With Manchester Pride 2023 just around the corner, Proud 2 b Parents wanted to let you know our involvement and what you can get up to across the whole weekend . 

Manchester Pride Parade

This years theme is Queerly Beloved. Love for ourselves and love for LGBTQ+ communities.

Manchester Pride says -

“Love is powerful! Acts of love and kindness, for ourselves and one another, has the power to resist hate against our communities and drive real change as we strive for LGBTQ+ liberation.

We’re calling upon our communities to celebrate love in all its forms. By choosing love over hate, especially for those more marginalised within our communities, we send a powerful message against the negativity reflected within politics, the media and harmful legislation.”

We need as many families involved in our Parade as possible, as we want to ensure we raise awareness and understanding of our experiences and ensure our underrepresented community is seen and heard. 

We intend to have placards showing ‘Our families are made with love’ that our children ‘ love their grown ups’ and that ‘ love is love’ . As well as having placards made for us by Lazy Pins. You will have the chance to make your own at our over 8s youth group on the 22nd July 2023 and at our monthly meet up on 23rd July 2023. So come along and get creative to show your love, this MCR Pride.

If you would like to make your own placard/sign/banner outside of our sessions, please be mindful of appropriate language, visual representation and being inclusive. Proud 2 b Parents will need to ensure all homemade signs and outfits are appropriate for the parade entry prior to joining our walking entry

We are asking that everyone in our parade entry has one of our new ‘Proud’ t shirt, vest tops, or baby grows. Whatever suits your family! These t-shirts can show your parent label and your little ones can show their love for their grown-ups. These T shirts will be used for all future parade entries (so maybe get a slightly bigger size for your little one). All merchandise bought raises essential funds for Proud 2 b Parents, and of course they look totally amazing!!! Head over to our shop - merchandise — Proud 2 b Parents to get yours now. (please don't let our request for these t-shirts put you off if for whatever reason you can't purchase them. We are just trying to have unity and representation within the Parade) 

This year we will also be drumming whilst in the parade, as we want to not only be seen but also be heard. We have hired drums from the Resonance Centre to ensure we raise the roof on our entry. *Did you know when people drum together their heartbeats synchronize, here at Proud 2 b Parents we thought that this adds to our message of community connectedness and love we have for our children. So if you want to beat to your drum to the rhythm of twinkle twinkle or the wheels on the bus, please let us know. We need at least 10 volunteers to drum throughout the 90 minute walk. 

More information regarding where to meet and additional information will be sent out nearer to the time. But water and snacks are a must, as well as any mode of transport to support your little ones, such as scooters, prams, wraps or shoulders. Dont forget once the parade is completed we will then head back to the Great Northern Warehouse as a group to join Family Pride MCR. Its going to be one fun filled party, and completely free! 
 

Parade Viewing Area 11.30am-2pm

If for whatever reason you cant join us in the parade, Proud 2 b Parents wants to ensure you and your family have a space and welcome space to watch the parade go by. Therefore we have teamed up again with Great Northern to offer an exclusive viewing area for our families. The  community Hall, has amazing views over Deansgate and you will be able to see the whole parade. This area will have reduced crowds and noise from Parade, allowing children of all ages to enjoy MCR Pride. To ensure unity with our walkers we are asking that our parade observes also join in representing our families by purchasing one of our new ‘Proud’ T-Shirts, these can be found - merchandise — Proud 2 b Parents  All merchandise bought raises essential funds for Proud 2 b Parents

 If you would like to come along to our viewing party please book your exclusive Proud 2 b parent tickets via Eventbrite .

Family Pride MCR - 12.30pm-6pm

This years FREE Family Pride MCR will be taking place at Great Northern again. The fun will kick off at 12.30pm with a variety of performers, dancers and Drag Queens from Palaver Party. As well as non stop rainbow party disco, who will have disco games and large family games. There will be a sand pit, play area and a craft facilitator on site.There will be pop up stalls, bars and restaurants all under one roof. This is a party to not miss and we cant wait to see you there. 

Please contact Proud 2 b Parents if you require further information.

Sunday 27th August 1-3pm 

For post pride activities, we will be having our Montly get together at cheeky cherubs, this is the perfect place to rest those sore feet and heavy heads. Have a brew and chat, whilst your little ones burn off the last of their energy. We trailed our post-pride meet-up last year, and it was really successful, our families ‘loved somewhere to go and continue the celebration as our city does Pride’. We therefore look forward to seeing you there. 

Friday 25th - Monday 28th August - Lush Arndale are supporting Proud 2 b parents with a variety of activities and fundraising opportunities. 

For the whole of the bank holiday weekend Lush Arndale is raising essential funds for Proud 2 b Parents through the selling of their charity pots. All proceeds from sold charity pots over the weekend go towards the continuation of the organisation. They have a variety of activities taking place in store over the weekend, these include - 

• we will be making our toby's magic cow bath bomb, if someone buys a £5 charity pot they can make one free! Friday-Sunday

• we will be planting seeds, again if someone spends £5 on a charity pot they can plant one (if they send £10 they can do both of course) Friday - Sunday 

• we will have a DJ in providing some tunes for the shop floor and encouraging customers in on Saturday 

• we will have ghetto fabulous in at different times bringing some LIFE to the shop on Saturday

These fun-filled activities will be across the weekend to show their Pride and celebrate our partnership. Please head along to lush over the weekend and pick up a little gift for you or someone else.
Dont forget Christmas is just around the corner. Gulp