Portsmouth Pride celebrates Isle of Wight Pride

On 19th August, Portsmouth Pride volunteers attended Isle of Wight Pride - rescheduled after torrential weather stopped play in July.

The day started with a flight on hovercraft - bearing the new rainbow logo - from Portsmouth to Ryde. 

After disembarking, we walked up the long hill in the sunshine to Ryde School, where the double decker bus was waiting (festooned in Pride flags). On boarding we were offered drinks, and joined Isle of Wight and other Pride volunteers, along with local councillor Lora Peacey-Wilcox, on the open top deck. The bus set off along the closed roads of Ryde, with the parade travelling on foot behind it, led by Peter Tatchell (who called it "a real grass roots community Pride").

We waved as we passed people lining the parade route, along with those in restaurants and shops, and residents - and their dogs - watching from upstairs windows. It was fantastic to see the turnout, and to have a birds' eye view of the parade.

We disembarked to join the crowd as the parade streamed into the Pride Community Village in Eastern Gardens.

We enjoyed visiting the various community and charity stalls, getting our photo taken on Selfie Island (genius use of a roundabout), catching up with friends and chatting over lunch. Isle of Wight Pride was blessed with good weather - warm but breezy - and it was lovely to spend an afternoon right by Ryde seafront watching the acts, singing along, and even getting roped into the conga and group hokey cokey!