Pride

The Historic Market Town of Totnes in rural Devon, saw its seventh Pride event at the weekend, which brought the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and/or questioning+) community together with their allies, to celebrate diversity in the town.

Credit Nicole Rosen

Organisers of the popular event, Totnes-based social enterprise Proud2Be, laid on a whole host of events in the town.

The day began with a special debut performance from Proud2Be Youth Choir and opening speeches by Proud2Be youth members.

During his moving speech, Jack said: “Pride has helped me accept myself and learn more about the community I am a part of. Before my first pride, I was still struggling to come to terms with my own identity, and I was very uneducated on the LGBT+ community as a whole. Four years and a handful of prides later, I am a lot more confident in my identity, and I have learned that I am just as valid as everybody else.”

Speeches were followed by a minute’s silence “for all those people who are no longer with us and those who, for whatever reason, cannot be with us today.”

It is estimated that over one thousand people took part in the colourful procession, which was led by the award-winning Samba Roc Band, which is part of ROC Creative, a dedicated art project which supports adults with learning disabilities.

Credit Nicole Rosen

It was at Totnes Civic Hall, Birdwood House Café and The Red Wizard Café that attendees enjoyed a whole host of activities including youth-led workshops and talks, Dot’s Café, a quiet room, community stands, a youth space and a variety of family-friendly activities including art and craft, face painting and much more.

Credit Nicole Rosen

This year, for the first time, Heath’s Garden was transformed into a ‘Pride Garden’ where visitors of all ages took part in outdoor games and children enjoyed ‘Drag Storytime’.

The afternoon saw a panel discussion at Totnes Cinema, where local young activists led a discussion titled ‘Where’s Our Sex Education?’

Throughout the day, there was a Mobiloo pop-up changing places facility stationed outside the Civic Hall and two British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters on hand to ensure that everybody could access the activities.

After the event, Charlie tweeted:

‘Had a fantastic day at #totnespride2019. Thank you @_proud2be and @MobilooUK for making it so accessible. It was definitely the best Pride I’ve ever been to!’

The day event was followed by a cabaret, held at Totnes Civic Hall. Compered by Totnes based drag queen Rhi Rhi Rhythm, partygoers enjoyed performances from Marilyn Mournroe and live music from popular Disco Funk band Golddust and tribute act Maybe Gaga.

Inspired by their experiences of bullying, discrimination and shame- identical twins Max and Maya Price set up Proud2Be in 2011 when they recorded the first Proud2Be video. Since then various public figures and members of the public have contributed to the campaign.

As well as campaigning and hosting Totnes Pride, Proud2Be facilitates well attended and inclusive peer support groups and a youth project, which now includes a fortnightly youth group, a peer mentoring project, a 1:1 mentoring service and a family support group.

Proud2Be deliver awareness training to schools and organisations around the UK.

Proud2Be co-founder Max said: “We are thrilled with how the event went and it was particularly moving to see Proud2Be youth members making opening speeches, performing as a choir for the first time, running the workshops and hosting the panel discussion.

A small team of dedicated volunteers work tirelessly throughout the year to ensure Totnes Pride is a thoughtful and inclusive community event. We would like to thank them and all the Pride volunteers, funders, sponsors, supporters, attendees and performers- without whom, none of it would be possible.”

To find out more about Proud2Be and to get involved in future events please email [email protected] or go to proud2be.co.uk

Credit Nicole Rosen

The historic market town of Totnes in Devon is set to host the seventh Totnes Pride​ on Saturday 7th September 2019. ​

Social enterprise Proud2Be is laying on a whole host of activities, which will bring the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and/or questioning+) community together with their allies, to celebrate diversity in the town.

This year’s theme is ‘Your Time to Sparkle’which has been chosen by young people who regularly attend the Proud2Be youth group.

In a recently published set of videos where young people spoke about what the theme means to them, Charlie said:

“Your Time to Sparkle is such a great theme, to me it’s all about celebrating us as individuals and as a community and saying that there is something amazing about everyone, especially at the moment when there’s so much in the media attacking LGBT people, having this theme as a celebration in defiance to that is fantastic.”

The day kicks off at 10.45am outside The Dartmouth Inn with a special debut performance from Proud2Be Youth Choir and opening speeches by Proud2Be youth members. The award-winning Samba ROC Band, will then lead a procession up Fore Street and High Street to Totnes Civic Hall at 11.30am. The road closure will be in place between 10.30am – 1pm at Ticklemore Street and from the bottom of Fore Street up to where the High Street meets Castle Street.

Community bus service Bob the Bus will be running a park and ride service from 10am at King Edward VI Community College (KEVICC) and will also be transporting wheelchair users and those with mobility issues up the procession at 11.15.

It is at the Civic Hall, Birdwood House Café and The Red Wizard Café from midday, where visitors can enjoy workshops, talks, live music, community stalls, Dot’s Cafe, a youth space and a variety of family-friendly activities including art and craft, face painting and much more.

This year, for the first time, there will be a ‘Pride Garden’ at Heath’s Garden behind the Civic Hall where visitors of all ages can take part in outdoor games and children can enjoy ‘Drag Storytime’.

There will be a panel discussion from 3:00pm at Totnes Cinema, where local young activists will discuss the theme: ‘Where Is Our Sex Education?’.

There will be a pop-up changing places facility, gender neutral toilets, a quiet room and 2 British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters available throughout the day.

The fun continues into the evening at Totnes Pride Cabaret from 7.00pm at Totnes Civic Hall, which will be hosted by the fabulous Rhi Rhi Rhythm & Alex Ambiguous and feature an unmissable performance from Marilyn Mournroe and live music from popular Disco Funk band Golddust and internationally renowned tribute act Maybe Gaga.

Due to successful continuation funding from People’s Health Trust using money raised by Health Lottery South West, entry to all daytime events are free. Tickets to the Cabaret are £10 in advance and £12 on the door (16 and over).

To mark the event Totnes Town Council will once again, raise the rainbow flag over Totnes Civic Hall on Wednesday 4thSeptember at 6.30pm which will include a performance by members of popular Totnes Choir Global Harmony.

Inspired by their experiences of bullying, discrimination and shame- identical twins Max and Maya Price set up Proud2Be in 2011 when they recorded the first Proud2Be video. Since then various public figures and members of the public have contributed to the campaign.

As well as campaigning and hosting Totnes Pride, Proud2Be facilitates well attended and inclusive peer support groups and a youth project, which now includes a fortnightly youth group, a peer mentoring project, a 1:1 mentoring service and a new families support group.

Proud2Be deliver awareness training to schools and organisations around the UK.

About this year’s event, Proud2Be co-founder Max said:

“For the past year, the Pride Action Group have been working tirelessly alongside Proud2Be youth members to ensure that Totnes Pride continues to be an inclusive and thoughtful event that we can all be proud of. For us, Pride is both a celebration and a protest and we invite everyone to come and join us for the seventh Pride in the town.”

Proud2Be are looking for volunteers to help out on the day. If you would like to get involved, please email: [email protected]

To find out more about Totnes Pride or to buy a Cabaret ticket, please visit: totnespride.co.uk or email: [email protected]