After an epic pheasant-plucking quest, we finally had the chance to catch up with fan favourite and Ultimate Planet Community Award winner Lucy Spraggan in person at this year's Pride in London - and she did not disappoint!
Lucy performed an acoustic set at the Women's Stage to massive applause and revelry - flying in from Egypt early on the morning of Pride and pulling off a massive crowd-pleasing 20 minute set.
With the ability to weave authentic stories and uptempo folk-hip-hop guitar, it's no wonder the girls go wild for this down to earth Sheffield-born lass. Planet London (PL): How are you? Lucy Spraggan (LS): Very well thanks (A bit tired)... just back from holiday PL: Adventurous Travels? LS: Well yes, it was interesting, there was an incident where we were staying with 15 armed police officers and a machine gun... PL: There's a song in there somewhere... PL: How are Pride events different from any other that you perform at? LS: I think they are always a bit more mad and a bit more fun... it's not that gay people are more fun. But gay people are more fun.
PL: What are you working on at the moment? We saw you released a sneak peak of a new track earlier in the year LS: Yes, that was Papercuts, one of the new songs. I'm doing new songs for the second album, and I'm straying out of the box a little bit - doing some things people wouldn't expect, I hope PL: We are looking forward to that PL: What's been your favourite experience on stage so far? LS: Playing all the big festivals like V and T in the Park has been really special because they're the things you don't really ever think you'll get to play and where you are playing them it's amazing. PL: and you are packing the tents out at those festivals as well LS: It's a bit mad, yes!
PL: What is your favourite karaoke song? LS: 'English Man in New York' (Sting) or Goldie Looking Chain 'Guns Don't Kill' which I can do without even looking at the screen! PL: Who'd be your ideal duet? LS: Dolly Parton
PL: What's your favourite sound? LS: My dog Steve makes this noise. When I say "Sing me the song of your people" he meows like a cat [Lucy's impression was pretty close to it!] PL: Would you rather be a frisbee or a space hopper? LS: Spacehopper. Always.
Um, can anybody tell me the drinks in (Last Night) #BeerFear?
PL: What's your favourite drink? LS: It changes from day to day but at the moment it's.... [Editor's note: At this point we got distracted by how many songs there are in Last Night (Beer Fear). We didn't know - but Lucy this this list just for you: Vodka Tequila Brandy Bells Fine Whisky Baileys Rose Sailor Jerry's Flamin' Sambuca] PL: What is your best or worse beer fear moment? LS: I woke up, and the back of my head had been glued together with a glue stitch and I couldn't remember how. All I had was a picture on my phone of me and a reindeer. That's a true story. PL: What biscuit best describes your personality? LS: I'm gonna have to say my favourite - chocolate digestive with caramel inside. Because it's full of calories. And so am I. PL: What's your favourite monster munch flavour? LS: Everyone knows it's got to be pickled onion.
Watch out for those duck sized horses!
PL: Would you rather be attacked by a horse sized duck or a dozen duck sized horses? LS: Obviously a horse sized duck. PL: But it could eat you in one go. You could run away from the horses. LS: Or climb up away from them. Or ride them. [Editor's note: inconclusive.]
How long you have been performing? I have been performing for quite a while, it started off with dancing, then came the singing, then I eventually decided to pick up the guitar and for the past 2 years I have focussing on my song writing. I would say that in total it has been approximately 10 years since I started, and what a journey it's been.
Why do you like to perform? I love performing for so many reasons that aren't always that easy to identify. On the top of that list would definitely be to see people's reaction to my original music and to see how it effects them. I also get such a buzz out of performing live, especially when it includes performing original material with my band. Who is the person you would most like to perform on stage with?
The person you would most like to perform on stage with would have to be Ed Sheeran, would love to do an acoustic set on guitars with him!! What is the best highlight so far in your career? So far in my career I have been lucky enough to be blessed with many exciting opportunities which in turn have created many highlights for me. Some of my favourites have been: performing at the World Pride London in Trafalgar Square (2012), performing at The Roundhouse in Camden where I met Boris Johnson and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, performing at The IndigO2 - support act to Ciara, performing at the Malta Eurovision Song Contest, being part of The Brits, getting to the grand final of OpenMicUK and receiving a scholarship at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performing.
Which women inspire you? Women who inspire me are Beyonce, Rihanna, Jessie J, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift and Lorde. What is Your #FreedomTo statement?#FreedomTo be different and stand out from the crowd!
How long you have been performing? We have always been performing, started of doing small gigs here and there wedding birthdays party's etc but since late 2012 we have been performing at bigger events and we LOVE it.
Why do you like to perform? We love to entertain, create good vibes and we love connecting through music. There's a message in every single song we do, so sharing it with people means a lot to us. We love the feeling of people enjoying the songs we create and when the crowd bounces to our upbeat tune's its a feeling you cant even put in words...
Who is the person you would most like to perform on stage with? Wow we've got a long list of people we would like to perform with:
Careya: Great artists like Will I AM, Calvin Harris, Tinnie Tempah, Beyonce, Jessie J, Swedish House Mafia I could go on and on... any one of them would be a great highlight in our career.
Jamina: I would love to perform with artists like Rihanna, Coldplay, and many more.
What is the best highlight so far in your career? I would say the single release in France with YouTube star Keenan Cahill and DJ Oriska. The single shot up to number 1 on iTunes and gave us great opportunities with NRJ radio, TV appearances and Shows.
Another great experience was the Liverpool Pride how 2014 in front of 6000+ people on the main waterfront stage alongside X Factor star Lilly Allen.
Also very important to us is our current anti Bullying campaign, with 12 year old talented Ben Nezbit who was badly bullied, we took him on board and did a song and a video on YouTube called 'No Giving Up' which is also out on iTunes.
We are currently working on our Official release.
Which women inspire you? Oprah Winfrey, Dame Kelly Holmes, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Maya Angelou
What is Your #FreedomTo statement? #FreedomTo be whoever you want to be
You can find out more about Doremi Fly using the following social media links:
Artist Name: Elena Ramona How long have you been performing? Why do you like to perform? I have been performing seriously for about a year now and I enjoy it very much. The best thing about performing live is seeing the audience connect with me and the messages In my songs.
Who is the person you would most like to be on stage with? I would love to perform on stage with Beyonce Knowles I love her flair, I reckon she would be great to work with too. What is the highlight of your career so far? The highlight of my career so far has been getting the hard copies of my Debut EP in the post. I couldn't believe how cool they looked and it was great seeing the first CD ever with my name on it.
Which women inspire you? There are a lot of women who inspire me old and new, but the woman who has inspired me the most from day one has been my mum, she is always there for me and has supported me through everything I do. If I grow up to be half the woman she is I will be ok. What is your #FreedomTo statement? #FreedomTo live your dreams
With the second Pride parade and festival delivered by Pride in London just around the corner– expectations are high and the organisers are keen to make a mark and improve on last year’s successful event.
In addition to their strong social media campaign #Freedomto, Pride In London realised that women’s visibility needed to be addressed, and so created a new campaign specifically aimed at increasing the visibility and participation of women at Pride called #ProudWomenUK which launched in May 2014.
Pride in London have been working with Elysion Events to run a quiz (which took place in May/June), the official women’s after party on the parade day at Adam Street Social, and later in the year a formal fundraising dinner.
Planet London wanted to show full support of increasing women’s visibility and through working in partnership with local event organisers on the LBQ social scene, so undertook a complimentary campaign to reach even more women and to also raise a bit of money at the same time.
Whilst ProudWomen’s main objective was to raise £5,000 through a three well organised high quality events, #ProudPlanet was created with an aim to reach as many women as possible and to work with the existing network of event organisers to spread the word and encourage women to participate in Pride in London this year.
ProudPlanet worked with 6 event organisers to run special Pride fundraising events.
Naomi Bennett-Hall said “We were delighted with how many event organisers got on board very quickly and either dedicated an existing event or created a whole new event to support the issues of women’s visibility at Pride in London. It was also fantastic to see so many women from the community attend these events and share our vision. The range of events were beyond our expectations given we only had 6 weeks. We are so proud at how the event organisers got on board, and how we rallied around in the community and put our hands in our pockets.”
FindHrr hosted a Friday night club night at Labels. The event was free entry with donations at the door and raffle tickets were sold on the night.
She Soho let #ProudPlanet take over their monthly quiz which saw a so many quiz teams that there wasn’t a spare square inch of floor space at the venue. The entry fee from everyone was donated, raffle tickets & answer hints were sold. Members of Pride’s volunteer group were also present to promote volunteering with Pride in London.
Promoter and DJ at She, Amy B said “It is so wonderful seeing a dedicated team raising worthwhile awareness and visibility for women. Having run the women’s stage last year I know how important it is and it has been fantastic working with the ProudPlanet campaign. With a host of fantastic events they were able to get the word out to women from all walks of life. And besides…I wouldn’t have been able to do the quiz without them. I hope it’s the first year of many.”
Labels ran a free live music night featuring an impressive line-up that included Miri and Jade Ellis. The venue was pretty much at capacity and an amazing night was had by all. Donations were encouraged and raffle tickets sold on the night.
Bar Manager at Labels, Tara said “Labels and our members were so proud to be given the opportunity to contribute to the ProudPlanet campaign to raise women’s presence in Pride 2014”
DownGirls donated money from the door as well as collecting money on the night. Several of their exciting line up of live acts donated their fee to the cause. Members of Pride’s volunteer group were also present to promote volunteering with Pride in London.
BridgeGirlsLate invited us along to their monthly night in Clapham where we sold raffle tickets on the night.
The Glass Bar hosted a delightful Cream Tease (cream tea with burlesque and erotic entertainment) and donated a portion of the entry fee from the event. In addition we were able to speak about Pride at the event and promote the aims of Pride in London around women’s participation.
Katie Bennett-Hall of Planet London said
“Planet London is delighted to announce that we have raised over £420 (and counting) for Pride in London to support women’s events at Pride in London.
“Planet London are also looking forward to the parade itself on Saturday 28 June. In response to Pride’s announcement that they want to increase the visibility and participation of women at Pride, we have undertaken to create a large group of women from within the community – as we firmly believe that the best way to be visible is to turn up on mass. We have a tricycle, sound system and funky limited edition t-shirts and are inviting all women and allies to join us if they want to be visible and take part in the parade. Marching is completely free, and for anyone who doesn’t have a Planet London t-shirt, we ask you to wear hot pink, black or white to keep in with the theme of the group.”
If you want to march with Planet London, all the information is online here: http://bit.ly/2014Proud
Pride in London has announced the finalists of their first annual Pride's Got Talent competition.
Entertainers and performing artists of every kind were judged by an expert panel on Sunday 15th June. The judges chose one overall winner and eleven runners-up from hundreds who applied. The winner, Dorian Reland, is to perform in Trafalgar Square at Pride in London on 28th June.
Dorian Reland, a singer, was the overall winner of the first ever Pride’s Got Talent contest for Pride in London. Over four hundred performers applied for the chance to appear on the stage in Trafalgar Square and the judges, supported by Pride in London’s stage producer Ian Massa-Harris, whittled that down to just one overall winner and eleven runners-up. The winner, Dorian Reland sings powerful songs that reflect contemporary LGBT+ themes. He’s sure to go down a storm in Trafalgar Square, feeding off the incredible energy of the Pride crowd. You can find Dorian Reland online here: Dorian on YouTube.com
We were delighted to see a number of women in the list of finalists. A few notable ones were:
Sophie DeBattista Sophie is a 20 year old singer songwriter originally from Malta, now based in London.
She is now working with top producers and her tunes are starting to receive some attention in the UK and Europe.
Sophie says: “Music is my life. I love writing, playing & performing my original material. Style is based on pop, but love giving it my own twist, to create a unique sound. Sincerely hope you like what I do, would love to welcome you on board my journey!! xoxo”
Doremi Fly Out with the old in with the new , DRM FLY aka (Doremi Fly) are a very creative Girl Band Duo. The band consists of Careya (singer/songwriter/pianist/model/actor) and Jamina (singer/model/actor), these girls are very ambitious and multi talented. The duo have continued to rise after their #1 Single in the French and Itunes Charts titled “Tonight” Featuring DJ Oriska and Keenan Cahill early in 2013.
They have overcome great obstacles and have stuck to their guns as far as being driven to succeed in the music business. Their motto is to Entertain the masses and set trends for the new age pop music era, with a huge catalogue of music their work ethic is above standard and their live performances are ones to remember.
Elena Ramona Elena Ramona is a 24 year old singer song writer based in Guildford Surrey. She grew up on the Greek island of Skiathos, with her English mother, Greek father and brother. Music, singing and song writing have always been her passion.
Her debut single “Rise” was inspired by the love and support her family have given her. The music for ‘Rise’ was co-written and recorded by her good friend Martyn Corbet who has been a major influence on her work.
Jes Stretton Rising soulful/pop//R&B artist Jes Stretton, 23, from Wigan, has been working hard in the studio ready for her brand new EP 'Surrender' which was released on the 18th May! Since November 2012, Jes has been performing all over Europe with her music. The latest in her long line of achievements is performing at last years Liverpool Pride in front of 65,000 people. Jes is currently doing gigs & festivals all the north-west, trying to raise her profile and get her music heard!
Adam All Of course we all know Adam All! Drag King Adam All is the creation of Jen Powell. Jen first performed in drag 12 years ago and since Adam's initial inception has gone on to perform across the UK and now runs a monthly Cabaret Drag King Night in Soho. An advocate of drag and avid suppporter of the emerging Drag King scene, Jen strongly believes in encouraging new Kings and promoting existing talent.
Naomi Young
London based singer, songwriter, drummer, guitarist. Currently singing & songwriting with lead guitarist Senad Veliu. Also known for her work in Dance, dubstep group NYRO-B featuring DJ Albstep, bringing a new sound combining R&B, D&B, Dubstep and Psy Music.
Orlaith Rose Comer Orlaith is a singer/song-writer from Northern Ireland.
She has been on Britain's Got Talent, and made it to the top 180 out of 40,000 contestants!
A bit about the Judges The judges of course, as experts in their fields had a few words to say about the event and the talent they got to enjoy. Here's what the judges said:
Gary Butler, Chief Executive, Multi Media Entertainments Group said:
"Pride's Got Talent is an excellent way for people from your communities to showcase their talent. It gives them the chance to bring their work to a bigger stage - quite literally. I feel proud to have been part of Pride's Got Talent for London Pride at the start of its journey.”
Dr J, Photographer, performer and DJ with Bar Wotever said:
"It's been fascinating to see the range of talent on London's eclectic performance scene. As well as the winners, there were some people I would love to see come down to Bar Wotever to hone their skills."
Sean Jeffrey, JAM artist management and West End musician said:
"We've seen so many different types of performer that Simon Cowell would be jealous. I've been excited that we've seen some who show potential to develop great careers in their field."
Ian Massa Harris, Pride in London Stages Producer said:
“We promised that we would be a Pride of and for the community and Pride’s Got Talent is a fantastic way for new acts from across the LGBT+ community to raise their profile. The winner and runners up will be performing in front of the demanding and influential London LGBT+ audience in Trafalgar Square and Dean Street. We look forward to developing Pride’s Got Talent further next year.”
Nearly 400 applicants were whittled down to a final 100 that were reviewed by the judges. The boring bits: GOT TALENT® used with the kind permission of FremantleMedia
It's that time of the year when Pride in London is upon us! SHE will be working with KU during the day to bring you lots of music and dancing! SHE will be open till 3am the night of pride with DJ’s Poppy L Kav & Cat La Chappelle. May saw us work with ProudPlanet at ‘She’s Quizzical’ where we raised lots of money for women’s visibility and involvement in London Pride.
On Sunday 8th June the SHE girls will be taking part (dressed as superhero’s) in the Walk for Life to raise money for the Terrence Higgins Trust. All donations would be very welcome and you can simply do this here http://tinyurl.com/SHEWFL
May introduced SHE’s new ‘She Soho Selfie’ competition. Girls and guys all over the country have been taking part in this fun and interactive competition. Simply taking (a sort of) selfie in the SHE mirror and uploading it to Instagram & hastagging #shesohoselfie
We have had an enormous response and we love it! Lots of prizes have been given away so we will continue to run this competition through to the summer. Bringing back a host of our popular nights such as Over & Out, She’s Quizzical and Boi Box, we host a physic night on the 22nd June this month. Kalie Jade is well known within the scene as she has held readings at a variety of big lesbian nights such as G3:PM. Customers can pre book a reading or just come down on the night.
Due to popular demand ‘The Backseat’ will return in June and run bi-monthly so you get a double whammy of soul, Motown and make out music. This is a night that is going to become huge!
Downstairs at the Black Cap, something is stirring, the ground is buzzing, and something big is coming. Women from all over London, and further afield, are descending upon Camden to go to DownGirls. Why is this night causing such a stir?
The launch event was a huge success, with 3 live acts offering 3 different burlesque style performances, and 2 top class London LBQ DJs that kept the dancefloor busy from around 10pm right through to close. If you didn't catch this event and you want to know more you can read our review here.
In May DownGirls returns and it is going to be a showstopper. Raising money for Pride in London alongside Planet London's Proud Planet campaign, the event is going to see the return of Ruby Fortune, and Leela (both back by popular demand!) as well as a live performance from London-based X Factor contestant Jade Ellis. BBC3 and Comedy Central Lou Sanders will be on hand for the social hour!
What a line up!
The night will be hosted by Back to the Wildroom and event managed on the night by Missy Downgirl and her Mister.
The best thing is because this is a fundraiser, it won't break the bank. Tickets are £5 in advance and £5 on the door before 10pm (plus the first 50 women get a free drink!); £15 after 10pm. Show the MyPocketPlanet app or a SHE stamp on the door to get £5 entry all night. There is also 6 VIP tickets up for grabs. These get you private entrance; a table at our VIP booth (situated next to our celebrity guest booth) and with a prime view of the stage. VIP tickets include a free drink on arrival and are £20.
The intimate gig with Jade alone makes this event worth every penny.
Raffle tickets will be available on the night from Planeteers. The raffle is going on throughout May and June and there are a number of VIP event tickets available to LBQ events in London as well as bottles of bubbly and Planet London goodies. Win something special at the event with one of the acts that money cannot buy!
Other ways you can support Pride in London is by throwing your change from each drink you buy into the buckets on the bar. You won't even miss it!
So what are you waiting for, get your ticket for the hottest event of the month before they sell out. Although the Black Cap has capacity for 300, with so many LBQ women in London, they could sell out in no time.
Readers of G3 and Out in the City magazines have voted Pride in London 2013 the Event of the Year. The Award was announced by Charlie Condou and Sophie Ward and presented by Dan Gillespie Sells at a ceremony at the Landmark Hotel where winners in other categories included Joey Barton, Paul O’Grady, Heather Peace, Jane Hill and Tom Daley. So we’re in great company.
This is an incredible vote of confidence in voluntary organisation Pride in London, who took over delivery of the event in 2013 and so won this award straight out of the blocks. It’s also an amazing tribute to the small army of volunteers who make Pride in London possible as stewards on the day, by running events as part of the festival or by planning the event in collaboration with the London authorities.
Planning for Pride in London 2014 is now well advanced but there are still lots of opportunities for individuals and organisations to get involved.
Chair of Pride in London Michael Salter said: “We’re delighted that our first year organising Pride has been judged so positively by our community. I am immensely proud of the hundreds of volunteers who make Pride possible and I hope that this recognition will encourage others to join us. There are so many different roles available that there really is something for everyone.
“I also hope that organisations will step forward to put on events as part of the Pride Festival. It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase your work or talent to a wider audience, find new supporters or new audiences and show the world the power and achievements of London’s LGBT community.
“Despite being run by volunteers, it still costs a lot to deliver Pride in the middle of one of the greatest and busiest cities in the world. So if you can support us through our exciting crowdfunding campaign or work in an organisation that could sponsor Pride, we’d love to hear from you. Visit http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/freedomto to find out more.”
How you can help make Pride in London 2014 the best yet
1) Get Marching! There's no other experience like walking in a group as part of the parade and waving to the thousands of Londoners that come out to support the Parade. There's music, there's dancing, there's antics and a great buzz. And if you're lucky, no rain!
If you are an individual, there are lots of groups marching, and they all need bodies - so ask your sports team, social group or charity if you can volunteer. If you would like to march with us, get in touch ASAP!! You'll get a free t-shirt and maybe some goodies too, as well as a guaranteed fun day.
OR you could take parade involvement to the next level, and volunteer to steward the event, along with hundreds of other LGBT community members. It's a fantastic way to make friends - through the training and social events - and be involved on the day without the pressure of marching with a group. Find out more here.
2) However, the Parade can't happen at all without some investment from the community. Following the success of last year, Pride in London have set up a crowdfunder to help cover the cost of the parade - things like barriers and security don't come cheap. http://prideinlondon.org/get-involved/fund-parade/
Just £2 can make a big difference, if we all get behind this!
3) There's more to Pride in London than the Parade. Did you know the organisers are also curating a festival of community-organised
events. We want that to be incredibly diverse - building on the success of last
year. Planet London are keen to make sure there's plenty of events for women, and that women know about the events to attend.
We will be promoting the events on the My Pocket Planet App exclusive events calendar - so you'll know what's on and where at your fingertips!
4) #PROUDWomenUK launched on 15 April. PROUDWOMEN is the non-profit
partnership between Elysion Events & Pride In London (Community
Interest Company CIC); on a mission to increase the representation,
inclusion and visibility of women at Pride. Here's a link to their Facebook - please 'like' and 'share' their page; attend their
events - the first one of which is the PROUDWOMEN Challenge Quiz; lend
your support; be involved.
Join the #ProudWomenUK quiz night - bring a team to a heat and if you can make it into the finals. Heats are taking place on Wednesdays throughout April & May with celebrity guest hosts - Zoe Lyons is the first! For full details about how to enter a team, visit their Facebook page.
Planet London are keen to hear from you if you have any ideas about how to raise funds towards activities for us in Pride, and from any women interested in running or supporting fundraising events - get in touch via mail@planet-london.com
Pride in London 2013 was a huge success and it was delivered by amazing
volunteers from across the LGBT+ community alongside fabulous straight allies.
Pride’s organisers want 2014 to be an even bigger success. That’s why
Pride is partnering with community groups across the capital.
Planet London is delighted to announce that we will be working in
partnership with Pride in London in 2014 as an official community media
partner. This means we will be bringing all the latest news about Pride direct
to the lesbian, bi and queer (LBQ) women's community.
All the updates will be published in the features section of the Planet
London website which feeds directly into our comprehensive app 'My Pocket
Planet'.
The full events programme will be made available on an exclusive events
calendar within the app throughout the Pride festival week and on the parade
day.
Katie Bennett-Hall, Co-Founder of
Planet London, said "We are very pleased to be working with Pride
in London to help ensure as many women know about, and attend the whole
festival of events as well as the parade day. Pride in London attracts over a
million people each year and we want to encourage as many women as possible to
be part of that celebration. This year's theme 'Freedom to...' Offers women
many opportunities and possibilities to express themselves and their
personality - come and join us and be Out and Proud."
Naomi Bennett-Hall, Co-Founder of
Planet London said “we are also supporting the volunteer
recruitment so that as many women as possible can get involved and be part of
Pride in London in a big way! Through our extensive knowledge of the LBQ
community and links with event organisers, we are in a unique position to
connect the dots and help create an amazing experience for any woman who wants
to participate in making 2014’s Pride the best yet.”
Alison Hand, Director of Pride in London said: “Partnering with Planet London and similar organisations is so important
because we want to reach out to every part of the LGBT+ community and ensure
that everyone has the chance to be part of the great celebration and
campaigning opportunity that is Pride in London.”
Pride in London are looking for at least £25,000 to make sure the Parade happens in 2014. Rather than just rely on a few collection boxes, the organisation has taken a modern approach and allowing those who can & who have the desire to donate what they can.
The beauty is, donations only get collected if the target is reached by the deadline. So people only give money if there's enough in the total pot to make the Parade happen.
We
are looking to the community to help raise atleast £25,000 to make the
2014 LGBT+ Pride In London Parade happen. - See more at:
http://prideinlondon.org/get-involved/fund-parade/#sthash.HBb6s5CJ.dpuf
FIND OUT MORE & DONATE now! The Pride in London team have published some FAQs to help understand why they have chosen to crowd fund for the parade...
Both
those cities have different and more established models that generate
much more ticket income than is currently possible for Pride in London
because they are ticketed events and we want to keep London Pride free.
How else does Pride raise the money it needs?
This fundraising campaign’s capital, if successful and we reach our
target, is added to what we raise from commercial sponsors, ticket sales
to our gala dinners, payments from ‘official after parties’ and
independent sponsorship from bars, clubs, LGBT+ businesses and
individuals.
Why do you need money in this way this year and not last year?
We raised money from the community last year through collections on
the street and in bars and clubs – this year we are taking a more up to
date approach that gives people much better engagement with the event.
Why does it cost £700k this year when last year the total event cost £430k?
£700k is the maximum that we need to deliver a high quality Pride
with lots of varied entertainment across the festival. We can cut back
on that if necessary. We also have additional cash to raise this year
because of a funding shortfall in 2013 of £25,000 that needs to be
covered.
If we are to trust funding pride, can you show independently assessed accounts showing all income and expenditure?
We?ve been very open about the costs and our management of income and
expenditure. Our accounts are not yet audited but will be reported and
placed on the website as soon as they are. There is a breakdown of costs
in the ?about? section of the website.
What support are gay bars and clubs giving?
We?re looking to gay businesses to help cover the cost of managing
safety and entertainment in Soho on the big day. That amounts to around
£70,000 also and we are still drumming up support. Supportive businesses
are listed on our website - See more at: http://prideinlondon.org/get-involved/fund-parade/parade-fundraising-faqs/#sthash.ZQsLZqCT.dpuf
What we'll use the £25,000 for - Training and equipping our army of vital volunteers and putting on the 2014 LGBT+ Pride In London Parade. Why we need it - It costs over £70,000 to put on the Parade each year and corporate sponsorship is harder to source each year. Your support will help keep the LGBT+ Pride In London Parade going!
LBGT+ Pride in London Week is one of the only major
events of it's kind in the UK that is still free and in 2013 over
650,000 people took part in Pride in London’s Saturday celebration
making it now the Capital's second largest one day event – yes, IT’S MASSIVE! The Pride In London Parade is the main event on the Saturday. It travels through central London, stretches for over 2 kilometres and has over 20,000 participants. It also features all of our supporters from the Armed Services to Small LBGT+ Community organisations. Why not take a look at last year’s parade here? The parade epitomises the message of Pride and is at
the heart of the celebration but it takes a lot of investment from a
dedicated army of volunteers and supporters to make it all happen. The parade costs over £70,000 in planning, safety, security and stewarding. That's 10% of the overall budget for the whole week.
You have the #FreedomTo grab your own Pride Package and Support, Shine, Strut, Sparkle,Star, Shout or Schmooze. This is a unique chance to show your support for Pride and keep the celebrations going. As an added bonus for your generosity, all Pride Packages include special thank you rewards. The size of your package is down to you. The more you give, the bigger your package. In the UK you have the #FreedomTo be who you are and are part of an LGBT+ community that is celebrated. You also have the #FreedomTo attend events that show the world how united we really are becoming as a community, let's keep this message strong.
The goal of this campaign is to keep the Pride in London Parade going. You can really make a difference by investing in a Pride Packages or by making a donation of any amount!
Donate if you want to support Pride and don’t forget to SHARE the love on social media, #FreedomTo.
Here are some common questions that may be of help.
Why is a place like London struggling when other cities like Brighton and Manchester manage it?
Both those cities have different and more established models that
generate much more ticket income than is currently possible for Pride in
London because they are ticketed events and we want to keep London
Pride free.
How else does Pride raise the money it needs?
This fundraising campaign’s capital, if successful and we reach our
target, is added to what we raise from commercial sponsors, ticket sales
to our gala dinners, payments from ‘official after parties’ and
independent sponsorship from bars, clubs, LGBT+ businesses and
individuals.
Why do you need money in this way this year and not last year?
We raised money from the community last year through collections on
the street and in bars and clubs – this year we are taking a more up to
date approach that gives people much better engagement with the event.
Why does it cost £700k this year when last year the total event cost £430k?
£700k is the maximum that we need to deliver a high quality Pride
with lots of varied entertainment across the festival. We can cut back
on that if necessary. We also have additional cash to raise this year
because of a funding shortfall in 2013 of £25,000 that needs to be
covered.
If we are to trust funding pride, can you show independently assessed accounts showing all income and expenditure?
We?ve been very open about the costs and our management of income and
expenditure. Our accounts are not yet audited but will be reported and
placed on the website as soon as they are. There is a breakdown of costs
in the ?about? section of the website.
What support are gay bars and clubs giving?
We?re looking to gay businesses to help cover the cost of managing
safety and entertainment in Soho on the big day. That amounts to around
£70,000 also and we are still drumming up support. Supportive businesses
are listed on our website
- See more at: http://prideinlondon.org/get-involved/fund-parade/parade-fundraising-faqs/#sthash.ZQsLZqCT.dpuf
Both
those cities have different and more established models that generate
much more ticket income than is currently possible for Pride in London
because they are ticketed events and we want to keep London Pride free.
How else does Pride raise the money it needs?
This fundraising campaign’s capital, if successful and we reach our
target, is added to what we raise from commercial sponsors, ticket sales
to our gala dinners, payments from ‘official after parties’ and
independent sponsorship from bars, clubs, LGBT+ businesses and
individuals.
Why do you need money in this way this year and not last year?
We raised money from the community last year through collections on
the street and in bars and clubs – this year we are taking a more up to
date approach that gives people much better engagement with the event.
Why does it cost £700k this year when last year the total event cost £430k?
£700k is the maximum that we need to deliver a high quality Pride
with lots of varied entertainment across the festival. We can cut back
on that if necessary. We also have additional cash to raise this year
because of a funding shortfall in 2013 of £25,000 that needs to be
covered.
If we are to trust funding pride, can you show independently assessed accounts showing all income and expenditure?
We?ve been very open about the costs and our management of income and
expenditure. Our accounts are not yet audited but will be reported and
placed on the website as soon as they are. There is a breakdown of costs
in the ?about? section of the website.
What support are gay bars and clubs giving?
We?re looking to gay businesses to help cover the cost of managing
safety and entertainment in Soho on the big day. That amounts to around
£70,000 also and we are still drumming up support. Supportive businesses
are listed on our website - See more at: http://prideinlondon.org/get-involved/fund-parade/parade-fundraising-faqs/#sthash.ZQsLZqCT.dpuf
Both
those cities have different and more established models that generate
much more ticket income than is currently possible for Pride in London
because they are ticketed events and we want to keep London Pride free.
How else does Pride raise the money it needs?
This fundraising campaign’s capital, if successful and we reach our
target, is added to what we raise from commercial sponsors, ticket sales
to our gala dinners, payments from ‘official after parties’ and
independent sponsorship from bars, clubs, LGBT+ businesses and
individuals.
Why do you need money in this way this year and not last year?
We raised money from the community last year through collections on
the street and in bars and clubs – this year we are taking a more up to
date approach that gives people much better engagement with the event.
Why does it cost £700k this year when last year the total event cost £430k?
£700k is the maximum that we need to deliver a high quality Pride
with lots of varied entertainment across the festival. We can cut back
on that if necessary. We also have additional cash to raise this year
because of a funding shortfall in 2013 of £25,000 that needs to be
covered.
If we are to trust funding pride, can you show independently assessed accounts showing all income and expenditure?
We?ve been very open about the costs and our management of income and
expenditure. Our accounts are not yet audited but will be reported and
placed on the website as soon as they are. There is a breakdown of costs
in the ?about? section of the website.
What support are gay bars and clubs giving?
We?re looking to gay businesses to help cover the cost of managing
safety and entertainment in Soho on the big day. That amounts to around
£70,000 also and we are still drumming up support. Supportive businesses
are listed on our website - See more at: http://prideinlondon.org/get-involved/fund-parade/parade-fundraising-faqs/#sthash.ZQsLZqCT.dpuf
Both
those cities have different and more established models that generate
much more ticket income than is currently possible for Pride in London
because they are ticketed events and we want to keep London Pride free.
How else does Pride raise the money it needs?
This fundraising campaign’s capital, if successful and we reach our
target, is added to what we raise from commercial sponsors, ticket sales
to our gala dinners, payments from ‘official after parties’ and
independent sponsorship from bars, clubs, LGBT+ businesses and
individuals.
Why do you need money in this way this year and not last year?
We raised money from the community last year through collections on
the street and in bars and clubs – this year we are taking a more up to
date approach that gives people much better engagement with the event.
Why does it cost £700k this year when last year the total event cost £430k?
£700k is the maximum that we need to deliver a high quality Pride
with lots of varied entertainment across the festival. We can cut back
on that if necessary. We also have additional cash to raise this year
because of a funding shortfall in 2013 of £25,000 that needs to be
covered.
If we are to trust funding pride, can you show independently assessed accounts showing all income and expenditure?
We?ve been very open about the costs and our management of income and
expenditure. Our accounts are not yet audited but will be reported and
placed on the website as soon as they are. There is a breakdown of costs
in the ?about? section of the website.
What support are gay bars and clubs giving?
We?re looking to gay businesses to help cover the cost of managing
safety and entertainment in Soho on the big day. That amounts to around
£70,000 also and we are still drumming up support. Supportive businesses
are listed on our website - See more at: http://prideinlondon.org/get-involved/fund-parade/parade-fundraising-faqs/#sthash.ZQsLZqCT.dpuf
xoxo”
