Pride 2009 - Thanks

posted: 02/09/2009

As we recover from a hectic Manchester Pride weekend, we say a warm and huge thank you to everyone who supported George House Trust over the Pride weekend.

The big, heartfelt thank you goes to:

• The 80 supporters who joined our Pride Parade entry, who chanted and shouted slogans to STOP STIGMA and until their throats were hoarse, klaxoned, whistled and made sure people knew exactly who we were and what we wanted, in the streets of central Manchester
• Our wristband exchange volunteers and staff who supplied the queues of ticket holders with wristbands, welcoming people to the event with friendly banter and cheery smiles
• Our weekend's Lifestyle Expo stall volunteers and staff, who provided advice to hundreds of people, and promoted our STOP STIGMA campaign. All were fantastic ambassadors for George House Trust and our GO TAKE ACTION message.
• All our candle sellers and volunteers who helped at the HIV candlelit vigil on Monday night, despite getting soaked for hours in the Manchester downpours, including the lovely volunteers from the Lesbian and Gay Foundation
• The staff and speakers who helped to organise and perform at the HIV candlelit vigil, providing moving personal testimonies, and a clear message that together we can and need to STOP HIV STIGMA
• The staff and volunteers at Manchester Pride who supported our work before and during the weekend
• Everyone who supported our STOP HIV STIGMA – GO TAKE ACTION campaign at any point over the weekend, by wearing a sticker, putting money in tins, buckets or envelopes, cheering our parade entry, signing up to a pledge, or reading our posters and thinking afresh.

What an amazing group of people! We couldn’t participate in Manchester Pride without everyones' generous and committed enthusiasm and support.

In particular, we’ve been really pleased with how much our Pride campaign has inspired people, and the thousands of actions that people have made commitments to, so we can work together to STOP HIV STIGMA.

See some of the many pledges people made to STOP HIV STIGMA NOW in our Flickr set