Proud of putting on this event

Warwickshire Pride is a positive celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) culture. It aims to bring communities together for a celebration of diversity and is intended to provide an alternative experience to the mainstream Pride events that take place around the country.

The inaugural festival in 2013 was a big step forwards for Leamington and I really had to fight to convince people that the town was ready for it. I now feel incredibly proud that my hometown has a Pride event and feel it is a positive event for all communities to enjoy.

It is true to say that the weather was absolutely awful at this year’s Warwickshire Pride. I am open about the fact that it meant attendance numbers were down on the 2013 festival, but the Courier was correct in its statement that the rain failed to dampen the spirits of those who attended. Many people got very wet, but carried on having a good time regardless.

There was an array of stalls, entertainment, activities, and food to keep people engaged and fuelled throughout the day.

British summer time weather can never be predicted and it is true to say that the heavy rain came as a bit of a surprise. The forecast had been changing on an hourly basis and it was never too clear whether it was going to rain and if so, to what degree.

The Pump Room Gardens is a wonderful space to hold festivals and a number take place each summer. I am not aware of any of them having sheltered areas in case of rain. If it does rain during other festivals, people tend to carry on regardless and are usually prepared with coats and umbrellas. That’s the luck of the draw during British summer time.

Of course I would love to be able to say that it’s possible to provide covered areas in future, but the truth is that would cost money and funds are one thing that Warwickshire Pride really doesn’t have. Whereas other festivals receive funding and sponsorship, to date there has been no interest in sponsoring an LGBT event in Leamington. Funds are extremely limited and the cost of putting on this year’s Warwickshire Pride was only just covered, largely thanks to some support from Warwick District Council, Leamington Town Council, and WCAVA. Only the basics were able to be covered this time around.

On the day there were around 70 stalls in attendance. Of those 70 stalls, only five of them focused on housing, mental health, and substance abuse. The remaining stalls featured a collection of wonderful community organisations, good causes, caterers, and traders. The LGBT community were represented by Push Projects, Coventry & Warwickshire Friend, and the Terrence Higgins Trust, all of which do great work with and for the LGBT community.

Thankfully the feedback from stall holders, performers, the local authority, and our MP Chris White has been that everyone still had a good time despite the rain and put it down to ‘one of those things’. Although I personally feel the festival went well, I also acknowledge that there are things that could be improved.

That is why I welcome comments and input from the community. As followers of the Warwickshire Pride social media pages will know, the public have been consulted at every stage and will continue to be consulted moving forwards.

I would welcome the disgruntled member of the community who wrote into the Courier last week to come forward and put across their views in person and share their ideas about how the festival could be improved next time around. After all Warwickshire Pride is a community festival so it’s quite right that the community should have their say.

The only thing that puzzles me is the fact that despite apparently being so awful, the individual chose to visit Warwickshire Pride on three separate occasions during the day. Something must have kept them coming back for more.

Daniel Browne, Warwickshire Pride Director