CHESTER’S first Pride event will be held on Saturday, October 1 at the Students’ Union of the University of Chester’s main campus.
The event is open to the public from noon to 6pm and aims to celebrate the local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. It has been organised by the university’s LGBT society.
The event is not solely aimed at the LGBT community but at everyone who supports them and their rights.
There will be live entertainment and speeches throughout the afternoon including DJ Alex Cefai, singer Will Carroll, the Neon Mad Men band, Sean Dutton and Lara Darcy on guitar and vocals and Jake Lamerick and Beth Hopper also on guitar and vocals. Speakers will include former Eastenders actor Michael Cashman MEP and Alan Bailey, open place officer with NUS LGBT.
There will be a number of charity stalls at the event including the Terrence Higgins Trust, Cheshire Police, Cheshire West and Chester Council, LGBT Youth North West, NHS and NUS LGBT among others.
Roy Woodyet, of the Chester Pride committee, said: “We have always believed that Chester would benefit from a Pride event and the idea to create one came up at the university’s LGBT society.
“We want to give people a chance and reason to get together and to provide a space to celebrate the diversity of our city and provide a chance for the charities that serve our community to raise awareness of the work they do. We would love for Pride to reflect a positive image of the LGBT community.”
Chester Pride will take place in CH1 bar, at the university’s main campus on Parkgate Road, from 12pm to 6pm. ID will be required to enter the bar. For details, email chesterpridelgbt@gmail.com.
