🧑‍🍳Low uptake for cervix checks, community kitchen in apartment complex, new kit for the team that plays at the Amex and more⚽️

Good morning, and welcome to the Brighton Seagull and this week's Tuesday Briefing! The Seagull editorial team had a weekend getaway and so decided to postpone the briefing for a day. Yesterday also saw our quarterly strategy meeting—and we've got big plans. Watch this space!

Community kitchen comes to Whitehawk

A kitchen and café has been launched by East Brighton Food Cooperative (EBFC) in Whitehawk.

The café, which is based in the Kingfisher Court flats in Albourne Close, opened with a barbecue for residents on Friday (which will run every Friday at 4pm) and will hold cookery classes, lunch clubs and art projects.

Bryan Coyle, co-founder of EBFC, said:

The space hasn’t been used in eight years. The council have been very generous to lease it to us and open it to the community.

This is a place with no social amenities at all. There are no cafes, no bars.

If we can have this open every day so people can come here, have their tea and coffee, or a computer lesson, use a photocopier and printer, it’ll be great.

There’s a lot of community assets out there that are being underutilised.

It is hoped the centre will give people in the area a place to go to prevent social isolation, to be somewhere for people to go near to where they live for a drink and a chat with others, as well as being a warm space for those unable to afford heating in the winter months.

It will initially open from 11am to 3pm Monday to Friday.

Visitors should ring 100 on the intercom of Kingfisher Court flats and go to the first floor. There is a lift.

New cycle hangars for city cyclists

The first 20 of 100 new cycle hangars being installed across the city have hit the streets.

The first 20 are being installed over the next fortnight in Stanford Avenue, Kings Road (x2), Cleveland Road (x2), Scotland Street, Queens Park Road (x2), Hamilton Road, Park Crescent Terrace, Hythe Road (x3), Belgrave Street, Coventry Street (x2), Cobden Road (x2), Whichelo Place and St Catherine's Terrace.

Councillor Steve Davis, Co-Chair of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability committee said:

This really is a game-changer for a lot of people who want to cycle more but simply can’t because they don’t have the storage space.

We saw from the response to our survey last year that residents really want them. With so many people living in shared accommodation, flats or houses where storage space is at a premium, it can be difficult for many people to find space to safely store their bikes.

We know that if we want more people to travel actively and sustainably, we have to give them the right infrastructure. Cycle hangars are a really good incentive for people to travel more by bike because it means they don’t have to have it sitting in their hallway or carry it up several flights of steps.

Anyone can apply for a space in a cycle hangar as long as they live close to a hangar and there is availability.

Each space will cost approximately £1 per week with the opportunity to pay for spaces for 3, 6 or 12 months at a time.

Residents who wish to apply for a space can email [email protected] or call them on 01538 380080, specifying which hangar they would like a space in. They will then be contacted by Falco about the next steps.

If there are no spaces available, residents will be placed on a waiting list and informed when one becomes available.

🖋 News in Brief 🖋

• There will be a free road safety and cycling session specifically for Ukrainian refugees this Friday, in Hove Park, from 10am to 2pm. Pre-booking is necessary: if you have any questions or want to book your place at the event, email [email protected].
• Brighton & Hove Albion have changed their home kit, as revealed by Fatboy Slim at his seafront gig. It's still blue and white, but panels and not stripes. ALBION. ALLLLBIIIOOOOOON.

What's happening? Thousands of people in Brighton and Hove with cervixes have missed their smear test, according to figures from NHS Digital.

What are the stats? During September 2021-January 2022, 38,829 people aged 25-49 had a smear test. However, 63,483 people or 61.2% were due to have a smear test in that time. Among those who are 50-64, 19,405 had a smear test–72.6% of those who were due, or 26,745.

That's quite low. It is, when the government target for test-taking is 80% across all age groups.

How often should people with cervixes go? Those aged 25-49 every three years, and those aged 50-64 every five years.

Why is it so important to do? Cervical screenings are necessary to diagnose preventable cancers. According to Cancer Research UK, there are 3,197 new cases of cervical cancer a year, and 853 deaths. However, 99.8% of cervical cancer cases are preventable.

Can I do anything to help? If you have a cervix, book your appointment to get a smear test—find out how to here. If you don't have a cervix, encourage friends and family with them to get tested!

🎶Gigs: Honeymoan, alt-pop (think Drake meets Tame Impala) "fun, fresh and exciting": Prince Albert, tonight, tickets. Acid Rooster, psychedelic German rock trio: Hope & Ruin, tomorrow,  tickets.

🎭Theatre: [Jack Tinker voice] "Step behind the curtain of one of the oldest working theatres in the country and a true theatrical treasure." Take a tour of the backstage areas of the Theatre Royal; this Thursday at 10am and a few other slots in August, tickets.

🦖: Dinosaur: Also at the Theatre Royal—not until December but get your tickets now—Jurassic Live, a show which "[features] the UK'S ONLY flying Pterodactyl and only Parasaurolophus, Stegosaurus & Apatosaurus, the UK's BIGGEST Tyrannosaurus Rex and the UK'S most realistic Triceratops & Velociraptor and more!" How could you not want to go to that? Tickets here.

🍱Food and drink: After covering the station Bagelman's travails, we were agog to realise we've never recommended this Brighton original, with remaining Bagelman locations in Bond Street and Hove. We ordered a round of VLTs for our big quarterly Seagull strategy meeting yesterday but there's enough choice in the menu to satisfy all tastes, sweet or savoury—and if nothing takes your fancy you can customise your own bagel!