2025-08-31-accounts - York Pride

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YORK PRIDE

2025 Annual Report

1[st] September 2024 – 31[st] August 2025 York Pride / Registered Charity: 1154441 / www.yorkpride.org.uk Registered address: 248 Fifth Avenue, York, YO31 0PN

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Introduction

York Pride 2025 has been a year of both celebration and reflection.

In a time where visibility, inclusion, and community spaces remain more important than ever, York Pride has continued to stand as a powerful expression of solidarity, joy, and resilience. While this year’s event faced challenges - from uncertain weather to increasing pressures on volunteer capacity - it nevertheless demonstrated the strength, professionalism, and commitment that underpin everything we do.

Recognition through both the YorkMix Event of the Year and Yorkshire Post Event of the Year awards provided a welcome moment to pause and acknowledge the extraordinary effort of our volunteers, partners, performers, and wider community. These honours reflect not just the success of a single event, but the collective spirit that drives York Pride forward year after year.

As an organisation, we continue to evolve. Enhancements to accessibility, performer support, and programming - alongside expanded community engagement beyond the main festival - highlight our ongoing commitment to creating a Pride that is welcoming, inclusive, and sustainable for the future.

At the same time, this year has reinforced the importance of supporting the people who make Pride possible. The dedication of our committee and volunteers remains the foundation of our success, and ensuring their wellbeing and sustainability will be central to our future planning.

York Pride remains proudly rooted in the community it serves. This report reflects not only what has been achieved over the past year, but also our shared ambition to ensure that York Pride continues to grow as one of the country’s leading free Pride events.

This Annual Report sets out the full picture of our activities, achievements, and finances for the past year. We hope it provides both a celebration of progress and a platform for continued growth as we work towards an even more inclusive, sustainable, and visible future for York LGBT Pride.

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Our aims and objectives are:

To promote equality and diversity for the public benefit, in particular the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, of those living in York and the surrounding areas, by:

Raising awareness and educating the public about the issues and difficulties affecting the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people;
Cultivating a sentiment in favour of equality through celebrating the diversity of the LGBT community, and;
Staging an annual LGBT festival and smaller events, including regular social events for the LGBT community, in a safe environment throughout the year;
Providing funding and/or grants and/or donations to other charitable and voluntary organisations which the trustees shall from time to time determine.

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About York Pride

York Pride is a registered charity which aims to promote equality, diversity, and advances in education, in order to eliminate discrimination against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community.

York Pride raises awareness of LGBT issues by promoting and staging events, taking part in campaigning and commentary in the media, and providing support to other LGBT charities and voluntary organisations. We also promote the provision of information, advice, and support that celebrate LGBT lives and history. We aim for York to be a place where everybody knows that the diversity offered by the LGBT community is something to be celebrated and in which LGBT people can feel safe and accepted.

We believe that inclusiveness improves the self-esteem and provides a sense of belonging, which helps to diminish the psychological effects of discrimination faced by individuals in daily life.

Our summer Pride event, which takes place within a Pride festival week, provides our main platform for a celebration of the diversity of the LGBT community in a context of entertainment, inclusivity and fun. The event is a focus for the visibility of the LGBT community in York and provides an opportunity to draw attention to important LGBT issues.

York Pride is operated by a small team of unpaid volunteers who are working hard to continue to improve Pride for the benefit of the LGBT and wider community. We depend upon sponsorship, donations from events, local businesses and supporters and money we raise through our fundraising activities.

We are always keen to improve what we do and to be welcoming to all members of the community. If you have any comments or feedback or would like to get involved in any way, we would love to hear from you.

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Chair’s Report – 2025

York Pride 2025 has continued to build upon the strong foundations of previous years. While attendance was slightly lower than last year due to the weather forecast, the event remained well attended and financially successful. This is a credit to the dedication, professionalism, and hard work of everyone involved.

This year we were proud to be recognised with two major accolades — winning YorkMix Event of the Year and Yorkshire Post Event of the Year. These honours are a testament to the commitment, creativity, and collaboration of our entire team and community.

Despite the challenges presented by an ever-decreasing pool of volunteers, the team once again delivered a high-quality, inclusive, and safe event for all who attended. The introduction of improved backstage facilities and the addition of a covered marquee in the arena greatly enhanced the experience for performers and crew alike.

This year saw the introduction of our in-house cabaret stage, which proved a popular addition to the festival site. Our continued commitment to improving accessibility was reflected through the expansion of pinned trackway, ensuring more areas of the site were accessible to all.

Outside of the main event, we were pleased to see great success with our Drag Race events at City Screen, both of which were very well attended and helped further engage the community in the lead-up to Pride.

Financially, York Pride remains in a strong position, which allows us to continue investing in the quality and sustainability of the event. We extend our gratitude to our sponsors for their continued support — in particular, our main sponsor and partner Aviva, whose two-year partnership has now come to an end. Looking ahead, we will seek to secure a new main sponsor for 2026. We are also grateful for the support received this year from Persimmon.

As we look to the future, it is clear that we must explore ways to alleviate the strain placed on our committee and volunteers over the Pride weekend. Ensuring that the team remains supported and sustainable is essential for the continued success of the event.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to the entire committee for their unwavering commitment, hard work, and passion. Whether you have been part of York Pride for many years or joined more recently, your contributions — large and small — continue to make a remarkable difference.

York Pride remains a reflection of the community it serves: resilient, inclusive, and proud. Together, we can continue to build on our achievements and ensure that York Pride remains one of the leading free Pride events in the country.

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Financial Review

York Pride remains in a strong financial position. This is due to the hardwork and dedication of the committee and trustees.

Our aim is to have enough is reserve to be able to afford the next years Pride event, should some unforeseen circumstances effect us such as loss of major sponsor, weather related issues such as loss of income on the day due to rain and lower attendance.

Declaration The trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees Annual Report and Accounts Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees Signature Full Name Greg Stephenson Position Chair Date 27/01/26

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York Pride (Charlty Number: 11544411 Trustees Annual Report & Financial Statements for the year ended 31 August 2025 Charity Accounts Independent Examination Services

York Pride (Charlty Number: IIS4441) Contents Index Page Independent Examlner's Report Recelpts & Payments Accounts Statement of Assets and Liabillties Notes to the Accounts

Independent examlnerfs report to the trustees of York Prlde I report on the accounts of: York Prlde for the year ended: 31 Au8USt 2025 which are set out on pages 2 to 4. Re5ponsibllltles and basls of report As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act,). I report in respect of my examination of the Charity's accounts carrled out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5){b) of the Act. Independent examlner's statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination 8ivin8 me cause to believe that in any material respect: l accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2 the accounts do not accord wlth those records I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ?o[?/L Jeff Todd (FCA) Outsource independent examlnation services 24 First Avenue York Y0317YQ Date:

York Prlde (Charlty Number; 1154441) Receipts & Payments Accounts for the period ended: 31 August 2025 31 August 31 Au8USt 2025 2024 Total Total funds funds Unrestrlrted funds Restrlcted funds Recelpts Sponsorship Stalls Donations Events Merchandise Other Total recelpts 92,796 35,550 2,039 623 15,237 4,968 151,213 92,796 35,550 2,039 623 15,237 4,968 151,213 75,250 26,286 266 12,117 992 114,911 Payments Prlde Events Merchandlse Storage unlt Admin & other costs Total payments 109,923 18,599 5,091 109,923 18,599 5,091 83,237 8.011 6,866 4,069 984 103,167 1,958 135.571 1,958 135,571 Net of recelpts/(payments} Balance brought forward Balance carrled forward 15,642 15,642 11.744 110.030 110,030 125,672 98,286 125,672 110,030

York Prlde (Charity Number: 1154441) Statement of Assets and Uabllltles at: 31 August 2025 31 August 31 August 2025 2024 Totsl Total funds fund5 Unrestrlrted funds Restrlcted fvnd5 Assets Cash at bank and In hand Bank account I Bank account 2 History month Cash In hand and petty cash 12,317 111,120 12.317 111,120 17,888 90,358 2.235 125 672 2,235 125,672 1,784 110,030 2025 Totsl funds 2024 Total funds Unrestrlrted funds Restrlrted funds Llabllltles Independent Examination fee 350 350 350 350 350 350

York Prlde (Ch4rity Number.. 11544411 Note5 to the Accounts for the year ended: 31 Au8ust 2025 6asl8 of accounls The Trusiees have taken advantage of Section 144 (2) of the Charilies Act 2011 gnd prppared the accounts on a rpceipts and payrnents basis. roval of Ac ounts for the ear ended: 31 Ali ust 2025 The report and aCCOUllts were approved al a mi)f>ling of the Trustees held on.. Date Signed tor and o behalf of the TrustEes Oate Prlnt Name P051tion (e.8. Ch¥lr etc)

York Pride (Charlty Number: 11544411 Trustees Annual Report & Financial Statements for the year ended 31 August 2025 Charity Accounts Independent Examination Services

York Pride (Charlty Number: IIS4441) Contents Index Page Independent Examlner's Report Recelpts & Payments Accounts Statement of Assets and Liabillties Notes to the Accounts