The Nestlé UK & Ireland LGBT+ network was at Brighton Pride this weekend (Saturday 3rd August) where they joined over 300,000 people at one of the world’s biggest celebrations of LGBT+ life. Brighton Pride marked the 50th year of the Stonewall uprising, the event that ignited the modern day Pride movement, with the theme ‘Generations of Love – Celebrating 50 years of campaigning with Pride’.
Attending for the second year in a row, the LGBT+ network this year rode upon a Nestlé float, while around 80+ Nestlé allies, family and friends joined the walking group. The colourful Nestlé float, festooned in rainbow flags and messages of support, proudly displayed the new global LGBT+ Nestlé logo and helped raise the profile of Nestlé LGBT+ network at Brighton Pride, the closest pride festival to Nestlé’s UK HQ at Gatwick, near Crawley in West Sussex.
The group followed the parade route which travelled from Hove Lawns on the seafront, past famous Brighton landmarks like the i360 tower, the Grand Hotel, Clock Tower and North Laines, finishing at Preston Park. Hundreds of thousands of well-wishers came out to cheer on the parade as the whole of Brighton embraced the festival atmosphere.
Amongst the network’s LGBT+ allies joining the parade were members of the leadership team, Nestlé UK & Ireland Head of Finance David McDaniel and Nestlé UK & Ireland Head of HR Paul Steadman. Their visible and vocal support did not go unnoticed by all attendees who cheered them on throughout the parade route.
Also on board the Nestlé float were the resident Nestlé band, formed of Nestlé colleagues, who entertained everyone within earshot with their inspirational, campy classic songs from the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s!
The event was a tremendous success, and helped Nestlé UK & Ireland show its support for the local community, and raise its visibility amongst LGBT+ people as it continues its journey to being a workplace where everyone feels like they belong.