This is what Pride Month in Doncaster is – and why it’s not being held in actual Pride Month

Doncaster Pride – organisers of this year’s UK Pride Event have today rallied the business community and people of Doncaster to support their yearlong campaign as host city to the nations Pride event by focussing their “Pride Month” plans to August in line with the date of UK Pride Doncaster, which will be held on 10th August on Town Field.

Doncaster Pride, established in 2007, has almost without exception been in August and the team behind one of the largest Prides in Yorkshire and the winning bid to host the UK event for 2024 feel it’s important to rally local support to the local event rather than concentrating on June, which has, in recent years, become recognised as “Pride Month”.

Chair Jenny Dewsnap explained: “Pride Month was originally Pride Day - 29th June - the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York which brought about a movement to fight for equality. The first Pride event in the UK was held in London in June 1972 to celebrate this anniversary date.

"Some four decades later the whole of June became recognised as Pride Month.

“But there are 160 or so Prides in the UK and only about 30 0r 40 of them are in June. Many, like Doncaster, take place throughout the year for practical reasons and it really would be impossible for all prides to be in June.

"So, whilst we are fully behind “Pride Month” we really want to make sure the efforts of local people and businesses recognises that their local Pride - and this years elected host city for UK Pride - is Doncaster and the main event is held in August!

“Pride events are universally recognised as an opportunity for the community to come together, take stock and recognise the advances and setbacks made in the past year, so whilst we reflect on the current issues within the UK and those farther afield our primary focus is Doncaster and August is when all this comes together.

“Pride events exists to celebrate LGBT+ culture, achievements, and activism through a series of organised activities, and through these efforts, the LGBT+ community and its allies also aim to increase awareness for ongoing issues of inequality as well as commemorate the lives lost to hate crimes and AIDS.

“Many businesses use the month of June to show their support for the LGBT+ community, to reflect on their policies and demonstrate in a very visible way their inclusivity - and whilst we applaud them and urge them to continue to do this it’s important to the local community that these efforts are authentic and aligned to the actions of the community they seek to include.

"So, we encourage the people and businesses of Doncaster to recognise the focus for the community here in Doncaster is August when we hope everyone can come together to celebrate their local Pride.

Anyone wishing to register their support for UK Pride, Pride Month and Doncaster Pride can contact [email protected] and the team will contact you to further discuss.