Pride in Gateshead: building a vibrant and inclusive Gateshead
Organised by Gateshead-based charity Out North East, and supported by partners including Gateshead College, Metrocentre and Lumo, we were proud to support all of the activities celebrating our diverse communities. The event comprised of talks, discussions, celebrations and exhibitions to raise awareness of LGBTQ+ communities and get people to think about what gives them pride.
Metrocentre hosted a day of Pride which attracted thousands of people who took part in activities and visited LGBTQ+ stalls, while the first Pride Lawn Bowling Tournament was held in Pelaw with 16 teams battling it out to win the trophy.
A celebration of Pride in Gateshead Town centre connected Trinity Square, VANE gallery and the railway quarter in a day of activities.
And, elsewhere, more than 1000 families enjoyed a sunny day at the Pride Family Picnic at Saltwell Park while hundreds took part in a 5k Pride Colour Fun Run at Chopwell Woods.
A report published by organiser Out North East has revealed the positive effect on businesses and the lasting legacy of engagement.
Impact of Pride in Gateshead
Pride in Gateshead was one of three festivals that took place over the summer with Pride in Sunderland and Pride in South Tyneside taking place in June and July respectively.
The impact on Gateshead has been very positive:
working in partnership with the Red Sky Foundation, four lifesaving defibrillators were installed including one in Chopwell Woods, each unit branded in the progressive flag
Lumo produced a video, showcasing independent businesses based in Gateshead which has had over 20,000 views
working with the office for the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner and an LGBTQ+ youth group, a four-part podcast series was produced aimed at supporting 13- to 16-year olds called Our Voice
partnering with Lumo a national Rail Safety Awareness campaign was delivered at the Metrocentre
we showcased Gateshead to the Mr Gay World delegates who shared their love of the borough across the world
£2245 was donated to Pelaw Community Bowling Club to support their outreach work
working with Sorted Public Relations, 153 million views on articles promoting Sunderland, South Tyneside and Gateshead were generated, this equates to over £1.5million in positive PR
Supporting residents to thrive
No one in Gateshead should feel isolated and being able to include a festival like Pride in Gateshead into our annual programme of events can only help bring people together and encourage us to celebrate our differences.
Peter Darrant, Chair of Out North East, said: "Pride in Gateshead delivered so many incredible events this summer. Whether it was bringing people together at the Pride Family Picnic; taking over the Metrocentre and Gateshead Town Centre; welcoming the Mr Gay World finalists from twelve countries to the borough; being covered in paint at the 5k Family Fun Run or partying on the quayside at the Pride on Tyne concert; there was something for everyone to enjoy. It was a wonderful festival that celebrated how inclusive and diverse Gateshead is with thousands of people taking part."
Councillor Martin Gannon, Leader of the Council, said: "Having served Gateshead for over 40 years I know how wonderfully diverse our local communities are. When we come together, we are more resilient and more determined to make Gateshead a place where everyone can thrive. We want Gateshead to be a safe place for everyone and having Pride in Gateshead as an annual programme of activities helps us to bring people together, celebrate our differences and remind us why we should continue to be proud of the place we call home. This year was a great success and I know it will continue to go from strength to strength in the future and we look forward to being part of this with Out North East."