Fire Service supports Manchester Pride Festival
22 August 2008
Dancers on the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service float at Pride in 2007The 18th Manchester Pride festival is taking place on Saturday 23rd August celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender life. The event is attended by tens of thousands of people each year. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service takes part in the event each year supporting the festival and promoting fire safety messages to the local community.
Manchester Pride is an action-packed 78 hour festival full of music, film, arts events and theatre organised in aid of charities and community groups across Greater Manchester. This year the Big Weekend runs from Friday 22nd to Monday 25th August but the undoubted highlight is the Pride parade, which will travel through the heart of the city centre on the afternoon of Saturday 23rd August.
Greater Manchester Fire Service Staff will take part in the parade by joining in the Fire Service Float.
This year the parade starts from the Museum of Science and Industry in Castlefield at 2pm and follows the same route as last year along Deansgate, winding its colourful way through the city centre. The streets will be full of thousands upon thousands of spectators, young and old, gay and straight, friends and family.
By undertaking an active role in the parade it enables us to put across crucial fire safety messages to the public in a fantastically fun way. It also helps to demonstrate our commitment to equal opportunities for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender staff and members of the public.
The safety message by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service this year is the promotion of fire escape plans.
Fire Authority Chairman Cllr Paul Shannon welcomed Fire Service participation in the 2008 Pride event:
“Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service recently obtained Level 3 of the Equality Mark, highlighting our commitment to equality and diversity, and fairness in our policies and practices. We are determined to ensure that Fire Safety services, and careers in the Fire Service, are available equally to people from all backgrounds. I look forward to joining the Fire Service Pride float this August Bank Holiday Saturday!”
For more information on this year's event visit www.manchesterpride.com.
Press enquires
All enquiries regarding this press statement should be made to:
The Media Liaison Officer
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters
146 Bolton Road
Swinton
Manchester
M27 8US
Telephone: 0161 608 4090/1
Fax: 0161 608 4095