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LIVERPOOL PRIDE
2012 MARCH ROUTE ANNOUNCED
THE Organisers of the Liverpool Pride
festival have announced the route that this year's March will take.
With even more participants than the Queen's Jubilee Pageant
expected to take part, the ‘Nautical but Nice' themed
flotilla will journey through the centre of Liverpool as part of the
city's third annual official celebration of all things LGBT, to be
held on Sat 4 August.
The March will leave William Brown Street at 12pm, with participants
asked to gather from 11am. It will then process along Lime Street
before taking in Queen Square Bus Station and Whitechapel. From
here, the March will make its way along Lord Street and North John
Street before turning down James Street, crossing The Strand over
Mann Island and ending in front of the main stage at the Pier Head,
where the afternoon's rally and entertainment will begin.
The undoubted highlight of the festival, the Pride March gives the
LGBT community, their friends and their families the chance to
parade through Liverpool's streets in a blaze of colour, music and,
this year, seamen (and women), whilst raising awareness of
homophobia in the local area. Last year, over 3,500 people took part
in the Liverpool Pride March including gay bars, shops, restaurants,
political organisations, Trade Unions, Merseyside Police and
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service in addition to many individuals
and their nearest and dearest. 6000 people turned out to cheer on
marchers in 2011, a number which is also expected to grow in 2012.
Organisers are expecting an even larger crowd to take part this year
and so are advising anyone who wants to take part to apply early.
HMS Pride needs you…The march is completely free to join and
Individuals, groups and organisations are invited to take part by
registering
online
before 31 July 2012.
The Liverpool Pride 2012 march is sponsored by Homes for Everyone.
Homes for Everyone is a group of 15 housing associations from across
Merseyside, which include Riverside Group, Liverpool Mutual Homes,
Plus Dane Group, Pierhead Housing, Wirral Partnership Homes,
Knowsley Housing Trust, Steve Biko Housing Association, The Regenda
Group, South Liverpool Homes, Symphony Housing Group, Cosmopolitan
Housing, Venture Housing Association, Helena Partnerships, Villages
Housing Association and Your Housing Group. They have, once again,
joined forces to take part in this year's Liverpool Pride to show
their commitment to equality and diversity. The group hopes that by
taking part in Liverpool Pride it will give new customers the
confidence to apply for re-housing alongside giving employees and
customers the confidence to join the associations' LGBT focus groups
and forums knowing that they will be treated fairly and with respect
no matter who they are.
The festival's ‘Nautical but Nice' theme, chosen in a ballot
by members of the local LGBT community, gives a nod to the city's
commemoration of the 100 year anniversary of the sinking of the
Titanic, whilst at the same time, celebrating the city's rich
maritime history and taking advantage of the main festival site,
which sits on the banks of the River Mersey.
Marchers are encouraged to dress up in line with the theme, although
this is not obligatory, so start thinking about costumes and entries
now! Think outside the box and be as creative as possible bearing in
mind the diversity of the Seafaring theme. From Pirates of the
Caribbean to Captain Pugwash, Jack and Rose aboard the Titanic to
The Queen's Jubilee Pageant, Captain Morgan's to Old Navy,
Stowaways, Ships Boys and Cabin Girls, mermaids and sea creatures,
Miss Molly Malone and her cockles and muscles, Elizabeth Swann,
swashbuckling heroines of the sea, certain Disney villains, ‘An
Officer and a Gentleman' and of course Ferries Across the
Mersey.
Similarly to the previous
Liverpool Pride Marches, there will be no motorised floats included,
in order to place more emphasis on the issues of Homophobia in the
Liverpool LGBT community and also to keep the festival's carbon
emissions to a minimum.
James Davies, Festival Coordinator at Liverpool Pride said:-
"The Pride March has been both the emotional highlight and physical
spectacle of Liverpool Pride since it began in 2010. For the local LGBT
community, it's a chance for them to show how proud they are to be
who they are with their friends and families and how proud they are
of their community and how far its come in the past few years. With
over 3000 people expected to take part again this year including
drummers, dancers, giant puppets, models and all manner of other
nautical regalia this year is going to be the biggest and best yet.
It's definitely what Liverpool Pride is all about."
Jon Farrell, Chair of Homes for Everyone said:- "We're
delighted to sponsor this year's Liverpool Pride March. Pride brings
into focus just how many people in the city celebrate diversity and
I am proud to work in a sector that is committed to nurturing that.
We believe that Liverpool Pride is a fantastic festival and is
something which is so worthwhile in terms of both raising awareness
of Homophobia and Transphobia in Merseyside and also celebrating its
diverse culture and community. We don't just offer homes for rent or
sale but work to make our neighbourhoods great places to live and
work. We have a strong track record of working together in
Merseyside and other areas and we have recently signed a pledge
which commits us to work to common standards, map our services and
work with the LGB and T community. Housing providers, from all
across the region, will march together as part of Homes for Everyone
to further strengthen that commitment. It's going to be a wonderful
event and I can't wait to see everyone there!"
Liverpool Pride isthe country's biggest free Pride event outside of
London. Bursting onto the scene in 2010, the inaugural Liverpool
Pride festival attracted over 20,000 people, which was doubled to
over 40,000 in 2011. The festival's most important principle being
that it is free for all to attend.
Liverpool Pride came about following the launch of the LGB&T
Network, at which the public voted for a Pride festival to engage,
empower and involve the LGB&T communities within the city. This was
fully endorsed by Liverpool City Council in January 2009. Following
a number of high profile attacks in the city, the event was
established in 2010 and now takes place each year to coincide with
the anniversary of murdered gay teenager Michael Causer.
In just 2 years, Liverpool Pride has established itself as one of
the major highlights in the city's summer calendar and in 2012 will
continue to prove an event that Liverpool's LGBT community is proud
of, attracting people from across the country to experience the
diverse culture of one of Europe's most exciting cities.
Liverpool Pride 2012 will take place on Saturday 4 August at
Liverpool's iconic pier-head and throughout the Stanley Street Gay
Quarter. In addition to this, there will be a weekend of cultural
events taking place at some of Liverpool's most influential arts and
cultural establishments. To take part in The Liverpool Pride
March, register
online before 31 July
2012.
Make sure you check out @PrideLiverpool on
Twitter and also search for Liverpool Pride on Facebook; to have your say and
for all of the latest pride news. |
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PEPPA
PIG MEETS HUNDREDS OF FANS IN BIRKENHEAD
PEPPA Pig and her little
brother George attracted a long queue of half term shoppers when
they met hundreds of young fans at a Birkenhead shopping centre.
The TV cartoon hero arrived at The Grange and Pyramids shopping
centre and was greeted by scores of excited children who were eager
to get a glimpse of the 5 year old pig who likes jumping in
puddles.
Little Abigail Pidugu brought a chocolate egg for her screen idol
who she was very excited to finally meet.
Abigail, 3, of Birkenhead said:-
"She is my favourite and I gave her a chocolate egg when I met
her. I waved goodbye to her too."
Mum, Alison, said:- "It has been a terrific event for the
children during half term and even better because it is free. You
can often find school holidays getting very expensive while you try
to keep them occupied and entertained.
Abigail has been talking about it since she got up this morning so
it has been lovely for her to come along and meet Peppa. She has
come well dressed for the event in her Peppa Pig trousers, top and
shoes!"
Julie Haldon of Tranmere brought
her 3-year-old twins, Thomas and Lucy, to meet the popular
children's character. "It's always hard work, especially if
the weather isn't great, deciding where to take them so this has
been brilliant. They have both really enjoyed it and we
haven't had to wait too long in the queue which is good."
Derek Millar, Commercial Director
for The Grange and Pyramids shopping centre, said:- "We wanted
to put on a half term treat for the children and we were delighted
that so many of them came along.
I could not believe the length of the queue which at times stretched
right back through the length of the Pyramids from where Peppa and
George were waiting to greet the children. She is certainly a very
popular pig and I think we feel quite honoured to have welcomed such
a superstar to The Grange and Pyramids shopping centre. There
were lots and lots of smiling faces and I am sure parents
appreciated such a fun and welcome diversion for their children."
Euro MPs legislate for a
safer and fairer mortgage market
IN a key vote in the
European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, Euro
MPs voted overwhelming in support of a draft new Europe wide law on
mortgage credit reform.
Vice Chair of the Economic & Monetary Affairs Committee, Euro MP
Arlene McCarthy said:- "Poor standards for ensuring
responsible lending and borrowing in the mortgage market played a
key role in the development of the financial crisis in the last
decade. That is why this new draft law is so important.
The law if supported by the full European Parliament in September
will introduce higher standards for selling mortgages and clear
criteria that advisors should follow when providing advice to
consumers including supplying easily understandable information."
Arlene added:- "As the former Chair of the Consumer Protection
Committee I welcome the reports strong pro-consumer measures which
ensure flexibility for borrowers, particularly for early repayment
and portability of their mortgage to a new property. These rules are
important in the current time of crisis to prevent consumers
borrowing beyond their means. At time of low and falling house
prices and with consumers experiencing difficulty getting mortgages
it is important to have strong consumer orientated legislation to
regulate the mortgages market and protect consumers."
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