Brighton Pride have just announced that they raised a massive total of £217,432 over Pride weekend during August 2019. They hope to reach their £1 million target by 2020. The proceeds are being distributed over a range of community projects including Brighton Rainbow Fund.
Brighton Pride first started as a tiny, grass roots event organised by the Sussex Gay Liberation Front in 1972. It grew steadily until the first entrance fee was charged in 2011. – Then you could buy an early bird ticket for £8.50! – But disaster struck in 2012, when organisers discovered that the event was £180,000 in debt. Brighton Pride was almost cancelled.
Paul Kemp, Pride Director stated that “uncertainty around Brexit adversely affected sponsorship income” this year. However, Pride encouraged the local business community to keep supporting the event. With initiatives such as the “City of Angels” they filled the city’s windows with rainbow flags, raising over £10,000.
The term “pride” was originally used by US gay activists in the 1960s, who risked their lives protesting, chanting “I’m gay and I’m proud!”. In 2002, Brighton Pride included the Trans community officially within the event and became LGBTQ – “Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Questioning”. Now, the Pride party “brand” has embraced the city with separate Trans Pride and Disability Pride events happening every year.
Featured images: Chris Jepson
Hi..I’m Chair of Trustees of The Brighton Rainbow Fund. Just to clarify a couple of things..the organisers of Pride in Brighton back when they went bust were a charity that sadly went bankrupt, not having raised ANY money for local charities for several years. The current organisers have been in place, as a Community Interest Company ( I.e. not for profit) since 2013, and have raised money for charity, mostly for The Brighton Rainbow to distribute to local LGBTQ+ projects. This year we are supporting 24 such projects with grants.
The £1 million that you quote as being the aim to reach, is the cumulative total raised for good causes since 2013 by the organisation headed by Paul Kemp.
Reading the article about this at Gscene, the amount raised is £922,000. Fantastic achievement.