St Ann’s Hospice joins Manchester Pride festivities
Staff, volunteers and supporters took part in the annual parade for the second year running.
This was the second year running that St Ann’s Hospice joined the Manchester Pride Parade, with staff, volunteers, family members and supporters coming together to walk as part of the St Ann’s entry on an important day for our community in Greater Manchester.
It’s important to everyone at St Ann’s that we ensure we do what we can to overcome barriers that traditionally prevent certain groups, including the LGBTQ+ community, from accessing palliative and end-of-life care.
The Manchester Pride theme this year was ‘Buzzin’ to be Queer – A Hive of Progress’, with the focal symbol being the worker bee, an iconic emblem of Manchester. Some of our walkers really ran with the theme, decked out in black and yellow antennae, wings and accessories alongside rainbow face paint and glitter.
Walkers included lots of clinical and non-clinical staff based at our Heald Green and Little Hulton hospices, staff and volunteers from our charity shops, and staff members from corporate supporters Gallaghers, who covered the cost of our banners and merch.
On our banners, t-shirts and flags was our message: “death doesn’t discriminate, neither do we.” We also gave out St Ann’s stickers, and sweets that were kindly donated by Swizzels.
Our Mascot Stann also walked with us, alongside the St Ann’s ambulance which had been decorated with hand-drawn rainbow bees and honeycomb.
Before the parade, Fran Brown, Rehab Team Leader at St Ann’s, said:
My reasons for joining the parade are helping to ensure that there are fewer barriers to all people accessing our organisation. I'm really proud of what we do here; we use the rehabilitative approach to palliative care, which enables choice and control for patients. The more people that can access our services with a positive outcome the better. I'm also a huge fan of bees – I keep a few at home – so am excited for a bit of dress up too! Fran Brown, Rehab Team Leader, St Ann’s Hospice
The Manchester Pride Parade marked the final Pride event of the year for St Ann’s. We also had a presence again at Stockport Pride and Salford Pride’s Pink Picnic in June.
If you have any feedback or ideas about how St Ann’s could support our communities, please get in touch on communications@sah.org.uk.