Brighton Pride bosses reveal £50k cash crisis (From The Argus)

Brighton Pride bosses reveal £50k cash crisis

10:40pm Friday 14th August 2009 in

By Emily-Ann Elliott »

Skip social links
Print
Email
Comments(44)

Pride bosses have launched a desperate £50,000 appeal to prevent the annual festival from being scaled back next year.

Rising costs and wet weather at this summer’s event have led organisers to issue a plea to residents and companies to fill the blackhole.

If the money is not raised by the end of the year, they have admitted that Brighton Pride 2010 will be a significantly smaller event.

However they said there was no possibility that the festival would be cancelled altogether.

Board members are also adamant that it should remain a free event.

Yvonne Barker, chairwoman of Pride, said: “The message is clear, if we are unable to raise sufficient funds to cover the expected shortfall we will need to seriously scale back next year’s Pride festivities and reduce the support we are able to give to local LGBT community groups.”

At a press conference yesterday organisers announced a series of fundraising initiatives over the coming weeks.

The charity’s chief executive Lesley Burn added: “There are lots of things to consider and the first thing was to be honest with the city and say ‘if we want Pride back next year, play your part’.

“Pride will continue, but unless you play a part it is going to change.

“Pride absolutely will happen and absolutely will be a free event but on what scale is up to you.”

Mrs Burn added that she was confident that the team would manage to raise the £300,000 required to stage next year’s event, providing the £50,000 target could be reached this year.

She said: “The sponsorship was up this year and part of the expertise and skills of our office team is in raising sponsorship. I am very confident we will be able to raise that.”

More than 150,000 people attended this year’s Pride party in Preston Park.

Bucket collections on the day were lower than usual, due to the heavy rain, rising utility bills and office costs have all been blamed for the funding crisis.

The £50,000 will be used to make up the shortfall for this year’s event and to cover ongoing costs until the end of the year.

Mrs Burn said board members had decided two weeks ago to make the call for help and had not yet decided how the event would be scaled back if the money was not raised.

She said: “We have some very big decisions to make about the future.”

The theme of this year’s carnival parade was Pride Beside The Seaside and 53 floats and walking groups took part.

However a growing debate is that it is left to members of the LGBT community to fundraise for the festival, which is then enjoyed by people of all sexualities in the city.

Organisers say it is now up to all members of the local community who enjoy its benefits, as well as those who travel from further afield, to support it financially.

Ms Barker said: “While many enjoy Pride as a free event, it costs more than £300,000 to stage.

“We are a charity and rely on the generosity of local businesses and individuals, who raise much-needed funds.

“However, the truth is that there are many more businesses in the city, both straight and LGBT run, that benefit enormously from the Pride festivities and yet contribute nothing towards the running costs.

“We will be approaching those businesses for donations, as well as going back to our traditional supporters for help.”

They rejected the suggestion that a charge could be introduced for the event.

Ms Barker said: “Keeping Pride free is one of our core principals.

“It is what makes us different to other Prides and we will avoid at all costs having a put a fee or charge on Pride.”

Mrs Burn added: “We often say if everybody who visited Pride gave 50p or a £1 it would make a huge difference. But sadly not everybody does that, although some people do give a lot more.

“We are looking at every option but Pride is committed to keeping this a free event.”

As well as staging the festival, the charity also supports groups and organisations in the LGBT community. This year it awarded £4,990 towards winter and summer Pride events and also helped to promote them and ran workshops.

The charity has suffered cash problems before. Last year a small shortfall was covered by the charity’s reserves.

Anyone who would like to donate can visit www.justgiving.com/brightonpride/donate.

Should Pride remain a free event? Leave your comments below.

Comments(44)

S.T. Rewth says...
11:02pm Fri 14 Aug 09

Past its sell-by-date.