After a successful inaugural Pride event last summer, the Isle of Pride team have announced that they are working hard to make this year’s event just as memorable.

Isle of Pride coordinator Clare Barber MHK said: ’Obviously Pride was all about community but for us ’community’ isn’t just about one day in the year, it’s a 365-day commitment.

’We’re fortunate to have a great team of people with tremendously diverse skill sets but who share a passion for advancing diversity and inclusivity - whether that be in the workplace, in schools, in healthcare settings or in strengthening the democratic process.’

In what the organisation has described as the ’Isle of Pride effect’ - education sessions have been held at Keyll Darree for student nurses; LGBTQ+ awareness sessions have been held for local businesses; a presentation of lived-experience testimonies has been delivered to a Manx Care patient liaison group; an Isle of Pride representative attended a Manx Care GUM clinic user group to give advice on LGBTQ+ access to care; and feedback was provided on the electoral process in the context of access for the LGBQT+ community.

The first Youth Pride was also held in December, which was described as ’a truly uplifting event that provided an inspiring and welcoming environment in which young people could feel safe to be themselves’.

New trustees - all experts in their fields - have also joined theIsle of Pride board .

Mrs Barber added: ’We’ve been enormously encouraged by the many talented and passionate people who’ve joined us as volunteers and are now helping to deliver our growing range of programmes.

’Such was the success of last year’s Pride - which attracted around 8,500 people - we’re now entering into discussions with all kinds of local businesses eager to support Isle of Pride in 2022, especially this year’s Pride Festival, the date of which we’ll be announcing very soon.

’So what all this means is that in 2022 Isle of Pride is bigger, better and stronger and working hard to deliver more: more workshops, more education, more safe spaces, more eventsâ¦and so much more for Pride 2022.’

To find out how you can help with Isle of Pride contact Clare Barber 257947.