On 3rd September 2022 we held our first ever Pride event. The weather was kind. The people were lovely. The support was more than we could ever have hoped for. Here are a few quotes from attendees about what they enjoyed about the first ever Yeovil Does Pride.
“Being defiantly and openly queer and disabled, Yeovil Does Pride went above and beyond to include me and give me a voice. Seeing young queer, disabled folk attend our picnic was powerful and important, as disability has been a factor before in accessing Pride events in the past. Providing ramps and planning a wheelchair-friendly march to an accessible, level location to enjoy each other’s company and watch music and speeches meant we could all participate as equals, with nobody left out.”
“There are many things about being at Yeovil Does Pride that stick out for me. There’s the hard work that went into putting on the event in a short period of time by a small group of people, and so many people turning out as a result. There’s the fact that I found myself walking through the town centre and down to Ninesprings while leading a series of chants at the top of my voice. And finally there’s the fact that Yeovil Does Pride had a musician singing and playing who had done the same in Nashville. How cool is that?”
“I think the main thing for me was how many people attended, which showed that there absolutely is both a need and a want for Pride events in Yeovil from the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. It was also so much better to have a focal point and events post the march instead of speeches that couldn’t be heard by everyone and it just ending in a disappointed dispersal.”
“There were lots of things to enjoy about Yeovil Does Pride. One of my favourite moments was when we marched past Homeville House, a retirement housing facility along Hendford, and we had people waving and cheering us on from their windows – to have that support from older generations was an incredible feeling. My other favourite moment was the powerful and passionate speeches from such a diverse cross-section of the LGBT+ community and supporters.”
