Saturday 13th July is the first Annual Darwen Pride celebration. It will be held between 12 noon and 10pm in the Market Square.
Community CVS have been supporting Darwen Pride for the last few months, helping them access funding and recruiting volunteers.
They have been successful with grant applications from The Community Fund (£1000) The Community Asset Fund (£2000) ASDA’s Empowering Local Communities Fund (£500) and Blackburn with Darwen UNISON Local Government Branch (£100).
Tina Walsh, Chair of Darwen Pride said
“We have been overwhelmed by the support we have received from Community CVS and the funders. With their help we know that the first Darwen Pride event will be a success and we can’t wait to start planning for 2025. Members of the LGBT+ community struggle to be open about their gender identities or sexual orientation. They often suffer discrimination which leads to social isolation, leaving them with no one to talk to. Darwen Pride will provide a welcome opportunity that will help break down the barriers they face as well as enabling them to meet new people”.
Geoff Wilkinson, Community CVS’s Darwen Community Development Office and Darwen Pride Volunteer said
“Community CVS recognise the huge benefits that a closer community can bring to one another. The efforts that we all continue to make help us all in combating those on the fringes that try to drive a wedge between us all.
“Equality is the aim but is should be an established right and its celebration events like Darwen Pride that will help achieve this. Equality Benefits and Liberates Us All.”
(Left to right): Lee Phillipson, Darwen PRIDE Treasurer, Geoff Wilkinson, Darwen Community Development Officer Community CVS and Darwen Pride Volunteer,Lynne Kozlowski, ASDA Blackburn Community Champion
(Left to right): Steve Foden, Community CVS, Community Asset Fund Manager, Geoff Wilkinson, Community CVS, Darwen Community Development Officer and Darwen Pride Volunteer
