Inspire’s Pride campaign in 2024 was as varied as it was energetic. Throughout July, the people who use our services, and the staff members supporting them, took part in a series events designed to promote wellbeing and demonstrate the links between mental health, sexual orientation and gender identity.
We were delighted to see the initiative headed up by a brilliant and dynamic Pride committee, which was led by service users, volunteers and staff from across Inspire. Created to build positive mental health in the LGBTQIA+ community, the committee shaped a range of engaging activities in advance of the main event: last week’s massive Belfast Pride parade.
This year’s Pride theme was Love Your Mind and we were so excited when Belfast Pride asked Inspire – one of Northern Ireland’s leading mental health charities – to lead the procession. This was a great platform for us to continue our ongoing campaign to support those affected by mental ill health.
July was a very busy month. From creative writing groups centred on crafting healthy messages around self-care and positive wellbeing, to a learning lunch discussing research on the prevalence of mental ill health and substance use amongst LGBTQIA+ people, the committee was keen to provide everyone in Inspire with innovative and stimulating ways of exploring often challenging topics.
Elsewhere, we hosted a number of workshops for designing and producing the vibrant decorations for the parade. We also got together to do up our trusty minibus, kindly made available by our colleagues in Dundalk, which we used to transport parade participants with mobility challenges.
Finally, our Pride barbeque welcomed Belfast’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Micky Murray, to the community wellbeing service in Finaghy, where great craic, food and music was enjoyed by all.
The parade itself was a magnificent celebration of love, equality and acceptance. Following a morning spent at a scrumptious breakfast hosted by our charity partners ICC BWUH and giving out wellbeing packs in the Pride village, Team Inspire gathered to lead a column of thousands through a sea of celebrating well-wishers.
Inspire is committed to elevating the collective voice of our service users – a vital element of our strategic plan – and this all came about thanks to the hard work and vision of our Pride committee members. Check out their stellar efforts in the video below.