Pride in The Peaks

I’d like to take this opportunity to provide a report on Pride in the Peaks, which took place on Saturday 27th June, in Hall Leys Park.

Firstly, I’d like to place on record my sincere thanks to Matlock Town Council (even though as a body it had no official involvement) for its support of the event. Especially Cllr. Marilyn Franks whose help in organising & personal financial support was paramount, Cllr. Jenny Lowthrop whose guidance & cheerleading was bigger than you’ll ever know, Cllr. Diane Fletcher who supported awareness & fundraising events from the beginning & aided in fundraising from the Labour Party, Vicky & Simon in the office who were incredibly helpful, Cllr. David Hughes who marched in the parade with his wife, our District Chair, Cllr. Jo Linthwaite, & to Cllr. Sue Burfoot & Cllr. Pat Wildgoose who also attended on the day. From the outset, our ambition was to create an event that celebrated equality, diversity & inclusion, whilst bringing our community together in a positive, welcoming & family-friendly environment.

I’m delighted to report that we achieved exactly that & more!

The day began with our Pride Parade setting off from Twiggs, & I don’t think either cofounder & organiser, Jamie Hadleigh, or I, were quite prepared for what we saw. Hundreds of people came together to march in solidarity, surrounded by a spectacular display of colour, rainbow flags & an overwhelming sense of joy. As the parade made its way along Bakewell Road, what was even more moving was seeing the streets of Matlock lined with local residents, families & visitors cheering us on, waving Pride flags & showing their support. It was a wonderful demonstration of what our town is all about – welcoming, accepting & proud of its community.

Leading the parade were myself with my mum, dad, brother & his wife, Jamie with his mum, brother & 6 year old nephew & our headline sponsor EMR, with their guest speakers, online media influencers, & LGBTQIA+ activists, Liam & Alexis Blake.

On arrival at Hall Leys Park, the celebrations officially began with Fiona-Lisa Grant opening the entertainment from the bandstand, which was set up with DJ decks for a day-long set with a lineup of 5 different, local DJs, all with different vibes, accompanied by colourful (biodegradable) streamer cannons that exploded as the parade marched in over the bridge.

At the other side of the park, our mainstage hosted 12 different acts all the way through to 9pm; singers, bands & dance groups, most from the local area, & we had 38 market traders offering all kinds; from food & drink, to crafts & merchandise, & charities, projects & health stalls.

We were honoured to welcome a number of distinguished guests throughout the day, including HM Vice Lord-Lieutenant Mr Cochrane & his wife Karen, John Whitby MP (who also made a welcoming speech on the mainstage alongside myself, Jamie & Liam & Alexis, (John also attended with his wife Juliette & chief of staff, Melanie). The Mayors of Wirksworth & Leek, & councillors from Erewash Borough Council, Darley Dale Town Council & Ashbourne Town Council were also in attendance, alongside Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service, who were there with Matlock’s Pride Fire Engine.

Our security team estimated attendance at approximately 3,500 people throughout the day.

We also welcomed visitors from across the country, including Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield, Birmingham, London & Brighton, with one group even travelling from Dubai specifically to attend, a husband & husband who’s hometown is Matlock, & it was also their first Pride!

While those numbers are incredibly encouraging for a first-year event, what has been even more rewarding has been the feedback we’ve received. Time & again, people have described the atmosphere as peaceful, welcoming, inclusive & simply full of love. Many have commented that it felt like one of, if not THE, friendliest & most uplifting community event Matlock has ever seen.

For me personally, that means a great deal. Having experienced significant bullying growing up because I was gay, & knowing that hate & discrimination still hugely exists today, one of my motivations in helping establish Pride in the Peaks was to ensure that everyone knows they belong here in Matlock. If just one young person, or indeed any individual, left that event feeling accepted, supported & less alone, then every hour of planning, every meeting, every risk assessment & every sleepless night in the lead up has been worthwhile, & I’ve already lost count with how many conversations I’ve had with young people, parents & teachers who have said that the event did exactly that, for either themselves or someone they know.

I’d also like to recognise further, Jamie, whose passion & dedication have been instrumental in bringing this event to life. Jamie intentionally chose the date to coincide with the anniversary weekend of the Stonewall Uprising, recognising the courage of those whose actions sparked the modern Pride movement, while he also acknowledged that the day coincided with Armed Forces Day – something particularly meaningful to him, which he paid tribute to in his welcoming speech, as his father served 33 years in the military, who also attended the event with his partner & sister.

Finally, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make Pride in the Peaks possible. That includes our sponsors, volunteers, performers, traders, operations teams, emergency services, photographers, civic guests & the many organisations & individuals who gave their time, expertise & support, especially the team at Derbyshire Dales District Council – who gave huge guidance & support along the way.

Events of this scale simply do not happen without an enormous collective effort. The media have also been incredibly supportive; with pre-interviews recently on the BBC news, BBC Radio Derby, Derbyshire Times, Matlock Mercury, Reflections, with followup media also happening with the BBC, Derbyshire Life & more with the Reflections to come.

For a first-time event, I believe Pride in the Peaks has exceeded every expectation. it has showcased Matlock as an inclusive, welcoming town, generated significant positive publicity, supported local businesses & local economy through increased visitor numbers, &, perhaps most importantly, created a safe space where thousands of people came together to celebrate true community spirit.

This is just the beginning, & I look forward to building on this massive success in the years ahead.

Cllr. Ashley Orwin, Mayor of Matlock

Pictures courtesy of Tom McPhillips, Chris Brookes, Ryan Flint, Wes Kristopher, Chris Morgan & Emma Croman.