Stoke-on-Trent Pride 2024 Review
Purpose
The purpose of the document is identify areas of strengths and weaknesses from the 2024 Pride event, campaign and supporting events that occurred. The aim is to build on these strengths and develop the areas that were weak within the organisation.
The document is written with the purpose of improving Pride as an event and nothing else.
Audience
This document is intended as a review document for trustees and 2024 committee members. It is not for public circulation. Elements of this document will form the chairman’s report that will be circulated publically after the AGM.
Weather
Bizarre and changeable. Wet with heavy showers. Very challenging.
Fundraising
Bucket Collections
£150
Arts Council
NONE
Just Giving
No Just giving information was collected this year.
National Lottery
NONE
Sponsorship
| Sponsorship | |
|---|---|
| EE UK | £250 |
| GMB Union | £1500 |
| National Education Union | £216 |
| All the small things | £1000 |
| FP Morguage Company | £1000 |
| Bee Hygienic | £100 |
| Unison West Midlands | £860 |
| Unitas | £200 |
| Port Vale | £200 |
| Galliford Try | £2000 |
| Synetics | £500 |
| Alton Towers | £5000 |
| Staffordshire University | £200 |
| NPFT | £1376 |
| First Bus | £506 |
| Partners In creative | £224 | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Score | £500 | |
| Stoke City | £150 | |
| Wincanton | £530 | |
| ENSCP | £250 | |
| Pandex Solutions | ` | £300 |
| Business Lodge | £500 | |
| Unite the Union | £600 | |
| Dinosaur | £500 | |
| Totalling | £18,462 | |
| Gate Entrance | ||
| Gate Takings | £1518.89 |
Council Funding
This year we received support and funding from 5 councillors/wards.
Council Support/donations raised £2,255
These were:-
| Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor Councillor |
Ward Ward Ward Ward Ward Ward Ward |
£200 £200 £450 £805 £200 £400 £350 |
|---|---|---|
Other income
Award received from co-op for £1247.00 OLGBT £53.75
Go Fund me page £2,255
Stalls
This year there were 143 stalls that attended. Generating £6057.60
Newspaper
Pride was supported this year with supportive stories from the Evening Sentinel.
The Evening Sentinel stories were placed on the day of pride and Monday after Pride.
Radio
This year Pride was extensively advertised on the radio. One radio station was involved, this was:-
BBC Radio Stoke – Who provided free advertising and support on the build up to pride on the day.
Social Media/Web Platform
Facebook:-
This year we continued to grow our social media platform. At the start of 2024 we had 4,265 likes on our Facebook pages, this grew throughout the year to be 6,500.
As a result we are now able to post and reach on average over 3000 people without needing to boost promotions.
Web Platform:-
Strong performance on our web platform with lots of interaction on the day.
Leaflets:-
None
Billboards/Posters
No Billboard or advertising was done other than in the newspapers or social media.
Equipment/Resources
Horse Box Purchase for £2500 Flatbed Trailer Purchased for £3000
Additional Spend of £2000 to renovate
Old Pride flatbed is no longer viable and to be scrapped Old small Box trailer has been scrapped
Pride Caravan to be scrapped
No Value in any Items
All equipment at Chatterley Whitfield has now been moved to Spode Site
Pride Event
Signs
Installation occurred throughout the week before Pride by 6 persons. Installation on average took approx. 2 hours per team.
Litter
Litter Management worked well. The Park was left in a relatively clean position post event. We have clearly improved on the previous year.
Litter Picks were highly effective and the same process is recommended going forward on future events.
Pride had a skip and 12 1100L bins
Stalls
There was yet again a good mixture of stalls attending pride this year.
The new layout of the stalls spanned both the top and the bottom of the park. This created a vibrant heart at Pride. It would have been enhanced if the 2[nd] stage had been used.
More food stalls were needed as there was significant queues at the ones that were there all day.
Setup/Derig
Setup for the event commenced on the Friday daytime. This was a great help in preparation.
Pride was rigged before our start time for the first time ever and opened on time due to better logistics planning.
Derig was more fraught with the weather playing a part. We did not get away from the park until 2:00am this was terrible and it was again left to the few hard-core priders and pups to get the job done. A massive thank you should be highlights to Stoke-on-Trent Pup Community (Doghouse) for setting up running and derigging pride.
Stage
Main Stage
Main Stage ran far better this year with no technical issues thanks to the return of Ozz and the use of a new stage and better generators.
Acts flowed well, and stage management Ozz and Candy kept everything running smoothly.
The main stage provided entertainment from 1pm through till 6pm in the main arena with a mixture of acts both local and international.
Live Stage
Not used as live bands were on main stage
Fringe Tent
This was used to showcase more contemporary and edgy pride performances. Including Spoken word, poetry and pride films.
Street Performers
This was again provided by Pastiche, providing mirror man, stilt walkers and circus performers.
Group Shared Spaces
We’re not implemented this year, instead both star Marquees were erected for all to use in the main arena.
Dog House
Well received and steady stream of visitors throughout the day.
Changing facilities
No Changing facilities were provided as such, but public toilets were available for use.
Arts/Activities
Many thanks to Deborah for organising this.
Estimated Expenditure for Project
----- Start of picture text -----
Expenditure Description Amount £
Artists Fees Debs Teams £4,280
Misc Arts items Deb £50.50
Stages Main Stage Hire £6,000
Street Performers Street Performers £1,290
Brass Band Brass Band £1000
Hosts Hosts £250
Live Stage Acts Live Performers £2,700
Insurance Event Insurance £843
Marquee Hire Marquee Hire £2000
Licenses Council £70
Web Hosting Rob Stanway £99
Rob Stanway £95
Donations Kath Stanway -£25
Phones Vodafone £11.43
Vodafone £10.68
Vodafone £11.48
Vodafone £11.30
Vodafone £10.06
Vodafone £10.06
Vodafone £10.68
Vodafone £10.86
Vodafone £12.84
Vodafone £18.91
Refunds Stalls £5.57
Stall £42.00
Equipment Flatbed £3,000
Horsebox £2,500
Donations Luosko £75
Alzheimer’s Research £75
Alzheimer’s Society £75
Douglas Macmillan £100
Night Shelter £27.75
Security Site Security £2,348.46
Other Expenditure Fencing Hire £854.40
(please provide Toilet Hire £1,440
details) Waste & First Aid £450
Wristbands £133.50
Silk Flower £50
Flowers £117.48
Florist £13.50
Rigging Tools £103.63
Over due bills Honeycomb £150
Miscellaneous spend Misc £11.50
Pride Team £23.35
Flags and Pride Equipment & Fuel £1,191.87
----- End of picture text -----
----- Start of picture text -----
Wreaths £72.20
Phone case £20.00
Jugs £80.00
Rainbows £47.82
Card and Flowers for Benji £53.22
Printer replacement £10.00
Bag Design £20.00
Andrew Budworth £34.00
Taxi £26.08
Treasurer £35.67
FWD £48.69
Printing £597.00
Signing Language People £515.00
Carl Reimbursement for Pride Equipment £3,189.19
Hotels £120.08
Petty Cash & Bins £720.00
Tesco £17.50
Trains £27.55
Over Due invoices Items £295.00
TOTAL EXPENDITURE £37149.51
----- End of picture text -----
Parade
Great to see the parade around the park. Very successful, many thanks to Deborah. Use of Quad bike and trailer to create a float
Facilities
Toilets
The number of toilets was adequate for the visitors to the park. This was increased to 20, Toilet paper levels should be checked an additional loo rolls placed regularly throughout the day.
Bars
Bar did well serving customers. Gossips new setup was very effective and provided great service.
This was provided under Prides Premise License held by Dominic Gratty.
Gazeebos
Pop up gazeebos were far quicker to setup than older pole versions. At least 4 people should be on hand to deal with this due to weights and pulling legs apart.
Star Marquee
Successful as a general shared space with tables and chairs. This was used throughout the day.
A fault was identified with the poles on the second marquee that will require rectification as part of the equipment audit.
Transport
Many thanks to Carl & Dominic Gratty for driving the van and transporting Equipment.
Radios
Call signs used and communications generally good.
Volunteers
For the most part positive reports have been received. Issues were identified with training, there was no training sessions arrange.
Team sizes restricted flexibility and members from teams were constantly being split off to perform separate takes. Recommendation is next year to operate a buddy system so that people pair up to give greater flexibility. These pairs will then report into team leaders and ultimately the Volunteer master coordinator.
When recruiting next year we must also ascertain the suitability of all volunteers and their ability to deliver what we need. People suffering disabilities should be given special dispensation to step out as required.
Was good to be able to collect volunteers at the beginning of the day to assist in setup. More needed for next year for derig!!
Teams should have identified strengths so that these can be played to. Challenges and missions should also be assigned to each teams/sub team couple.
Security
Good responses were received from security presence. Many thanks to Staffordshire police for providing these.
Security was low key but visible, CCTV was hardwired into the park giving better coverage than in previous years. ARZ was enforced in the Park
Number of Incidents:- 0 Attendance for the day:- 8,000
Gates/Entrance
Gates were well managed, however at setup people were effectively martialled to their pitch location. Andrew and Fiona manned gate A at the bottom to ensure access was available all day and were a point of contact on entrance.
Strict gating could not be performed at the event due to road works.
Fair Ground
Just covered costs. This was mostly due to the bad weather.
Additional Events
Financial Standings/Breakdown
Current Bank Balance £3199.45
Outstanding invoices in the region of £895.00
Outstanding income in the region of £295.00
Stoke-on-Trent Pride 2023/2024 Profit Loss sheet on next page
stoke-on-Trent Pride Balance Sheet Moneys in Outstanding Moneys Out Outstsndlng Bank Total Income Total Expenditure Difference £295.C(I £3.199.45 £31,848.64 £37,149.51 -£5,3.87 This gives Pride 2024 a deficit of £5,300.87
General Summary
Event ran well however weather caused. Great improvement in most areas. Some areas need greater control to avoid falling back into bad habits.
The new park layout worked well spanning the canal.
Date for 2025 will be Saturday 21st June. The general feeling is 3[rd] weekend in June to capture student population.
Many thanks to all involved in making this year’s pride so special, it could not have occurred without you.
Thank you for reading this report.
Kind regards,
Carl R. Gratty Chairman of Stoke-on-Trent Pride Registered Charity Number 1157754