Staff from both Stepping Hill Hospital and local community NHS services showed their support for Stockport Pride by attending their big celebration event in the town centre. Colleagues from areas across Stockport NHS Foundation Trust joined in the festivities, including the grand parade.  

Stockport Pride is an annual celebration of acceptance and diversity of the borough`s lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans community. This year’s was first to be held in person since 2019 due to the COVID-19 lockdowns, and featured a bigger turnout than ever before.   

Featuring a parade going through the town centre, the end location was Stockport Market Place, which had a whole host of entertainment including singers, dancers and drag artists. Food, drink, arts and crafts were also on hand,  including glitter face and body art.  A wide variety of information and promotion stalls kept visitors informed too, including those from the NHS promoting clinical research and other areas of activity. Over £1000 was also raised for LGBTQI+ charities.

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust was one of the first NHS trusts in the region to sign up to the All Equals Charter supporting LGBTQI+ equality across Greater Manchester. It also has an active staff network for its LGBTQI+ colleagues.

Janet Marrs, medico-legal clerk and Stockport NHS LGBTQI+ staff lead said “We try to create a supportive environment for all our LGBTQI+ colleagues at the trust, and was a great way to demonstrate that. The sun was out for a really bright and fun summer day, and it was brilliant to see so many of our colleagues turn out, both to show their support and just to have a really good time too.”