LGBT Youth Scotland is helping people to host picnics in place of annual Pride events
A charity is ensuring that Pride month will be celebrated in Scotland, despite ongoing lockdown restrictions.
In the absence of Scottish Pride events in 2021 the national charity for LGBT young people, LGBT Youth Scotland, has launched a new community fundraising event - Pride Picnic – to bring people together and raise money for the charity during Pride month. A week after launch, over 100 picnics have been registered across the country, from Knoydart to Dumfries.
During Pride month (June) the charity usually raises a significant percentage of its fundraising income. With Pride events cancelled for two consecutive years due to Covid-19, the team at LGBT Youth Scotland came up with an event that would recreate the community solidarity, glitter-covered fun, and the celebration of one’s identity that we associate with Pride. They created Pride Picnic, a fundraising initiative that keeps the community spirit alive.
Hosts are encouraged to be creative in designing the various elements of their picnic, from the food to the activities, but can also take advantage of special offers from an array of small business partners around Scotland, such as 20% discount at Edinburgh’s Bross Bagels.
To accompany the event, the charity partnered with artist Caitlyn McFarlane to design a range of Pride apparel, with all profits going to the charity. In a behind-the-scenes video, Caitlyn told viewers that she chose to work with LGBT Youth Scotland because she received support as a young person.
LGBT Youth Scotland’s fundraising manager, Doro Weber, said: “It’s been emotional and thrilling reading the reasons Picnic hosts have chosen to sign up. Often, it’s the first time a group of friends has reunited after lockdowns, or it’s a family choosing to celebrate their LGBT kids. In some cases, it’s even morphed into a sort of school Pride event! It’s clear the idea has really resonated. We depend on fundraised income to keep our youth work services running, so we’re really excited that this event brings on board even more charity ambassadors and allies than ever before.”
A registered Pride Picnic host, Ellen in Edinburgh, said: “I'm looking forward to hosting my Pride Picnic to remind us of who we are, as a lot of us may have lost a sense of self over the past year or may have been unable to express our identities and true beautiful selves in the way we normally would. I want to remind everyone that we are all welcome, deserving, and beautiful.”
