Retirement Living residents played a key role in this year's Manchester Pride celebrations, helping to design and decorate Housing 21's parade float before joining colleagues in the city's iconic Pride Parade on Saturday.
Ahead of the event, residents from Edward Onyon Court in Salford were invited to share ideas and get hands-on in preparing the lorry that took part in one of the UK's largest Pride parades.
This year's float was inspired by The Wizard of Oz, featuring the slogan "There's no place like home, there's no place like Housing 21." Residents spent weeks creating decorations, banners and colourful displays, transforming the lorry into a vibrant and eye-catching centrepiece for the parade.
Their creativity and hard work were recognised on the day when Housing 21 scooped the Scarecrow's Brain Award for the "Magical Out of the Box" category, which celebrates imaginative and original interpretations of the parade theme.
The collaborative project gave residents the opportunity to celebrate diversity, express their creativity and show their support for LGBTQ+ communities.
Heating provider GOS kindly donated the lorry and driver for the parade, while Lyreco and MTH Construction donated giveaways to support the event.
Local Manager, Debbie Walker, said: "We were delighted to be part of Manchester Pride again this year. The parade is always a highlight for our residents, and it was fantastic to see so many people come together to celebrate inclusion, community and diversity. We were especially proud to receive the Scarecrow's Brain Award, which recognised the creativity and enthusiasm that residents put into bringing our Wizard of Oz theme to life."
Residents and colleagues took part in the parade alongside thousands of others, celebrating Pride and promoting Housing 21's commitment to creating inclusive communities where everyone feels welcome, valued and respected.
Housing 21's participation in Manchester Pride forms part of its ongoing commitment to supporting equality, diversity and inclusion across its services and communities.
