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Manchester Pride confirms plans to go ahead in 2021

Manchester Pride Festival is scheduled to go ahead from Friday 27 August until Monday 30 August in the Gay Village.

The Manc The Manc - 26th February 2021
Manchester Pride is planning to go ahead in 2021

Manchester Pride is planning to go ahead in 2021, organisers have confirmed.

The LGBTQ+ festival – which historically takes over the city for a whole weekend every summer – had its 2020 edition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But following the government announcement that most COVID regulations could be lifted by June 21, Manchester Pride representatives said they are “doing everything they can” to ensure the event returns this summer.

The festival, held in partnership with Virgin Atlantic, is scheduled to take place in the Gay Village and surrounding areas – running for four days from August 27 – 30 (Friday to Monday).

The programme will include “all of the traditional elements”, albeit MCR Pride Live will have a 50% smaller capacity.

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Manchester Pride Festival 2021 will include:

  • THE GAY VILLAGE PARTY, 27 – 30 August 2021
  • MCR PRIDE LIVE, 28 – 29 August 2021
  • MANCHESTER PRIDE PARADE, 28 August 2021
  • THE CANDLELIT VIGIL, 30 August 2021
  • SUPERBIA WEEKEND, 28 – 29 August 2021
  • HUMAN RIGHTS FORUM, 29 August 2021
  • YOUTH PRIDE MCR, 29 August 2021
  • FAMILY PRIDE MCR, 28 August 2021

Mark Fletcher, CEO of Manchester Pride, said the postponement of the festival in 2020 was “necessary but extremely hard”, and expressed his joy at being able to plan for a new edition.

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“Naturally there is some uncertainty over what will happen in the coming months but we have to plan now in order to be able to deliver a festival of this scale,” he admitted.

“We are confident that by reducing the capacity of MCR Pride Live we can deliver the event, as long as the government’s plans for vaccinations and reopening of events and hospitality remain on track. With the health and safety of everyone involved our key priority, we remain cautiously optimistic and have plans in place to respond to a number of potential scenarios.”

The CEO stated the team will attempt to make Pride a Covid-safe, live, and in-person event that sprawls across the city. 

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“If this just isn’t possible then we will host an alternative, innovative, world class celebration that incorporates socially distanced events and digital elements to ensure that LGBTQ+ people in Greater Manchester can come together to celebrate and ensure that our campaign for greater LGBTQ+ equality continues at this vital time,” Fletcher added.

Tickets for all events, from Superbia Weekend to Youth Pride MCR, will be released over the coming months.

Tickets for 2020 events have been automatically rolled over to 2021. 

For more information about the festival visit the Manchester Pride website.

News

Manchester locals appealing for more information over a month after from finding family member’s body

Danny Jones Danny Jones GMP appeal after body of Chorlton man found dead in bedroom

A Greater Manchester family are still calling for more information now over a month on from the discovery of a man’s body at his Chorlton home.

William Riddell, 49, was found dead in the bedroom of a property on Astbury Avenue at approximately 11:35pm on Sunday, 10 November after being found by his stepdaughter, Sarah Hayden.

Details surrounding his passing are still scarce but a 47-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder but has since been released on bail “pending further enquiries”, leaving Sarah and the rest of her family still none the wiser as to the exact nature of his death.

Preparing to spend their first Christmas without him, they have issued a desperate appeal for more information, urging anyone who might have information to come forward.

Riddell, more commonly known as Billy by those close to him, was described as a “good, caring man with a big heart” and a popular figure in the local area.

Speaking via Greater Manchester Police, Sarah, said: “I want to be Billy’s voice and get answers for him. Billy was a nice and lovely man and all the community knew who he was. He was well-liked and we gave him a good send-off at his funeral.

“I would just ask anyone who knew him or has any information to come forward and tell police. Even if you think it’s a little or small thing – please come forward. We just want to get to the bottom of what has happened.”

Detective Inspector Alex Wilkinson, who serves on GMP‘s Major Incident Team, added in an official statement: “The family of Billy deserve answers following his death and we are working hard to ensure they get exactly that.

“We have closely supported Sarah and the wider family over the last month, and we will continue to provide assistance wherever we can as they face their first Christmas without him.

“While a suspect has been bailed, we are still working flat-out to understand more about Billy’s life, the people he was close to, and events leading up to his death just over a month ago.”

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With that in mind, both GMP and Riddell’s family are asking anyone who might know anything or have information regarding people associated with Billy to come forward, reiterating that “even if you consider something to be small – your help could greatly benefit our investigation.”

You can contact police via 101 or by using the live chat function HERE, quoting log 3227 of 10/11/24.

Alternatively, you can contact the UK’s independent charity, Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Greater Manchester Police

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Government aims to ‘turn the tide’ on homelessness with £1 billion funding boost

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Nearly £1 billion of funding is being pumped into Council budgets to help “break the cycle of spiralling homelessness” in 2025.

As part of the Government‘s wider ‘Plan For Change’, and in a bid to help tackle, reduce, and prevent homelessness next year, it’s been announced that more resources will be be made available for workers on the frontline who provide essential services to get rough sleepers off the street and into secure housing.

This significant investment means Councils will now be “better equipped” to step in early and stop households from becoming homeless in the first place.

According to the Government’s plans, these funded measures will include mediation with landlords or families to prevent evictions, helping homeless people find new homes, and providing deposits to access private renting. 

The funding will also be used to address the growing use of B&Bs and nightly-let accommodation, and the streamlining of funding structures to make it easier for Councils to spend their cash.  

Areas across the UK can also choose to channel resources into services such as Housing First.

Housing First has been massively successful in Greater Manchester, and has helped house hundreds of our region’s rough sleepers since it was first piloted, being described as “life-changing” along the way.

More than £633 million of the funding will be allocated for the Homelessness Prevention Grant – which is a £192 million increase from this year – while £185.6 million will go to the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant, more than £37 million to the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme, and £5 million will be for the Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots.

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This new £1 billion funding boost comes after it was announced back in September that Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will be abolished in England next year as part of the landmark Renters’ Rights Bill.

It will also look to support the Government’s ambition to deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation – with an extra £500 million ploughed into the Affordable Homes Programme to build tens of thousands of affordable homes across the country.  

Featured Image – Gary Knight (via Flickr)

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