"You will not put us down." Rushden Pride organisers defiant after replacement banner is set alight

Organisers of a Pride event in Northamptonshire are standing firm after a second promotional banner was destroyed days after replacing an earlier one that had disappeared.

Sapphire Matthewman, who runs Rushden Pride, said the original sign advertising the festival at The Welcome Inn went missing on 25 May. The banner, positioned near an Asda store on Washbrook Road with council permission, is believed to have been deliberately removed.

Determined not to be deterred, organisers quickly arranged a replacement with help from local supporters. The new banner, funded with a donation from drag performer Traya Buns, was designed to be larger and more eye-catching, with businesses stepping in to help produce and install it in a new location on Bedford Road.

But shortly after it was put up, the second banner was attacked and set on fire.

Matthewman said the incident had left her heartbroken for a second time and unwilling to commission another replacement. “It’s incredibly upsetting,” she said. “This was something the whole community helped bring together, and to see it destroyed like that is devastating.”

She added that the banners were intended to promote a welcoming and inclusive message in the run-up to the town’s Pride celebrations. “It’s meant to be about kindness and bringing people together, which makes what’s happened even more disheartening,” she said.

Despite the setbacks, Matthewman said the support shown by local residents and businesses had been overwhelming, with volunteers and donors rallying behind the event following the first incident.

Rushden Pride is scheduled to take place from 19 - 21 June and attracted around 400 attendees last year. While the vandalism has been a blow, Matthewman said she remains focused on making the festival a success.

“We wanted to show that we wouldn’t be knocked down,” she said. “Hopefully, something positive can still come from this.”