Fife charity’s delight at boost for Pride festival

Lottery cash award means go-ahead for gala

Fife’s first Pride event to celebrate diversity in the region is being planned for next year.

The festival for LGBT+ people across the kingdom is the brainchild of the Pink Saltire charity, founded last year by Fife digital and radio journalist Stuart Duffy.

Until now, Fifers have had to travel to Edinburgh or Glasgow to take part in Pride celebrations but Stuart hopes to raise enough money to host a regionwide event closer to home.

Pink Saltire has just been awarded almost £5,000 from the Big Lottery Fund’s Celebrate programme, which will go towards the cost of organising a Rainbow Gala for Fife on November 25.

It is hoped the formal event in Dunfermline’s Carnegie Conference Centre will help tackle discrimination and break down barriers for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people living locally.

Stuart said: “We’re proud to bring a new event to celebrate our amazing community here in Fife.

“LGBT+ people in rural areas like this need to be visible and active in their communities to help tackle discrimination and break down barriers.”

Tickets for the Rainbow Gala Fife will be available from September 1 via the Pink Saltire website or Facebook page. cwarrender@thecourier.co.uk

Picture: Steven Brown. From left: Nicola Byrne and Sarah Greig, from Carnegie Conference Centre, Stuart Duffy and Will Watters.