Dee, Jackie, and Rachael, along with our fundraising ambassadors Emily, Paul, and Charlotte, attended the Coventry Pride celebration in Fargo Village. This was the first major Pride event in Coventry since before the lockdown.
We were also joined by our friends from Out in Cov. Rachael has worked closely with Out in Cov for some time, providing mental health support. Thanks to funding from National Mind, it was wonderful to finally meet up with so many of them in person.
The Out in Cov choir performed on the Pride stage in the afternoon, and then took to the stage again in the evening at The Yard. It was amazing to be back. It has not been an easy journey for the community. Throughout the week leading up to Pride, the community was subjected to a considerable amount of homophobic abuse following local media coverage of the event. This was a stark reminder of why Pride is still needed and relevant today.
The day itself was full of colour, vibrancy, and laughter. The Market Hall was filled with community and charity stalls, all conveying the message that you are not alone. On the stage in The Box, there was a fantastic line-up of various acts and keynote speakers.
Earlier in the day, Coventry Pride led a parade through Coventry city centre. Pride definitely returned to Coventry loud and proud. Following the event at Fargo Village, both The Yard and Glamorous hosted amazing after parties, raising money to support Out in Cov.
Coventry and Warwickshire Mind pop-ups were present at both venues, providing a chance for people to reach out and access support. Over the course of the day, we recorded over 300 engagements with people attending the events. However, what we are unable to measure is the increased visibility that such events provide.
