Manchester Pride raises £95,000 for charity

By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • October 15, 2007 - 10:34

Manchester Pride was called the Ab Fab Weekend, GayFest and Mardi Gras in previous incarnations.

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The city of Manchester's ten day Pride celebration in August raised £95,000 for charity, it has been revealed.

Organisers estimate that 200,000 people watched the main Pride march through the city centre, while 40,000 tickets were sold for the Big Weekend.

Andrew Stokes, chairman of Manchester Pride, said: "This was the first year that Manchester Pride operated as a charity in its own right.

"Naturally, I am delighted we have continued the tradition set by previous Manchester Pride events and raised funds for LGBT and HIV charities and groups in Greater Manchester.

"We have already lost far too many organisations for want of a few pounds and that is why Manchester Pride is committed to keep fundraising at the heart of everything we do.

"We're only able to achieve what we do because of a great team of volunteers from Manchester Pride, George House Trust and the Lesbian Gay Foundation."

Operation Fundraiser, working with Manchester Pride, has raised nearly half a million pounds in the past four years.

The money has been shared between more than eighty local LGBT and HIV groups and charities.

The opening event of this year's Big Weekend was a civil partnership ceremony for ten couples at Marriott Victoria Albert Hotel.

130 police officers from forces around the country took part in the Pride parade in a show of solidarity with the LGBT community.

Manchester Pride was called the Ab Fab Weekend, GayFest and Mardi Gras in previous incarnations.

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