of running 

shoes to help prevent joint injuries,” says 

Tommy, the other running co-ordinator. 

n Wednesday Evenings: We meet 

at 7pm at The Meeting Point Cafe on the 

petanque 

Petanque is also known as Boules and is a 

very social sport to play that requires very 

little effort but lots of skill and cunning. 

You could even take along a bottle or wine 

or Pernod to share with your team mates! 

Meeting time is 6.30 onwards – the first 

games will start shortly after we meet. 

petanque contact 

Co-ordinators: Tony and Viv 

Email: petanque@blagss.org 


seafront, by the Peace Statue. These runs 

are designed to allow you to run at your 

own pace. 

n Saturday Mornings: We meet in Preston 

Park at 10.30am and finish the sessions at 

the Preston Park Cafe for cakes and tea. 

rollerblading 

The regular BLAGSS rollerblading sessions 

have now finished for the winter season and 

will start again in the spring. 

Please keep an eye on the website 

though as we may arrange the occasional 

one-off session at short notice during the 

autumn if the weather is looking favourable. 

rollerblading contact 

Co-ordinators: andy and Mark 

Email: rollerblading@blagss.org 


running contact 

Co-ordinators: graham and Tommy 

email: running@blagss.org 


www.blagss.org


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at anytime 

Terms and conditions apply. Subject to lane availability. Not valid when a waiting list 

is in operation. Not valid school half term holidays and bank holidays. 

www.bowlplex.co.uk 

Autumn 2008 23


sailing 

New Sailing Group and Course (Limited to 12 Places) 

a five-day auTumn dinghy Course will begin in sepTember 

BLAGSS has recently had its first group of 

eager sailors participate in a five-Saturday 

sailing course – run by Newhaven and Seaford 

Sailing Club in Piddinghoe, near Newhaven. 

The members started at a steady pace, 

learning how to ‘rig up’ the dinghy that they 

would be sailing, Learning how to tie knots 

proved more difficult for some than others 

who perhaps had rope experience prior to 

this course. 

The second Saturday saw our members all 

completing a capsizing exercise – it was an 

experience to observe some well-styled hair 

being completely submerged in the water. 

This was also a good opportunity to show 

muscle power in ‘righting’ the dinghy and 

recovering your sailing buddy This task was 

successfully completed by all our members 

skiing 

Skiing Group 

blagss organises an annual 

skiing Trip To europe 

24 

who emerged looking somewhat colder than 

when they began – the rain didn’t help with 

raising spirits but the chance to watch others 

and laugh at their expense did. 

Due to the consistently bad weather, and 

some members’ prior engagements, the 

club offered a further Saturday for free for 

additional training and finishing of this RYA 

level one and two qualification. 

Keep an eye out on the website for the 

next sailing course. 

sailing contact 

Co-ordinator: Kelly 

Email: sailing@blagss.org 


Skiing is an established group of BLAGSS 

members that welcomes others on an annual 

trip to Europe. Members who would like to 

go next year should ensure they have ticked 

skiing in their details on the BLAGSS website. 

squash 

The BLAGSS Squash Group is a mixed ability 

group and all members are welcome. They 

meet every Tuesday evening at Withdean 

Stadium. Contact Stuart, the co-ordinator, if 

you plan to attend for the first time. 

They meet from 8-9.20pm. Court fees are 

£4 per person. You’ll need to bring your own 

equipment and suitable shoes. All levels 

welcome on these nights. 

squash contact 

Co-ordinator: stuart 

Email: squash@blagss.org 


“Our annual skiing trip to a European 

(usually French) resort started in 2005, with 

only nine of us – in 2009, there will be 20 of 

us going,” says David, the skiing co-ordinator. 

“We hire a chalet to ourselves, so have a nice 

‘family’ atmosphere. Because the chalets 

have live-in staff, we also get to live in relative 

comfort for a week with meals, etc. laid on. 

“Some of the group are experienced 

skiers while others are more ‘intermediate’. 

Nevertheless, we always manage to go 

skiing together at some point in the holiday. 

And if not? Then rendezvous at a mountain 

restaurant for lunch!” 

The skiing group gets booked up very 

early, so check for availability. 

skiing contact 

Co-ordinator: David 

Email: skiing@blagss.org 


www.blagss.org

swimming 

Swimming Groups for all Abilities 

CheCk ouT The various groups for 

one ThaT suiTs you 

Swimming is arguably the only sport that 

provides opportunities for people of all 

ages and abilities to participate at all levels. 

Whether it’s recreational, acquiring a life 

skill, swimming regularly to maintain health 

and fitness, enjoying a variety of waterbased 

activities safely, achieving personal 

goals, or winning medals. 

“After a couple of lengths warm-up, the 

main session involves a mixture of working 

on the technique of the various strokes 

(mainly front-crawl and breast stroke), 

mixed in with some stamina work,” says 

Elaine, one of the BLAGSS co-ordinators 

for swimming. “People do as much as they 

feel able to manage and there is always 

some time to gossip down the shallow 

end! We normally finish with a game then 

warm-down.” 

Although the Swimming Group is very 

supportive of people who come to their 

meets, the emphasis is not on teaching 

people to swim. “The sessions are designed 

to enable people to improve their swimming, 

whatever their level of fitness,” says Paul, 

the other BLAGSS swimming co-ordinator. 

“After each session the group go to a local 

pub for a drink or, a bite to eat – so it’s a 

very social affair.” 

Monday Sessions: Typically we have 

between 10 and 16 members turning 

up, where we cater for all ability levels by 

providing a choice of free swimming or a 

more structured work out. 

Main Session, from 7.15-8.05pm at: St. 

Luke’s Pool, St. Luke’s Terrace, Brighton. 

BN2 9ZE. Telephone: 01273 602385. We 

meet outside at 7.10pm sharp. £4 per head. 

swimming contact 

Co-ordinators: Elaine and Paul 

Email: swimming@blagss.org 


tennis 

The Tennis Group welcomes new 

members to BLAGSS. We play every 

Sunday at Hove Park (Old Shoreham 

Road) at noon. 

Our players are of various standards. 

The teams are evenly balanced and we 

play short sets. Then we mix the teams to 

increase variety. It costs on average £1 

per player. 

BLAGSS tennis is a friendly group with 

an increasing membership of both men 

and women. Come and play, then meet 

and eat at the Hove Park Cafe. There is a 

singles league for those who want to play 

matches at a time convenient to them (four 

matches to be played over two months). 

If you are an absolute beginner or novice 

please see details of the Tennis Virgins 

group which provides coaching sessions. 

City PaRk’S lEaguE 

BLAGSS Tennis had two teams playing 

in the City Parks League this year, 

tai chi 

BLAGSS were able to offer a low cost 

ten weeks introduction classes in Tai Chi 

at the Manor Gym in East Brighton. The 

attendance was impressive and we had 

more than 250 people turning over the ten 

weeks. Jumping on that success and need, 

the class resumed on 3 September and has 

a regular weekly attendance of 12 people. 

Tai Chi aims to revitalise and relax you 

– allowing you to become stronger in both 

mind and body. Teacher Ghislaine will show 

you how to combat the stresses and strains 

of modern society and demonstrate how to 


where teams from tennis clubs that 

are based in the city’s public parks 

play one another. Each team played 

18 matches between April and August. 

Congratulations to the Division 3 team 

which comfortably won its group and has 

been promoted to Division 2. Well done 

to the Division 4 team which finished 

fourth in its group. Play in the league will 

restart in April 2009. 

The BLAGSS Tennis team collected its 

Division 3 trophy at the end-of-season 

party held at the Preston Tennis Club, 

Brighton in September. The team also 

won the general knowledge quiz for the 

second year running. 

tennis 

Coordinators: Jeff or Raymond 

Email: tennis@blagss.org 


gently tone and strengthen your muscles. 

We aim to continue to offer a low cost Tai 

Chi classes throughout the year as well as 

offer seminars, day workshops and health 

coaching for LGBT groups and individual 

members. 

Wednesdays: 6-7pm, The Manor, Manor 

Road, Brighton BN2 5EA. £3 Blagss, £6 Non 

members. 

tai chi contact 

Co-ordinator: sylvia 

Email: taichi@blagss.org 


Autumn 2008 25


tennis virgins 

Tennis Virgins 

beginners who Can’T hiT a ball welCome 

If you’re rubbish at tennis and would like 

to learn the basics in a group of eight with 

an experienced coach, then this is the 

perfect course for you. You will learn basic 

tennis skills. Depending on what the course 

achieves, there may be an intermediate 

group for those who want to continue – we 

ten pin bowling 

The Ten-Pin Bowling has about 50 active 

members of both sexes, and between 10 and 

20 turn up for the monthly session. We meet 

on the third Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm 

at the Brighton Marina Bowlplex. However, 

please check we are meeting before turning up. 

“We have over 100 members and we 

regularly fill between two and four lanes 

every session at Bowlplex,” says Patrick, the 

co-ordinator. The emphasis is on social rather 

than competitive sport and we often have a 

drink afterwards to chat about anything and 

everything. It’s a really laid back, atmosphere 

26 

are also inviting players who have played 

some tennis but want to improve their game. 

For the beginners course, no 

experience is required and it’s probably 

best that you don’t have much at all. 

The course will cover all the basics from 

volleys, back hands and even how not to 

and is a lot of fun. You don’t need to be super 

fit, though anyone with back or joint problems 

should seek advice from their GP first. 

“There is often a good mix of men and 

women bowlers and the group is very social 

and always has a lot of fun,” says Patrick. “We 

meet around 7.30pm and start bowling about 

7.45pm. You don’t need to bring anything 

other than the fees as the Bowlplex provides 

everything you need. We bowl two games each 

and usually pop across to the West Quay pub 

afterwards for a quick drink.” 

Last August saw BLAGSS challenge the 

Ishigaki Ju-Jitsu club to a bowling match. 

BLAGSS won both games with a convincing 

lead and the challenge match was great fun. 

thE RESultS WERE aS FOllOWS! 

n game One: 

BLAGSS 102.6 (Average score) - Ishigaki 78.6 

n game two: 

BLAGSS 100.4 - Ishigaki 77.1 

We now have a challenge from the Brighton 

and Hove Petanque club and we plan to 

arrange similar challenge matches with other 

clubs and groups too. If your group would like 

to challenge us to a match or you just fancy a 

great evening out drop us a line to bowling@ 

blagss.org. 

hit the ball outside the perimeter fence! 

The cost to BLAGSS members will 

be approximately £50. The course is 

subsidised by BLAGSS and each of the 

eight lessons will last an hour and a half. 

Tennis Virgins is an eight-week tuition 

course running at Badgers Tennis Club. 

The first beginners courses started 

in March. However, a second group will 

meet on Thursday evenings. Places are 

strictly limited so please contact Rob the 

co-ordinator first. 

iMPROvERS tEnniS tuitiOn 

Have you played a little tennis and can 

hit the ball over the net more often 

than not, but would like to improve your 

stroke? “If so, the Improvers Group 

would have people continuing from the 

Beginners Group and also invite new 

improvers in at this stage who haven’t 

needed to attend the Beginners Groups,” 

says Rob. The Beginners Group is 

running on a Sunday morning so please 

contact Rob with your interest. 

tennis virgins 

Co-ordinator: Rob 

Email: tennisvirgins@blagss.org 

Phone: 0845 65 BLAGS 

Girls just wanna have fun!!! 

Now is also a great time to come along and 

start practising for the 2009 BLAGSS Tenpin 

Challenge, whichever team you decide to play 

for on the night. 

tenpin contact 

Co-ordinator: Patrick 

Email: bowling@ www.blagss.org 


www.blagss.org


walking friday walking 

Walking Groups 

various walks ThroughouT The year 

On Sunday, 16 November Austin is leading 

the gorgeous seven mile Heritage Coast 

walk which also takes in part of the 

beautiful Cuckmere Valley. 

On Saturday, 6 December there will be a 

three-five mile walk. Details to follow. 

On Sunday 21 December, Christmas 

Meal and Walk. We shall be returning to the 

Cricketers Arms at Berwick near Alfreston 

for our Christmas lunch following a walk of 

3-4 miles. Hoping to see you at some or all 

of these events. 

“Probably one of the best things about 

BLAGSS Walking Group is the social and 

healthy aspect of the activity. Sussex is 

such a wonderful walking territory, as it 

contains such a variety of landscapes: 

chalk downland with glorious views of seaside 

paths, winding tracks through bluebell 

woods and along very pretty streams in 

the Weald,” says Tim, the BLAGSS Walking 

co-ordinator. 

“The walks are not too strenuous, 

although you will feel you have had some 

good exercise at the end! Downland walks 

usually involve a couple of fairly steep 

climbs and on the Weald, we often come 

across stiles and foot bridges. However, we 

are not in the business of rushing, as most 

of the pleasure is to chat in a relaxed atmosphere 

and admire the lovely views.” 

The Walking Groups attracts an age 

range of approximately 40 to 60 years and 

has a wide range of fitness levels within 

the group. A pair of strong shoes or boots 

is highly recommended, as is a water bottle 

and sun protection. On some walks, you 

will need to bring a packed lunch, while on 

others a pub stop is available. 

walking contact 

Co-ordinator: Tim 

Email: walking@blagss.org 


During the months of May to September, 

BLAGSS runs a series of short evening walks 

on Fridays to unwind from the weekly grind. 

These include an evening meal taken at 

a pub en-route or a restaurant afterwards. 

The walks, lead by Jerem, are on the second 

and fourth Fridays of each month. 

friday walking contact 

Coordinator: Jeremy 

Email: fridaywalks@blagss.org 


Why walk? 

Walking as an activity, is an excellent natural 

exercise that helps you stay healthy and live 

longer, it can control your weight, and helps 

you socialise more with friends and family. 

Most of us see walking simply as a means 

to an end, a way of getting from A to B. What 

most people don’t realise is that walking is 

also one of the most effective forms of all 

round exercise. Walking is also suitable and 

safe for almost everyone – regardless of 

age, fitness level or ability. Getting involved 

in regular walking can provide many benefits 

and have a real impact on people’s physical 

and mental health. 

did yOu knOW that Walking: 

n Contributes to your recommended amount 

of daily exercise. Adults should aim to 

participate in 30 minutes of daily exercise, 

five days of the week. It can halve your risk of 

a heart attack or stroke. 

n You can start slowly and build up gently. 

Walking is free! It’s surprising how much a 

car costs to run. If you are able to make short 

journeys on foot you will save money It can 

burn the same amount of calories as jogging. 

n Walking can help to improve your health 

and fitness, therefore reducing the risk of 

ill health later in life. Walking can improve 

your blood pressure, lower your cholesterol, 

help you feel less stressed, even reduce the 

risk of some cancers and can help prevent 

Diabetes. 

n Walking is an ideal forms of exercise 

because it can be incorporated as part of 

your daily travel pattern (e.g. walking to work 

or the shops). And importantly, walking to 

work will contribute to reducing local and 

global pollution levels! 

Our four-legged friends like walking too... 

Autumn 2008 27


volleyball (beach) 

Beach volleyball is a fun version of volleyball 

played on the sand. Currently made famous 

by its inclusion in the Olympics and the very 

strict rules on the maximum allowable bikini 

size in the ladies game. It is a team sport 

28 

beach volleyball contact 

Co-ordinator: Paul or Rob 

Email: beachvolleyball@blagss.org 


WE HAVE MOVED TO A 

NEW YOGA STUDIO 

7 Video Testimonials 

w w w . d y n a m i c y o g a . t v 

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 

Angie: Losing Weight Steve: Healed Back 

“Lost 4 stone in 4 months” “Stuart’s Yoga healed my 

chronic back problem” 

for between two and six people to play, with 

scoring rules the same as badminton or 

table tennis. It is simple to learn the basic 

three shots (dig, set and spike) and you can 

quickly get to playing games. 

Undeterred by the poor summer weather 

we managed to have a successful beach 

volleyball group in 2008. However, you will 

need to wait until spring 2009 for the group 

to start playing again. In the meantime 

add beach volleyball to your interests to be 

notified when it’s starting back up. 

Yoga is excellent for: 

• Losing Weight 

yoga contact 

Co-ordinator: Daniel 

Email: yoga@blagss.org 


• Back, Neck & Shoulder pain 

• Increasing fitness & stamina 

• Healing sports injuries 

• Psychological problems. 

Depression. 

• Connecting to Divinity 

Tel: 01273 707777 www.dynamicyoga.tv 

yoga 

The yoga classes are currently not running. 

Please visit the website www.blagss.org to 

find out when the new classes commence. 

Special Trial Offer* 

£14 for 14 days 

* For first-time students only 

Top Floor, Unit 9, The Old Perfume Factory 

Off Fonthill Rd, Hove, East Sussex BN3 6HA 

www.blagss.org


Autumn 2008 29

lagssfriends 

COMMUNITY SPORTS ORGANISATIONS AND GROUPS 

If you would like your sports group added to GOBLAGSS magazine, then please send copy to: info@magazinedoctor.co.uk Please note 

that inclusion is for voluntary, non-profit making organisations only. Deadline for all editorial: Monday, 29 December 2008. 

Sussex Beacon Half Marathon 

Sunday 22 February 2009 

www.SuSSexbeacon.org.uk 

bike for life: Bike for Life is an 

independent cycle training organisation 

dedicated to promoting cycling and helping 

anybody to bike for health, for leisure, for 

fun. www.bikeforlife.org.uk 

brighton bandits Football Club: 

Brighton Bandits FC is the only football club 

in the city of Brighton and Hove for gay and 

gay-friendly men and women. 

Contact: www.banditsfc.org 

Cheek2Cheek: Lesbian and gay dance 

classes. Cheek2Cheek dance group, 

7.30pm for Improvers and 8.15pm for 

beginners, every Tuesday. 

info@cheek2cheekbrighton.org.uk 

CycleOut gay Cycling group: CycleOut 

is a gay cycling club with a programme of 

cycling events. www.cycleout.org.uk 

gaySWag: (Gay Sussex Walking Group) 

For details of the group or walks go to: 

www.gayswag.co.uk 

GO BLAGSS 

Brighton Winter Pride 

7-15 March 2009 

www.brightonpride.org 

gay Cycling touring trips: A group for 

gay men and friends who want to keep in 

contact to make congenial groups offering 

holidays or cycling runs. 

www.gaycycling.wfour.co.uk 

gay Sailing group: A sailing club for LGBT 

people, their families, friends and others, 

who own boats or want to go sailing. 

www.gaysailing.org.uk 

gay Sunday Walking group: One all-day 

and one half-day walk each month. 

www.gswg.org.uk 

glug: (Gay and Lesbian Underwater Group) 

Scuba Diving club for gay, lesbian, bisexual, 

and transgendered divers and their friends. 

www.glug.co.uk 

ishigaki Ju-Jitsu: Martial Arts club for the 

LGBT community. www.ishigaki.org.uk 

Out to Swim South: Out to Swim has 

launched a new club based on the South 

Brighton Bandits FC Needs You! 

iF you want to play Football call: 

juStin on 07791 583 088 

Coast. You should be able to swim for an 

hour and be able to swim a minimum of two 

strokes. www.outtoswim.org 

Sailing and Cruising association: 

Promotes sailing and boating among gays 

and lesbians and their families and friends. 


gay Outdoor Club: The Gay Outdoor Club 

operates throughout the UK and provides 

a wide range of outdoor and indoor sports 

and recreational activities for gay, lesbian, 

bisexual and transgender men and women. 

www.goc.org.uk 

Outtotri: UK national group aimed at, but 

not exclusively LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual 

and Transgendered) triathletes. and 

wannabe triathletes. www.outtotri.co.uk 

Outdoor lads: A national LGBT outdoor 

pursuits network. There’s something for 

everyone, no matter what your interest: 

www.outdoorlads.com 

 

TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS, SERVICE OR EVENT 

Call 01273 690 602 or email: info@magazinedoctor.co.uk 

 

 


30

lagssfriends 

COMMUNITY SPORTS ORGANISATIONS AND GROUPS 

If you would like your sports group added to GOBLAGSS magazine, then please send copy to: info@magazinedoctor.co.uk Please note 

that inclusion is for voluntary, non-profit making organisations only. Deadline for all editorial: Monday, 29 December 2008. 

Sussex Beacon Half Marathon 

Sunday 22 February 2009 

www.SuSSexbeacon.org.uk 

bike for life: Bike for Life is an 

independent cycle training organisation 

dedicated to promoting cycling and helping 

anybody to bike for health, for leisure, for 

fun. www.bikeforlife.org.uk 

brighton bandits Football Club: 

Brighton Bandits FC is the only football club 

in the city of Brighton and Hove for gay and 

gay-friendly men and women. 

Contact: www.banditsfc.org 

Cheek2Cheek: Lesbian and gay dance 

classes. Cheek2Cheek dance group, 

7.30pm for Improvers and 8.15pm for 

beginners, every Tuesday. 

info@cheek2cheekbrighton.org.uk 

CycleOut gay Cycling group: CycleOut 

is a gay cycling club with a programme of 

cycling events. www.cycleout.org.uk 

gaySWag: (Gay Sussex Walking Group) 

For details of the group or walks go to: 

www.gayswag.co.uk 

GO BLAGSS 

Brighton Winter Pride 

7-15 March 2009 

www.brightonpride.org 

gay Cycling touring trips: A group for 

gay men and friends who want to keep in 

contact to make congenial groups offering 

holidays or cycling runs. 

www.gaycycling.wfour.co.uk 

gay Sailing group: A sailing club for LGBT 

people, their families, friends and others, 

who own boats or want to go sailing. 


gay Sunday Walking group: One all-day 

and one half-day walk each month. 

www.gswg.org.uk 

glug: (Gay and Lesbian Underwater Group) 

Scuba Diving club for gay, lesbian, bisexual, 

and transgendered divers and their friends. 

www.glug.co.uk 

ishigaki Ju-Jitsu: Martial Arts club for the 

LGBT community. www.ishigaki.org.uk 

Out to Swim South: Out to Swim has 

launched a new club based on the South 

Brighton Bandits FC Needs You! 

iF you want to play Football call: 

juStin on 07791 583 088 

Coast. You should be able to swim for an 

hour and be able to swim a minimum of two 

strokes. www.outtoswim.org 

Sailing and Cruising association: 

Promotes sailing and boating among gays 

and lesbians and their families and friends. 


gay Outdoor Club: The Gay Outdoor Club 

operates throughout the UK and provides 

a wide range of outdoor and indoor sports 

and recreational activities for gay, lesbian, 

bisexual and transgender men and women. 

www.goc.org.uk 

Outtotri: UK national group aimed at, but 

not exclusively LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual 

and Transgendered) triathletes. and 

wannabe triathletes. www.outtotri.co.uk 

Outdoor lads: A national LGBT outdoor 

pursuits network. There’s something for 

everyone, no matter what your interest: 

www.outdoorlads.com 

 

TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS, SERVICE OR EVENT 

Call 01273 690 602 or email: info@magazinedoctor.co.uk 

 

 


30

blagssactivities - Brighton Lesbian and Gay Sports Society

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