LGBT+ young people from Cambridgeshire will take centre stage at this weekend’s first Cambridge Pride event.
Eight punts, representing different Cambridge LGBT+ community groups and their allies, will parade down the River Cam on Saturday to start off Cambridge Pride.
The community groups have been spending their May weekends making colourful costumes for their respective punts.
The Kite Trust, a Cambridge-based charity for LGBT+ young people, has led the way, creating multi-coloured phoenix costumes.
"The idea for the phoenix costume comes from the colour of our punt, which is red, representing life," said Jack Wilkin, a project worker at The Kite Trust.
"The young people who are involved in this community art project chose the phoenix as a symbol of rising up out of the ashes to represent their strength and resilience."
The Kite Trust is running the Youth Tent at Cambridge Pride, and has given young people who access its services the chance to take the lead in planning and running the tent's programme of events.
"The Youth Tent at Pride will be bursting with activity," added Jack.
"We have a DJ workshop, an open mic session, a carnival workshop and the first ever Queer British Bake Off, which we're all really excited about."
All the ideas for the Youth Tent come from LGBT+ young people themselves, a group of whom have been meeting at The Kite Trust since the start of the year.
The Kite Trust (TKT) is the East of England's biggest organisation for LGBT+ young people and was determined to give its young people a voice when it came to Cambridge's first Pride.
"It's great knowing that I'm part of making Cambridge's first Pride happen," said one of The Kite's youth committee.
Training LGBT+ young people to become youth leaders is an important element of TKT's work.
"We are delighted that a group of dedicated young people came forward and took the lead in running the Youth Tent at Cambridge Pride as this fits brilliantly with our youth leadership programme," said Lara Jaffey, TKT's executive director.
"Our message is, come and join in the celebrations at Cambridge's first Pride, but don't forget why we are all here.
"Fifty years ago, the LGBT+ movement began and there is still a lot of work to be done before everyone feels equal and accepted, whatever their sexuality or gender identity."
Pride is the key moment in the LGBT+ calendar when free events take place all over the world.
Cambridge has really pushed the boat out for its first Pride.
The Pride River Parade starts at Jesus Green at 11am on Saturday, June 8 and ends at Magdalene Bridge.
Community punts will represent The Kite Trust, Encompass Network, Dhiverse, Diamonds, the QTI POC Festival, Cambridge University Student Union LGBTQ group, the LGBT+ Staff Networks Group (NHS, Police, Fire Service and others).
Pride tents open at noon on Jesus Green.
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