Parade expected to draw crowds
Norwich Pride will celebrate the local Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans community this weekend.
In what’s become an annual event, Norwich Pride this Saturday includes a picnic in Chapelfield Gardens as well as stalls, speeches and entertainment at the Forum. Parties, comedy and live music will be held at venues across the city as well as films, art exhibitions and family-friendly events.
Norwich Pride is organised by a collective of volunteers. This year’s chair Jules Bremner said: “The first two Norwich Prides have been wonderful and the atmosphere absolutely brilliant. We are so proud to live in a city where thousands of people come out onto the streets to show their support for the LGBT community.”
One of the organisers, Nick O’Brien, added that while progress has been made, homophobia is still a problem: “We always start by recognising the huge gains that LGBT people have made over the past 20 years. However, there are still many things to be concerned about. Homophobia is still rampant in our schools, a huge problem in competitive sport with still no British football player “out and proud” and a 1% conviction rate for homophobic hate crime. We also plan this year’s event over the backdrop of the huge cuts to public services which will affect lots of LGBT people both in terms of jobs but also services such as HIV support and the LGBT switchboard.”
Timetable:
1000: Opening Ceremony with Norwich Taiko Drummers and Spirit of Carnival on Millennium Plain outside the Forum.
1200: Question Time with Peter Tatchell at the Forum International LGBT campaigner Peter Tatchell is joined byChloe Smith (MP for Norwich North) and Julie Bremner (chair of Norwich Pride) for a Question Time style debate that will discuss how far we have come and why Pride is still important.
12.00 The Pride Picnic: Chapelfield Gardens
14.30: The Parade
The highlight of the day for many: the parade will weave its way down Theatre Street, along Gentlemans Walk, up Gaol Hill and past City Hall.
For full details of the day’s events, go to the Norwich Pride website.
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