The first ever Weaste Pride event was hosted this weekend, raising over £2,000, celebrating love and diversity in the community.
The event was hosted at the Weaste and Seedley Social Club, on Saturday 12 July, and saw the community come together, while raising money for the Albert Kennedy Trust (AKT).
The charity supports the LGBTQ+ youth who are facing homelessness or hostile environments – with the event itself raising £2,167.53.
Throughout the day, they had multiple events on whether it was the “drag shows, the DJs, or the singers, everyone was up for it — dancing, cheering, waving flags.”
As event organiser Ian Carberry said: “It was a brilliant day. Everything came together — the weather held up, the acts were fantastic, and there was a great atmosphere from start to finish.
“People turned up early and stayed right through, and it genuinely felt like something the community had been waiting for.”
And with many people turning up, it surpassed his expectations, as Ian continued: “We knew there was interest, but seeing so many people — from Weaste and beyond — show up to support and celebrate was pretty overwhelming in the best way.
“The energy was brilliant, and seeing Tina Tuna belt out camp classics with the whole community behind her in our beer garden was a real highlight.”
The event itself was also used to raise vital funds for the Albert Kennedy Trust, with the event raising over £2,100.
Ian continued: “It honestly means the world. We started this with a simple idea to bring Pride to Weaste — and to be able to hand over £2,100 to the Albert Kennedy Trust is just incredible.
“That money will go directly to helping LGBTQ+ young people facing homelessness and hardship, so it really will make a difference.”
Throughout the day, they QR codes dotted around the event allowing people to donate and raise more money, as well as largely supported raffle.
“We had everything from train tickets to botox, and meal vouchers up for grabs, and everyone was fully invested. You could feel the buzz every time someone shouted, “get your raffle tickets!”
The event also provided stalls for local’s charities such a “little extra” which is a local Down syndrome support group in Salford.
And with the grand total raising over £2,100 it surpassed everyone’s expectations, as Ian continued: “We had modest hopes when we started planning — we just wanted to put on a decent day that brought people together.
“So, to raise over two grand and have such a big, warm turnout was way beyond anything we imagined.
“It also shows us what’s possible when the community gets behind something — and it’s definitely given us the confidence and ideas to start thinking about what we could do next year.”
The first event Weaste Pride event was also brought together the whole community, and it seemed to receive a lot of positive feedback.
He added: “People have said how much they enjoyed it, how welcoming it felt, and how proud they were to have something like this on their doorstep.
“We’ve had a lot of nice messages and comments since — and a few people already asking about next year, which is a good sign.”
And it seems it has a lot of positive reactions from the community, especially in the Weaste area, Ian said: “Loads of people have been saying how proud they are that something like this happened here, and that it’s about time.
“It’s helped us build real momentum — not just for future Pride events, but for making Weaste and Seedley a place where people feel seen, heard and celebrated all year round.”
He continued: “We’ve got something special here, and we’re only just getting started! feel like it’s going to be but not sure if we will be able to have better weather next year.”
Recent Comments