INTERVIEW: Daniel Browne About Warwickshire’s First Pride

<p>This weekend hundreds of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and trans people will be flocking into Leamington Spa for Warwickshire's 1st ever Pride event, we talk to Daniel Browne the founder of Warwickshire Pride.</p> <p>by Jake Simpson | 29th August 2013</p><p></p><p> </p><p><img src="http://www.thegayuk.com/communities/8/004/009/928/388/images/4594672365.jpg" width="460" height="306" alt="Pride" title="Pride"/></p> <p></p><p> </p><p>TheGayUK: So this is Warwickshire's first pride - excited?</p><p></p><p>Daniel Browne: Yes, the first Warwickshire Pride. I'm extremely excited. Obviously nerves are coming into play too, but on the whole I'm experiencing an extreme sense of excitement now that's getting so close.</p><p></p><p>TGUK: Do you think Warwickshire is ready for Pride?</p><p></p><p>DB: When I began organising Warwickshire Pride I was unsure about whether the county would be ready for it. Although I did consult with the public to get a feel for whether a Pride event would be supported, it was only a snapshot of society. It didn't necessarily reflect wider opinion. But as the day draws closer there seems to be an increasing amount of people getting in touch with messages of support. The local MP is on board as is the Mayor of Leamington Spa. The local media have been positive and supportive, so I think that Warwickshire is now ready to progress into the 21st Century.</p><p></p><p></p><p>TGUK: There isn't a parade this year, do you think Warwickshire Pride will have a parade ever?</p><p></p><p>DB: If this year's Pride is successful and returns next year then I would like to have a Parade. Funnily enough, the road where a parade would take place is actually called the Parade, so it would be good if we were able to do that. As this year's Warwickshire Pride has been put together in three months there hasn't been the time to organise a Parade and I think it would have been a lengthy and difficult process. However the 'powers that be' are now seeing how well supported Warwickshire Pride is and will see how many people it brings to the town, so that fills me with confidence for next time around.</p><p></p><p>TGUK: What’s the gay scene like Warwickshire?</p><p></p><p>DB: The gay scene in Warwickshire is pretty non-existent. A number of gay nights have popped up in Leamington Spa over the years, but none have lasted long. In the North of the county there is nothing at all for gay people. This is something I aiming to change, but I cannot say much about that at the moment, other than I'm working on it. A lot of gay people live in Warwickshire, as do a significant number of lesbian and trans people, so I think the time is now coming for those people to have their own place to go.</p><p></p><p>TGUK: How did you choose Leamington Spa to be the gay epicentre?</p><p></p><p>DB: I chose Leamington Spa to host Warwickshire Pride because it is quite cosmopolitan and has a very large LGBT population. It has the right set up to host a Pride event and is perhaps more gay friendly than other towns in the county. I live in Warwick and could never see a Pride event happening there. It's a lovely town, but I feel there would have been resistance, so Leamington seemed like a natural choice.</p><p></p><p>TGUK: Who have you got appearing at Warwickshire Pride</p><p></p><p>DB: When choosing the lineup of performers and entertainment for this year's Pride, I was keen to support and showcase local talent. The majority of our performers are from Warwickshire and are known on the local gigging circuit. Other performers that are more widely known are Mizz Lyrikal, who is a hip hop artist that appears at Prides up and down the country, and Chica Latina from Britain's Got Talent. She is from Leamington, via South America, and is the headline act. We have Shaun Dellenty from Inclusion for All coming along to give a talk about the anti-homophobia work he does in schools, and the Naked Rowers from Warwick University are making an appearance too. The town is really buzzing at the moment in anticipation of Warwickshire Pride and I am absolutely chuffed to bits.</p><p></p><p>Visit Warwickshire Pride online at <a href="http://www.warwickshirepride.co.uk/">http://www.warwickshirepride.co.uk</a> </p><p></p><p></p><p>TheGayUK is a proud media sponsor of Warwickshire Pride</p><p></p><p> </p>