Rainbow Flag to fly above Highland Council buildings to celebrate LGBT+ community's Proud Ness parade in Inverness
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
THE Rainbow Flag will fly above Highland Council buildings in Inverness later this month – to show support for the annual Proud Ness parade and rally.
The event, which celebrates the LBGT+ rights movement, will take place on Sunday, July 21 – with the flag set to fly all weekend.
“Last October, thousands of people from the LGBT+ community, their family and friends and members of the wider community, turned up to march through Inverness with a clear message that the Highlands is an inclusive place where we promote fairness and welcome diversity," said the convenor of Highland Council, Cllr Bill Lobban.
"I am pleased that Highland Council is able to show its support for Proud Ness 2019 and that the Rainbow Flag will again fly at both the Town House and at the Council’s Headquarters on Glenurquhart Road."
Proud Ness will begin on July 21 with a parade from Crown Primary School to Bught Park at 1pm. The park will then play host to the main event, which will run until 5pm.
This year Proud Ness organisers – a group set up by the Highland LGBT Forum – have worked closely with the council on a new outdoor summer format for the event.
Chairman of the Inverness Events and Festivals Working Group, Cllr Graham Ross, said: "Behind the scenes there has been a lot of work undertaken over the past six months to create the perfect home for Proud Ness at the Inverness Gala Day in Bught Park; and we are really looking forward to seeing the Proud Ness marchers coming along the riverside to join us.
"We believe that this could be the biggest parade of the year as the marchers will be accompanied by walkers raising funds for mental health charity Mikey’s Line and competitors getting ready to take part in the new Ruff Ness Dog Show in Bught Stadium. It promises to be an unforgettable sight."
Jessica Taylor, Proud Ness chair and event organiser, said: “Proud Ness 2018 was the LGBT+ community’s first large-scale pride event in the Highlands and we were delighted with the support from people in the Highlands and beyond. We hope to see a similar family-friendly celebration of inclusion by the LGBT+ community and our allies this year.”
The theme for this year’s Proud Ness is “We are family” and council staff and elected members will be encouraged to join the parade in support of their LGBT+ family members, friends and colleagues.
