Not too proud to stand down

Sue Nichols, organiser of Brighton Pride, has done the decent thing and ended the feud that was splitting apart the gay and lesbian

community in Brighton and Hove.

She has withdrawn her application to stage an event in the town this year which means the field is now wide open for the rival Pride 2000 to go ahead.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of each side, it was plainly ludicrous that there could have been two separate Pride festivals.

Brighton and Hove has one of the largest gay communities in Britain and the potential is there to have the best festival anywhere.

While previous Pride events have been fun, there is clearly much more that could be done and the prospect of raising large amounts of cash for local charities.

Pride 2000 says it has the backing of most gays and lesbians for its summer festival this year.

The commendable withdrawal of Brighton Pride now gives organisers the chance to do their best for the gay community and for the town.

Ultimate gift

Karla Erb has a necklace from her brother John which says simply Special Sister.

So she is, for without her bravery in donating bone marrow when John had leukaemia, he would not be here today.

Surgeons have told John, who lives in Durrington, that he's now likely to beat the disease and live a normal life.

The family hopes the success story will encourage others to donate bone marrow.

Everyone agreeing to do it will be just as special as Karla.

Bright spark

Gloucester Road in the North Laine area of Brighton was down in the dumps a few years ago with empty shops and squatters.

Now it's humming with life from unusual specialist shops.

One of them is the Zeitgeist lighting and mirror shop run by Tom Chadwin who thinks traders should combine.

If other owners go and talk to him there they can reflect on that and some may see the light.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.