Police and firefighters will be showing their support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community at an event in Newcastle later this month.
Northumbria Police and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service are both supporting leading LGBT festival, Newcastle Pride, when it returns to the city from Friday July 18.
The event, now officially the second largest of its kind in the UK, will offer three days of free live music and entertainment at both the Town Moor and Times Square.
Northumbria Police, which serves a population of 1.5million people across the region, is sponsoring 5000 specially-designed lanyards that will be sold during the festival, and will also be supporting the event with a stall at the Town Moor on July 19 and 20.
All proceeds from sales of the lanyards and 5000 additional wristbands, priced at a minimum donation of £1 and £2 each respectively, will be used by charity and event organiser, Northern Pride, to help ensure Newcastle Pride can remain free in future.
Northumbria Police Assistant Chief Constable Jo Farrell said: “Having a positive relationship with our local communities is a cornerstone of policing, and we are really pleased to be involved with this event.
“It’s extremely important for us to be involved with the LGBT communities in our area so we can support them, understand their concerns and respond to them.
“As part of this, I would also like to encourage people to consider getting involved with the wide range of volunteering opportunities that are available to them with the force.
“Those who get involved tell us they find it incredibly rewarding to be part of making a difference in their community. We would encourage people from all communities to join the policing family so our volunteer recruits fully represent the people they serve.”
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, which provides the 999 fire response service across the region and rescues people from road traffic collisions and incidents such as major flooding, will be hosting a Pride breakfast at Northern Stage on July 19 and will also be engaging with the community by providing fire safety demonstrations and messages at the Town Moor throughout the weekend.
John Baines, Assistant Chief Fire Officer for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We are committed to promoting fairness and equality, both among our employees and in the service we deliver to the communities of Tyne and Wear. By having a more diverse workforce, which reflects the local population, we are able to provide a better service to our local community. Our involvement in Northern Pride is a key part of this.”
Newcastle Pride, now in its seventh year, will return from Friday July 18 to Sunday July 20, with a host of high profile performers including Sinitta, Shayne Ward and the Vengaboys.
In order to accommodate its extended line up, the festival will be split across Newcastle’s Town moor and Times Square, where there will be a special stage erected outside the Centre for Life.
Most of the event is free to attend, however a small number of VIP, Gold Circle and Platinum Tickets are also available to raise additional funds and offer visitors a more stylish way to enjoy all the action.
Mark Nichols, Chair of Northern Pride, said: “Newcastle Pride is a large scale event, which requires a lot of funding top get off the ground. It’s thanks to the support of organisations like Northumbria Police and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service that this year’s extended three day line-up is possible and hopefully we’ll be able to continue to offer this level of entertainment for free in future, with help from the proceeds raised from the wristbands and lanyards.”
For more information about Newcastle Pride, including all of the family friendly activities and additional entertainment on offer, visit www.northern-pride.com or follow @northernprideuk on Twitter.
Picture Caption : Mark Nichols, Chair of Northern Pride, with Firefighters Lee Forster and Jay Shepherd from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service and PC Amy Tapping from Northumbria Police.
