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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · May 9

Back to our roots for #StayUpLateWeek with a night of loud guitars, big energy and even bigger grins ⚡

For one buddy, it was their first ever rock gig—and they absolutely loved it. A powerful reminder of why inclusive, accessible spaces matter.

We hope your Stay Up Late week is going well! 🎸

Gig Buddies sat outside the pub waiting for the rock gig to start.

Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · May 8

#StayUpLateWeek has officially started! 🎉🕺
This week is about choice, freedom, friendship – and making noise about the right to have a real social life.

Let’s make this the loudest, funnest and most joyful #StayUpLateWeek yet.

Let’s party with purpose.

The Stay Up Late team out clubbing last Stay Up Late Week.

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Apr 30

🚨 We want to hear from YOU! 🚨

Take five minutes to complete our survey and let us know if you can stay up late! We want to understand how people with learning disabilities and autistic people are spending their evenings.

forms.gle/wKoiDJXNP8ZL...

#SelfAdvocate #LearningDisability #NoBedtimes

Stay Up Late Survey

We have a few (more) questions about staying up late and how things may have changed over the years. Please take a few minutes to help us understand how people are spending their evenings and what tim...

forms.gle

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Apr 25

📅 5th–11th May 2025 is Stay Up Late Week – and everyone’s invited.

You can join in too:
💜 Plan your own night out
💜 Share your photos and stories using #StayUpLateWeek
💜 Tell us why you think it’s important

Let’s show the world that a good life doesn’t end at 9pm.

A graphic that says 'Join us for this year's Stay Up Late Week - Fight for the right to party and stay up late in your local community. Whether you have a disability or not, anyone can get involved!

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Apr 22

A huge THANK YOU to the brilliant team at @resident-music.com for raising money to support our work! 💙

We’re so grateful for your generosity—and for choosing to back a charity that believes everyone should have the right to a fun social life, full of music, no matter their support needs!

A prize winner at the Record Day Raffle collecting his prize.

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Apr 17

Partners Day 2025 👏

Thanks to everyone who came along and made it such an interesting day! We feel excited for what’s to come…

We did forget to take a photo with the full group, so this was a last minute selfie to save the day (Thanks Sorrel)!

A selfie of a few of the gig buddies partners after Partners Day.

Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Apr 15

A great read from our partners up in Scotland:

www.theskinny.co.uk/music/interv...

Gig Buddies on making music festivals more accessible: The Skinny

Gig Buddies with Thera Trust support adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults to take control over their social lives. Project Manager Sam Maggs discusses what can be done to break down a...

www.theskinny.co.uk

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Apr 15

Great day for a raffle 🖤

Resident Music @resident-music.com · Apr 12

Absolutely rammed for the @recordstoredayuk.bsky.social @gigbuddies.bsky.social charity raffle!

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Reposted by Stay Up Late

Resident Music @resident-music.com · Apr 12

DJ Dan on the decks 🕺

Dark Globe on next

And don’t forget our @gigbuddies.bsky.social charity raffle at 6:30pm!

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Reposted by Stay Up Late

Resident Music @resident-music.com · Apr 10

This Saturday we have 3 turntables to be won in our annual charity raffle for @gigbuddies.bsky.social 🥳

You could get your hands on:
- Audio Technica LP60XBT (donated by @richersounds.com)
- Brad Retro MK II Turntable or a Solar Edition Turntable (donated by Gadhouse)

More info below 👇

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Apr 10

🌙 Safer in Sussex – we want to hear from you!

We’re planning a project to find out what helps people feel safe on nights out. It’s a big issue for many of our Gig Buddies, and we want to start some real conversations—with the community and those working in safety.

Save the date & come along! 💬👀

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Apr 10

Hope you had a great day Rohan!

Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Apr 10

Calling all Brightonians (and further afield, it's worth it)!

Thanks ‪@resident-music.com for never failing to support us AND smashing @recordstoredayuk.bsky.social every year!

Resident Music @resident-music.com · Apr 7

Our annual @recordstoredayuk.bsky.social charity raffle is back!

See the reply post to see a list of this year’s amazing prizes ranging from turntables, festival and gig tickets, LPs, merch and much more!

As always we will be raising money for the incredible @gigbuddies.bsky.social ♥️

Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Apr 4

Brighton and West Sussex Socials livening up your local pubs!

Our socials are a great opportunity to meet new people and get involved in the Gig Buddies community 🎉

#VolunteerOpportunity #LearningDisability #Friends

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Apr 1

Rohan & Florence headed to @uniofbrighton.bsky.social to run a workshop for newly qualified #SocialWorkers, sharing insights on how to make care truly #person-centred — and what that actually means in practice! 👏🖤

Rohan presenting at University of Brighton.

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Mar 26

We have some goodies for people!

First up, the Boominator – make a donation or come collect it for free. We’d like it to go to a home that rocks our values! #HeavyLoad

We also have some old t-shirts (in dif sizes so message us before) that you can come collect too!

A boombox speaker made out of paper mache.

Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Mar 25

Our buddies had a riot at a Fat Freddie And The Queens' gig.

A perfect example of how to make people feel included however they like to party.

Read Malcolm’s bog to hear more about the night 🕺
gigbuddies.org.uk/dont-stop-us...

Two gig buddies with Fat Freddie from the tribute band.

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Mar 25

We hear so many great stories from @ageukbradford.bsky.social and their Buddies project! Good luck with the book club and dinner club!

Mark Rounding 🍉 @markrounding.bsky.social · Mar 23

Here @ageukbradford.bsky.social we work with older people to develop our work & they’ve been telling us what groups they want to have. Thanks to our #BuddyScheme partnership with @bradfordcouncil.bsky.social & @gigbuddies.bsky.social we’ve recently launched the following with more to come!

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Mar 25

Just the book we were looking for 🖤

Rob Mitchell @robmitch92.bsky.social · Mar 24

🩷🖤🩷🖤All author profits for our new book (& book one too) go to the brilliant @gigbuddies.bsky.social who work to erode social isolation & campaign to challenge limiting social care practices. In these tough times, if you can afford, please do order a copy. Thank you. 🩷🖤🩷🖤

Copy of our new book on top of our old book with pink background and white text stating this is a new inspiring A-Z guide on rights based social work and how it applies in real life and that it is out on 21st April.

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Mar 12

Another massive shoutout to The Hope & Ruin for all the fundraising they do. Even when celebrating their birthday they managed to share the love and raised £250 ❤

10 years of great gigs and community – Here’s to 10 more!

www.brightonandhovenews.org/2025/02/17/t...

The Hope & Ruin celebrate their 10th Birthday

HOW LONG YOU BEEN DRIVING + WIMP + FRANCIS PIG + RAGDOLL + THAT BAND CALLED SUSAN - THE HOPE

www.brightonandhovenews.org

Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Mar 11

Can you choose your bedtime?

We want to know how adults with learning disabilities &/or autistic adults spend their evenings & if they can choose their bedtimes!

If you have lived experience/support someone who does – please fill in our survey (online or easy read): stayuplate.org/the-stay-up-...

A bed that has "#No Bedtime" spray painted on it.

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Mar 7

A great Gig Buddies social at Neurotune - a sensory-friendly gig in Brighton! 🎶

We had an awesome time & especially liked being able to go to the quiet room and play pool! Can’t wait till the next one 👀

Gig Buddies out at a social in Brighton.

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Mar 4

Our buddies have been having a ball at recent matches! ⚽🎉

(Of course, all football allegiances are their own… and we’re totally not biased… SEAGULLS! 😉)

Gig Buddies chanting at a football match.

Gig Buddies wearing Seagulls football merchandise.

A polaroid of Gig Buddies in matching Brighton football shirts.

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Feb 28

Happy Friday from two of our fine Gig Buddies! Have a great weekend and don’t forget to STAY UP LATE!✨🎶🎸

Gig Buddies at a karaoke social being silly together.

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Stay Up Late @gigbuddies.bsky.social · Feb 20

In our latest blog, Jaydog talks Pride.

From the power of representation to the joy of celebrating exactly who you are, Jaydog reminds us why we should all keep making noise! 🎤✨

Read the full blog here: gigbuddies.org.uk/stay-up-late...

#Pride #InclusionMatters #EqualAbleSexual #BeLoudBeProud

Gig Buddies who are also members of our LGBTQ+ advisory Group the 'Wild Rainbows' at Pride in the Park for a day festival.

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