On a gloriously sunny day, members of the South Pennines Park community team joined Bolton Pride to champion LGBTQ+ communities living and working within the city and celebrate inclusivity and diversity across the park’s wider footprint.
Emily, Community Engagement Coordinator and Becky, Events and Community Engagement Coordinator at South Pennines Park (SPP), soaked up the carnival atmosphere whilst manning a SPP branded stand to help raise awareness of the park’s ethos, map boundaries, and encourage people to get out and about to explore new places within the park.
Finding that many visitors hadn’t explored the beautiful towns and villages right on their doorstep, Emily and Becky were delighted to be able to share some of the fantastic activities, locations and organisations across the park’s 460 sq mile footprint – including some of the most inclusive towns and villages in the country.
South Pennines Park market town, Hebden Bridge, is affectionately known as ‘the lesbian capital of the UK’ and home to thriving LGBTQ+ communities and creatives. Hebden Bridge’s welcoming and inclusive environment is apparent throughout the town, including cosy cafes, pubs and vintage stores, a queer-friendly music venue called Trades Club – and a vibrant Happy Valley Pride event each summer.
Happy Valley Pride delivers a week long Queer Arts and Pride festival in late July, championing local talent and featuring national and international artists. You can read their blog post on our website here. “It was great to be back in 2022 with our first full week-long festival since 2019! This year we wanted to throw a party with the theme of fun, fun, fun. Everyone was invited and it was so good to see so many people at events throughout the week! We brought back some familiar faces and welcomed lots of new friends. As always, a particular highlight was the picnic in the park, and we were delighted to welcome so many people to celebrate LGBTQ+ life in the valley and beyond” says Darren Spruce, Company Manager at Happy Valley Pride.
Then there’s Shibden Hall, a magnificent 15th century hall which was home to Britain’s “first modern lesbian”, diarist Anne Lister (1791-1840). Recently featured in BBC 1’s Gentleman Jack, Shibden Hall lies just outside of Halifax and is run by Calderdale Museums. Visitors can explore Anne’s fascinating story and extraordinary life as a businesswoman, landowner, and devoted lesbian, described through 26 volumes of graphic personal diaries.
West Yorkshire market town of Todmorden holds a famous Todmorden Women’s Disco every second Saturday of the month or LGBTQ+ women and non-binary people – just turn up you don’t need to book. Other recommendations include inclusive venues such as The Golden Lion and Nan Moor’s.
LGBTQ+ walking groups are also exploring the South Pennines Park beauty spots including Queer Out Here Adventures – a club for queer folk to explore the outdoors within a safe, supportive and fun environment. Follow the group’s Facebook page to follow their adventures at www.facebook.com/WeAreQueerOutHere.
There are a number of inclusive youth groups in the South Pennines Park including the Brunswick Centre, which has a thriving LGBTQ+ Youth Service for young people aged 11-24 in Calderdale and Kirklees; Calderdale LGBTQ Youth group for those aged 12-18; and POUT Pendle LGBT+ Young People’s Group for young people aged 12-19 years in Burnley and Pendle.
There are LGBTQ+ groups across the South Pennines Park including Burnley’s Rainbow Friendship Group for adults 18+ in Burnley and Pendle; LGBT Yorkshire; Lancashire LGBT and Queer Saltaire – helping to make the South Pennines Park a welcoming, safe and accessible place to live, work and visit.
Have you got a favourite place to visit within the South Pennines Park? Let us know on social media:
Photos: Emily and Becky at Bolton Pride, Bradford Pride. Photo by Karol Wyzsynski.