Welsh businesses take a stand for diversity and LGBT+ rights

A number of organisations within Wales have come together to support LGBT+ communities in Wales, sponsoring Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend.

The community event in Cardiff, which has grown into Wales’ largest celebration of love, equality and diversity, is celebrating its 20th year this summer with the support of regional communities and organisations.

This year’s sponsors come from a range of sectors, including transport, education, tourism and media and include Uber, Aberystwyth University, Transport for Wales, Great Western Railway, ITV Wales, NatWest Cymru, GE Aviation and Capital FM, as over 60 organisations so far have signed up for the charity’s annual parade through Cardiff City Centre.

South Wales Police and the Wales LGBT Police Network are sponsoring the access area and access facilities again, continuing the ongoing support shown to organisers since the early days in 1999. Admiral will also return as this year’s headline sponsor after supporting the event for 19 years.

Shammi Raichura, Regional Cities Lead at Uber, said:

Pride celebrations have been a part of Uber’s identity since the beginning and we’re thrilled to be a partner of Pride Cmyru’s Big Weekend. Our sponsored Family Area is a place for everyone, regardless of age, to partake in this weekend’s celebration for the LGBT+ community across Wales.”

Great Western Railway (GWR) is also supporting Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend by fundraising and during Pride month they welcomed some of Pride Cymru’s committee members and two local drag queens on board their trains to entertain passengers between Cardiff and London Paddington.

GWR Business Assurance Director Joe Graham said:

GWR is proud to work with Pride Cymru this year. Cardiff is a key city on our network, home to many of our customers and colleagues, and we are delighted to be able to show our support to the LGBT+ community here in Wales.

This year we’re working with more Pride events across the GWR network than ever before. We are committed to making GWR a more inclusive organisation where people feel they can be themselves, and where our workforce is as diverse as the customers and communities we serve.”

This year also sees Capital FM join the Welsh LGBT+ charity as a partner. The South Wales radio station based in Cardiff will host from the event for several hours throughout the weekend in support of Pride Cymru and will be running competitions leading up to the event.

Gian Molinu, Chair of Pride Cymru, said:

Since the early days when Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend was still known as Cardiff Mardi Gras, we have relied on the support and commitment of the community and organisations like this year’s sponsors. I am very proud to have organisations like Admiral, the Police force and Uber partner with us each year showing not only their employees, but also the wider LGBT+ community that they are allies.

This year marks a significant milestone for the event as we celebrate our twentieth anniversary, so to see that this year’s sponsors include organisations like Aberystwyth University, NatWest Cymru, Capital FM and Great Western Railway to name but a few is a huge boost to us. Without them, Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend simply would not exist certainly would not have the impact it has today.”

Based within the city centre, Radisson Blu Hotel, Hotel Indigo, Park Plaza and Clayton Hotel are the Welsh charity’s official hotel partners, offering rooms for attendees of the Big Weekend and special offers.

Over the August bank holiday weekend, 23, 24 and 25 August, thousands of people across Wales and the UK are expected to come to the Welsh capital to celebrate Pride and to join with the LGBT+ community standing against homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and hate crime. Any businesses, regardless of size, can enter the Pride Cymru parade together with employees on 24 August. To sign up visit https://www.pridecymru.com/join-the-parade/.

Supporters include:
• Admiral (Headline sponsor)
• South Wales Police (Access sponsor)
• Uber (Family sponsor)
• Aberystwyth University (Volunteer sponsor)
• St David’s Centre Cardiff (Charity partner)
• ITV Wales (Media partner)
• Capital FM (Media partner)
• Gaydio (Media partner)
• Gay Star News (Media partner)
• Transport for Wales (Travel partner)
• Great Western Railway (Travel partner)
• Hotel Indigo (Hotel partner)
• Radisson Blu Hotel (Hotel partner)
• Clayton Hotel (Hotel partner)
• Park Plaza (Sponsor)
• Heineken (Sponsor)
• Iris Prize Festival (Sponsor)
• NatWest Cymru (Supporter)
• GE Aviation (Supporter)