We’re thrilled to share that our Pride in Gloucestershire team presented an incredible bid to host #EuroPride2027 at the EPOA AGM in Porto, Portugal! 🇵🇹 We came in a close second, with the honor of hosting going to Italy’s Torino Pride. Congratulations, Torino! Though we narrowly missed out, we’re so proud of our bid and the community support behind it. This experience has only strengthened our commitment to making Gloucestershire a beacon of LGBTQ+ pride, acceptance, and celebration! 🌍❤️ Check out the full blog post to read about our journey and our future plans!

At Unilever we are committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone, without exception, feels able to bring their complete and authentic self to work. This year, Unilever supported a number of pride events around the country with a focus on local events in areas where we are proud employers. This has included Croydon Pride, Liverpool Pride, Leeds Pride and of course Pride in Gloucestershire; home to our beloved Walls Ice-Cream and production of fantastic brands such as Magnum and Ben & Jerrys. 

🚣‍♀️🌈 Get ready to hit the water for our first-ever Pride Paddle! Join us as we come together for a fun-filled day paddling through Gloucestershire’s beautiful waterways. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a first-timer, this is a perfect way to connect with our LGBTQ+ community and allies, celebrate our diversity, and enjoy the great outdoors! 💦✨ With laughter, unity, and a splash of pride, let’s make this a day to remember. Don’t miss out on the chance to paddle with pride—see you there!

We are pleased to announce that we have been awarded a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund for £15,430 which covers 3 strands: Inclusions funding for Pride in Gloucestershire 2024, an amount for Trans* in Gloucestershire, and a balance aimed at making volunteering more accessible. This is the largest grant we have received to date and is a great achievement for the organisation. At Pride in Gloucestershire, we are dedicated to creating a welcoming environment for everyone. This year, we have further enhanced our accessibility features to ensure that all members of our community can fully participate and enjoy the event. From accessible facilities to inclusive programming, every aspect of our celebration has been designed with your needs in mind. We are proud to also introduce new and improved zones, including a dedicated Family Zone, Youth Zone, Speaker's Corner, and the brand-new Town Hall. Each of these spaces is designed to cater to sub-sets of the communities that attend Pride in Gloucestershire, ensuring that everyone has a place to feel comfortable, safe, and celebrated. We're also able to use the "Town Hall" to offer a dedicated space for workshops and activities for under-represented groups within the LBGTQ+ Community. Our commitment to inclusivity doesn't stop there. With thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund we've been able to enhance our volunteering program. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to get involved, regardless of their abilities or background and we've been able to dedicate some funding to supporting those who otherwise may find volunteering inaccessible. Thank You to National Lottery Players We extend our heartfelt thanks to National Lottery players. Your support through the National Lottery Community Fund has made it possible for us to enhance our inclusivity and create a truly welcoming event for all. Join us at Pride in Gloucestershire to celebrate diversity, inclusivity, and community spirit. For more information and to get involved, visit prideinglos.org.uk . We can't wait to see you there!

Today, the European Pride Organisers Association announced the list of cities bidding to host EuroPride 2027. Joining Pride in Gloucestershire are Turin, Torremolinos, and Vilnius. EuroPride is licensed to a different Pride/Host city each year, this year it takes place in June in Thessaloniki, Greece, and next year in Lisbon, but in recent years, it has been held in Copenhagen, Malta, Vienna and Belgrade, with the last one held in the UK being London in 2012. The event can last up to 2 weeks and involve a festival, march, Human Rights Conference and an array of LGBTQ+ arts and culture activities and can attract over 100,000 people from across the globe. Whilst each organisation has five months to complete their bids and be ready for publication on 8th September, Pride in Gloucestershire is confident in presenting a competitive and meaningful case to bring this prestigious global event to Gloucestershire and the UK. Pride in Gloucestershire spokesperson Richard Stevens (he/him) commented, “2027 will mark 15 years since EuroPride was last held in the UK. The UK, once known for its strong LGBTI+ credentials, has seen a continuous decline in not only its international standing but also community confidence and fear from a rise in hate crime and the creeping influence of extremists. With Gloucestershire’s reputation for hosting world-class events coupled with our reputation for being inclusive and community-focussed across a whole region, we feel that we will be able to deliver a EuroPride with the impact that empowers the LGBTI+ community not just in the UK but across the whole of Europe.” Lenny Emson (he/him), President of the European Pride Organisers Association which licenses EuroPride, said: “With the increase in right-wing and far-right governments and politicians across Europe, Pride events are becoming ever more important as an opportunity for the LGBTI+ community to come together and show their strength in numbers and togetherness. EuroPride continues to grow in importance and as a stand against the weaponisation of LGBTI+ rights in politics wherever it takes place.” EuroPride has the ability to enact change and directly improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people. The Gloucestershire team says that even though they expect this to generate at least £30m directly for the local economy, using this opportunity to create a true legacy for LGBTQ+ people is their primary focus. Whilst their plans must be kept under wraps until September, the Pride in Gloucestershire team welcomes any interest from people, organisations or businesses interested in getting involved in either supporting their bid or playing their part should their bid be successful.

The AGM for Pride in Gloucestershire takes place on Sunday 26th November 2023 at 6.30pm at St Mary De Crypt, Gloucester.

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