Nottingham’s LGBT+ champions honoured at Rainbow Heritage Awards
From queer history archiving to inclusive sport, business outreach and community support, this year’s Rainbow Heritage Awards highlighted the breadth of LGBT+ work happening across Nottingham.
The annual Rainbow Heritage awards were held last night honouring the LGBT+ services and community organisers from around Nottingham.
There were five awards given: three from Rainbow Heritage themselves and two from the organisers of Notts Pride. CJ DeBarra, Nottingham Frontrunners, and Lucy and Shell Buckle were first to receive their awards. Notts Pride awarded theirs to The Pastel Project and Sladen Estates.
CJ DeBarra was given a very warm welcome from the packed room as they accepted their award. CJ’s “unfunded labour of love” has led to them collecting 192 interviews and curating almost 1,600 items of historic, queer import. Their collection, Nottingham Queer History Archive, is available through their books (available at Five Leaves, also present), the Sparrows' Nest, and Notts University.
Nottingham Frontrunners accepted their award “for our community”, remembering that the Frontrunners are more than just a running group but now have hiking and trips to the Sherwood Observatory on the calendar, organised not by NFR leadership but by members themselves.
Marc Faulder, co-founder, said, “All this happens for free thanks to the Spencer Trust.” The Spencer Trust were thanked throughout the night for their funding of queer communities.
Lucy and Shell Buckle won their award to recognise the events they run including the Queer History Walk and swimming sessions open exclusively for LGBT+ use, allowing people to swim in a more accepting environment, whether that be whilst transitioning or just preferring a more welcoming group to swim with. Lucy is also a finalist for Gaydio Awards Volunteer of the Year.
Notts Pride's first award was given to The Pastel Project, accepted by Sam Harvey and Jess Hunt. Their work over the past three years has meant working with 200 businesses with the "Your Spaces Too" project and now working on the "Nottingham Rainbow Quarter" to make Nottingham a safe sanctuary for trans folk.
Sam's acceptance speech included messages of hope and comfort in solidarity.
Finally, Notts Pride main financier, Sladen Estates received an award. They were unable to attend on the night, but have been long-standing supporters of Notts Pride. Leigh Ellis, Chair of Notts Pride, told us, "their contribution is much more than just financial. Their values align with Pride and they never ask for anything in return. They just want to lift up the community."
The event was attended by at least 150 people, with other community services running stalls.
Members of the Teachers' Union (NASUWT) told us, "unions are about solidarity. We have members affected by LGBT issues, especially in smaller schools, who need the aid of a union, sometimes just as an ally."
Equation, a domestic abuse charity, were there to make the community aware that they have dedicated LGBT material and support too.
Also there were Notts LGBT+ Network who are most well known for their phone support lines, running for 50 years now. Morning Briefing regulars will know that their events page is a central point in finding queer events around Nottingham, including some events they run themselves like social clubs specifically for underserved age groups.
Base 51, The Spencer Trust, The Alliance Network, KAIROS, Notts Recovery Network, Five Leaves, and the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner were represented too. LGBT sports groups were there too: Lions (football), Hurricanes (rugby), and the Frontrunners each had stalls.
The event had a very friendly atmosphere with a sense of kinship amongst everyone there. The mood was heightened by the Singing Proud Nottingham choir who were a delight to listen to.
