In a last-ditch attempt to ensure diversity remains alive and well in Brighton & Hove, the City Council today brokered a meeting between the volunteer organisers of two Brighton Pride diversity tents who had last week announced their withdrawal from Pride 2010.

They had cited Brighton Pride’s poor planning, communication and failure to deliver promised financial support as the reasons for their withdrawal.

In an historic move to save both diversity areas, the Council stepped in to offer a way forward for the two cash-strapped tents, the Women's Performance Tent and the Calabash, People of Colour Tent, so they could participate in Brighton’s Pride on August 7.


At a Kings House meeting this morning with Brighton & Hove City Council leader Mary Mears, Cllr Paul Elgood, Cllr Dee Simson, Cllr Gill Mitchell and Gscene magazine editor James Ledward, both voluntary groups agreed with the City Council to deliver their community-run diversity areas on Preston Park this August on behalf of the City Council.

The Women’s Performance Tent (WPT), in partnership with Brighton Women’s Centre, and The Calabash People of Colour Tent, in partnership with Spectrum, The LGBT community forum, have run highly successful community areas showcasing live music at Brighton Pride for many years.

Each group has maintained a strong individual working relationship with the City Council and both have been regular beneficiaries of its Summer Pride Day grants scheme.

This historic shift follows a City Council meeting brokered by Councillors Mears and Elgood earlier this week to address with Brighton Pride representatives their charitable organisation’s serious breakdown in communication with community groups and alleged difficulties in meeting the community’s basic requests for information and agreed resources.

Brighton Women’s Centre, founded in 1974 by a committed group of local women, aims to empower women and promote independence.

A spokeswoman for the Women’s Performance Tent production team said:
“This agreement for the Women’s Performance Tent to deliver a community activity at Brighton Pride on behalf of Brighton & Hove City Council represents a major step forward. A true community event requires transparency, strategic planning and effective use of resources, none of which have been forthcoming from Pride in dealing with the WPT this year. Instead of struggling to feel involved in Pride, volunteers, performers and audiences need to be guaranteed opportunities to feel empowered by their input to this vibrant event. To fail to provide essential resources makes a mockery of community involvement and confidence at the expense of loyal, long-standing voluntary groups’ reputations and well-being.”

Calabash co-ordinator Affy Wajid said:
“To deliver Calabash with full backing of the City Council has major importance for us, not only as an LGBT group but as a group that aims to provide visible representation of black & minority ethnic interests at Pride. It has taken years of struggle to get to where we are today. We feel we provide an important contribution to Pride that needs to be valued and that we should work in an environment of integrity, open communication, equal partnership and transparency, elements of which have been lacking with Pride this year. The City Council’s backing significantly supports the contribution Calabash and the Women's Performance Tent make in ensuring that Pride day is inclusive and reflective of the LGBT community".