Sunderland Pride 2019: Council and Northumbria Police throw support behind city celebration

The ninth consecutive pride event for Sunderland is taking place on Sunday, September 29 in celebration of lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender people in the North East.

It will take place in Sunniside between 12pm and 6pm, with the Pride parade setting off at noon from Park Lane.

It follows a route across the city before finishing in Sunniside Gardens, with the carnival taking place from 1pm.

Live entertainment and stalls will be in place at Sunniside, while the rest of the city also joins in the celebrations.

Restaurants and bars will be open for business, while landmarks around the city, including Penshaw Monument, Northern Spire and Keel Square, will be lit in rainbow colours.

The Civic Centre will also fly its rainbow flag, and Sunderland City Council has arranged for rainbow pedestrian-style crossings to be laid around Sunniside Gardens.

The council will also be represented at the Pride parade by the Mayor and Mayoress of Sunderland, Councillor David Snowdon and Councillor Dianne Snowdon, and the Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council and Diversity Champion, Councillor Michael Mordey.

Coun Mordey added: “Every Pride day is filled with positivity and is a true celebration of the LGBT community. We must continue to promote equality, celebrate diversity and share experiences within and beyond our communities.

“It is great to see such a positive event taking place in our city and I am sure it will be a great day out for everyone involved."

Earlier this year, the city council was ranked 76th in the Stonewall Equality Index list of most LGBT-inclusive employees.

Officers and staff from Northumbria Police will also be participating in the pride events, showing their support and engaging with the local community.

Chief Superintendent Sarah Pitt will also take part in the parade.

She said: “Northumbria Police is proud to stand alongside our colleagues, partners and the communities we serve to show our support and demonstrate our dedication to inclusivity and equality.

“We work very closely with the LGBT+ community in Sunderland throughout the year and we are looking forward to a fantastic day of colour and celebration.

“Pride is an important day in our community calendar. The LGBT+ community can become victims of hate crimes and suffer appalling verbal and physical abuse just because of who they are.

“Here in Sunderland, and across Northumbria as a whole, we stand together with victims and their community to show there is a zero tolerance towards hate and we will take action against offenders.

“We will continue to work together with the public and partners to ensure LGBT+ people can feel safe in the North East and be proud to be themselves, not just on Pride day but every single day of the year.”