Wellington Place, the Leeds city centre business community of over 4,000 people, will be showcasing its rainbow colours this August in support of Leeds Pride by fundraising for two local LGBT+ charities; Yorkshire MESMAC and Leeds LGBT+ Sports Fringe Festival. To launch the activity, people from across the city came together as one to create a giant Pride flag in Tower Square – a symbolic image to mark the start of the celebrations, and the largest of its kind ever seen in the city of Leeds.
Coined Pride of Place, MEPC will help launch the first, dedicated pride-themed month after the Leeds Pride celebrations on Sunday 5th August. The Wellington Place site will change both its logo and lifting tower lights to the symbolic colours of the rainbow flag, helping to promote the beginning of a four-week programme of exciting fundraising events being held at central Leeds development.
From a street food and music fair (16th August) with LGBT+ stands to a series of lunchtime fitness sessions held by inclusive sporting groups, a themed canal run, and a Leeds BID sponsored outdoor screening of box office hit Love, Simon followed by a mass karaoke, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. All events are open to the public and free to attend, with donations encouraged in support of the nominated charities.
Rounding off the month’s fundraising activities, Wellington Place will be bringing together a panel of experts and key speakers from businesses, the media and Leeds City Council to debate and discuss the issues of inclusivity and diversity in the workplace. This will be followed by an open floor question and answer session, all to bring the topic to the fore amongst the business community.
Dominique Simcox, Marketing Manager at MEPC, said: “This is something incredibly close to my heart and we are thrilled to be able to help with providing a month of fantastic activities for our Wellington Place customers and the wider community. Pride of Place embodies everything that we aspire to be in the heart of the Leeds business district and we’ve been amazed at how much support we’ve already received. It was our customers here at Wellington Place who first asked this, led by the LGBT+ staff network at Sky Betting and Gaming, so we’d like to thank them for helping us make this all possible. We already have plans for next year which is an extremely exciting prospect for us.
“Not only is this a great way to support local LGBT+ charities, but it also helps raise awareness of diversity in the workplace, something we champion here at Wellington Place. We hope that our first ever Pride of Place month will be enjoyed by all and crucially, raise lots of money and awareness for such good causes.”
Tom Hanson, Co-Chair of the Sky Betting & Gaming Pride staff network, added: “Since approaching MEPC with the idea of celebrating Pride at Wellington Place, we have been blown away with how supportive they have been. Sky Betting and Gaming and MEPC share strong values of inclusivity and diversity, which only strengthens the sense of community and level of involvement in Pride of Place by everyone here at Wellington Place. We’re very proud to play our part in the inaugural Pride of Place and we’re looking forward to taking part in all of the events ahead.”
