Images relating to the very first art exhibition at the Ledward Centre (LGBT+ community centre) in Brighton, from 17th August to 28th September 2023. The exhibition featured the work of six queer neurodivergent artists: Mungo Austin, Aoife Baxendale, Sebastian Rowlands, Krisas Daubaras, Danny Good, and Laine Dunne. It was curated by Danny Good and Meg Brosnan. The exhibition wanted to draw attention to the frequent exclusion of queer neurodivergent people from LGBT+ spaces, as well as celebrating our experiences. Images include a flyer promoting the exhibition, photos from the private view, and of the artwork shown.

Gardners Cafe opened its doors in October 1988 and quickly became a popular LGBT hangout in the North Laine. The picture shows a 'Be Good in Bed' poster from the Terrence Higgins Trust which was displayed on World AIDS Day 1990.

Gary Beverley Gary Beverley was my second partner and the first to die from AIDS. We met on a Saturday in April 1988 at the Bulldog where I was celebrating my 21st birthday. I can still picture it clearly and hear ‘Heaven is a place on earth’ playing, loudly! At the time, I was an aspiring clone, and Gary, 11 years older, had fully achieved clone status! I was drawn to his seductive smile, sparkling blue eyes, humour, wonderful laughter, tight fitting 501’s and perfectly polished DM’s. A five-year relationship began, and we were living together within months. Gary introduced me to new friends and experiences, and started my rapid exploration as a Gay man. It was exciting to share the Brighton Gay scene and beyond with Gary, but we also saw the fear and prejudice of HIV. Each year we lost more friends, saw more diagnosed, and then watched them quickly become seriously unwell, frail and die. Our relationship wasn’t always easy, but I never stopped loving Gary’s animated charm, and before AIDS progressed, his independent spirit. By 1992 Gary’s health had deteriorated and everyone commented on his weight loss and appearance. On a hot summer day in July, we both tested for HIV already knowing the results deep down. Gary had started showing signs of AIDS-related dementia, and the wonderful bright, vivacious, and independent man I loved quickly deteriorated with awful symptoms and eventually total loss of capacity. I’m sure others recall how distressing AIDS-related dementia was. I spent every day with Gary, right up to his death, willingly and wholeheartedly there as the awful disease rapidly progressed and diminished his mind and body. Throughout, he had occasional glimmers and signs of recognition, smiles and shared laughter, an outstretched hand for love and affection, and almost until the last moment, still cried out for me ‘my Gary.’ We were fortunate to be supported by loving close friends, Open Door, wonderful nurses & professionals, and so many others with HIV who stood with us in solidarity. I will always love Gary (tearful now) and remember the massively different time of HIV and AIDS, which for those who survived has been entirely life changing. Words by Gary Pargeter - 2021

I first met Gary sometime in the mid 80’s. I’m not sure where but I think it was to do with Body Positive business. He and his partner Sebastian were also engaged with The London Lighthouse in some capacity. Sebastian was very handsome and a few years younger than Gary. One afternoon I met them outside the Ladbrook Grove tube station with Rusty their new little Jack Russell cross who was gorgeous. They asked me to hold him whilst they went to use a loo and when they came out, we had a coffee somewhere nearby. They told me that Sebastian was moving to Brighton, with Gary following as soon as he could. I met them both again in Woolworths on Oxford St the day before Sebastian was moving, but I never saw Sebastian again because he died before I moved to Brighton. Gary was not a run of the mill chauffeur. He worked as one of the top drivers for the most important chauffeur service in London Victoria. He drove everyone - heads of state, celebrated film stars, rock musicians and many other world-famous people who specifically asked for him time and time again. I think he must have had some kind of intelligence background due to the importance of the people he drove, but I can’t say for certain. He was also a great dancer and lovely human being. Gary and Sebastian bought a house in Kemp Street a few doors up from the artist Gary Sollars. They were both members of the newly formed LGBT Line Dance group which I also joined later. We became a very close-knit group of friends and danced our hearts out for a couple of years. Sadly, Gary went from HIV status to full blown AIDS so I started visiting almost every day to take Rusty out for a walk. When I came into the living room Rusty would jump all over me and I’d kiss and cuddle him for a few minutes before going over to kiss and hug Gary. We walked all over Brighton, and when Gary went into The Sussex Beacon, Rusty came to live with me. We were told that Gary only had a few weeks to live and wanted to return home to die. We all helped, taking turns to look after Gary and do all the cooking, shopping and cleaning. The whole house became alive with fabulous energy. We laughed, cried, ate together, slept overnight and read to Gary until the final week when he slipped in and out of consciousness. Gary told us he didn’t want his sister to have anything to do with his death or its aftermath, and he left a letter at the Sussex Beacon saying they were not to inform her. Unfortunately, the letter was not read until it was too late. She arrived the day before he died and was furious that we were all having such a wonderful time making Gary’s last days positive and bearable. Gary had one of the best deaths I have ever witnessed until she poked her nose in. We would not let her interfere, but she wouldn’t leave Gary’s house until after the funeral. There was one problem, Rusty. I said I could not take him so said she’d build another kennel outside for him next to her other dogs. This horrified me and all the others, so I quickly changed my mind and took Rusty home with me that evening. He lived for another 4 happy years, and I still have an oil painting of him above my desk.

Gay Soc Meeting - University of Sussex

Gay Times Dec 2001 Interview with Boogaloo Stu. The interviewer would have been Richard Smith who was the editor of Gay Times at that time, he lived in Brighton and was a friend of Boogaloo Stu (Stuart Alexander). Indeed he DJ-ed (as DJ Wanker) at Dynamite Boogaloo for quite a few years. Sadly he died in 2018. The photo was taken at Shinky Shonky in the basement of the Polar Bear pub (now Ku Bar) on Lisle Street. Looking at the costume Stu reckons the photo dates from that same year (2001).

In April 2024, Brighton Gay Men's Chorus celebrated the 50th anniversary of ABBA winning Eurovision at the Brighton Dome. Singing a selection of ABBA songs, the chorus was joined by six Eurovision stars; performing on the same stage, 50 years to the day from ABBA's historic win.

Graham Charles Wilkinson Graham Charles Wilkinson was one of small group of gay men in London who shared a vision for innovative new centres for people living with HIV in the UK. The group started to meet and talk about their ideas at the flat of Christopher Spence OBE, who’d later become director of the Lighthouse in Ladbroke Grove when it opened in 1986. Graham was acutely aware that Brighton was desperate for services to help the growing numbers affected by the epidemic, so he set to work bringing the vision to the coast. Determined and courageous, Graham decided to quit his job to found the Sussex AIDS Helpline in a ‘grotty’ little office on Brighton’s Western Road in October 1987. In the early days, the helpline was a very hands-on affair with Graham and a few friends answering all the calls, but despite its humble beginnings, it soon became essential for anyone needing good advice, compassion and the facts. By all accounts Graham was a shy man who found the constant battles, resistance and stigma of the times hard to manage against the backdrop of his own illness. Sometimes the stress of the situation would get the better of him, but before long the light would appear in his face alongside an infectious giggle that anyone who knew him will never forget. By all accounts, Graham was a loving and supportive man who could be relied on to give someone a cuddle.  Graham lived on Devonshire Place in Kemptown with his partner and playwright John Roman Baker at the time. They used their flat as a centre for the fundraising and lobbying which helped Graham to realise his vision when the Sussex AIDS Centre and Helpline opened at 3 Cavendish Street in 1988. Despite his poor health Graham played a key role in shaping, influencing and establishing the HIV services in Brighton which continue today, and his tireless commitment served to directly impact and improve the quality of lives of countless people living with HIV in Brighton. Graham ended his days at the London Lighthouse on 22 August 1990 surrounded by friends. His service was held in St Peters Church with standing room only - a testimony to the love and respect that existed for him in the city. - Danny West - 2021 22 August 2021 This evening, John and I are listening to Donna Summer and remembering Graham Wilkinson who died this day 31 years ago at London Lighthouse (at the time there was no hospice for people with HIV/Aids in Brighton). He was a tireless gay rights campaigner from the 1970s onwards and then in the 1980s fought tooth and nail as co-founder and director of the Sussex Aids Centre & Helpline (now THT South). His work, spirit and achievements should not be forgotten. It was a time when gay men in particular, but also others with HIV, were collateral damage in a deeply Conservative society where sadly even within our own community we had to fight self-hatred while the government held out for a feared heterosexual epidemic which of course (thankfully) did not materialise. Graham inspired and touched the lives of so many, but to John and myself he was so much more. He was our family and is deeply missed. Words by Rod Evan & John Roman Baker

When I visited Brighton in 1986, I went to The Pink Coconut on Sunday with my mate Trevor. When the club had shut, I followed my nose to the nearest cruising spot in town and quickly became acquainted with a guy called Graham, (Bona Clone to his friends) He was everything I had fancied, big moustache, leather chaps, 501’s leather jacket, poppers and a cheeky smile. I went back with Graham and had such a great time I decided Brighton was where I would like to live. Within a week I was back staying on Trevor’s floor. On one of my nights out I went to the club called Manhattan’s where I met Graham once again. He worked there serving drinks from an alcove bar with walls covered in pictures of 80’s style clones. With a wry smile Graham told me his bar was the most popular in the club and seeing him there in just leather waistcoat and jeans, I could see why. On Graham’s invitation, I moved in with him. Our relationship burnt bright and short, but a lovely connection was made between us. I’d see Graham on the scene all the time, and one day he came over and said he’d been diagnosed HIV+. He was the first person I knew to tell me this. Back then, AIDS was still something that happened across the pond, then London and then all too quickly, Brighton. I’d not seen Graham for about six months, when I bumped into him on Brighton pier, and we had a lovely catch up. He looked great in ripped 501’s and white t-shirt, with the same smile, but then a few weeks later I heard he was in hospital with AIDS. I visited him just the once, and he was unable to speak, but I am glad I had the chance to say goodbye. What I am so pleased about is through the Brighton AIDS Memorial Project I can celebrate Graham and remind everyone of what a lovely person he was, Bona Clone a lot of the time, Bona Moan on others, but always and forever, lovely Graham.

Fund raising event for the Christmas Dome Show

Copy of GScene magazine with a photo of a shirtless trans person on the cover

BGMC's homage to Anneka Rice's "Treasure Hunt" including "live feeds" from various locations all over Brighton and Hove. On the back of our first sell out show at Brighton Dome, we were feeling quite ambitious and so decided to do something experimental with the usual show format. We shot pre-record scenes of our own Manneka Rice (a chorus member in drag) dashing around Brighton trying to locate the utimate gay song. Manneka would interview chorus members acting as members of the public looking for clues. These were then shown at various points during the show where we had Windy Willis and co trying to help from HQ as if they were in direct live communication. The show ended with Manneka bursting into the church and finding the answer under the Mayors seat. I think it was I Will Survive, which the Chorus then dutifully performed to much applause. Anneka Rice even sent a thank you message which was played out at the end. One of most ambitious and fun shows to date, which was a sell out success. I seem to remember it was the first time we had "gone big" for our Fringe show, where previously they had been quite small shows in the Old Court House. Since then our Fringe show has become a main feature of our annual calendar.

Promotional poster for Harry Clayton-Wright's award-winning theatre performance Sex Education. The first run of the show took place at the Marlborough Pub & Theatre in 2016. Poster design by Sarah Ferrari. Photo credit Greg Bailey

Pink Kashmir scarf with fringe. A gift from a friend who shared a similar cultural background to myself where you could not always admit you were different but wanted to be able show your identity in a way that was important to you. We both knew Pink was a colour that was associated with PRIDE and it was she who gave me the scarf to tell my story but hidden in plain sight.

HIV Hour interview which was broadcast on 13 May 2021 on Brighton local community radio, Radio Reverb.