Reading Pride

Last updated

Reading Pride is an annual LGBT+ event held in Reading, Berkshire, England, that serves the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities of Reading and the Thames Valley.

Contents

History

Reading Pride was formed in 2003. [1]

2006 saw the introduction of a parade through Reading's main shopping streets to the festival site.

Since 2007, Pride has been a regular annual event at King's Meadow.

In 2008, there was an increase of more than 10,500 visitors which raised additional funds, to be used to provide support to a number of local charities and organisations such as BeYou, Gay Berkshire and Thames Valley Positive Support.

Since 2009, Reading Pride has added new attractions, [2] including live performance stages, a VIP area, alternative performance enclosures, "chill-out" areas, a Youth Zone and Karaoke.

Aims of the Charity

Reading Pride aims to promote equality and education in relation to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Asexual (LGBTA) people.

Reading Pride works for the community in Reading and around the Thames Valley. By staging an annual parade and festival the charity strives to raise awareness on issues affecting LGBTA persons.

Throughout the year the Reading Pride also supports other charitable and voluntary organisations within the community. [3] In 2015 Reading Pride helped launch MyUmbrella, a Reading-based charity representing lesser-known LGBT+ identities. [4]

The Parade

The first Reading Pride parade was held in 2006 and was jointly organised by The Wynford Arms. The Wynford Arms made a Rainbow Flag for the parade participants to carry from The Wynford Arms to King's Meadow.

In the years since, the Reading Pride Parade has started from Civic Offices and the number of people taking part in the parade has grown year on year. In 2012 over 500 people participated. [5]

The Reading Pride Parade starts at 11 am at the Civic Offices, travels along Broad Street, Market Place, Forbury Gardens and ends at King's Meadow around 12 pm. [7]

The Organisation

Reading Pride was founded in 2003. It is a registered charity (number 1119891) [8] run solely by volunteers, aiming to promote equality and diversity in relation to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Asexual (LGBTA) people in Reading and across the Thames Valley. Reading Pride is best known for the annual LGBTA Pride festival held every summer. [9]

Reading Pride volunteers work throughout the year to raise funds both for the annual Pride festival and for the community. The team also works to increase public awareness of other charitable and voluntary organisations in the local area that provide information, advice and support on a breadth of LGBTA issues.

Reading Pride Awards

In 2009, Reading Pride introduced an award ceremony to thank the people that have made a difference to LGBT people in Reading and the Thames Valley.

The winners were: [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Francisco Pride</span> Annual LGBTQ+ event in San Francisco, California

The San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Celebration, usually known as San Francisco Pride, is a pride parade and festival held at the end of June most years in San Francisco, California, to celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and their straight allies.

Sheela Lambert (1956-2024), a native and lifelong resident of New York City, was an American bisexual activist and writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brighton Pride</span> Annual LGBTQ+ event in Brighton and Hove, England

Brighton and Hove Pride is an annual LGBT pride event held in the city of Brighton and Hove, England, organised by Brighton Pride, a community interest company (CIC) who promote equality and diversity, and advance education to eliminate discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) community.

Over the course of its history, the LGBT community has adopted certain symbols for self-identification to demonstrate unity, pride, shared values, and allegiance to one another. These symbols communicate ideas, concepts, and identity both within their communities and to mainstream culture. The two symbols most recognized internationally are the pink triangle and the rainbow flag.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in Brighton and Hove</span> Cultural and demographic feature of Brighton and Hove

The LGBT community of Brighton and Hove is one of the largest in the United Kingdom. Brighton, a seaside resort on the south coast of England, has been described in some media as a "gay capital" of the UK, with records pertaining to LGBT history dating back to the early 19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pride in London</span> Annual LGBT event in London, England

Pride in London is an annual LGBT pride festival and pride parade held each summer in London, England. The event, which was formerly run by Pride London, is sometimes referred to as London Pride.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Namibia</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Namibia have limited legal protections. Sexual contact between men is criminalised within Namibia, although this law is generally unenforced. Discrimination based on sexual orientation is banned in Namibia but not for gender identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Meadow, Reading</span> Riverside park in Reading, England

King's Meadow is a park in Reading, Berkshire, England, located next to the River Thames. It stretches from the Coal Woodland to King's Meadow Road near Reading Bridge. The Thames Path long distance footpath runs through the length of King's Meadow, which is visible from the railway when entering or leaving Reading railway station from the eastern side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manchester Pride</span> Annual LGBT event in Manchester, England

Manchester Pride is a charity that campaigns for LGBTQ+ equality across the United Kingdom, predominantly in Greater Manchester. The Charity offers dialogue, training, research and policy analysis, advocacy and outreach activities focusing on LGBTQ+ rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pride Quarter, Liverpool</span> Gay quarter in Liverpool, UK

The Pride Quarter, also known as the Stanley Street Quarter, Liverpool Gay Quarter or Village, is an area within Liverpool City Centre, England. It serves as the main focal point for Liverpool's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The quarter is made up of mixed use developments including residential blocks, hotels, bars, nightclubs and various other businesses, many of which cater for the LGBT community. Aspects of the annual Liverpool Pride are also held in and around Stanley Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birmingham Gay Village</span> LGBT district in Birmingham

The Birmingham Gay Village is an LGBT district next to the Chinese Quarter in Birmingham city centre, centred along Hurst Street, which hosts many LGBT-friendly businesses. The village is visited by thousands of people every week and has a thriving night life featuring clubs, sports bars, cocktail bars, cabaret bars and shops, with most featuring live entertainment including music, dancing and drag queens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pride in Liverpool</span> Annual LGBT event in Liverpool, England

Pride in Liverpool, is an annual festival of LGBT culture which takes place across various locations in Liverpool City Centre including the gay quarter. Audience numbers reach up to 75,000 people, making it one of the largest free Gay Pride festivals in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calgary Pride</span> Annual LGBT event in Calgary, Alberta

Calgary Pride is an LGBT pride festival, held annually in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The event is organized by Pride Calgary, a non-profit organization, and is currently held in the final week of August, with the closing parade falling on the first weekend of September when necessary, each year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pride parades in South Africa</span>

There have been pride parades in South Africa celebrating LGBT pride since 1990. South African pride parades were historically used for political advocacy protesting against legal discrimination against LGBT people, and for the celebration of equality before the law after the apartheid era. They are increasingly used for political advocacy against LGBT hate crimes, such as the so-called corrective rape of lesbians in townships, and to remember victims thereof.

Throughout Dallas–Fort Worth, there is a large lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. Since 2005, DFW has constituted one of the largest LGBT communities in Texas.

The LGBT community in London is one of the largest within Europe. LGBT culture of London, England, is centred on Old Compton Street in Soho. There are also LGBT pubs and restaurants across London in Haggerston, Dalston and Vauxhall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simcoe Pride</span> Annual LGBT event in Ontario, Canada

Fierté Simcoe Pride is an annual festival held in Simcoe County, Ontario, during the end of July and beginning of August each year. It is a celebration of the diversity of the LGBT community in Simcoe County. It is one of the larger regional gay pride festivals in Canada, featuring flag raisings and proclamations from across the county, educational events, artistic and cultural events, and a large closing event. Since forming, the organisation has expanded gradually, involving more year-round events. In 2016, the organisation celebrated its fifth anniversary Pride.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pride Cymru</span> Gay pride event in Cardiff, Wales

Pride Cymru is an LGBT pride festival held annually in Cardiff, Wales.

This is a timeline of notable events in the history of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans community in Manchester.

References

  1. ↑ About. Reading Pride. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  2. ↑ Festival 2009, Reading Pride, 2009.
  3. ↑ Vaughan, Peter. "CEO". Reading Pride. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  4. ↑ Pride, Reading. "About Us". MyUmbrella. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  5. ↑ Vaughan, Peter. "CEO". Reading Pride. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  6. ↑ Vaughan, Peter. "Parade Route". Reading Pride. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  7. ↑ Vaughan, Peter. "CEO". Reading Pride. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  8. ↑ 1119891 — Reading Pride, Charity Commission, UK.
  9. ↑ Vaughan, Peter. "About". Reading Pride. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013.
  10. ↑ "Reading Pride Awards 2009 Winners".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.