Elliott Conway, aged one year and one week, gets ready to take part in the Pride Parade. Photo: Colin McKenzie.
Friends support Manchester Pride
Quakers join the LGBT community celebration
Over the bank holiday weekend Manchester and Warrington Area Meeting once again celebrated Manchester Pride with a variety of activities.
Mount Street Meeting House hosted its popular Quaker ceilidh with a live band. There was an outdoor Meeting for Worship in the centre of Manchester and, as usual, a Quaker contingent walked in the main parade. The youngest participant this year was Elliott Conway from Warrington Meeting, aged one year and one week, who took part in his buggy.
For Maurice Nagington, clerk of Quaker Manchester Pride, the highlight of the event was the multi-faith evening held at Mount Street. He said: ‘It was so good to hear the talks and to experience different forms of worship and meditation.’ Manchester Pride has grown into a popular and significant annual celebration. Marion McNaughton explained that while ‘Pride is a carnival event it has a serious side as well’.
She added: ‘The Quaker stall attracted a steady stream of visitors. Despite the noise, the crowds and the hubbub, it was an effective witness to the LGBT community of the Quaker testimony to equality. People smiled, looked at the literature and sometimes just said “Thank you”.’
One Friend noted: ‘The gay community has heard about Quakers. They see us as LGBT-friendly. They feel relaxed coming to the stall. Many people are hungry for a spirituality and want to know more, want to talk about it. It’s so important that we do this.’
