FG NEWS! 23 MAY 2014

Why he had to go? I don’t know; he wouldn’t say . . . ‘Yesterday’ - The Beatles" 1

FRIENDS’

GAZETTEY O U R V I T A L A L T E R N A T I V E

ISSN: 2053-4426

FG BREAKS 3k BARRIERMORE than 3,200 people have v iewed Fr iends Gazette on-line according to an official report.

The news comes as the magazine, launched in January 2013, continues to build its direct mail list and ‘pass-on’ readership to more than a further 1,000.

FG f e a t u re s on t he scribd.com website which prepared the report.

The site also hosts such notable publications as the New York Times.

Editor Steve Ward said: “This is no mean feat and represents amazing growth from when we started in January last year.

“FG is the read of choice for thousands of alternative life-stylers and I’d like to thank all our contributors, advertisers commercial supporters and, not least, our readers for this welcome boost.

“FG is a professional and officially registered publication which operates within national journalistic standards. We stand apart from the string of blogs, amateur websites and other social media currently infecting the

internet as testament that well-written, accurate reporting is and always will be valued.”

Top FG v i ews were o f the November issue which lead with “Guru’s Visit Cancelled” which netted over 1,313 views alone.

The alternative-lifestyle magazine features news and features by guest and regular contributors including historians, authors and film-makers as well as journalists.

In its April issue it experimented with foreign-language reporting, with a political feature entirely in French.

Said Ward: “Europe is becoming more and more integrated and we

are proud to bring close neighbours closer together.

“In Europe we all share a similar culture and background and the way forward is to stress our similarities rather than our differences.

“We have had positive feedback on our experiment with foreign language reporting and it is something I ’d l ike to see continue and grow.” The FG is registered as a official UK periodical and has been g r an ted an I n te rna t iona l Standard Serial Number by the British Library. This number has to be prominently featured in every issue. Part of the requirement to obtain registration is to have an internet presence. FG does this by being a member

o f the Scr ibd .com pub l i sh ing community where issues can be accessed irrespective of date.

Back issues as far back as July last year can be downloaded at any time by anyone in the world.

Scribd is compatible with all devices: iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire and any web browser.”

See ‘Friendly Comment’ on (p4)

Alternative lifestyle magazine the ‘read of choice’ of thousands of people all over the world

Alternative life-stylers log-in to view Friends Gazette on-line

FRIENDS GAZETTE

FG NEWS! 23 MAY 2014

Why he had to go? I don’t know; he wouldn’t say . . . ‘Yesterday’ - The Beatles" 2

LONDONLIGHTHOUSESOLD FOR £5mTHE LONDON Lighthouse has been sold for £5m after a bidding war in which the price went “up and up and up” and committees and trustees had to be “herded like cats”.

The iconic London landmark, the first major centre in the UK for people with HIV/Aids, and visited by Princess Diana, was initially valued at £1.6m.

But over the last few months the price has jumped handsomely by an impressive £3.4m.

In an exclusive interview with FG Mark Foster, estates manager at the Terrance Higgins Trust which owns the Lighthouse, said: "We went to an open bidding process. [The price] went up and up and up.

"I was hoping to be done by now but dealing with committees and trustees is like herding cats.

"We cannot discuss who the final bidders are at the moment."

"It is very unlikely to remain in the HIV sector although it might be that service might still be provided from the building."

The London L i gh thouse , i n Lancaster Road, Ladbroke Grove, opened in 1988 and was the UK’s first major centre for people with

HIV/Aids.It offered respite and terminal care on its residential unit and day care services for people with Aids-related dementia, and drop-in services giving advice, information and counselling.All three areas offered a broad range of complementary therapies inc lud ing hypnotherapy and relaxation therapy.In August 1998, the residential unit closed due to the changing climate (new combination drug therapies

and reduced funding from the government and health authorities) and the reduced need for its services.

Today, the building is called THT-Lighthouse, having merged with the THT an HIV/ Aids charity.

It now offers a reduced drop-in service.

Diana first visited the building in 1 9 8 9 a n d o f t e n t u r n e d u p unannounced to talk to patients, as we l l a s m a k i n g h i g h - p ro f i l e appearances for the charity. Princes Will iam and Harry have both continued to express support for the THT and the battle against Aids/HIV.

Sir Elton John and the late Dame Elizabeth Taylor also visited the centre. It boasts an award-winning garden where the ashes of some patients have been buried. See - ‘We just couldn’t do it’ (p5)

EXCLUSIVE BY FG REPORTERS

Diana visits the London Lighthouse in 1996.

Pioneering beacon - The London Lighthouse in Ladbroke Grove

FG NEWS! 23 MAY 2014

Why he had to go? I don’t know; he wouldn’t say . . . ‘Yesterday’ - The Beatles! 3

DOZENS of competitive FG readers with a taste for a good curry and an eye for a free offer have bombarded the paper with entries to a mouth-watering competition?

Over the last two editions readers have jumped at the chance to benefit from a partnership with well-known london curry house, Mazala Zone and Friends’ Gazette.

Answering five questions, gleaned from the text of an article run in FG, the entrants have tested their observation skills and battled each other in a bid to scoop £50 worth of free curry in the competition.

“We got many more entries than we expected, many from new readers who only recently joined up.

“Unfortunately only one can be the lucky winner,” the FG said.

A date for the draw has been set and the results will be announced in the June edition of FG!

Marketing manager, Joe Sripitana told FG: “The group is in the midst of refurbishing the restaurants to raise the decor standard up to match the food in order to appeal to a wider range of clientele.

“We are happy to offer your readers an opportunity to win this voucher and experience ‘a real taste of India’ at Masala Zone.

“We offer genuine Indian food from the true sources – the gourmet homes and street stalls across India’s regions – prepared by skilled chefs from those regions.”

FG editor Stephen Ward said:

“We are glad to be able to offer readers this opportunity.

“We are always pleased to work with our partners who spot the value of  tapping into our engaged, diverse and rapidly growing readership.

“We are familiar with Masala Zone and it’s a favourite destination with many of our readers.”

Masala Zone branches can be found at Bayswater: 75 Bishops Bridge Road, W2 5BG Tel: 020 7221 0055. Camden Town: 25 Parkway, NW1 7PG Tel: 020 7267 4422. Covent Garden: 48 Floral Street, WC2E 9DA Tel: 020 7379 0101. Earls Court: 147 Earls Court Road, SW5 9RQ Tel: 020 7373 0220. Islington: 80 Upper Street, N1 0NU Tel: 020 7359 3399. Soho: 9 Marshall Street, W1F 7ER Tel: 020 7287 9966. Selfridges: Garden Cafe, 4th Floor, Selfridges, 400 Oxford Street, W1U 1AT.

The winner will be selected at random from correct answers.

They will be notified privately and an official presentation is set to take place, probably in London, next month.

The judges’ decision is final.

ADVERTORIAL

£50 prize- irresistible!

Below: Camellia Panjabi MBE - Masala Zone founder. Bottom: A masala zone thali.

FG NEWS! 23 MAY 2014

Why he had to go? I don’t know; he wouldn’t say . . . ‘Yesterday’ - The Beatles! 4

FRIENDLYFEEDBACKfriendsgazette@gmail.com

FRIENDLYCOMMENT

SOMETIMES you regret jumping in with both feet. Don’t you?

You know, when you volunteer to help your mate move house - then realise he’s got enough junk to fill a mansion.

But when I offered to do a cooking demonstration at this weekend’s VegFestUK in Bristol I really must have lost it.

I’m up against dyed-in-the-wool cookies (the culinary variety not the internet one) who really know their onions. Luckily onions are going to be my main ingredient -whether I know them or not!

I’m falling back on my colonial childhood, sort of, here.

Our faithful cook used to knock out the most delicious falouries for tea, breakfast, lunch or dinner.

They were so yummie you tended to devour them at any and every time of day.

Of course he used fresh besan (gram flour); fresh chillies which made your mouth water just looking at them and crystal clear ghee which boiled at temperatures usually found in the sun’s corona.

Anyway I’m having a go at following in his footsteps.

All in the name of spreading the Friends’ Gazette word.

They’d better appreciate it!(See the full report next time)

SO what’s with all this bloody Franglais, I hear you ask.

There was a long piece from Victor Donadei last month and this month you can see Guillaume Laplaud’s response on this page.

Well, I just saw a young English guy greeting a couple off the bus at Victoria coach station, London!

He kissed the girl on both cheeks and shook the bloke’s hand.

In France the guy would have got two kisses and another for luck, as well as the girl, I hasten to add.

Egalité, fraternité, liberté! ED

ISSN: 2053-4426

Published by Stephen Ward Publications, London, England.

I WAS interested to read your article about Jasmine Harman (No Harman it; FG April 2013).

I am an avid viewer of Place in the Sun the property programme she presents.

I didn't know she was a vegan or even a vegetarian.

My partner and I are thinking about moving to Torremolinos in Spain and it's interesting to watch the programme and see how people cope with leaving the UK and finding somewhere abroad.

I have known Steve Ward for a long time and he never fails to come up with juicy and interesting stuff. Sylvia PillayBath

Une spirale négativeLE PRINCIPAL problème des français, est leur manque de joie, leur manque de confiance et leurs peurs. (Manuel Valls est sur un volcan FG April 2014).

Les français sont dans une spirale négative, et il n’y a pas une journée sans un sondage négatif: les français ont peur de leur avenir, peur pour leurs enfants, peur de la jeunesse, peur des roms, des populations musulmanes, du pact atlantic, de l’Europe . . .

Depuis trop longtemps nos hommes politiques avec maladresse avancent sans penser à l’intérêt national, sans penser à l’échange des cultures, et nombreux français pensent qu’être français se limite à être blanc et à s’appeler “Dupont”.

Manuel Vals a tous les pouvoirs mais face à l’ennemi numéro un de Hollande (la finance), il n’en a aucun.

Car en France comme ailleurs, le vrai pouvoir est financier. Les anglais l’ont compris et tirent cette réalité à leur avantage en ouvrant les bras aux entrepreneurs. “Faire fortune” n’est pas forcément accepté en France, mais finalement comme être arabe.

Le tableau n’est pas tout noir et en Manuel Valls il y a un homme qui est lui même issu de l’immigration. En lui il y a certaines sensibilités. Il place aussi ses pions pour 2017, je sais.

Il est finalement le premier a freîner le train de vie de l’état, dans son fonctionnement profond (moins de régions, suppression des départements . . .)

Je suis un éternel optimiste et je vais croire que les choses peuvent s’arranger. Alors que les français se réveillent enfin et puissent avancer et retrouver de bonnes valeurs . . .Guillaume LaplaudAvignon

COMMENT

Juicy and interesting? Of course!

The feature article in FG last month (April) was incorrect when it referred to ‘asylum seekers’ in two places. Entitled “Seeking refuge” it appeared on pages 12,13 &14. In its strap line the article should not have referred to asylum seekers looking for work. This should have read “Transitions London is a community interest company tasked with finding work for refugees in London.” Asylum seekers are not allowed to work in Britain. And on the second page (13) reference to asylum seekers being “unemployed, unemployable and homeless” should have referred to “refugees” instead. FG aims to be accurate, fair and balanced in all reports. If we get anything wrong we are keen to put things right as soon as possible.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

FG NEWS! 23 MAY 2014

Why he had to go? I don’t know; he wouldn’t say . . . ‘Yesterday’ - The Beatles" 5

ISSN: 2053-4426

THE CARA Trust seriously wanted to snap up the Lighthouse, the iconic building in Ladbroke Grove, west London, the first centre for people with Aids/HIV in the UK.

They wanted to transform it into Europe’s first and only dedicated day centre for older people with HIV.

“The building and memorial garden provide the ideal space and setting for our vision of a dedicated day centre for older people with HIV,” they said in their on-line campaign.

“We will have counselling and therapy rooms, a food bank and space to run our specialist support programmes for women, African gay men, children and local residents.”

The HIV community is ageing. In 2012, 1 in 4 adults accessing HIV care was aged over 50, compared to 1 in 8 in 2003, they pointed out.

But there was the small task of raising a massive £1.6m to clinch the deal.

And despite every effort the job proved too much.

“We just couldn’t do it! The campaign has been withdrawn,” a disappointed volunteer told FG this week.

In the end the building has gone for the impressive sum of £5m in a bidding war which pushed the price up and up and up.

But it is hoped (see main story p2) that although the new owners are not “part of the HIV sector” some of the important community services

currently offered will be allowed to continue.

We’ll have to wait and see! The Lighthouse has been the London home for Radha Soami Satsang Beas India UK (Science of the Soul) an Indian spiritual group for many years.

Around 60 members meet every Sunday morning in the large hall to listen to a speaker.

Car parking spaces are available as is a separate children’s room.

The corridor is used for books, tapes, and photo sales and for donations.

“We just couldn’t do it” - volunteer

MEET YOUR FRIENDS AT VEGFESTUKDON’T miss the VegfestUK Bristol 2014 -  the UK's biggest vegan event.

This event is a unique hybrid of vegan food/info during the day, and headline music in the evenings.

The show runs for three days, opening its gates today at 6pm until 11pm, and then again tomorrow, Saturday, from 11am - 6pm and from 6.30pm - 11pm and 11am - 10pm on Sunday, May 25th.

The Marquees are not open on Friday, and they shut at 6pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Parathasrecipe of the month

Ingredients: 2 cups atta (wholemeal) flour, 1 cup white flour, a few ounzes of butter or ghee (Indian clarified butter), pinch of salt, water as required.Method: Sift the flours together in a large bowl with a little salt.

Add the water little by little until the mixture turns the consistency of soft plasticine.

If it gets too sticky just add more flour.

Separate this mixture into small balls the size of large golf balls (let stand for five mins).

Coat a rolling pin with some flour and sprinkle a bit on to a wooden board or table-top.

Roll out each ball into a round shape or similar about the size of a 45rpm single or a large compact disc.

Now coat the surface with butter, marge or ghee. Ghee is best. Now fold the circle into a semi-circle. Coat again.

Then fold again. You now have a triangle with a curved edge. Roll out until fairly thin - depending on taste. Now fry in a little ghee until nicely brown. Flip and do the same. Eat hot with curry, daul, or a dollop of strawberry jam (yum)!

The large hall at the Lighthouse

FG NEWS! 23 MAY 2014

Why he had to go? I don’t know; he wouldn’t say . . . ‘Yesterday’ - The Beatles" 6

NEWS

Beautiful Bronwyn set for national glory

AN FG reader has been selected as the New South Wales finalist for Miss World Australia.

Here in her own words Bronwyn O’Leary from Sydney tells her story.

“I am finding it difficult to find words to explain my feelings but I’m very excited, nervous and mostly humbled by this grand opportunity to say the least. I am hoping I will make it to the next sage; national  finalists, but one step at a time. “A big part of this amazing journey

is supporting and raising money and awareness for charity. After all, it is ‘Beauty with a Purpose’. 

“The charity that I am raising money and awareness for is VARIETY Charity - the Children’s Charity. Variety is a national not-for-

profit organisation committed to empowering Australian children who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs to live, laugh and

learn. By giving practical equipment, programmes and experiences, Variety helps children in need to overcome whatever obstacles they face and live life to the fullest. 

“Please consider supporting me and my charity by donating to this amazing cause.

“It would mean the absolute world to me to have your support and I would be forever grateful! There is no amount too big or too small - every cent counts! 

“There will be media involvement. And I will be using my social media platforms to raise awareness, and thank my donors for their kindness. Myself and a few other NSW finalists are in the midst of organising to be interviewed by local papers.

And I also hope to mention all

my major donors there.” Readers who want to donate

should make deposits directly into the Miss World Australia account.

Please ensure you name BWPVC Bronwyn O'Leary as the transaction description.

Please also inform Bronwyn of all your transaction details such as date, time, amount.

Account: Miss World Australia BSB: 083 004Account Number: 115 915 091All donations over $2 are

tax deductible. Variety will provide tax receipts by 30 June 2014. 

If readers would like to attend the state final it’s on the 1st June, 2014 and the tickets are $45 each.

Bronwyn will buy these on behalf of anyone that would like to attend.

“So if you would like, we can arrange a time for me to pick up the funds for this. Thanks again for your support!!! I appreciate everything. I’m so excited :)”

To contact Bronwyn email friendsgazette@gmail.com in the first instance.

IF YOU find time for healthy eating, you’ll find yourself spending less time down at the doctors’.

My motto for healthy living is keeping all things natural.

Nature is the best medicine; if it grows, it goes. 

A day without juice is a day without sunshine - fruits and vegetables are nature’s pleasant little treat, so get creative and find your flavour!