BuildEast to fly the flag at Essex Pride
BuildEast Members and housing associations CHP and Eastlight Community Homes are proud to announce their gold-level sponsorship of Essex Pride 2024, due to take place in Chelmsford on Saturday, 22 June.
Marking Essex Pride’s 20th anniversary, the event will showcase the county’s successful approach to diversity and inclusion and celebrate LGBTQ+ life in Essex and beyond.
As lead sponsors of the event, CHP and Eastlight aim to highlight their unwavering commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ residents and communities. The collaboration aims to bolster BuildEast’s wider efforts to promote equality, diversity and inclusion in the housing sector and the communities in which we all serve.
The housing providers will lead the march via an accessible route from Springfield Road and throughout Chelmsford City Centre, before concluding in Central Park at the LGBTQ+ Festival.
Both organisations will host an interactive stall during the festival with games and activities, provide access to a range of housing support and invite residents to help shape the future of inclusive housing services.
Reflecting on the significance of the initiative, Emma Palmer, our new Chair and Eastlight’s Chief Executive, said:
“Equality, diversity and inclusion is a top priority for BuildEast, and embedding these efforts into our strategies, policies and procedures is critical to ensure we’re representing and meeting the needs of our residents and colleagues from all 15 member organisations.
“We are thrilled to be supporting Essex Pride through a gold-level sponsorship this year. Thanks to Eastlight’s joint efforts with CHP, BuildEast hopes to empower and support LGBTQ+ communities across the East, by delivering inclusive homes and services in which our residents increasingly feel safe, secure and free to be themselves.”
CHP Chief Executive, Paul Edwards, said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring Essex Pride this year, alongside Eastlight and representing BuildEast. We recognise the challenges members of our LGBT+ communities face and are committed to tackling inequality and challenging discrimination across Essex. We look forward to talking to customers and the wider community, learning from their experiences and celebrating this special event.”
Essex Pride Chair, Garry Ormes, added: “All the team at Essex Pride are very proud to be partnering with BuildEast for the 20th anniversary LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone from the whole community, alongside the BuildEast team, to celebrate diversity, reflect on how far we have come, and invite everyone to join together as one, regardless of who you love. The Essex Pride City Centre March will return, alongside the Pride festival in Central Park, Chelmsford, which promises to be the most diverse pride celebrations yet.”
Other sponsors of Essex Pride 2024 include Essex Police, Essex County Fire & Rescue Service and Chelmsford City Council, in addition organisations such as Chelmsford Theatre, Popworld and housing association Moat Homes.
Find out more about Eastlight and CHP’s efforts to diversity and inclusion here: