LCR Pride Awards Set to Return with Liverpool Football Club and Merseyrail as Joint Sponsors
The LCR Pride Awards will return on Thursday 23rd February 2023 following a three-year hiatus, thanks to joint sponsorship provided by Liverpool Football Club (LFC) and Merseyrail.
The sell-out inaugural awards ceremony celebrating those working to make the Liverpool City Region the most LGBT+ friendly place in the UK, delivered by LCR Pride Foundation, took place in 2019 before the pandemic shut down large events.
Merseyrail returns as headline sponsor for the second year jointly with Liverpool Football Club, which is supporting the event for the first time. Nominations are now open for 14 categories including LGBT+ Friendly Business of the Year, Business Person of the Year and LGBT+ Community Group. New categories for 2022 include LGBT+ Workplace Group and LGBT+ Youth Group.
Each category will celebrate the bravest, brightest, and best of the region’s LGBT+ community and its allies, from grassroots campaigners and local performers to businesses and organisations undertaking wider national work.
Speaking of the joint sponsorship announcement, Rishi Jain, senior equality, diversity and inclusion manager at Liverpool Football Club, said: “We are so proud to be a headline sponsor of the LCR Pride Awards and host their evening at Anfield. As a club, we are fully committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion and incorporating it into everything we do as part of our Red Together work and more broadly in sport and wider society. We’re looking forward to what should be a fantastic evening celebrating the LGBT+ community”
Jane English, Acting Managing Director from Merseyrail, added: “Merseyrail is incredibly proud to support the LGBTQ+ community. We have been the sponsors since the inaugural LCR Pride Awards, and we are delighted to continue our partnership.
“I’m sure it will be another superb evening to celebrate some incredible achievements, and Merseyrail are honoured to be there once again.
“Merseyrail, and our staff, love taking part in Pride marches in the city, and we have also created the Merseyrail LGBTQ+ & Allies employee network in 2020.
“We work hard to ensure Merseyrail is inclusive and diverse, as well as making sure that our passengers feel safe when travelling with us and are able to be who they are.”
Andi Herring, CEO and Co-founder of LCR Pride Foundation, said: “Both Liverpool Football Club and Merseyrail work hard to improve the lives of LGBT+ people living in and visiting our city region, through their own initiatives and the support of our work.
“They are once again extending that support as headline sponsors of the LCR Pride Awards 2023, so that we can celebrate the bravest, brightest, and best of the region’s LGBT+ community and its allies.
“Much has changed since the last time we came together for the LCR Pride Awards. There are so many local people and organisations that throughout the pandemic went above and beyond to help and support the LGBT+ community in the city region who deserve recognition. We’re really looking forward to seeing what comes in, so please do get nominating!”
Nominations are now open to recognise work in the LGBT+ community and our allies that has taken place since October 2019 to date – to nominate visit: www.lcrprideawards.co.uk
To find out more about the LCR Pride Awards, including award sponsorship opportunities, visit: www.lcrprideawards.co.uk