Exeter Pride trustees have decided not to proceed with this year’s Exeter Pride, which was scheduled first for Saturday, May 2 and then for Saturday, September 26.
Trustees said that due to the daily changing situation caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, and on government and Public Health England advice, it had taken the decision to cancel the September 26 event to ensure the continued health and well-being of everyone in the community.
Simon Bowkett, Chair of Exeter Pride, said: ‘This has been an extraordinary year for all of us – for the world, for our country, and for Exeter Pride.
‘The word ‘unprecedented’ has been perhaps over-used, but we have never seen a year like this for sheer unpredictability, massive changes to our routines and near-universal fear.
‘Around the world, Pride events have been cancelled, and Exeter’s May event was no exception.
‘As the first outdoor UK Pride of the season, we cancelled hoping that – later in the summer – others may still be lucky enough to happen. With one or two exceptions (that have yet to happen) this has not been the case.
‘Sadly we just cannot go ahead with our proposed event on September 26, but we will continue to campaign and stand up for LGBTQ+ rights and to keep our community together.
‘We are developing an online plan that will keep Exeter Pride very much at centre stage until normal service resumes.
‘It will be an exciting hub for everyone who comes to our events, a place where everyone can come to, engage in and still feel very much part of our wonderful Pride family.
‘Our 2020 campaign #Unashamed is already proving to be a great success, and this temporary change of plan will provide everyone with the opportunity to really get behind it and use what it stands for as a tool to keep us all together during this incredibly difficult and challenging time.’
Mr Bowkett added: ‘The Exeter Pride family is a strong, supportive community, and until it is possible to resume normal activities, we, the committee and trustees, will do everything we can to keep it that way.
‘Stay safe, we’ll be back really soon.’
For all information and latest updates, please keep checking the Exeter Pride News page or visit any of the Exeter Pride social media channels.