Now the glitter has settled from Liverpool’s Pride, it's time to put a real spotlight on the immense community spirit and efforts that made the event happen.
Pride is an annual celebration focusing on the confidence, openness and solidarity of the LGBTQ+ community. It is a favoured celebration of Queer culture, history and, ultimately, protest.
When LCR Pride Foundation announced the devastating news that Pride in Liverpool was forced to be cancelled due to rising costs and difficulty securing funding, the city came forward.
Led by local LGBTQ+ charity, Sahir, exciting plans for Liverpool’s Pride began to unfold. There was no way that Sahir was going to let Pride not go ahead - in fact, they became fully committed to ensuring that the event would be better than ever before. A key motivator was making sure that Liverpool’s Pride was inclusive for everybody with a fully accessible route to ensure a shorter, step-free march for all.
It was great that Sahir wanted to be as ambitious as possible in delivering Liverpool’s Pride, but ambition is not enough to generate awareness, support and most importantly - fundraising. A strategic approach spanning stakeholder engagement, public affairs and media relations needed to be devised to ensure that this was going to be a real success.
It takes a village
Liverpool’s Pride was never going to be pulled off overnight. We soon realised that it was going to be a collaborative approach across the city region to fly the rainbow flag.
Engaging communities was at the centre of the planning and delivery of Liverpool’s Pride. We needed to hear what the community wanted from Pride and how we could best execute that for them. It was also important we got the message out there that Liverpool’s Pride had been saved - whether that be through traditional media methods or podcasting from the Kenyons & Co studio.
Working with stakeholders, we mobilised and mustered civic leaders and the institutions that they run, community safety partners and Merseyside Police to ensure Liverpool’s Pride went ahead. These stakeholders were able to provide advisory support based on previous events hosted within the region, making it possible for Liverpool’s Pride to go ahead safely.
Building on our strong existing relationships with local press, Sahir’s team were placed in front of the media to share first-hand the key details of Liverpool’s Pride. The press activity was supported by a well-timed strategy that teased additional details of the plans, generating ongoing momentum and additional opportunities to promote the fundraiser.
Somewhere over the rainbow…
Liverpool’s Pride this year was not just an event, it was a testament to what can be achieved when a community refuses to let its spirit be dimmed. From the initial uncertainty to the triumphant celebrations that filled the Pier Head, the journey demonstrated the power of collaboration, resilience and Pride in its truest sense.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of Sahir, the support of stakeholders across the city and the voices of the LGBTQ+ community guiding every step, Pride in Liverpool became more than a celebration – it became a statement. A statement that love, inclusivity and solidarity will always find a way to shine through, even in the face of challenges.
As the rainbow flags are folded away for another year, the legacy of this Pride remains. Here’s to keeping that spirit alive – until we meet again at Liverpool’s Pride 2026.
Written by: Joe Booth
Photographer: Rosie Kenyon
