Be Here, Be You, Be Proud: Happy Valley Pride Returns for 2023.

Picture of Jordan Baker

Jordan Baker

Happy Valley Pride returned to the Calder Valley this week, celebrating our LGBTQIA+ community through movies, music, comedy, cabaret, and poetry before it goes out in style with the ‘Big Day Out’ on Saturday 29th July at Calder Holmes Park, Hebden Bridge.

Happy Valley Pride started after local residents Mike Stephens, David Kennedy, John Spencer and Darren Spruce decided a stance needed to be taken after homophobic graffiti appeared in their hometown in the Upper Valley.   The first Happy Valley Pride was launched in 2016 by television writer, producer, and director Sally Wainwright.

The non-profit organisation strives to promote equality and diversity to eradicate discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, by engaging with the local community through artistic and educational means.

Happy Valley Pride artistic director, Tim Whitehead said:

“Happy Valley Pride returns this year to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community throughout the Calder Valley and beyond. Members of our community are under attack locally and globally, so it is more important than ever to stand together, be proud and celebrate!”

This year’s Pride kicked off with The Big Bingo Show at The Old Gate for a night of hysterical drag bingo with hosts Timberlina and DJ Auntie Maureen, and Fluid, L with the T Edition, an evening of poetry celebrating queer life, queer love and queer solidarity taking place at the Hebden Bridge Little Theatre.

There is lots going on toward the end of the week, including a live performance from iconic Scottish singer/songwriter and Happy Valley Pride patron Horse McDonald and a cabaret double bill with David Hoyle and Ginger Johnson at The Trades Club on Friday 28 July at 7.30 pm.

However, Saturdays pride extravaganza, The Big Day Out, promises to be bigger than ever with an array of singers, DJs, guest speakers, food and drink stalls and headliners, Ru Pauls Drag Race UK Season 2 stars, Ginny Lemon and Sister Sister.

The day will start with the Youth Pride Takeover, where local children from Happy Valley Pride’s Youth Engagement project will get involved with an hour-long mini-Pride which they have programmed, produced and presented themselves.

Education is at the core of Happy Valley Pride’s mission, they work hand in hand with schools across Calderdale to help them to learn more about the LGBTQIA+ community, anti-bullying and the diversity of families within our local and wider community.

The Mind Your Head well-being and information hub, in partnership with The Brunswick Centre, will also be present at the Big Day Out, where LGBTQIA+ individuals will be able to find out more about mental health services in our area and the support available.

If you would like to learn more about Happy Valley Pride and the events they have coming up, please visit their website: Happy Valley Pride Website.

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VAC Membership

What's included?

You will receive a VAC Member welcome pack with useful information on getting the most out of your membership and a few extra treats!

Every member of VAC will be invited to our Annual General Meeting (AGM) and has voting rights for resolutions and proposals either in person or by proxy.

When you sign up to be a VAC Member, you will be assigned a Go-To Contact from the VAC team.

They will be your main point of contact for your membership, helping to answer questions and signposting you to the right place within VAC and/or our partnerships.

We want the VAC membership offer to be responsive to the needs of our members.  Member check ins keep us up to date on your organisation’s news and developments but also on any challenges or support gaps that may be affecting the VCSE sector. 

The information we receive during our member check ins will highlight trends and challenges that we can then explore support and solutions for via our membership offer and partnerships with local providers and authorities.

To support VAC members to feel connected and informed, we have created a unique Member Area on the VAC Website.

The online dashboard will keep you and your colleagues up to date on the latest member opportunities, training and news.

The Member Area also has a forum function, allowing VAC Member organisations to interact and support each other.

A quarterly newsletter to keep our members up to date on not only VAC Membership updates and opportunities but also specifically created content on topics of interest to the local voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. 

The Bimonthly Member Network is for VAC Members to connect with other VAC Members!

A perfect opportunity to support one another, find out about other local services and explore new collaborative opportunities and partnerships with fellow VAC members.

20% Discount on VAC Room Hire – We offer a range of flexible rooms for hire located in Halifax, West Yorkshire. Our rooms include a fully equipped, large training room with SMART board and flipchart facilities seating up to 25 theatre style, two smaller meeting rooms seating up to 12 and a small office with computer facilities suitable for one-to-one meetings or rent-a-desk.

Competitive rate on ID Badge Printing – Competitively priced to accommodate for smaller orders, our in-house ID Badge service supports both design and printing.

Based on feedback and insight we gain from our members, our training and events offer will complement local infrastructure support training programmes.

All sessions are cost effective and VCSE sector driven.