BURTON PRIDE: 🌈 A Milestone Moment for Burton’s LGBTQIA+ Community, supported by Friends & Families.
Hundreds gathered in Shobnall to mark the town’s first ever Pride festival, with music, community stalls and a vibrant afterparty at the Burton Bridge Inn.
By Scott Milligan Editor
The hardworking Burton Pride crew.
Burton came alive this weekend with its first ever Pride event, a landmark celebration of diversity, inclusion and community spirit that organisers hope will become a fixture in the town’s calendar for years to come. The day was led by organisers Isaac Timmins, Cameron Lowndes, Citrine Stone, Simon Whale and Olga Niewiadomska, who have worked for more than a year to bring the idea to life.
Why Burton Pride?
The inspiration came from a simple observation. Burton is home to a rich cultural mix and LGBTQIA+ community, yet the town had never staged a Pride celebration of its own. Isaac explained: “Burton is a large, diverse town. It has never had a Pride before, which didn’t feel right. We wanted to show that there is a place here for everyone.” Simon added that attending Pride events elsewhere planted the seed. “Every time we went to another Pride we would say, I think we could do this differently. Eventually we decided to stop talking about it and actually make it happen. By virtue of there not being one in Burton, it almost implied there wasn’t an LGBTQIA+ community here, which simply isn’t true.”
“Burton is a large, diverse town. It has never had a Pride before, which didn’t feel right. We wanted to show that there is a place here for everyone.”
A Day for Everyone
The inaugural Pride brought people together in the heart of Burton despite the threat of rain. Stalls from community organisations lined the event space, while music and entertainment kept visitors dancing throughout the afternoon. Local services supported the day with community engagement stands. Police and fire crews spent time meeting the public, chatting with families and taking photos. Health teams offered free blood pressure checks, and fairground attractions gave families plenty to enjoy. Food stalls and local businesses joined in to create a festival atmosphere. Organisers say the backing of Wincanton, this year’s main sponsor, was vital. “It simply could not have happened without them,” Isaac noted.
The event was officially opened by Mayor Cllr Kim Smith and MP Jacob Collier. Mayor Smith said: “I was so pleased to be asked to open Burton’s first Pride event. It was a wonderful celebration of love and great community spirit.” Mr Collier added: “I was delighted to open the very first Burton Pride alongside Mayor Cllr Kim Smith. It was great to see so many people and families out enjoying the music and stalls. Well done to the Burton Pride committee and everyone involved in the event. I look forward to it being even bigger and better next year.”
“This is the start of a journey. We have shown what is possible and now we want to keep building.”
Carrying on the Celebration
Once the daytime programme closed, the celebrations moved into town for the official Pride After Party at the Burton Bridge Inn. From 6:30pm until midnight, DJs, drag queens and a sizzling BBQ (with gluten-free and vegan options) kept the party atmosphere alive. Live music came from Sub-Exile and Marikina Conception, who brought energy and colour to the evening. Guests raised a glass, danced late into the night and celebrated everything that makes the local LGBTQIA+ community shine.
More Than Just One Day
For the organisers, Pride is about much more than a single celebration. Since forming as a Community Interest Company, Burton Pride has been creating year-round events to keep people connected. Recent highlights include a sold-out Drag Bingo evening at the Marston Social Club in partnership with Burton and District Mind. Future plans already in motion include a “Halloween Queen” night in November, a games evening at the Peak Retreat, and another community bingo night in the new year.
Simon explained: “We are determined not to be a one-day event that everyone forgets about afterwards. This is about building something lasting. We want to work with schools, colleges and community groups so that Pride becomes part of the fabric of Burton life.” He added that Burton College, which already holds its own LGBTQIA+ celebration, will be a key partner. “We are all working towards the same goal: visibility, inclusion and community support.”
“Hopefully this will be a springboard to let us grow and support the LGBTQIA+ community in Burton.”
Overcoming Challenges
While the day itself was joyful, the team admitted there were moments of doubt along the way. Like many Pride committees across the country, they faced negativity online in the run-up to the event. Isaac said the best response was not to respond at all. “As a CIC we do not engage with negative comments. We leave it to the community to drown out the noise with positivity. And that is exactly what happened.”
Olga reflected on the sense of pride that comes with overcoming those challenges: “We are very proud of ourselves. It’s been hard. It took a lot of work, but we are very happy and very proud of ourselves and the people as well. Thank you very much to everyone who helped and made it happen. Hopefully this will be a springboard to let us grow and support the LGBTQIA+ community in Burton.”
Looking Ahead
The message from the committee is clear: this is just the beginning. With more local partners already expressing interest, and new events lined up for the months ahead, Burton Pride aims to become a beacon for inclusion in East Staffordshire. As Isaac put it: “This is the start of a journey. We have shown what is possible and now we want to keep building. Pride is about everyone, no matter who you are or where you are from, having a place to feel welcome. That is what we want to keep growing in Burton.”
For updates on future events, visit www.burtonpride.co.uk or follow Burton Pride on Facebook.
Have a positive community story to share? Email Tom Drysdale at tom.drysdale@burtonecho.co.uk, and we’ll do our best to bring it to life!
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