Once more the annual celebration of our LGBTQIA+ community – and the acknowledgement that the work for equality is oncoming – rolled around into Newcastle, this time over 20-21 July 2024. Fortunately, this year we were blessed with better weather than in 2023! We began with an inclusive service of prayer at St James URC Church in the city centre, excellently led by Rev. Kai Miller.

Fortified by rainbow cake and coffee, we proceeded over to the Civic Centre for the start of the march. I couldn’t find the ‘Boring Middle-Aged Straight People for Equality’ section of the march, so inside joined in with the ‘spiritual and religious’ section of Quakers, URC members, MCC members and other members of the Inclusive-Minded Churches Network. We marched from the Civic Centre down Northumberland Street (I was joined by Brian at the start), then along Blackett Bridge and up Percy Street back to the Civic Centre. Passers-by watched and joined in as the band behind us kept playing all the way round!

Back at the Civic, the brass band played, people settled in for a picnic, and I took the chance to model our new rainbow diversity flag, and my new rainbow shawl, courtesy of a very talented friend. It was fantastic to see so many people gather for equality. Long may it continue!