The City of London Corporation will join the annual Pride in London parade for the first time this year to show its support for the LGBT+ community.

Around 50 elected Members and staff from the Square Mile’s governing body will take part in the march through central London on Saturday 7 July, along with students from the City of London’s schools and academies.

Representatives from the City of London Police and the City Corporation’s staff networks will also join the march.

Over 30,000 people and representatives from around 250 groups are expected to take part, many of them wearing t-shirts and waving flags featuring the rainbow flag design.

Catherine McGuinness, Policy Chairman at the City of London Corporation, said:

“City Pride, the City Corporation’s LGBT+ Staff Network, put forward the idea to take part in Pride this year.

“I wholeheartedly welcome the opportunity to get involved in this celebratory and colourful event that reminds everyone of the importance of inclusivity, diversity and acceptance.

“I send my warmest wishes to everyone on the day and hope that they have an enjoyable, safe and memorable Pride.”

Tim Hailes, the first openly gay Sheriff of London, said:

“Pride is the name and proud is, undoubtedly, what we are to be taking part in this wonderful celebration of LGBT+ people, and what has been achieved, in particular, over the last 25 years.

“Society is more accepting, the LGBT+ community is more visible and vocal than ever, and championing diversity is now firmly on the agenda of City businesses, but it would be naïve to suggest that prejudice no longer exists.

“The City of London Corporation’s involvement in Pride is our way of celebrating the growing diversity in the Square Mile, while also standing shoulder-to-shoulder with those working in communities to promote acceptance and tackle homophobia.”

The City of London Corporation hosts Pride in London’s Community Advisory Board, which holds its meetings at Guildhall and which were, until recently, chaired by Edward Lord OBE, one of its senior Elected Members.

The Pride flag will fly over Guildhall; The Mansion House; Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey); and Tower Bridge from Monday 2 July to Sunday 8 July.

As part of its ‘Investing in Londoners’ programme, City Bridge Trust, the City Corporation’s charitable funder, has awarded 16 grants totalling £1.5m for work benefiting the LGBT+ community.

London Metropolitan Archives, which is owned and managed by the City Corporation, has a strong commitment to its work relating to the archives’ extensive collection of material about LGBT+ communities in London.

The City of London Corporation invests over £100m every year in heritage and cultural activities of all kinds. It is the UK’s largest funder of cultural activities after the government, the BBC, and Heritage Lottery Fund.

The City Corporation is also developing Culture Mile between Farringdon and Moorgate – a multi-million-pound investment which will create a new cultural and creative destination for London over the next 10 to 15 years. This includes £110m funding to support the Museum of London’s move to West Smithfield and £2.5m to support the detailed business case for the proposed Centre for Music.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Sheriff of London Tim Hailes is available for media interviews. Please contact Andrew Buckingham (see below) for further details.

Andrew Buckingham, Media Officer, City of London Corporation

Tel: 020 7332 1452 / Mob: 07795 333060 / Email andrew.buckingham@cityoflondon.gov.uk

About the City of London Corporation

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk