Representatives from nine Cheshire towns gathered in Congleton recently for an event to share experiences and ideas on how to make the places they represent more inclusive for LGBT people.
The Pride in Leadership event began with an exhibition from local Pride groups, outlining their activities both on their annual town Pride days and throughout the year.
Delegates discussed the role of civic leadership in inclusion and the role of Pride organisations in community cohesion.
The event concluded with a determination to repeat the event at least annually, with Chester agreed as the host location for 2026.
Chair of Congleton Pride, Malcolm Pope, said: “The purpose of the event has been to create a forum for those in leadership to interact and understand our Pride movements.
“There have been many leading lights from our community that have delivered for all – in medicine, technology, social justice, science, military and even the inventor of peanut butter
“In history we tend to be airbrushed out, or those that achieve fall silent on who they truly are.”
He added: “We are active members of our communities who seek to make a positive difference for all.
“We seek to educate. We seek to keep our community safe.”
Congleton mayor, Cllr Kay Wesley said Pride groups were showing leadership in empowering LGBT people and creating events that were inclusive for everyone.
“Civic leaders are also responsible for supporting community cohesion and ensuring that their towns are great places to live,” she said.
“It was a new idea to bring them all together to explore opportunities, and it worked well, with powerful insights shared and some inspiring next steps.”
Congleton Pride Trust formed in 2018 with the mission to make LGBT people feel welcome and safe to be open and celebrate who they are, and to help the community as a whole stamp out prejudice.
Congleton held its first Pride event in July 2019 and subsequent Congleton Pride festivals have taken place in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Follow So Cheshire on Facebook, Threads and Instagram. You can also email cheshire@so-counties.co.uk with your story ideas or to enquire about advertising opportunities.
