This weekend will see the first ever virtual March with Pride with LCR Pride Foundation

LCR Pride Foundation is gearing up for the city region’s first ever online march, dubbed the MarchOnline, which will take place from 12 noon on Saturday 25th July – the day that the annual Pride in Liverpool festival should have taken place.

The March with Pride has long been the poignant starting point for the city region’s Pride celebrations and is steeped in Liverpool’s long history of protest and grassroots activism. Each year it allows the LGBT+ community and its allies to come together to march in solidarity and protest against the prejudice and inequalities that the LGBT+ community continues to face in the UK and across the globe.

The MarchOnline will be broadcast from LCR Pride Foundation’s Facebook page, as well as being shared on its Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn pages, and its website. Full details of how to access the event will be shared on the foundation’s website ahead of the event.

Last year saw Liverpool’s biggest ever March with Pride, with a record 12,000 coming together for the annual event. However, both 2020’s March with Pride and Pride in Liverpool have been cancelled in response to public health concerns raised by the ongoing global pandemic.

The MarchOnline will feature video submissions from individuals and organisations across the city region, as well as good wishes and celebratory messages from public figures including LFC manager, Jurgen Klopp, Metro Mayor, Steve Rotheram and Triton the Greek God of the Sea.

Peter Moore, Liverpool FC’s CEO, added:

“I am delighted that our staff and fans are able to come together virtually to take part in the Pride in Liverpool virtual march.

“The promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion with our staff, players and supporters is of the upmost importance to us and we are committed to incorporating it into everything we do.

“We will be proudly wearing our colours this weekend to continue our support of Pride in Liverpool and stand side by side albeit virtually in solidarity with the LGBT+ community.”

LCR Pride Foundation Interim CEO, Andi Herring, said:

“It has been wonderful to see the enthusiasm and support for our MarchOnline across the city region. The creativity of some of the submissions have been exceptional and it’s clear the same amount of effort that goes into preparing for our annual march has been put into the videos and messages we have received.

“The annual March with Pride is fundamental to the city region’s Pride celebrations and it feels very special to be marking it in some meaningful way, despite the cancellation of mass participation events due to COVID-19. We can’t wait for our LGBT+ community and its allies to come together and MarchOnline on Saturday.”

The usual March with Pride

Andrew Websdale, Regional Head of Barclays Spectrum, Barclays LGBT+ colleague network, said:

“Pride is more than a march, it’s about coming together as a community in celebration, unity and solidarity. Pride is still needed, more so than ever for some. So although we can’t celebrate in the same way in Liverpool this year, we are delighted to support the Young at Heart 2020 Digital Programme, including the MarchOnline event.”

Full details of how to watch and participate in the event can be found at lcrpride.co.uk/march