Yesterday marked the fourth year of Leigh Pride at Pennington Hall Park, featuring a jam-packed schedule of entertainment, makers’ markets, arts and crafts, and food and drink stalls. Organised by the Pride in Leigh team, the event brings the local community together to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in an inclusive environment.

The event featured an impressive lineup of acts to celebrate Pride 2024, with local singer Rhea Schofield opening the festivities. Schofield performed a variety of hits, including Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie,” Cher’s “Believe,” Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff,” and La Roux’s “Bulletproof.” With her strong and powerful voice, Rhea kept the audience entertained and, in her own words, “brought the good vibes.” Despite facing a leg injury, she performed with immense passion, teasing the audience by saying that while she couldn’t get up and dance, they had no excuse not to bring the good vibes to Pride.

In addition to the brilliant entertainment, the event featured a variety of stalls, from makers’ stalls to those of local charities. One notable non-profit organisation present was the National Education Union Wigan District, which were raising awareness about LGBTQ+ inclusion within education.

Did you know that around ten percent of young people will identify as LGBTQ+ at some point in their lives, according to the National Education Union’s research. Despite this statistic, the airbrushing of LGBTQ+ people from history underscores the need for increased inclusion in schools. To address this, the proposed solutions for educational institutions include ensuring LGBTQ+ individuals and allies become school governors, establishing Pride support groups, and holding NEU (National Education Union) meetings at schools and colleges. These simple steps would dramatically increase inclusion, helping LGBTQ+ young people feel seen, heard, and valued.

In addition to the National Education Union, I also spoke with local business owner Sheila Dixon Valentine, who sold her crocheted and knitted items to help raise money for the Pride in Leigh team. Her range of items included key rings, phone holders, and hats. I even bought a lovely rainbow keyring! Despite her modest claims of only knitting a few items, Shirley’s beautiful and hard work contributed additional funds to the Pride in Leigh team, supporting the continuation of their project. I throughly enjoyed speaking to Shirley and wanted to provide her with a shoutout for her work!

I also caught up with Lisa Michelle who founded Heart Communities CIC a local artist and non-profit community arts organisation for all ages fostering a sense of belonging and support locally. With a focus on well-being and social inclusion Heart Communities CIC brings people together locally through art drop in sessions and events. I found one of Lisa’s artworks the Purride Cat and can I say I think this should be the official mascot for Pride or her cat Cleo could be the real life Purride Cat!

This was my first time attending Leigh Pride, and I was overwhelmed by how well-organised the event was. There was something for everyone, from face painting and bracelet making for the kids, to ice cream for everyone, to micro-bar was ran by Pride in Leigh in partnership with Cafe Stella who ran the official after party ( but they did provide the kegs too), and stalls selling bespoke gifts. Events like this are crucial for bringing our local community together and celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. They create a welcoming and inclusive environment for people to come together and have a good time!

Jess Eastoe, one of the Pride in Leigh organisers, emphasised the importance of Leigh’s Pride in the following statement:

“At Leigh Pride 2024, we were blessed with good weather and great vibes. Our small team of organisers tried to make sure there was something for everyone, of all ages. The stalls were a mix of local craft makers, charities, and youth services, plus a big bouncing slide the children loved all day. Adults, children, LGBTQ+ individuals, and allies all enjoyed the day, live music, and great food from A Taste of India and Cafeina Cafe. I would like to thank all those who helped organise, performed, and attended this year’s festival. Please get in touch on our socials if you want to get involved with Pride in Leigh.”

Jess’s words truly highlight the importance of supporting and celebrating events like Pride. These events bring our community together, foster inclusivity, and ensure everyone feels valued and heard. Our community’s support and participation are vital to making these events possible.

Below, I will leave the links for Pride in Leigh’s socials. Please follow and check out their pages to help support our local LGBTQ+ community and ensure inclusive and celebratory events like this are possible:

Pride in Leigh Instagram

Pride in Leigh Facebook

Pride in Leigh Twitter