Pride Week at Drake Circus Shopping Centre

To coincide with Plymouth Pride Festival on 11 August, the South West’s leading shopping destination, Drake Circus, Plymouth is to host a range of activities in the week leading up to the event to celebrate Pride alongside retailers and community partners.

Drake Circus Pride, which runs from Monday 6th – Saturday 11th August, will provide a range of useful advice and information as well as free interactive activities for all ages. Whether it’s learning the history of Plymouth’s increasingly visible LGBTQ community, creating your own Pride crown or learning more about the support services available in the South West. Plus, the centre will light up with the rainbow colours of the LGBTQ flag each day in the lead up to the city-wide celebrations.

Pride in Plymouth Community Interest Company, who organise the festival on Plymouth Hoe, and The Eddystone Trust are amongst those taking part:

• Monday 6th August – The Eddystone Trust – the team will provide information and advice on sexual health and outline support services to those affected by HIV across the South West as well as talking through their new online C-card system (Cornwall Street),
• Thursday 9th August – Pride in Plymouth – the team will showcase their Plymouth LGBT Archive project which is currently receiving national attention and has led to work in schools, with children’s charities and impacted on a resurgence of Pride in the city (Cornwall Street)
• Saturday 11th August – Falmouth artist Freya Momomoses will host a Pride Crown Workshop for all ages from 11 – 4pm and LUSH will demonstrate their glitter body bars from 9-6pm (Atrium)

Dr Alan Butler, founder and co-ordinator of the Plymouth LGBT archive, said “We’re delighted to be part of the Drake Circus Pride celebrations and to have the opportunity to showcase the archive. The project continues to celebrate and acknowledge the stories of an often underground LGBTQ community in Plymouth who are now sharing their stories to create a sense of heritage and Pride in the city”.

Alongside the event, Drake Circus are running a 10-day competition with the chance to win prizes each day, with everything from a Pandora rainbow pendant charm to a meal for 4 and a bottle of wine from Bill’s up for grabs.

Drake Circus Centre Director, Greg Lumley said: “We’ve seen the Plymouth Pride Festival go from strength to strength each year, and we’re excited to get involved by hosting a variety of activities to celebrate the history and the future of Pride in the city.”

Drake Circus is the West Country’s most popular shopping destination with over 70 of the UK’s top brand names and biggest stores in the region under one roof. For further details of what’s happening at Drake Circus visit www.drakecircus.com