GM LGBTQIA+ Community Network Newsletter
Friday, 9th August 2024Good Morning,
Firstly a Few Events Taking Place Today & This Weekend:
Prestwich Pride: Friday 9th – Sunday 11th August
Prestwich Pride is back for its third year and has announced additions to its already biggest line-up to date! Now spanning three days, Friday 9th to Sunday 11th August, the weekend is jam packed with something for everyone; from performances by local queer entertainers to a park run to planting at the local allotment to a pub quiz, with lots in between.
Wanting to make the weekend accessible to as much of the local community as possible, most events are free to attend. For events that require tickets Drag Quiz with The Fat Britney, Born to be Wild Child and Love Hangover, tickets are still available.
New Highlights to the Prestwich Pride Line-Up:
Drag Supper at Panama Hatty’s Prestwich (Friday 9th August, 6:30PM): Kicking-off the Pride weekend celebrations, head to Panama Hatty’s for their fabulous Drag Supper hosted by the sensational Sophia Stardust. Guests will enjoy a two-course dinner with various drink packages available and a DJ to keep the party going later in the evening. Bookings can be made directly through Panama Hatty’s.
Plant at Pride (Sunday 11th 9AM): Need a chill spot to connect with fellow Pride-goers? Join our gardening session! It’s the perfect way to unwind, meet new friends, and celebrate Pride in a peaceful setting. Enjoy light refreshments and some heartwarming company. Email us at [email protected] to snag your spot and don’t forget your gardening gloves!
Moonbeam’s Sunday Brunch (Sunday 11th 11AM): One for the brunch lovers. Our beloved Moonbeam Coffee House is turning up the Pride vibes this year. Swing by on Sunday for a Bloody Mary (or two) and indulge in their hangover special. It’s the ultimate cure for your weekend antics!
Cloud Cuckoo Comedy (Sunday 11th 7PM): Ready for some laughs? Cloud Cuckoo Comedy is back with an epic line-up of LGBTQ+ entertainers. Head over to Cuckoo and end your Pride weekend on a high note with side-splitting performances from our fabulous comedians. You won’t want to miss it!
This year’s line-up has been thoughtfully curated to create diverse spaces and events that cater to the entire community, ensuring everyone can partake in the celebrations.
For all the details go their Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/prestwichpride/?hl=en
Wigan Pride: Saturday 10th August
Wigan Pride hosts its 9th consecutive pride event taking Place in Wigan Town Centre. Boasting 3 entertainment spaces with acts on their Unity Stage, Believe Square and newly formed open air space. They look forward to welcoming all who wish to celebrate Pride with them.
Spaces still available in the parade, feel free to turn up sign in and take part in within our “Friends of Pride” section.
https://www.instagram.com/wiganpride/
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialWiganPride/?locale=en_GB
https://x.com/wiganpridelgbt?lang=en-GB
Levenshulme Pride: Friday 9th – Sunday 11th August
https://levenshulmepride.org.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/levenshulmepride/?__d=1%2F
https://www.facebook.com/levenshulmepride/?locale=en_GB
https://x.com/levepride?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Read the weekly newsletter from Canal St Manchester:
https://canal-st.co.uk/?na=v&nk=13316-ff801782ef&id=20
Consortium: For Stronger LGBT+ Communities
Sector News: https://mailchi.mp/89d1ce611ac2/jan24-9918401?e=4ef77ba796
Funding News: https://mailchi.mp/81209d09ccea/funding-news-jun23-9917493?e=4ef77ba796
Proud 2 B Parents: AugustNewsletter
https://mailchi.mp/6dfd48214d53/august-2024-monthly-email-16197854?e=c3332628fc
GM Equality Alliance Bulletin, Issue no 94, August 2024
https://www.gmcvo.org.uk/civicrm/mailing/view?reset=1&id=10006
Fighting with Pride: Monthly Newsletter
https://rb.gy/89w3iy
There is still time to register to join FWP at Manchester Pride – Saturday 24th August 2024.
Fighting with Pride will be marching in the Manchester Parade on Saturday 24th Aug alongside the Royal British Legion and MOD service personnel. We also plan to meet up on the following day for a social gathering with service personnel.
If you want further details about the march or the social event please contact John for further details
[email protected]
Or you can register to join FWP at Manchester Pride here – https://wkf.ms/3LgQvth
ON IT is a joint campaign by We Are Survivors and George House Trust offering support and advice around sex, chems, HIV and consent. It’s based on the ground-breaking report by Dr. Michael Atkins – aka Cheddar Gorgeous. On Saturday 24th August, ON IT will be taking part in the Manchester Pride Parade, and they are looking for participants to join their walking entry to carry placards, hand out postcards and stickers promoting the campaign, and take part in one of the most colorful, inclusive and diverse events in the city. If you’d like to join ON IT at the Manchester Pride Parade, drop an e-mail to [email protected] to secure your place, and your free ON IT campaign t-shirt!
Find out more about ON IT, and take the quiz at www.onit.org.uk
Get into running with Manchester Frontrunners’ Couch-to-5K course!
Want to get into running, and with a friendly and supportive group to boot? Join Manchester’s LGBTQ+ running club for their FREE Couch-to-5K course, returning on Thursday 5th September. Places are limited, so please contact course leader and accredited running coach Steve Hatton as soon as possible at [email protected].
More information available on the Manchester Frontrunners website.
Stonewall Equality Dinner: 30th October 2024, 7pm – 1am
De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, London, WC2
The Equality Dinner is the most prestigious day in the Stonewall calendar and this year will be hosted by Gok Wan and Suzi Ruffell.
On the night, over 400 of the UK’s most prominent supporters of LGBTQ+ rights from across public life and business will attend to learn about, and raise funds for, Stonewall’s vital campaigns for LGBTQ+ freedom, equity and potential. The evening’s entertainment delivers a balance of Stonewall’s important messaging complemented by fun and fundraising in equal measures.
This year’s Equality Dinner delivers an important rallying call for LGBTQ+ supporters and allies – that we need to stand together to protect the progress we have made. The UK is falling behind on the global stage as a ‘culture war’ takes hold of our politics and media and as hate crime rises. The need to stand together for a positive future for LGBTQ+ people is more important than ever.
For further information and to book your table please visit: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/equality-dinner
Greater Manchester Pride Events for 2024
Levenshulme Pride Friday 9th – Sunday 11th August
Prestwich Pride Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th August
Wigan Pride Saturday 10th August
Manchester Pride Friday 23rd – Monday 26th August
Didsbury Pride Note – Saturday 31st August NOT the first Saturday in September!
Ramsbottom Pride Saturday 21st September
Withington Pride Saturday 21st September
Chorlton Pride Fundraiser See Below:
Chorlton Pride Fundraiser – Pop Quiz and After Party
with Host Vin Dicktiv from the House of Gorgeous
Friday 27th September 8pm
The Beagle, Barlow Moor Road.
Tickets from £5 (with booking fee)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/chorlton-pride-fundraiser-pop-quiz-and-afterparty-tickets-954009787957
Withington Pride. Have got a few call outs for this year’s Withy Pride – If you can help, please get in touch
Gravy Mag Queer PoC Exhibition and Poets Call out
Open call for PoC LGBTQ+ artists and poetry performers, for work of any medium on any theme for an Exhibition
and showcase as part of Withington Pride 2024.
Open and closed community space @ Withington Pride
They aim for Withington Pride to celebrate and strengthen existing networks of care and community support. We’re therefore inviting LGBTQ+ community groups to host a space on the day in free rooms at Withington Methodist Church.
- Open community space: host one of your regular group sessions as a drop-in, whether that’s crafts, conversation or a workshop. Or simply offer a brew and chat as an introduction to your group (we could publises as a X’s community cafe).
- Returning to pride’s roots in grassroots activism, we hope offering such community spaces will offer an introduction to intersectional groups and act as a living community notice board.
- Closed community space: bring your regular group to Withington Pride with a free meeting space.
- We hope that this offer will support community members who might not otherwise have had the confidence to come alone to join in the day’s festivities and hope having this space would be the start of a great day out for your group.
- Alternatively, if you’d like to share physical flyers or posters for your group they can distribute these at Withington Pride
Interested? Drop us an email @ [email protected]
Call out for volunteer Community space coordinator- coordinating the community rooms between 12-4pm on 21st of September, with a flexible commitment to supporting administration of the community space offer in advance of the day.
https://www.withingtonpride.com/
Instagram: @withingtonpride
Facebook: @withingtonpride
Rainbow Mind – Active Pride, LGBTQIA+ Mindful Walk
Saturday 31st August 2024, 12.30pm – 1.30pm, Manchester City Centre
Youth Pride MCR by Manchester Pride is a year-round programme of workshops for LGBTQ+ young people and their allies aged 14-18. Members join a community of like-minded young people, creating new friendships, building their confidence all in a safe space designed to help young people flourish.
Youth Pride MCR came up with The House of Queens, Kings and Holy Things, a fantastic series of creative performance workshops helping young people develop their creative skills and unleash their inner drag superstar with an incredible performance at Manchester Pride Festival.
“I learnt a lot of skills from it, a lot of performance skills and confidence skills.”
– House of Queens, Kings and Holy Things member
In 2023, the House of Queens, Kings and Holy Things covered everything from coming up with a drag persona to practising make-up skills, attendees found a whole new way to express themselves and learned to do so in a safe space with their peers.
LGBT+ Manchester Walking Tour
In the run up to Manchester Pride, they are running additional ‘LGBT+ Manchester Walking Tours.’
Manchester Pride Tour Dates:
16th August @ 6pm,
17th August @ 3pm,
21st August @ 6pm
Booking: Book either by emailing [email protected] or by visiting our EventBrite:
Location: Our Manchester Pride tours will begin by the ‘Monument to Vimto’ – M1 3BU
Cost: £10pp (pay on arrival by cash/card) – free Solidarity tickets available
What is it?
Explore Manchester’s world-famous Gay Village on Josh’s LGBT+ Manchester Walking Tour
It’s a journey through iconic monuments, touching memorials, secret street art and legendary pubs to tell the story of:
How did Manchester become so bloody Queer?
They’ll share stories of Manchester’s LGBT+ heroes of both the past and present – from Victorian drag balls, to a TV programme that changed everything….
Josh has an MA History degree, specialising in Manchester’s LGBT+ history, and he continues to work in LGBT+ oral history
At the end of each tour, he offers his list of insider recommendations
It’s a great chance to connect with like-minded people from around the world and make new friends, whilst we dig into the atmosphere of Manchester’s LGBT+ heart and history
The tour is a blend of history, heritage, culture and fun, perfect both for international visitors as well as locals to the city who are seeking an unforgettable two hours exploring Manchester’s Gay Village
For these tours, Josh is offering completely free tickets, for people working with/for Manchester’s LGBT+ charities and LGBT+ organisations. (You must be able to prove eligibility)
If you’d like to join one of these tours, simply email Josh with the date (listed above) you’d like to go along to: [email protected]
Tickets are not limited, however group sizes are capped at 35 – so please do RSVP if you intend to join one of these tours.
YOUR DAD SELLS AVON is a Manchester based brand focused on Nightlife & Community.
The main goal of YDSA is to amplify the voices of Trans+, non-binary and POC individuals. YDSA’s creative platform is dedicated to providing an environment that celebrates diversity and encourages self-expression. This can be seen throughout the artwork of each event campaign. They heavily and exclusively feature the minority demographic groups mentioned.Every season, the YDSA team pick a different LGBTQ charity to raise funds for such as GHT, LGBT Foundation, Not a Phase etc. A pound from each final ticket sale is donated to the chosen charity on top of raising funds on the night.
Details of the next event:
YOUR DAD SELLS AVON // YDSA005 Queer Rave Returns for the 5th time at thew Deaf Institute taking over all 3 floors on the 3rd August 2024.
Top Floor: YDSA // 12 – 5 // Dance, Techno, House, Remixes, 3 DJs, Lasers, Glowsticks etc etc
Middle Floor: LIL MISS JACKIE // 11-3 // (Successful London based Queer Club night)
Basement Floor: TRL // Text Request Line // 11-3 // Launch Night
DJ Line Up:
Top Floor: (12-5): YDSA // Death by Snu Snu 12:00 // Forbid 01:00 // Meme Gold 03:00
Middle Floor: (11-3): LIL MISS JACKIE // Wiles 11:00 // Dullage 01:00 // Jackie P 02:00
Basement: TRL (11-3): TRL // Meme Gold 11:00 // DJ Yami 01:00
Tickets:
Tickets on sale on Now via www.YDSAevents.com (Limited numbers available on Skiddle)
Early Bird: £15 SOLD OUT
Standard Admission: £17 ON SALE NOW
HOME are thrilled to announce the sensational, award-winning production My Son’s a Queer, (But what can you do?)
Monday 19th – Sunday 25th August
It takes to the stage this summer ahead of Manchester PRIDE, as the acclaimed production makes its glittering debut in Manchester this August!
Written and performed by the multi-talented, social media sensation, My Son’s a Queer, (But what can you do?) has garnered widespread acclaim, evolving from a cult sensation to a WhatsOnStage award-winning and Olivier Award nominated production.
When Rob was 12, they attempted to stage a full-blown Disney parade in their house for their Grandma. As Rob donned a wig and played Mary Poppins, Ariel, Mickey Mouse and Belle, their Dad doubled as Stage Manager, Sound Technician and Goofy. Unfortunately, Dad missed all his cues and pushed all the floats in the wrong direction. Mum mistook Aladdin for Ursula. The costumes went awry and Ariel’s bubble gun didn’t work properly. Grandma had a nice time though.
My Son’s a Queer, (But what can you do?) is the joyous autobiographical story of Madge as they set out to recreate that infamous parade, inviting audiences on a journey filled with laughter, love, and the occasional mishap.
https://homemcr.org/production/my-sons-a-queer-but-what-can-you-do/
LINDEN ARCHIVES: Stuart Linden Rhodes
A new coffee table size photobook of the queer 1990’s is available now for pre order from https://www.pariahpress.com/product-page/linden-archives
Titled simply Linden Archives this book presents a collection of photographs of Pride events, Mr Gay UK contests alongside Club and Bar images from London, Brighton to Newcastle and Manchester. The foreword is written by actor Russell Tovey.
A photobook that seeks to encapsulate a peoples defiant in the face of the AIDS crises and discriminatory laws. Included in this work are many images that have fallen foul of Instagram’s unjustly censorious and baffling algorithm — alongside uninhibited photographs of Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier, Derek Jarman, Take That, Julian Clary, Peter Tatchell, Paul O’Grady, East 17 and many more.
‘Linden’ was the roving reporter for APN and the Gay Times during the early to mid 1990s, his columns for those magazines were entitled: Out & About with Linden. Stuart Linden Rhodes was also a lecturer at a local further education college, the pseudonym ‘Linden’ adopted due to concerns generated by draconian Clause 28 legislation sanctioned by Tory governments of the era. At home in North Yorkshire during the ‘rona lockdowns of 2020-21, Stuart established the Linden Archives online as a way to preserve his work and look back fondly on the brash, thriving gay scene of the 1990s. More recently, his photography has featured on BBC television & radio and in Mastermind Magazine, Crotch, The Guardian, You Otter Know and Photography – A Queer History. Imagery from the archives have been exhibited at the Grundy Art Gallery, Queer Britain, Moray Pride, Vane Gallery and the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum as part of the Museum of Youth Culture.
Bury Hospice: Dancers Required
Bury Hospice who organise the annual Strictly Best Foot Forward are looking for new contestants to join the group, specifically people who identify as male or intersex to join their competition this year.
They have now launched a recruitment drive for the next edition of their Strictly challenge.
They have around two thirds of the dancers they require to make this another successful edition. However, they are short of male participants and still need to find six so they have a full group to take part in Strictly 2025.
If you are interested or know of any male friends who might be interested, please can you ask them to consider getting in touch with them at: [email protected].
The Sunday Boys: Are seeking New Directors for their Board
Do you have knowledge and experience in the music sector? Could you help to shape and support an organisation dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and allies through songs and stories? If so, The Sunday Boys would like to hear from you.
They’re looking for at least two new Directors to sit on their board and help them continue to take their choir from strength to strength.
Please click here to read the role description
In the first instance, please email Executive Director Matt Saint on [email protected] to express interest or discuss the role in more detail. They can happily arrange a video or telephone call with the directors best placed to answer your questions should you wish. Interviews will take place in August 2024.
LGBT Foundation: Manchester Half Marathon places available
Calling all runners! Are you looking for a physical challenge to gear up for? Do you love the thrill of setting a new personal best? Well, LGBT Foundation have got some great news for you- they’ve got charity places available on the Manchester Half Marathon, taking place on the 13th October 2024. Places are free, all you need to do is fundraise £400 for LGBT Foundation’s life-saving services.
Email [email protected] to snap your place up and do something good for your fitness, your community and LGBTQ+ people nationwide. You will receive bespoke 1-1 stewardship, a stylish LGBTF running vest and a thank you pack if you get involved – as well as the obvious bragging rights and a fuzzy, warm feeling from doing something good. They hope to hear from as many of you as possible!
Stockport LGBT+ PLUS Active Walks
Get outdoors! Experience the best of our local wide-open spaces, beautiful countryside and parks. Feel physically refreshed and mentally improved, whilst networking and developing new friendships on their regular monthly walks in the big outdoors!
Find out more about Stockport LGBT+ PLUS on the below links:
Website: www.stockportplus.org
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/StockportPLUS
Online Community: www.facebook.com/groups/StockportPLUS
The Rainbow Lottery is the UK’s first weekly lottery that raises money for the LGBTQ+ community. Their hope is to make a difference to our over 100 good causes across the country, so they can carry on their vital work – which helps us all.
For more info: www.rainbowlottery.co.uk To start supporting causes in OUR community purchase your ticket here:
https://www.rainbowlottery.co.uk/referral/1754044334/1961609853
Surveys / Research / Questionnaires / Training:
Pride in Leadership:
A call to action – survey of LGBTQ+ people examining potential barriers to career development
In recent years, significant strides have been made to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. However, there remains a notable gap in addressing the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in professional environments. That is why we are launching a comprehensive survey of career development experiences – to help drive change. Please complete the survey here.
If you feel that you no longer wish to receive these emails, PLEASE let me know, I would hate to think I am bombarding you with information that you don’t require and it is just blocking up your inbox. (I won’t be offended).
Remember, if you have events or information you wish to share across Greater Manchester then feel free to send that over to me to be included, I send this email out to over 2000 contacts which in turn gets sent out through their networks: [email protected]