A Pride event will take place in Weymouth next year.

A public meeting was held at The Waverley Community Hub to discuss organising a Pride event in the town.

At the meeting it was confirmed that it would take place on either Saturday, July 27 or Sunday, July 28, 2019. The proposed area for the event is the Nothe Gardens.

Pride events celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) culture and pride.

 

The proposed area for the event is the Nothe Gardens. Picture: Graham Hunt

Jamie Crage, owner of The Closet was elected as the chairman of the Weymouth Pride committee.

He said: “It’s a great honour to be chosen to chair this event and I’m looking forward to working with the elected committee to bring this event to reality. The plans are to hold a parade and festival which will celebrate the diversity and recognise equality in the borough.

“I feel it’s very important for Weymouth and Portland to celebrate and recognise equality and diversity and a Pride event is a great way to do this.

“Pride events happen in many towns now and many feel Weymouth and Portland shouldn’t be left out. People in Weymouth and Portland and across the nation still live in fear for just being themselves, the attitudes and behaviour towards the LGBT community from some can cause isolation and lack of support can be detrimental.”

The meeting was attended by a number of enthusiastic groups, local councillors and supportive businesses.

Weymouth Gay Group helped to organise the meeting and a spokesman for the group said: “It was wonderful to see such an enthusiastic group of people at this meeting, including very supportive local business people, councillors, and non-LGBT people. Several of whom have been elected onto the Pride committee which helps to reflect just how an inclusive event our Pride will be.

“Having a Weymouth and Portland Pride event has been a dream for many years.

“Several Weymouth Gay Group members will be taking an active role, and it’s not too late for anyone who missed the meeting to come on board with help and support. There will be more public meetings in the future and more information will be on the Weymouth Gay Group website, and the “Weymouth Pride” page on Facebook in due course.”