What is Pride?

Following the huge success of Peterborough Pride in 2018, the LGBTQIA+ community want to organise a similar week-long celebration in 2019 with pop-up events across the whole city. Last year saw 30 events ranging from talks and debates, film screenings, exhibitions, theatre and comedy in addition to a diverse range of club nights and cabaret. Over 4000 people attended, and this year looks set to be even bigger. Peterborough Pride is a fantastic opportunity for everyone in the city to come together to celebrate, and demonstrate support and solidarity.

Organising a week long arts festival however doesn’t come cheap, and we have also learnt from our experiences last year. We need your help! Your financial support, big or small, will enable us to create an accessible and inclusive festival for all. Specifically your donation will support:

• Activities and events programmed for and by young people

• Ticket subsidy to ensure affordable for all

• Marketing through posters, flyers and brochure

• Education and training events in schools

Why now?

Much has changed for the better in terms of equality and gay rights, and many peoples’ experiences are wholly positive and that's great. Unfortunately, however, all too often we hear accounts of bullying, harassment and abuse on the streets purely because of someone’s sexuality or gender identity. In 2016, social intelligence company Brand-watch and anti-bullying charity Ditch the Label published research gathered over four years that analysed 19 million tweets from the UK and the US. The researchers looked at speech across topics including racial intolerance, misogyny, masculinity and homophobia. Peterborough was identified as a city hotspot of homophobic hate speech in England.

Coming out for many people also remains a deeply painful experience and the particular challenges faced by our transgender brothers and sisters feels as significant as ever. We don't have to accept this as a given and as a city we can stand together in solidarity and say 'no more'.

Who are we?

We are not an established campaigning organisation, but a small group of local people who have come together in an attempt to help make a situation better. We are not a business, nor are we grant funded, and although this gives us great flexibility and freedom to develop something unique to Peterborough, clearly there are limitations if we can't raise some finance. Therefore we need your help!

Please note: All money will be put towards Peterborough Pride, there will be no deductions for managements or salary costs. Everything will be used to make Peterborough Pride Great.

Thank you to everyone who has been so generous with their support and encouragement to-date. On behalf of those who are helping to organise Peterborough Pride.

Best Wishes,

Simon Green (Community Pride Organiser)

•LGBTQIA+ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual