Gatwick Airport to sponsor Brighton Pride parade

The Brighton Pride Festival takes place from August 4 to 6, with the parade taking place on the Saturday (August 5).

The community event, which celebrates the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, has become the UK’s biggest Pride festival, attracted hundreds of thousands of people last year.

This year’s event is themed ‘Summer of Love’, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales.

A spokesperson for Gatwick Airport said: “As a partner of Brighton Pride, Gatwick is proud to be leading this year’s parade with our branded bus, as the first ever Community Parade Sponsor.

“Gatwick enjoys close links with the Brighton community and has been a strong supporter of the Pride event.

“With the airport just 30 minutes away by rail, we look forward to welcoming many of the international visitors who will once again be flying into Gatwick from the more than 220 destinations Gatwick serves.”

Paul Kemp of the Brighton Pride CIC (Community Interest Company), said: “We are delighted that Gatwick Airport has once again partnered with Brighton and Hove Pride.

“Pride has evolved over the years with more communities coming together to celebrate the diversity of our city. Many of our international visitors will fly into the event through Gatwick and, with grant funding no longer in existence, their support for the Community Parade is essential in enabling even more community groups to participate in Sussex and Brighton’s biggest single event.”

Last year’s Brighton Pride Festival raised £100,000 bringing the total to £310,000 raised over the past four years for LGBT and HIV organisations and good causes across Sussex. Beneficiaries included Allsorts Youth Project, Lunch Positive, LGBT Community Safety Forum, MindOut, Peer Action and Clare Project.

For more information on Pride 2017, visit: www.brighton-pride.org