A NEW-LOOK road crossing will take permanent pride of place on Leamington’s Parade as it gets a rainbow-coloured makeover.
Following a request from Warwickshire Pride, Warwickshire County Council (WCC) will be updating the colour scheme of the existing puffin crossing – conforming with Department for Transport guidelines.
The puffin crossing, which is located outside The Pump Rooms, will become Warwickshire’s first rainbow road crossing and will be in place in time for this year’s Warwickshire Pride event on Saturday (August 21).
WCC transport spokesman Coun Wallace Redford said: “We want Warwickshire to be a place where everyone feels valued, included, safe and welcome, and as an organisation we place inclusivity at the heart of everything we do.
“I’m delighted that Warwickshire’s first rainbow crossing will be in place before this year’s Warwickshire Pride event and is a way for us to show visible support for Warwickshire’s LGBTQ+ community.
“We are proud to support and celebrate Pride and our LGBTQ+ communities. It’s in a great location on The Parade and will make a long-lasting eye-catching addition to this popular area of Leamington.”
Daniel Browne, Chair of Warwickshire Pride was delighted.
He said: “It’s wonderful that Leamington will now have a rainbow crossing. Many other towns and cities around the UK have rainbow crossings and although Warwickshire is catching up, it’s great that the county council and partners have agreed to this important, symbolic crossing.
“Pride is a protest. LGBT+ people continue to be discriminated against and experience hate just for being who they are. Even here in Leamington it is not easy to be LGBT+. That’s why the rainbow crossing is so important. It sends a strong message that LGBT+ people are welcome here, that the County Council supports the LGBT+ community, and that Warwickshire is moving with the times.
“It is my hope that the rainbow crossing is accepted, celebrated, and that the meaning of it is also recognised.”
For more information on hate crime and how to report it visit www.reporthatenow.com/
This year’s Warwickshire Pride festival will once again be hosted online, with a programme of content streaming throughout the day.
Full details of the line-up can be found on http://www.warwickshirepride.co.uk/
