Organisers of this year’s Nottinghamshire Pride have announced this year’s annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community in the county will be going online – featuring performances and interviews with local activists and city leaders.

The online event, which will be filmed in The Ballroom at Nottingham’s Council House, will be broadcast between 7pm and 9pm on Saturday, 25th July on Nottinghamshire Pride’s social media channels.

Viewers can expect to see performances by Nottingham-based singer songwriter ROB.GREEN, Miss Bowie and the Killer Stars, and Concrete Rose, as well as interviews with local personalities.

Nottinghamshire Pride, which was launched in 2013 but has had a presence in the city since 1997, is a charity that is funded entirely by donations, sponsorship, and volunteers. It made the difficult decision to cancel the traditional Notts Pride event in Hockley due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Leigh Ellis, chairperson at Nottinghamshire Pride, said: “We were disappointed to cancel our Pride event. However, we are committed to bringing the LGBTQ+ community and its allies together digitally, and we are so excited to be moving Nottinghamshire Pride online and venturing into the online world – a first for us. We have been busy behind the scenes planning everything and we can’t wait to reveal further details over the coming weeks.

“Last year, more than 9,000 people lined the streets of Nottingham to take part in the parade, which marked 50 years since the Stonewall uprising – the moment that sparked the modern-day Pride movement. Nottinghamshire Pride is vital as it brings the LGBTQ+ community together in all its rainbow glory, right into the heart of Nottingham city and is a visible reminder of the contribution that LGBTQ+ people bring, while also giving us a chance to celebrate those who came before us to get us where are today.”

ROB.GREEN, who supported Michael Bublé at London’s Hyde Park and played Glastonbury’s Acoustic Stage, added: “I’m so excited and honoured to be taking part in this year’s Pride celebrations. I was so happy to hear that Notts Pride had found a way to safely bring us all together to celebrate our community and unite. It’s something that is needed now more than ever and it’s an honour to part of making this day extra special and a positive memory for us all.”

Developer Sladen Estates, which is currently developing two of the East Midlands’ most significant developments – a 275,000 sq ft office at Unity Square, which will accommodate HM Revenue and Customs’ new regional centre in Nottingham, and a 1,750,000 sq ft distribution centre in Sutton in Ashfield, has provided sponsorship for this year’s event to help the committee continue the celebrations.

Nick and Julia Sladen, of Sladen Estates, said: “We are extremely pleased, both as a family and business, to provide sponsorship to Nottinghamshire Pride 2020 and its first ever online event. Every child deserves to see themselves – and their families – reflected in books, art, music and the media they consume, and in the education they receive.

“As equality when teaching relationships and sex education (RSE) becomes compulsory from September 2020, Nottinghamshire Pride aims to provide ‘visibility’, ‘education’ and ‘celebration’ of the LGBTQ+ community and emphasises the continuing importance of the event for generations to come. It’s great that Pride can still go ahead to bring the city together and highlight Nottingham as a great place to live and work.”

Nottingham City Council has continued to support the LGBT+ community and has previously adapted its logo to include rainbow stripes, lit up the Council House with rainbow colours and painted a ‘rainbow road’ in Broad Street. This year, the council has donated the Council House’s Ballroom for the filming of the online event.

Councillor Rebecca Langton, portfolio holder for communities at Nottingham City Council, said: “Pride is always a wonderful celebration in our city and, while we understand the event will look and feel a bit different this year, I’m glad we’re still able to mark the occasion in a ‘virtual’ sense.

“Pride brings visibility to our LGBT+ community and encourages people to come together and embrace the diversity that Nottingham is so well known for – we celebrate equality, inclusivity and respect here. We want everyone to feel supported and are proud of our LGBT+ residents.

“We’re also committed to working with the Pride committee this year and hope to be back together again for next year’s event.”

Leigh added: “It’s so important that the city, county and wider East Midlands region continue to work towards being a beacon of diversity and inclusion because, as we have seen in recent weeks, the world can change overnight. We couldn’t make the online event happen without the kindness of our volunteers and supporters, who enable us to continue uniting the LGBTQ+ community and ensure Nottinghamshire Pride is secure for future generations.”

Organisers will announce further details and this year’s full line-up soon. For more information on Nottinghamshire Pride or to get involved, visit www.nottinghamshirepride.co.uk

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