Time to celebrate Dorset’s young LGBTQ+ family

It’s time to get everybody up and sing for this year’s Chesil Youth Pride, which has the special theme ‘We are Family’.

Now in its third year, Chesil Youth Pride returns to Weymouth on 28 June.

The youth-led, family event celebrates Dorset’s LGBTQ+ young people in Weymouth and Portland and beyond. 

And it aims to top last year’s celebrations, which attracted more than 200 young people and their family, friends and allies.

Sixteen year-old Weymouth student, James, said the event has come to mean a lot to him. He said: “Chesil Youth Pride is such an important event to me and others because it makes people closer to each other. It brings a community of very similar people together.

“Definitely come along, every year is different but always awesome.”

Chesil Youth Pride was created after Dorset Council received feedback from young people saying that they felt unsafe in their communities and wanted a ‘safe space’ to be themselves. 

This year’s theme ‘We are Family’, was chosen by young people to celebrate togetherness and support from their families and those of the LGBTQ+ community.

The event starts at 12 noon at Weymouth College where there will be lots of creative activities and the opportunity for young people to tell services what would make life even better for them.

There will be live music building up to the parade, which starts from the college at 4.30pm and goes on to Greenhill and along the Esplanade to the Pavilion. 

Chesil Youth Pride, which this year has received financial support from the Co-Op, culminates with a musical celebration at the Pavilion.  

Also new for this year, is a 'safe space charter' produced by young people. Dorset Council libraries will be the first to display the charter and sticker as safe places for young LGBTQ+ young people.

Cllr Clare Sutton, Dorset Council Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Education and Skills said: “Chesil Youth Pride is about ensuring all young people in Dorset feel a sense of belonging, safety and inclusion, and have fun at the same time.

“We are also incredibly proud to introduce the safe space charter at our local libraries.

“I’m hoping to see many young people come to Chesil Youth Pride and celebrate as one big family.”