City '˜angels' to look out for young people at Brighton Pride

The Pride Youth Welfare Team, run by the Trust for Developing Communities (TDC), will return to the event for a second year to provide support to young people taking part in the annual celebration of the LGBTQI+ community.

Adam Muirhead, TDC projects manager for youth work, said: “The Pride Festival means so much to the city’s young people, it’s an experience that will likely stick with them forever and, hopefully with our team’s help, be a hugely positive one.

“We’re really happy to be at Pride Festival this year, making sure young people have the maximum fun without it becoming unsafe through alcohol, substance misuse, sex or sunshine.”

TDC will run a Youth Welfare Service tent outside the festival fences at Preston Park on Saturday (August 4) and Sunday (August 5).

The Pride Youth Welfare team will be wearing official Brighton Pride Festival t-shirts and are offering free water, snacks, sun cream and condoms, as well as reuniting lost young people with friends and family.

Mr Muirhead said: “The police, council and Pride team themselves have all been fantastic at recognising this need and bringing our team of dedicated youth work professionals on board to help make it another hugely successful festival.”

During last year’s event, the Pride Youth Welfare Team worked with 233 young women and 163 young men with a combined average age of 16.8.

Of these, 248 were using alcohol, 71 were using drugs and nine were managing sickness.

Mr Muirhead said: “Using youth work to help people who may still be testing their partying limits so that they stay safe and have fun leaves an important legacy for them and the festival.”