Liverpool Pride back on the calendar after local LGBTQ+ charity steps in
– 2 min read
Liverpool’s Pride celebrations are officially back on the calendar for 2025, thanks to the swift action and community spirit of local LGBTQ+ and HIV charity Sahir House. The annual Pride in Liverpool festival and the March with Pride were initially cancelled by the LCR Pride Foundation due to what they described as “substantial financial and organisational challenges”. The announcement left many in the community disheartened, fearing the loss of one of the city’s most visible and unifying LGBTQ+ events.
But in a powerful show of resilience and solidarity, Sahir House stepped in to lead a grassroots revival of the event. The charity launched a £60,000 fundraising campaign to support a reimagined, community-led Pride celebration, and has already raised over £10,000 through donations from individuals, local businesses, and allies.
The newly revived event, now dubbed Liverpool’s Pride - with an apostrophe and an “s” to emphasise collective ownership - will take place on 26 July. It promises to be a vibrant, inclusive, and accessible celebration that honours the city’s rich queer history and the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
“In the wake of LCR Pride Foundation’s difficult decision not to deliver Pride in Liverpool this year - a decision we deeply respect - Sahir has responded to calls from across the community to ensure that Pride still takes place this summer,” the charity said in a statement.
Sahir House is collaborating with a wide range of local partners, including Homotopia, LCR Pride Foundation, grassroots organisers, artists, and activists to deliver a Pride that is “people-powered” and deeply rooted in community values. The event will focus not only on celebration but also on protest, visibility, and solidarity - core tenets of Pride’s origins.
“This year, we’re proudly calling it Liverpool’s Pride - because this Pride belongs to all of us,” Sahir House added. “It’s Liverpool’s moment to come together, celebrate loudly, protest proudly, and reclaim our Pride with love, resilience and joy.”
The charity emphasised that the event will be shaped by the voices and needs of the community, with a focus on accessibility, intersectionality, and representation. Plans include a city-wide march, performances by local queer artists, community stalls, and spaces for reflection and activism.
Founded in 1985, Sahir House has long been a cornerstone of support for LGBTQ+ people and those living with HIV in the Liverpool City Region. Their leadership in reviving Pride this year has been widely praised as a testament to the power of grassroots action and community care.
As the countdown to 26 July begins, Sahir House continues to call for donations and volunteers to help bring the event to life.
