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Our Impact-Pride 365
As well as staging an annual LGBTQIA+ event, our purpose is to promote equality and diversity for the public benefit and in particular the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. Including in particular but not exclusively by raising awareness, engaging with the community, celebrating the diversity of LGBTQIA+ communities and advancing education.
105,000+
People have attended Pride since 2008
102k
Raised over the years to help keep Pride a FREE event
15,000
People
attended Swindon & Wiltshire Pride throughout the day
in 2025!
LARGEST LGBTQIA+ event in Wiltshire
2026
(Our Pride year October 2025-October 2026
New College Visit
We spent the afternoon at New College on Queens Drive Swindon today with our Spin the Wheel game, guess the Pride flag and you get to take home an awesome Pride item.
Students really got involved, and it sparked some great conversations about identity, community and support.
We also brought along our LGBTQIA+ Support Guides, packed with useful information on coming out, the history of Pride, and helpful websites and organisations to explore.
A big thank you to everyone who stopped by, took part, or picked up a guide, it all helps build a more informed and supportive community.
Trans Rally
We organised the rally to mark 386 days since the UK Supreme Court made a ruling that changed how the Equality Act was interpreted — a decision that created hurt, confusion, and real uncertainty about how trans and non‑binary people would be treated in key areas of life.
The event brought people together to stand against that ruling. It created space for shared stories, mutual support, and a clear message that the fight for dignity, safety, and equality continues. 🏳️⚧️
Trans rights are human rights.
Pride Bowling
Over 50 players joined us for unlimited Pride Bowling at Hollywood Bowl Swindon— a night full of colour, laughter, and some very questionable bowling techniques. Such a brilliant turnout and even better company
Thank you to Hollywood Bowl Swindon for supporting the evening and for everyone that came along.
Drag Bingo with Charlie Hides
We had an amazing time at Drag Queen Bingo with Charlie Hides from RuPaul’s Drag Race!
With our collection buckets and raffle tickets at the ready, we raised £415 for Swindon & Wiltshire Pride.
We also had some lovely conversations with people throughout the night about the work we do and when pride is this year.
A huge thank you to everyone who bought a ticket or donated — your support genuinely makes a difference.
Rainbow Walk Clean Up
The Swindon & Wiltshire Pride committee and volunteers came together to tidy up and repaint Rainbow Walk. It took real time, effort, and teamwork — everyone got stuck in to bring this Swindon landmark back to life.
This year marks eight years of Rainbow Walk, standing as a reminder of our ongoing commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion for the LGBTQIA+ community.
A huge thank you to all the volunteers, past and present, who continue to give their time
Asexuality day with Sarah
To mark Asexual Awareness Day, we were excited to welcome back Sarah Cosgriff, an award‑winning science communicator and asexual activist, to the Swindon & Wiltshire Pride Hub.
Sarah joined us to raise awareness of asexuality, share their experiences, and simply be available for anyone who wanted a chat. They also left a range of asexuality resources in the hub for anyone to pick up.
Thank you, Sarah, for your continued support and for helping us create an informed, welcoming space for our community.
School talks
We spent a morning at Lawn Manor Academy, speaking with more than 100 Year 10 pupils across four sessions.
We introduced who we are as Swindon & Wiltshire Pride, shared the work happening at The Pride Hub, and talked about our Pride 365 commitment.
We also explored what support already exists within the school for anyone who has questions or needs to talk, and highlighted external organisations and safe spaces available locally.
The students were engaged and honest, and it was a real privilege to hold space for those conversations.
Visit from Heidi Alexander
We were delighted to welcome Heidi Alexander, MP for Swindon South, to the Swindon & Wiltshire Pride Hub at The Brunel.
Heidi met with our Chair, Paul, our Events Coordinator, Mark, Hub Manage, Heather, and several volunteers to hear how the Hub has been transformed since we moved in last summer. She learned about our weekly community activities, our support for smaller Pride events, and our partnership with The Brunel, which has helped create a safe and welcoming home for the Pride hub in the town centre.
We also shared plans for Swindon & Wiltshire Pride 2026, taking place on Saturday 15 August at GWR Park. With nearly 16,000 attendees last year and visitors travelling from across the South West, our Pride continues to grow in reach and impact.
Pride pottery with Bare glazed studio
A huge thank you to everyone who booked onto our Pride Pottery sessions. The sessions proved so popular that we ended up adding an extra one, with 16 lovely people getting properly stuck in and having a great time.
Participants painted their own designs and created pots, vases, decorations and more, the creativity in the room was next‑level and genuinely so lovely to see.
A massive shoutout to Carly at Bare Glazed Studio for hosting the sessions and for donating a percentage from each ticket back into the community. That kind of support truly makes a difference.
Pride film night
A special screening of the award‑winning film Sinners! brought audiences together for an unforgettable evening, where Twin Brothers Smoke and Stack took centre stage and Ryan Coogler’s Southern Gothic vampire tale gripped viewers from start to finish. With £1 from every ticket supporting Swindon & Wiltshire Pride, the night blended cinema and community in the best way, and Create Studios’ accessible, welcoming space helped make the event a real success. Thank you to Create Studios for their support.
Pride of Swindon Awards – Winners
In March, we were incredibly honoured to be named finalists at the Pride of Swindon Awards, a celebration of the people and teams who make this Swindon shine. The awards recognise those who go above and beyond for our communities, from volunteers to grassroots groups, all helping Swindon thrive.
We’re so grateful to everyone involved in the Pride of Swindon Awards — the organisers, the judges, and every single person who took the time to nominate us. These awards highlight the incredible individuals and teams who make a real difference across the borough, and we’re proud to stand alongside them.
A huge shout‑out to our committee, our volunteers, and everyone who pours their heart into Pride 365 for Swindon & Wiltshire Pride. Your passion, time, and love for our community make moments like this possible.
Here’s to continuing the work, celebrating our town, and lifting up the people who make Swindon the vibrant, inclusive place we all love.
English Ice Hockey Association Pride Week
The Swindon Wildcats once again welcomed Swindon & Wiltshire Pride for a vibrant and uplifting evening as part of the English Ice Hockey Association Pride Week, which now takes place during LGBT+ History Month.
Our team spent the night connecting with fans, chatting about Pride, the Hub and the work we do throughout the year. We shared a variety of LGBTQIA+ information and support materials, and it was wonderful to see people taking resources for themselves, friends and family. Many also picked up Pride merchandise, helping us raise funds for future events.
A real highlight of the evening was being presented with the 2026 Pride jersey. The Wildcats continued their tradition of supporting us through in‑game fundraising, and we will share the final total once it has been confirmed.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by, showed kindness and helped make the evening feel so special.
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Festival of Us
We were invited into Bradon Forest School as part of their Festival of Us week, a week‑long celebration of culture, identity, and representation however something the school does all year round!
We spent some time with pupils painting tiles that celebrated identity. Every tile was completely different, with 22 pupils creating their own designs, colours, symbols, and flags. Don’t they just look amazing! Even our committee showed off their artistic skills.
These tiles will be displayed as part of the celebration and we know that there will be even more tiles added, a true rainbow wall of colour!
As part of LGBT+ History Month, we are also proud to donate a selection of books to their library. The collection includes stories that celebrate different families, love, acceptance, and identity, helping to make inclusive representation more accessible for young people.
Football v Homophobia
February is the international month of the Football v Homophobia campaign, and it also marks the International Day Against LGBTQ+phobia in Sport.
Swindon Town FC dedicated their home match to our charity, Swindon and Wiltshire Pride, proudly standing with our community as part of the Football v Homophobia campaign @footballvhomophobia. This national movement champions inclusion, visibility and equality across the sport.
We were based in the Legends Lounge, offering Pride merchandise to help raise funds, and we had support guides available for anyone who needed them.
The club also used The Rainbow Ball during the match. It served as a visible reminder that football is for everyone, both on and off the pitch.
Queer Science
To celebrate this year’s LGBT+ History Month theme of Science and Innovation, we were thrilled to welcome Sarah Cosgriff, an award‑winning science communicator and asexual activist.
Sarah hosted a relaxed drop‑in session exploring this year’s theme in our Pride Hub on the first floor of the Brunel Centre.
Visitors were able to:
- Take part in a craft activity exploring queerness in nature
- Chat about LGBTQIA+ scientists, past and present
- Share stories, ask questions and explore science through an inclusive lens
It was well attended, with families coming in to get involved. Sarah brought great energy and knowledge, and there were posters to learn from along with a range of different activities. The space felt welcoming, creative and open to all ages and levels of curiosity.
We've also been had an impact for much longer. Interested?
Take a look at the Our Impact in previous years page.
September 2019-2020
September 2018-2019
Local Events
It's important to promote Pride at local LGBTQ+ events and be visible and educate at non LGBTQ+ events.
In 2019 we attended Swindon's Festival of Christmas, Pride in Gloucestershire, Swindon Old Town Festival, Great Western Hospital, and Armed Forces Day.
We use these events to promote Pride, educate on LGBTQ+ services, and engage with all of the community.
Education
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The UK now has 45 million social media users, equating to 67% of the population.
That's why we are active across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with a total of over 15k followers.
We use our channels to engage, educate, celebrate and promote events and services.
Pride Pop Up Space
In December 2019 we set up our first Pride Pop Up Shop, to provide a space for LGBTQ+ members of the community that was easily accessible and visible.
The Swindon & Wiltshire Pride committee has volunteered over 120 hours in setting up and running 2 weekends of the Pride Pop Up Shop.
This space has been used for raising money for Pride, Drag Queen Story Hour, LGBTQ+ information, Out Of The Can youth group and a Police surgery to report hate crime.
Volunteers
Volunteers are an extremely important part of helping make Pride happen.
In 2019 over 90 Volunteers helped make Pride happen. Helping us set up the event, litter pick, stewarding and marshaling vehicles safely into the park.
After Pride 2019 we held a BBQ for our volunteers as a big THANK YOU for all their hard work.
Supporting Charities
On December 1st 2019 we hosted a fundraiser in aid of World Aids Day.
We managed to raise £355 in one evening with all proceeds going to The Terrance Higgins Trust.
Rainbow Walk
In 2018 we unveiled our secret project,
Rainbow Walk.
Rainbow Walk was installed by the committee of 2018 and friends. It represents Swindon's continuing commitment to equality, diversity and inclusivity for the LGBTQ+ community.
The scheme was completed with donations from local branches of B&Q, Wicks and Homebase who all donated materials for the project as well as local business, Newjax, who pressure washed the steps.