The Arc is Long: Salford Pride Celebrates LGBT+ History Month

February is LGBT+ History Month, dedicated to platform LGBT+ role models, joining in the fight for equality and celebrating the lives and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. This year's theme "The Arc is Long" in inspired by a Martin Luther King quote: 'The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice'

“This project aims to explore the idea of changing attitudes towards LGBT+ people across the past six decades of LGBT+ activism. While we have come a long way in terms of inclusion and attitudes, there is still a great deal of work before we have equal representation and inclusion for all LGBT+ people, particularly for trans, nonbinary and gender diverse communities.”

— Ricki Hewitt, Head of People

Salford Pride are running a video ‘History and Icons’ series project. The aim of this project is to celebrate the history of our community and educate people on the wider LGBT+ community and identities, through the sharing of local people's stories and different generational experiences of what it is and was like being an LGBT+ person during different decades in history - from the early sixties right up until modern day; to reflect on the progress we have made but how far there is yet to go. Following along with the theme “the arc is long”.

Image: Emma Goswell (Video by Ben Allan)

Image: Alfie Austin (Video by Ben Allan)

Featured in the history and icons project is Carl Austin-Behan, LGBT+ Advisor to the Mayor of Greater Manchester and Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Greater Manchester; Emma Goswell, Gaydio Presenter, Host of Coming Out Stories My Lesbian Rabbit and Effin Hormones Podcasts; Alfie Austin, a trans-masc nonbinary creative and musician and Salford Pride’s very own Head of Design and Marketing and a selection of LGBT+ young people, activists and community representatives, including Salford LGBT+ Youth Group and the University of Salford LGBT+ Society.

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Salford Pride are also celebrating LGBT+ History Month with event in collaboration with the University of Salford, its’ Student’s Union and Salford City Council.

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Featured: Trophy boy, an exploration of the dehumanising side of being a trophy boy (Credit: Finn Wise and BasLahmeh).

The event will feature an exhibition of LGBT+ history in Salford and Greater Manchester featuring artwork, artefacts, culture and media from artists across the county, including students from the University of Salford Arts, , Manchester Pride Creative Network, Working Class Movement Library in Salford, and Archives from the University of Salford from the 1960s and 1970s.

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Image: Joshua Hubbard (Dir.), a Love Letter.

There will also be LGBT+ culture and media on display at the exhibition, including 'A Love Letter', a film made by Joshua Hubbard and Lee Baxter. The short-film comprises a series of interviews with artists who, due to the pandemic, found themselves out of work. These interviews were conducted in the winter of 2020 and are emphasised through movement and gesture, highlighting social pressures and reflecting the experiences and frustrations of artists towards the government.

Note: If you are an artist or creative and would like to feature your work we still have some space available. Deadline for submissions is Tuesday 22nd February 2022. Contact ricki@salfordpride.org.uk for more information.

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If you’re interested in finding out more about Salford Pride, or getting involved, check out salfordpride.org.uk/getinvolved, or sign up as an event volunteer Applications are open now!

You can also keep up to date with our work in the fight for equality online:

Facebook @salfordprideuk
Twitter @salfordprideuk
Instagram @salfordprideuk
Youtube

The Pink Picnic Returns in 2021!

Salford Pride are excited to officially announce that Salford’s annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans & Non-binary, plus (LGBT+) pride event ‘The Pink Picnic’ is confirmed to return to Peel Park on Saturday 7th August 2021! Taking place between 1-8pm in Peel Park, Salford the event will host live music, dance and drag performances, children’s activities, a dog show, a beer tent, and even a private ‘PinkPLUS’ area for that little extra.

The event is family friendly, dog friendly and is also free and open to all to attend. Salford Pride believes that everyone should have the chance to celebrate and be their authentic self regardless of income. Everyone is welcome to show their support for the LGBT+ community, and embrace the spirit of pride. The Pink Picnic is a grass root event that personifies the true essence of what pride means and what it originally stood for.

This year The Pink Picnic celebrates its 10th anniversary. First Launched in 2011, a few friends thought it would be nice to hold an LGBT+ focussed event to bring people together for a fun afternoon. A modest gathering of 15 or so people was expected, but it attracted around 120 people, and so the picnic was born. The event was rebranded to The Pink Picnic in 2017, and over the past 10 years The Pink Picnic has grown from a small gathering of people to a nationally recognised pride celebration for the local LGBT+ community of Salford and beyond. In 2019 over 5,000 guests attended the event, and after going digital in 2020 digital, and attracting over 12,000 views, we’re thrilled to be back in 2021.

Hosting this year's event are some of our communities finest local drag heroines: Blaq Ivory, Misty Chance, and Viva La Diva. The line-up includes a rainbow of talent, including locals Jess Kemp, HUSK, House of Noir and Ewan, the reigning winner of Salford Pride’s Got Talent. Some famous names including Cheddar Gorgeous (Drag SOS), Sam Callahan (X Factor), 00’s legends Big Brovaz & Booty Luv, and Stooshe (Black Heart) bringing ‘Proud Vibes Only’ and more headline artists to be announced soon!

““The Pink Picnic is incredibly special as it was set up by the community of Salford for local people and community remains at the heart of everything Salford Pride does.

Pride is a precious time in calendar where we see LGBT+ live, thrive and represented in all aspects of life. The past year has not been without its challenges, so to be able to bring back our flagship event in our 10th year is very exciting. Everyone involved at The Pink Picnic in 2019 had a great time, so we are really excited to bring the event back, bigger than ever before!””

— Ricki Hewitt, Chief of Experience

Unlike previous years, this year's event will be ticketed, due to covid-19 regulations to help ensure the safety of everyone attending, however the event still remains one of the biggest free to attend pride events in Greater Manchester. If you’re looking for something extra, there are PinkPLUS tickets, on sale Friday 4th June 2021, granting pride-goers access to the ‘PinkPLUS’ area, with a private bar, private toilets, 2 free drinks & finger food snacks served throughout the day; even the chance to meet some of our headliners.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Salford Pride, or getting involved, check out salfordpride.org.uk/getinvolved, or sign up as an event volunteer for The Pink Picnic: Applications are open now!

You can also keep up to date with our work in the fight for equality online:

Facebook @salfordprideuk
Twitter @salfordprideuk
Instagram @salfordprideuk

Tickets (free) are available here. Limited PinkPLUS tickets, offering a VIP experience to the event, are available here at a discounted early bird price of £20 until June 18. Further tickets will be released here.

#BlackFutureMonth Spotlight: Rebecca Swarray

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Who: Rebecca Swarray aka DJ Mix-Stress and boss lady of events collective RebeccaNeverBecky.

What you do: I am a promoter, DJ and curator organising and running events within the Manchester queer community across the year. Events which specifically platform QTIPOC, LGBT+ and BAME creatives, DJs and performers. I also DJ at various events and spaces in and out of the city and have a monthly residency on Reform Radio.

Where can we find you: @rebecca.never.becky / @mix_stress https://www.mixcloud.com/rebeccaswarray/ I am also starting up a new and exciting monthly queer social called Queer Latifah in the near future please follow @queerlatifahsundays for updates!

What do you want to say to those reading this: BHM is an all year round celebration for me. I am fully proud of my heritage and history and use every opportunity and my platform to celebrate and uplift black voices. I hope that as we move through time given events of this year alone, that there is more acceptance and understanding across the board. And that our allies stand firmly by all our sides and continue to show out!

The Big Pink Fundraiser is back and bigger than ever!

Whether you’re a seasoned quizzer, or a complete newcomer, The Big Pink Fundraiser is a 3-in-1 event with something for everyone. Quiz-lovers, party-goers and cabaret connoisseurs are invited to support Salford Pride in its mission to educate and promote awareness of LGBT+ issues across the City of Salford, Greater Manchester and beyond!

Following the success of last year's Big Pink Fundraiser, Salford Pride are reviving the triple threat event, hosted in the fantastic BarPop, right at the heart of Manchester's thriving LGBT+ Community - Canal Street.

The Big Pink Fundraiser will be held on Thursday 13 February 2020, from 7.30pm until midnight.

The fundraiser won’t just feature fantastic quizzing with the chance to win a prize hamper up to the value of £100. The infamous and fabulous Annabelle Lecture will start the evening with a bang, performing a selection of cabaret performances, followed by more electrifying routines!

Ricki Hewitt, Salford Pride volunteer said:

“Salford Pride is incredibly special as it was set up by local people, for local people and community remains at the heart of everything we do. Without support from events like this, we wouldn’t be able to run the annual Pink Picnic or deliver vital LGBT+ education, awareness and events across the area. Everyone involved at the event last year had a great time, so we are really excited to bring the fundraiser back and make it bigger than ever before!”

If quizzing and cabaret aren’t for you and you’re just in the mood to boogie, Edd Norton will be taking over the BarPop basement from 10pm with some disco classics and dancing tunes to see you through to midnight.

The fundraiser will be hosted by Salford Pride's resident drag queen Venus Quasar. Tickets for the event are just £3 (including booking fee), but space is limited so grab your tickets now – once they’re gone, they’re gone. To find out more about the event or book your place, visit https://www.fatsoma.com/SalfordPride/u6pk45kq/the-big-pink-fundraiser-2020

All the money raised will be donated to Salford Pride. The money raised will ensure The Pink Picnic remains a free event and support us to delivering equality and diversity for the LGBT+ Community across Salford and Greater Manchester.

If you’re interested in find out more about Salford Pride, or getting involved, visit our website salfordpride.org.uk, or find us on social media:

facebook.com/salfordprideofficial
twitter.com/salfordprideuk
instagram.com/salfordprideofficial

Would you let your kids organise your wedding?

Couples all over the UK are being offered help in organising their wedding but there’s a catch...the entire thing has to be arranged by their kids.

Marrying Mum & Dad is back on CBBC and is bringing a unique twist on reality TV wedding shows by letting children play boss in what promises to turn traditional wedding days upside down.

The show is currently looking for courageous parents/step parents who are ready tie the knot and willing to leave the fate of the big day in the hands of their children.

Ed Petrie and Naomi Wilkinson help kids make all the big decisions about their parent’s wedding day. They choose everything, from the theme to the venue, entertainment and outfits.

Tapping into the creative minds of 8-14 year olds, the show will see youngsters organise every aspect of the wedding/civil partnership; from the theme to the venue, the costume to the cake, as well as the arranging the transport and entertainment.

The show has already seen couples get hitched in a bizarre variety of ceremonies with themes such as: Day of the Dead, Dr Who, Scarecrows, Under the Sea, Haunted Houses, Stunt Shows, Ancient Egypt, Candyland and the Wild Wild West.

Ed Petrie, who co-hosts the show with Naomi Wilkinson, said:

“Letting 8-14 year olds plan your entire wedding day may sound like a ridiculous idea – and it is! But in the best possible way. ‘Marrying Mum & Dad’ weddings are exhilaratingly bonkers, heart warmingly wacky and utterly unique. A day your family will truly remember forever!”

The show will film from February until July 2020.

Applications are now open and families can apply by visiting: https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/joinin/marrying-mum-and-dad-8-be-on-a-show

You can then either email back your application form to marrying@bbc.co.uk or post it to:

Marrying Mum and Dad
BBC Scotland
CBBC
Zone 4.01 
40 Pacific Quay 
Glasgow

Closing date for all applications is Monday 17th February 2020 and the form is available to download here. Early applications are strongly encouraged.