The Big Issue celebrates Pride on the south coast

Pride festival-goers turned the quiet south coast town of Weston-super-Mare into a riot of colour this weekend.

And The Big Issue was on hand to help celebrate equality, diversity and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

Popular vendor Robin Price sold the magazine next to our festival stand in the town centre, where staff also chatted with attendees and explained the empowering work of The Big Issue and The Big Issue Foundation (TBIF), the part of the organisation that supports vendors in their journey out of homelessness.

The amount of community cohesion was really something

“It was a really great day,” said TBIF service broker Lewis Stewart. “It was a wonderful atmosphere and a great opportunity to show vendors are a big part of the community here.”

The fourth annual Pride parade of musicians and costume-clad revellers began at Knightstone Island causeway, and finished up with a huge party in Grove Park featuring live music, stalls and games.

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A spokesman for the Weston Pride management team described the day as “overwhelming and awesome.”

“The amount of community cohesion was really something,” he added. “We couldn’t do it without the team and of course the town supporting the event year on year.”

Next year’s Weston Pride event has already been scheduled for July 28, 2018.