Pride Community Fund

MANCHESTER PRIDE RAISES THOUSANDS FOR COMMUNITY FUND

LGBT AND HIV CHARITIES AND ORGANISATIONS IN GREATER MANCHESTER TO BENEFIT FROM IDAHOT FUNDRAISING EVENTS

Manchester Pride raised over £2,000 following the series of events it held last month, to commemorate International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT).

The organisers of the UK's leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) festival, Manchester Pride, ran Discuss with Pride, Drink With Pride and Run With Pride to fundraise for the Pride Community Fund, which supports LGBT and HIV charities and organisations in Greater Manchester.

This includes the free condom packs distributed by the Lesbian and Gay Foundation (LGF) and the George House Trust HIV welfare fund and takes the amount of money raised by Manchester Pride so far this year, to over £12,000.

Discuss with Pride took place at The Lowry at MediaCity:UK, and was a lively debate around the representation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the media.

Key speakers included human rights campaigner and activist, Peter Tatchell and former Head of Drama at BBC North, Phil Collinson.

Sportier types joined Team Pride and took on the BUPA Great Manchester Run, for ‘Run With Pride’. This year was the first time that Pride submitted a team, with 7 people completing the 10K for the charity.

To round off the events, ‘Drink With Pride’ challenged bars across the city to create their Pride Cocktail and raise funds for Manchester Pride's Community Fund.

Manchester Pride approached bars and restaurants across the city to get involved with the drinks competition and create a cocktail that best represents Pride. £1 from the price of each drink sold in May was donated directly to the Community Fund.

Twelve bars, including The Alchemist on New York Street, Black Dog Ballroom and The Whiskey Jar, put their mixologists to the test and sold especially created Pride Cocktails throughout May 2014.

Thirsty drinkers have been asked to try as many of the creations as possible and vote for their favourite on the Manchester Pride website - http://www.manchesterpride.com/our-events/idaho/drink.  The winning cocktail will then be served over the Big Weekend in August 2014.

The events raised £2,113 in total.

Chief Executive of Manchester Pride, Mark Fletcher said: “We’re really pleased to have raised so much from the IDAHOT events. It’s encouraging to see that all three initiatives were so well supported and we’d like to thank the people of Manchester for their continued support”

“The money raised will go directly into the Manchester Pride Community Fund which will fund initiatives for LGBT and HIV groups throughout the region.”

The Manchester Pride festival is a multi award-winning festival for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. The festival will kick off with Pride fringe on 1 August, with the Big Weekend running from Friday 22 - Monday 25 August 2014.

Published: 12-Jun-2014: (2477)