Durham Pride boosted by miners and unions after funding cut

Durham County Council, run by Reform, pulled £2,500 from Durham Pride. But the Durham Miners Association, mindful of the support from LGBT communities during the miners strike, stepped in and, along with other Unions made contributions to make this year’s Durham Pride bigger than ever before. 🏳️‍🌈💪❤️

‘Bigger and better than ever’: how Durham Pride beat Reform’s funding axe with help from the miners

Okay so I was at the march, but I didn't get a chance to report because I was immediately given chanting and flag holding duties and this is my local so I can't let my community down lmao (you may have heard me 😁) Here is a banner of the miners association and live reporting of Alt Pride below ⬇️

I understand that the Reform-led council in Durham cut funding to the annual Pride event - but that trade unions helped raise more money than the cuts so it’s going ahead with more money! 🤣

Love the solidarity and I had no idea about the history here "in a testament to an enduring relationship forged during the miners’ strikes of the 1980s, this year’s [Durham Pride] has returned bigger than ever, thanks to funding from trade unions."

“It’s beyond our wildest dreams we'd ever find an organisation like the #Durham Miners’ Association... unconditionally standing up in support of LGBT rights in the face of a council that’s basically turning its back on the LGBT community." ✍️ @hannahalothman.bsky.social, @theguardian.com #Pride

Darren Grimes has tried targeting the miners and the trade unions because they raised thousands for Durham Pride. How much of a self hating little prick do you have to be to target people for standing up for LGBTQ+ rights as a gay man?

The 2026 Pride season is underway, with Durham Pride defying Reform UK attempts to stop it. The first ever UK Pride march was in London, 1 July 1972. But 22 December 1970 saw "the first public function ever organised by homosexuals" in the UK: a public dance at Kensington Town Hall. #Pride

I urge you not to generalise these bigoted grifters with the actual people of the North East. There is a long history of representation and fighting for LGBTQIA+ rights in the area as shown this week at Durham Pride. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

📢 Nice story 🔽. The interior cultural life of your average Reform voter or politician must be a soulless, joyless, howling void of hate and misery all wrapped up in the Nazi bunting of a Union flag and the Cross of St George... www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

Darren Grimes is a class traitor and a traitor to the LGTBQ+ community in County Durham. Happily his denial of funds for the Pride march resulted in an even bigger and better resourced march than ever thanks to local trades unions. Class solidarity on display. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

This is lovely, but this made me chuckle: "I guess it’s a big thanks to Reform that our headliner is Claire Richards [from Steps] this year.” www.theguardian.com/world/2026/m...

The UK LGBTQ+ community has already found ways around this. Durham Pride got defunded by Reform, only for the Durham Miners Association to step up. Local Pride events have been happening in small towns and villages across the UK. Less money to go round, yet more Pride than ever.

"After Reform UK cut funding for the annual Pride Parade, trade unions stepped in, raising more money than was originally cut. the TUC, Durham Miners Association and Equity, replaced the lost council funding and keep Durham Pride running after the withdrawal." thetab.com/2026/05/29/d...

Reform-led Durham CC won't fly the Pride flag & withdrew the small amount of funding previously provided, but Pride is very much alive & kicking in Durham! #DurhamPride #Pride