Manchester Pride raises record amount for good causes

2017 Reported Record Attendance At The Manchester Pride Festival And Another Successful Year Of Fundraising

2017 saw the culmination of a three year strategy designed to elevate Manchester Pride to a position of strength, increasing the reach and impact of the charity’s work both across the region, and nationally.

The organisation’s annual review, which is released today (Thursday 25 January), reports that the charity has grown to become one of the largest LGBT+ charities in the UK, making an incredible impact on the lives of LGBT+ people across Greater Manchester.

In 2017 the charity interacted with over 843,000 people throughout the UK and educated over 46 million people about its campaign for LGBT+ equality. 

Mark Fletcher, Chief Executive for Manchester Pride, said; “Our work in 2017 has been driven by our belief that education is the key to equality. We still hear from so many LGBT+ people across the region that equality isn’t universal, and that they are in fact, still fighting to be treated equally in every aspect of their lives. Manchester Pride is committed to changing this through campaigns that engage and educate individuals,  businesses and schools.”

The charity has also today announced that after last year’s fundraising effort it has raised a record amount of £161,000 for LGBT+ causes in 2017.  Distribution of these funds will include grant making through the Manchester Pride Community Grant and Superbia Grant, delivery of Superbia, charity partnerships and initiatives.

In 2017 Manchester Pride pledged 27 grants to LGBT+ groups, charities and events in Greater Manchester.  Organisations such as Mermaids, a charity that supports children and young people (up to 20 years old) who are gender diverse, and their families, and professionals involved in their care.

Plus Fresh Start Smart, a community project based in Wythenshawe received a grant to host monthly LGBT+ sessions to reach out to BME and faith groups to break down barriers and the perceptions of the LGBT+ community. 

Grants were awarded to all Greater Manchester borough pride events including; Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Stockport, Trafford, Wigan and Salford's Pink Picnic.  

Manchester Pride’s flagship event is the Manchester Pride Festival which takes place over August bank holiday weekend. With its roots in the heart of Manchester’s world famous Gay Village, the festival is made up of The Big Weekend, The Manchester Pride Parade, free cultural events offering a dry space at The Superbia Weekend, culminating with The Candlelit Vigil on Bank Holiday Monday

Monday’s Candlelit Vigil sees Sackville Gardens turn into a sea of flickering candles as attendees take a minute to remember those lost to the HIV virus and join together to fight the epidemic worldwide and the stigma that still exists.

Mark Fletcher, continued; “I’m really proud of the work we’ve done over the past three years and these results really show it paying off. It’s been another outstanding year and it’s important to us to be able to report record attendance at The Manchester Pride Festival and another strong year of fundraising. I think what really matters to me is that we have interacted with 843,000 people this year, making a significant impact on their lives. We will continue to campaign for equality every year until we no longer have to.”

Facts about the Manchester Pride Festival 2017:

5200  Miles collectively walked by Parade entrants. The same distance as Manchester to San Francisco.

125 Acts performed at The Big Weekend.

211 Pride stars and community volunteers assisted during The Manchester Pride Festival

0% of the waste of The Manchester Pride Festival went to the landfill.

171,448,135 people reached via media in August alone.

308 TV and radio broadcasts in August featuring Manchester Pride.

For more information visit www.ManchesterPride.com.

Published: 26-Jan-2018: (4725)