About Zhoosh!

This is a mammoth site packed with an enormous amount of info. We've tried to make it as easy as possible to navigate around and find what you're after. If you're looking for something specific, use the search boxes on the Directory and Network or use the category tabs. If you just want to get connected and stay informed of all that's going on, the main areas are:

Step 1: Register on the Zhoosh Network. It ensures you don't miss out and you're getting up to date information direct to your email inbox. Over a year, you're guaranteed to discover and explore so much more of what is going on in our LGBT community.

Step 2: Give yourself a Profile. The specially designed Network enables you to immediately connect with friends and new acquaintances. You can join groups that you belong to and support so they in turn can let you know information directly. You can add to a group's wall, start a discussion on their forum or upload photos, videos and music.

Step 3: Never miss a Blog post. Subscribe to the blog RSS feed and read about what the Zhoosh bloggers have to say about the LGBT community from their perspective. If you're nervous about trying something new, read about how the Zhoosh bloggers have found their first-time experiences when trying out the many activities and services that are available to you.

Step 4: Voyage out into the community. Zhoosh's purpose is to make it as easy as possible for you to be informed of what groups and organisations are out there, what they do and how you can join in and get involved. By also supporting the groups events and fundraising activities listed on the Events Guide, it is hoped that more money can be raised for their on-going activities.

More on Zhoosh!

There are an ever increasing number and diversity of groups, organisations, facilities and support services to those who are lesbian, gay, bi and trans in Brighton & Hove. Some you may not even know exist!

This site enables all groups relating to the LGBT community, regardless of size, to have a presence together on-line. We endeavour to ensure their information is up-to-date and correct. This makes it easier for you to access and find the groups and services that are relevant to your interests and needs. You no longer have to trawl the web for hours searching for that elusive group or contact number!

Zhoosh provides networking & communication between groups and their members so you can now connect on-line with those who belong to the same group or have the same interests as yourself.

For groups and organisations, the site provides a platform to disseminate information quickly and easily, and keep in regular touch with their members and supporters. Some groups are private and only available to those who are accessing the service of that particular organisation. Other groups are open and available to anyone who has been to the group, supports it, or who may be interested in attending.

About Zhoosh!

Zhoosh Brighton is dedicated to helping improve the mental and physical well-being of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans population of Brighton and Hove. It's conception has been created by Susan Luxford, with advice and support from a number of the groups and organisations who are on the site. A special thank you goes to Ben Tunstall from Terrence Higgins Trust, Dr Kath Browne from Count Me In Too and Jess Wood from Allsorts Youth Project.

Funding to create Zhoosh came from a millennium grant from UnLtd (www.unltd.org.uk/), the National Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs. The site was constructed by a team of web-builders at Generate Digital (www.generatedigital.com/).

The site does not charge you to use the site nor does it charge groups and organisations to be on the site or to advertise their events in the Events Guide. This is so that ANY organisation or group serving this community can promote, raise awareness, educate and communicate about their existence and purpose.

Zhoosh receives a small income from advertising placed by Google Adsense, and further revenues will be sought from local advertising and sponsorship. If you are interested in either of these, please get in touch with us at: info@zhooshbrighton.co.uk

The underlying Zeitgeist of Zhoosh! is that people within this community feel fully informed and connected to each other via an on-line hub. A hub where people can easily access and share information & support and where individuals are encouraged to access available groups and services, thus reducing isolation they may feel because they are LGBT.

There are five key avenues to this...

E-Communication.

Things can change very quickly. Contact details especially can change, as can the times and locations of services. E-Communicaton direct to your inbox, makes sure you hear about these changes and updates within the Directory, events that are going on, as well as new groups that have become part of Zhoosh. It also provides a snapshot of the best recent blogs from the site.

The Zhoosh Network.

The Zhoosh Members area, is the main part of the Zhoosh Network. Register and you can create your own profile, join groups, chat with your friends and get to know new people. Groups on Zhoosh! all relate to existing groups in Brighton and Hove, whether they be sports, social or support focused. Some of the Network groups are private and only available to those who are accessing the service of that particular organisation. Other groups are open and available to anyone who has been to the group, supports it, or who may be interested in attending. If you wish to set up a Network group, please get in touch via our contact page.

The Zhoosh Blog.

The focus of the blog is to provide you with what to expect when you go along to a group or service. In some ways, it's to help break down initial fears and pre-conceived ideas, and to encourage you to go along and try something - to give it a go. The blog will provide an account of either the experiences someone has, as an existing member/organiser of a group, or an account will be written from the experience of one of Zhoosh's five bloggers who will organise a visit to a group. The bloggers will also be giving you their insights as LGBT community members. Zhoosh's five bloggers are: Adam Highway, Gemma Davey, Glenn Stevens, Jess Wood and Neil Woodcock. Sign up to receive the RSS feed and you never need to miss a blog again.

The Zhoosh Directory.

This provides up to date listings and an information page for each organisation, charity, support, social and sports group, facilities and help services, aimed at or relevant to the LGBT community. There is a link to their website and contact details. Zhoosh! aims to keep these listings as accurate and up to date as possible and details are regularly checked. Do let us know if you spot an error or contact details seem incorrect. If you know of a listing that you think should be included, do share it with us so we can let everyone else know.

Zhoosh Events Guide.

Found within the Zhoosh Network, The Events Calendar is a listing of events hosted by or of benefit to LGBT organisations, charities, support, social and sports groups. Events such as fundraising nights, world AIDS day services, Pride events, sports matches etc. You can be sure that when you go along to any of these events, you are supporting the community.

What's in the name?

The word Zhoosh comes from the spoken language of Polari. This was used by gay men as a means of communicating with each other to disguise their homosexuality from anyone overhearing, especially undercover policemen when homosexuality was illegal in Britain. It was revived in the 1950s and 1960s by its use in the popular BBC radio shows 'Beyond our Ken' and 'Round the Horne'. Recently it has gained a resurgence in use thanks to shows such as 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy', and I even heard it used by Kirstie Allsopp on the TV show, 'Location, Location, Location'.

It's meaning is to tweak, finesse or improve something. If you are struggling to pronounce it, the word begins and ends with the same phoneme, the "zh" sound, as in the word "measure". Pronounce "Zh" like the french 'ja' as in 'jardin' or 'jour' and the 'oosh' rhyme with 'push'.