Knowsley Pride is not a big budget event. It’s a week of community-led activity in a Merseyside borough, rooted in the legacy of a young man who was murdered eighteen years ago for being who he was. Done badly, a campaign like this becomes hollow. A logo on a press release. A Pride post that arrives and disappears.

John Hyland was brought in by One Knowsley to make sure it was done properly.

The Snapshot

Client: One Knowsley
Project: Knowsley Pride 2026, including the 18th annual Vigil for Michael Causer
Timeframe: June to August 2026
Scope: PR, press releases, social media, website content, event scripts and briefing materials, partner activation pack
Press cuttings: 10
Combined social views: 132,600+
New followers gained: 220 across Facebook and Instagram
Paid advertising spend: £0

The Brief

One Knowsley needed someone to develop and deliver the full communications campaign for Knowsley Pride 2026. That meant the 18th annual Vigil for Michael Causer on 2 August, a week of community events across the borough supported through the Michael Causer Fund, and Rainbow in the Park, the free Pride showcase at Court Hey Park on 8 August.

The brief required sensitivity as much as it required skill. Michael Causer was murdered in a homophobic attack in 2008 at the age of eighteen. His death, and the community’s response to it, led directly to the return of Pride across the Liverpool City Region after more than fifteen years. This campaign needed to honour that accurately, navigate a politically charged backdrop without exploiting it, and build genuine momentum around a free, community-led event with no paid promotion budget.

The Michael Causer Foundation strand was added to the scope during the project, alongside support for Ruby O’Brien’s appearance representing One Knowsley at Liverpool’s Pride March Muster.

Press and PR

Three press releases were developed and distributed across the campaign, securing ten cuttings in total.

The vigil release, issued on 24 June, was the strongest single piece. The symmetry of eighteen years and eighteen years old gave the story real emotional weight. Combined with the timeliness of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric from elected figures in a neighbouring borough, it had genuine news value that extended well beyond the local press. Coverage landed in Knowsley News, The Guide Liverpool, St Helens Star, Attitude Magazine, Gaydio and Scene Magazine, taking a borough-level remembrance into national LGBTQ+ media.

The Knowsley Pride announcement followed on 6 July, with coverage in Knowsley News, Gaydio and The Guide Liverpool. A post-event success story was published on 10 August in Knowsley News.

It is worth noting that regional press pickup for the Pride announcement was affected by a direct clash with Wirral Pride, which took place on the same weekend and drew the majority of regional media attention, with outlets including the Liverpool Echo focusing their Pride coverage elsewhere. This is a structural challenge worth addressing in future campaign planning rather than a reflection of the story’s strength.

Website Content

Five pieces of content were written and published on oneknowsley.org across the campaign period, covering the vigil, the Pride programme, Ruby O’Brien’s speech at Liverpool’s Pride March Muster, a getting here guide for Rainbow in the Park, and the post-event success story.

Social Media

All social content was created, scheduled and delivered organically across Facebook and Instagram, with zero paid spend throughout.

Combined cross-platform views across the campaign period reached 132,600, with Facebook views up 637.5% and Instagram views up 663.8% on the prior period. One Knowsley gained 220 new followers across both platforms during the campaign.

The top performing post, the vigil announcement featuring Michael’s portrait surrounded by tealights and daisies, reached 39,100 views with 368 likes and 60 shares across Facebook and Instagram combined.

Partner Activation

A partner activation pack was developed for community organisations involved in the week’s events, including Canva social media templates, suggested caption copy, a messaging guide on tone and how to reference Michael’s story respectfully, and a what’s on and when guide. The pack was designed to be used by community partners without design skills or additional support.

Event Support Materials

Scripts, briefing documents and talking points were developed across multiple elements of the programme, including the vigil running order for host Ruby O’Brien, trustee briefing notes for One Knowsley’s CEO, talking points for Ruby’s appearance at Liverpool’s Pride March Muster, and host introductions for the Michael Causer Fund community groups performing at Rainbow in the Park.

Third-Party Amplification

The vigil generated organic coverage beyond press pickups. The Merseyside Lieutenancy, the official office of HM Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside, independently published both a website article and a LinkedIn post following the event, using language drawn from the campaign’s own framing of Michael’s legacy. That kind of institutional validation is not something you can manufacture.

What This Demonstrates

• PR and media relations for sensitive, community-rooted campaigns
• Press angle development that generates national LGBTQ+ coverage for a borough-level event
• Social media content strategy and delivery with no paid budget
• Navigating emotionally significant and politically charged subject matter with care and accuracy
• Event communications and scripting across multiple formats
• Partner activation design and delivery
• Ability to work across community organisations, civic dignitaries and charity clients simultaneously

“[Quote from Racheal Jones to be inserted]”
Racheal Jones, CEO, One Knowsley

For PR, communications or community engagement consultancy, get in touch at hey@proudlysaid.co.uk

Liverpool’s Pride Opening Party on 24th July 2026 was the kind of event that could easily have been done to the LGBTQ+ community rather than with it. A major arena. A headline act. A Friday night ticket price that not everyone could afford. The risk of it feeling like a corporate Pride moment rather than a genuine community one was real.

John Hyland was brought in by Liverpool Experience Campus to make sure that didn’t happen.

The Snapshot

Client: Liverpool Experience Campus
Event: Liverpool’s Pride Opening Party, M&S Bank Arena, 24 July 2026
Headline acts: Sugababes, Beth Ditto, Bimini, Tia Kofi, House Gospel Choir, Horse Meat Disco
Timeframe: April to July 2026
Scope: Community engagement, PR support, creative content
Community organisations contacted: 30+
Attendance: Near capacity for the auditorium configuration
Press coverage: Attitude Magazine, DIVA Magazine, and others
Social content reach: 7.8K (Peaches & Cream collaboration), 4.6K (Proudly Said on-the-night content), 995 likes on Manchester Village Pride collaboration

The Brief

Liverpool Experience Campus needed someone who could build genuine relationships across Liverpool’s LGBTQ+ community, support a press narrative that went beyond the headline acts, and ensure the campaign felt credible to the people it was trying to reach. The brief wasn’t just about ticket sales. It was about making sure the right people felt genuinely invited in.

Community Engagement

Working as an embedded member of the wider Liverpool Experience Campus campaign team, John led direct outreach to over 30 LGBTQ+ groups, organisations, venues, sports clubs and businesses across the Liverpool City Region.

Every approach was built around genuine involvement. Groups were positioned as stakeholders in the event, not distribution points for marketing material, with each partner given a meaningful reason to feel connected to the night and invested in its success.

Confirmed partners across the campaign included community club nights and events, LGBTQ+ sports clubs including Liverpool Frontrunners, Mersey Marauders FC, Liverpool Tritons RUFC and Liverpool Trans & Enby FC, regional pride organisations including Sefton Pride, Wirral Pride, Knowsley Pride, St Helens Pride and Chester Pride, community groups including Merseyside Queer Hikers, Board Gaymes and Proud Readers Book Club, and LGBTQ+ venues including The Lisbon, Masquerade, Superstar Boudoir, OMG Liverpool and Heaven.

A community nominee scheme was developed to ensure people who couldn’t otherwise afford to attend were given access through trusted community organisations.

The Opening Ceremony Memorial

As part of the Opening Ceremony content, John led the research and compilation of a memorial list honouring members of Liverpool’s LGBTQ+ community who have passed. Built through direct conversations with older members of the community and research through historical press, the list ensured that figures from across decades of Liverpool’s queer history were represented alongside more recently lost community members, closing with the line: “And to all who have stepped into the Love Lounge in the sky.”

PR Support

John supported the PR campaign by using existing relationships with LGBTQ+ specialist media to help place coverage in key outlets. This resulted in the event being featured in both Attitude Magazine and DIVA Magazine, the two leading national LGBTQ+ publications in the UK.

Press angles supported included the local community involvement story, the Queer Liverpool opens Pride narrative around the opening ceremony’s local talent, spotlight coverage on artists involved, and the community nominee scheme as a values-led story.

Press release drafting was led by the Liverpool Experience Campus comms team; John’s contribution was using established media relationships to support placement.

Creative Content

John organised a collaboration video between Manchester Village Pride and Liverpool Experience Campus, which reached 995 likes and was shared across both organisations’ channels, connecting two city communities ahead of the event.

A collaboration with Peaches & Cream produced a Pride makeover video reaching 7.8K views across Liverpool Experience Campus and partner social channels, combining event promotion with authentic community content.

Rehearsal behind-the-scenes content and local drag queen spotlight videos were produced and distributed via the M&S Bank Arena account, each generating strong engagement across collaborated accounts including Proudly Said.

On-the-night content published via Proudly Said reached 4.6K views, documenting the event from a community perspective.

What This Demonstrates

• Community relationship management across 30+ LGBTQ+ organisations, venues, sports clubs and businesses
• Embedded working within a major venue’s campaign team
• Structured community partner activation ensuring groups felt genuinely involved rather than tokenised
• Use of existing media relationships to support national LGBTQ+ press placement, including Attitude and DIVA
• Creative content production and collaboration including cross-city partnership video
• Sensitive community work including memorial research conducted through direct community engagement
• On-the-night content capture and distribution to an existing LGBTQ+ audience

“John brought significant value to our Liverpool Pride 2026 campaign. Leveraging his strong relationships across the region’s LGBTQ+ community, he enabled us to engage key audiences with credibility and genuine understanding.

“The community outreach activity he led was particularly impactful, helping us build meaningful connections with the people and communities at the heart of our campaign, ensuring both visibility and sincerity.”

 – Joanna Rowlands, Director of Marketing & Communications, Liverpool Experience Campus

For consultancy, community engagement, PR or communications work, get in touch at hey@proudlysaid.co.uk

When OMG Liverpool announced its closure on 6th June 2026, it was the latest in a long line of losses for Liverpool’s LGBTQ+ community. But this time, the response went further than social media grief.

Within days, an open letter had been drafted, signed by more than 50 community leaders, venue managers, and organisations, and sent directly to Liverpool City Council, Liverpool BID Company, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, and Kim Johnson MP. A social media campaign reached over 83,000 people. A press release landed a BBC Radio Merseyside interview with the Council Leader within two days. And a public commitment was made on air.

This is how it happened.

The Snapshot

Timeframe: 2 June 2026 to present
Platform: Proudly Said
Campaign type: Community advocacy and stakeholder engagement
Instagram reach: 83,636 views | 45,835 unique viewers | 92.2% non-followers
Interactions: 4,515 total | 3,465 likes | 163 saves | 77 comments | 3,642 accounts engaged
External link taps: 451
New followers: 259
Signatories: 55+ including venue managers, LCR Pride Foundation, Holly Johnson
Recipients: Liverpool City Council, Liverpool BID Company, Metro Mayor, Kim Johnson MP
Media coverage: BBC News, BBC Radio Merseyside

The Background

Liverpool made history in 2011 as the first city in the UK to officially recognise its LGBTQ+ Quarter, marking the Stanley Street area with rainbow street signs. In 2012 it became the first city in the world to formally mark IDAHOBIT. Homotopia, one of the country’s most respected LGBTQ+ arts festivals, has been rooted here since 2004.

In 2016, Liverpool BID Company and Liverpool City Council jointly oversaw the refurbishment of Eberle Street, redesigning it with a Yellow Brick Road-inspired scheme as a tribute to the area’s LGBTQ+ heritage, explicitly including the legacy of Garlands. It was described as the biggest investment in the city’s LGBT quarter for a decade. Within a year, Garlands had closed after 24 years.

The street had been redesigned in part to honour a venue that no longer existed. It is a precise illustration of the gap that concerns the community: public investment in the Quarter’s appearance without sufficient protection for the spaces within it.

Where Things Stand

Following OMG’s closure, Liverpool’s LGBTQ+ venue offer stands at the Lisbon, Masquerade, and Superstar Boudoir, with Upstairs at the Poste House and Heaven as further options. According to the 2021 UK Census, 123,367 people across the Liverpool City Region identify as LGBTQ+, equivalent to the entire GLB population of San Francisco. Liverpool has an LGBTQ+ population of enormous scale. It no longer has a scene that reflects it.

A long-form blog post, Are the Lights Going Out on Liverpool’s Queer Scene?, set out the full picture and anchored everything that followed.

The Open Letter

An open letter was drafted and sent to Liverpool City Council, Liverpool BID Company, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, and Kim Johnson MP. It drew on Liverpool’s LGBTQ+ history, the Census data, national venue closure statistics, and the economic contribution of the night time economy. It asked for acknowledgement, answers on what protections exist within the Pride Quarter designation, and consideration of what support could be made available.

Rather than a solo voice, the letter was opened for co-signature. Within days, more than 55 signatories had added their names, including:

• The managers of Liverpool’s remaining LGBTQ+ venues, Lisbon, Masquerade, and Superstar Boudoir
• The Board of Trustees of LCR Pride Foundation
• LGBTQ+ sports clubs including Liverpool Frontrunners, Mersey Marauders FC, and Liverpool Tritons RUFC
• Drag artists, educators, charities, and allied businesses
• Liverpool-born musician and LGBTQ+ icon Holly Johnson

Read the full open letter here

The Social Media Campaign

A five-slide Instagram carousel was published alongside the letter, written in the community’s voice. The organic performance with no paid promotion:

• 83,636 views across 45,835 unique viewers
• 92.2% of views from non-followers
• 4,515 interactions including 3,465 likes, 163 saves, and 77 comments
• 451 external link taps to the letter and blog
• 259 new followers

The comment thread became a significant document of lived community experience in its own right, covering safety, accessibility, venue quality, gentrification, and economic pressure, and was referenced directly in stakeholder communications.

The Response

Kim Johnson MP responded in writing within days, confirming she had contacted Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and Council Leader Liam Robinson to discuss what action might be possible.

A press release issued on 15 June resulted in BBC Radio Merseyside inviting participation in their weekly Hot Seat segment on 17 June, where Council Leader Liam Robinson was the featured guest. Speaking live on air, Liam Robinson confirmed he had been working with Councillor Harry Doyle, the relevant cabinet member, on how the Council could support the community, and committed publicly to coming back with a formal response.

BBC News covered the campaign, alongside a Radio Merseyside exchange on 17 June 2026.

The story was subsequently picked up by Attitude, one of the UK’s leading LGBTQ+ publications, on 18 June 2026, with Councillor Robinson quoted directly committing to “cherish” the Pride Quarter. The piece was also syndicated via Yahoo News, extending the campaign’s reach further. Read the Attitude article here.

What This Demonstrates

• Rapid issue identification and strategic response planning
• Long-form content creation grounded in data and lived community experience
• Coalition building across venues, charities, sports clubs, and public figures
• Social media campaign development with significant organic reach
• Press release writing and media relations resulting in national broadcaster coverage
• Formal stakeholder communication at senior political and civic level
• Broadcast media confidence and spokesperson work
• Campaign management across multiple channels within a tight timeframe

Following the BBC Radio Merseyside broadcast, a formal written response was received from Councillor Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, on the same day. In his response, Councillor Robinson acknowledged the strength of feeling within the community, reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to the Pride Quarter, and confirmed that work is ongoing with Councillor Harry Doyle as the relevant cabinet member.

The dialogue between the community and civic leaders is now formally open.

For consultancy, community engagement, advocacy, or communications work, get in touch at hey@proudlysaid.co.uk

On the night of the first anniversary of the passing of The Vivienne, Liverpool’s beloved LGBTQ+ and drag icon, an idea became a campaign. Buildings across Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, North Wales, and Milton Keynes lit up green in her memory, raising awareness of The House of The Vivienne and its mission around ketamine awareness.

What started as a series of careful, personal asks to venues and landmarks in late November 2025 grew into something far larger than anticipated, with coverage spanning the UK, the US, and Australia.

The Snapshot

Date: January 2026
Locations: Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, North Wales, Milton Keynes, London, Gran Canaria
Lead time: 6 weeks from first outreach to delivery
Role: Sole organiser, press coordinator, and broadcast spokesperson
Broadcast: BBC North West Tonight, Granada Reports, BBC Radio Merseyside, BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Radio Wales
Media coverage: BBC, ITV Granada, PinkNews, Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo, OUT Magazine (US), The Advocate (US), Star Observer (Australia), and many others

The Background

The first anniversary of The Vivienne’s passing fell on Saturday 3 January in January 2026. Outreach to venues and landmarks began in late November 2025, giving organisations time to confirm participation, arrange logistics, and prepare.

The ask was simple: light up green on the anniversary, in her memory, and in support of The House of The Vivienne and its work around ketamine awareness. The family were fully involved and communicated with throughout.

Some venues faced limitations due to weekend staffing. But the response was overwhelming.

The Buildings

Across various locations, the following venues and landmarks participated:

Liverpool

• St George’s Hall
• St John’s Beacon
• Liverpool ONE, including the stairs to The Terrace and the John Lewis bridge
• Liverpool Empire
• The ACC Liverpool campus, including M&S Bank Arena, the Convention Centre and Exhibition Centre
• Liverpool Parish Church
• Pullman Hotel
• Quirky Quarter, Duke Street
• The Lisbon
• Superstar Boudoir
• Heaven
• Navy Bar
• Masquerade
• Everyman Theatre
• Playhouse Theatre
• Scandals, Hanover Street
• Liverpool Epstein Theatre, with an announcement made at the panto curtain call

Chester

• Rainbow Tearooms
• Storyhouse
• Liverpool Arms

Manchester

• Palace Theatre and Opera House
• Iconic Bar
• Via
• The Brewers

North Wales

• Gwrych Castle

Milton Keynes

• Latour Hotel
• Centre MK Car Park

London

• Clapham Grand

Gran Canaria

• Sparkles Showbar

Digital tributes

• The Guide Liverpool
• Chester Pride
• Rainbow Tearooms
• Funny Girls, Blackpool

On the Night

The broadcast coverage began before the anniversary itself, with ITV Granada Reports and BBC North West Tonight both covering the campaign. BBC Radio Merseyside, BBC Radio Manchester, and BBC Radio Wales all featured the story.

The Coverage

The campaign was covered across the UK and internationally, including:

• BBC News
• ITV Granada
• PinkNews
• Manchester Evening News
• Liverpool Echo
• The Guide Liverpool
• Canal Street Online
• OUT Magazine (US)
• The Advocate (US)
• Pride.com (US)
• Star Observer (Australia)
• OUTinPerth (Australia)
• North Wales Pioneer
• Scene Mag
• Hits Radio
• MKFM

The Outcome

What began as a personal idea, and a series of careful asks made six weeks in advance, became a coordinated tribute spanning the UK and beyond, with more than 30 venues and landmarks participating and press coverage reaching three continents.

The campaign raised the profile of The House of The Vivienne and its ketamine awareness work at a moment when that visibility mattered most.

What This Demonstrates

• Long-range campaign planning and stakeholder outreach across multiple regions
• Relationship building with venues, landmarks, theatres, and public institutions
• Broadcast media liaison and on-camera spokesperson work at national level
• Press coordination generating coverage across UK, US, and Australian outlets
• Sensitive handling of a campaign rooted in grief, community, and charity awareness
• End-to-end campaign delivery as sole organiser

For consultancy, event organisation, community engagement, or communications work, get in touch at hey@proudlysaid.co.uk

Between August 2024 and August 2025, John Hyland served as Community Partnerships and Individual Giving Lead at Sahir House, Liverpool’s oldest LGBTQ+ and HIV charity, founded in 1985 and operating across the Liverpool City Region.

The role sat at the intersection of external relationship building, fundraising development, digital communications, and community engagement. In practice, it stretched considerably further than the job description.

The Snapshot

Role: Community Partnerships and Individual Giving Lead
Organisation: Sahir House
Tenure: August 2024 to August 2025
Focus areas: Stakeholder and partnership development, individual giving, social media and digital content, community engagement, event coordination

Raising the Charity’s Profile

A significant part of the role involved increasing Sahir’s visibility, both among potential donors and partners, and within the wider LGBTQ+ community it serves.

This included direct outreach to local businesses, organisations, and high-profile individuals to build awareness of the charity and develop relationships with the potential to grow into fundraising, sponsorship, or longer-term partnership.

Among the visits and engagements facilitated during this period was a visit from Dame Angela Eagle DBE MP, Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum, which coincided with National HIV Testing Week and generated positive press coverage for the charity. Read the coverage here.

A meeting with Olly Alexander, one of the UK’s most prominent LGBTQ+ musicians and public figures, resulted in a mention of Sahir on national television, extending the charity’s reach to a significantly wider audience. That moment was captured on video.

Digital and Content

Sahir’s social media and website content saw a significant increase in activity and visibility during this period. A blog programme was established on the charity’s website, serving both as a community engagement tool and an SEO development initiative.

Content included guest blogs from community members and partner organisations, LGBTQ+ History Month personal stories, World AIDS Day reflections, service updates, and event coverage. The programme brought in external voices including Liverpool Frontrunners, individual community members sharing personal stories, and partners across the region.

Blog and news activity on the Sahir website was notably higher during this tenure than before or since, reflecting a deliberate strategy to build the charity’s digital presence and searchability.

The Pound for Sahir Appeal

An individual giving campaign, the Pound for Sahir appeal, was developed during this period as a way of encouraging a large number of people to give small, regular amounts that would accumulate into meaningful income for the charity.

The appeal took on an unexpected and profound significance when a post promoting it, shared by a high-profile public figure with a deep personal connection to Sahir, became their final social media post before their sudden passing in January 2025. That post alone generated donations from supporters across the globe, reaching audiences the charity could never have anticipated and bringing international attention to Sahir’s work at a deeply difficult moment.

Coverage of the appeal and its significance was carried by Metro, ITV Granada, LBC, and many others.

• Metro
• ITV Granada
• Sahir’s tribute

Community Response to Bereavement

Following the sudden passing of a much-loved Liverpool LGBTQ+ icon in January 2025, Sahir took a leading role in coordinating the city’s community response.

This included facilitating a Book of Condolences at the Museum of Liverpool, with the physical book donated by John Lewis, giving the public a dignified and accessible space to record their tributes over several days.

Sahir also led the organisation of a public vigil at St George’s Plateau, which drew approximately 1,000 people and generated national and international press coverage across BBC, ITV, Sky News, PinkNews, The Mirror, The Independent, and many others. That event is documented in full in a separate case study.

Read the vigil case study here

Pride 2025

When LCR Pride Foundation announced it would not be delivering Pride in Liverpool in 2025, Sahir stepped in to coordinate a community-led response. The groundwork for that response was laid during this tenure.

A key piece of relationship brokering brought together the CEOs of Sahir and Liverpool BID Company, establishing the partnership that would underpin Sahir’s ability to facilitate Pride 2025. A Queer Town Hall was led and facilitated, bringing the Liverpool LGBTQ+ community together to discuss what Pride could look like and what it would take to make it happen. Initial stakeholder meetings were attended before the role concluded in August 2025.

Sahir went on to deliver Liverpool’s Pride 2025 and was subsequently awarded the British LGBT Award for Community Impact, with judges specifically recognising the charity’s role in securing the future of Pride in Liverpool.

• Independent: Liverpool Pride LGBTQ charity Sahir House
• Liverpool Echo: Pride takes a massive leap forward
• Queer Town Hall: Making Pride Happen

Governance

The role also involved significant involvement in a full refresh of Sahir’s Board of Trustees, supporting the recruitment process that brought an entirely new board into place during this period.

What This Demonstrates

• Stakeholder and partnership development across public, corporate, and community organisations
• High-profile relationship management and facilitation
• Individual giving campaign development
• Digital content strategy and execution, including SEO-focused blogging and social media
• Rapid community response coordination under sensitive and high-pressure circumstances
• Event facilitation including public community engagement and Queer Town Hall
• Strategic relationship brokering between senior organisational leaders
• Governance support including trustee recruitment

This work was carried out in an employed capacity at Sahir House between August 2024 and August 2025.

For consultancy, community engagement, partnerships, or communications work, get in touch at hey@proudlysaid.co.uk

In January 2025, following the sudden passing of a much-loved public figure with deep roots in Liverpool’s LGBTQ+ community, the city needed a space to grieve together. No formal event was planned and there was no existing infrastructure to coordinate one.

Within three days, a public vigil had been organised, resourced, and delivered at St George’s Plateau, drawing approximately 1,000 people.

The Snapshot

Date: January 2025
Location: St George’s Plateau, Liverpool
Attendance: Approximately 1,000 people
Lead time: 3 days from conception to delivery
Role: Sole organiser and press spokesperson
Media coverage: BBC, ITV Granada, Sky News, PinkNews, Metro, The Mirror, The Independent, Liverpool Echo, and others

The Challenge

The circumstances were demanding from the outset. St George’s Plateau had a prior commercial booking, with a production team’s vehicles already in the space. There was no budget. Media interest was immediate. And the event needed to feel worthy of the moment: properly resourced, dignified, and inclusive.

All of that needed to happen in three days, with constant communication with the individual’s family.

How It Came Together

Liverpool City Council was engaged to confirm the venue, which included facilitating the relocation of the production team’s vehicles at short notice. MSP provided professional AV at a substantially reduced rate, with local businesses contributing financially to make it possible.

St George’s Hall and the Liverpool Empire were among the iconic buildings that lit up green on the day as a mark of tribute. Open Media, Liverpool One, and the Royal Court Theatre donated space on their public-facing screens to display tributes throughout the day.

Press liaison was handled throughout, with media enquiries managed and coordinated from the point the event was announced, alongside the news of their passing.

The Coverage

The vigil was covered nationally and internationally, including:

• BBC News
• ITV Granada
• Sky News
• PinkNews
• Metro
• The Mirror
• The Independent (Ireland)
• Liverpool Echo
• Wales Online
• Star Observer (Australia)

The Outcome

Approximately 1,000 people gathered at St George’s Plateau in a peaceful, moving, and well-resourced public event. Delivered within three days, with no formal budget at the point of conception, the vigil gave Liverpool’s community a proper space to come together.

What This Demonstrates

• Crisis response and rapid event organisation under significant time and emotional pressure
• Stakeholder engagement across public sector, corporate, and creative partners
• Sponsorship and in-kind support secured at short notice
• Press liaison and media management at national and international scale
• Community-centred event delivery with dignity and sensitivity

For consultancy, event organisation, community engagement, or communications work, get in touch at hey@proudlysaid.co.uk

In August 2018, following a period of significant organisational challenge within Liverpool Pride Ltd, a decision was made to step back from the existing structure and build something new.

The opportunity was clear. Liverpool had established itself as a city with genuine LGBTQ+ credentials, but the infrastructure to support and grow that identity needed to evolve. Rather than simply continuing what existed, the aim was to create an organisation with a broader brief, a stronger foundation, and deeper roots across the entire Liverpool City Region.

Working alongside a co-founder, and entirely on a voluntary basis alongside full-time employment, the process of building what would become LCR Pride Foundation began.

The Snapshot

Role: Co-founder and Co-chair
Timeframe: August 2018 to February 2019
Organisation: LCR Pride Foundation (registered charity)
Mission: To make the Liverpool City Region the most LGBTQ+ friendly region in the UK
Stakeholders engaged: Approximately 100 organisations and individuals prior to launch
Launch event: Official partner and stakeholder launch, Love Lane Brewery, Liverpool

The Challenge

The founding period was demanding in every sense. A new charitable organisation needed to be built from scratch, including company formation and charity registration, with no dedicated resource or budget.

Approximately 100 stakeholder organisations and individuals needed to be engaged ahead of launch, to build confidence, establish relationships, and communicate the vision. And the narrative needed to be managed carefully throughout, presenting the transition as a natural and positive evolution of Liverpool Pride rather than a break or rupture.

All of that was sustained entirely voluntarily. Stakeholder meetings began at 8am before a full working day, and foundation work continued into the evenings, often until 8 or 9pm. It was intense, and done for the love and the passion.

The Approach

The central challenge was not simply operational but reputational. The story told, consistently and across every conversation, was one of evolution rather than replacement: that Liverpool Pride was becoming LCR Pride Foundation, with an expanded brief and a renewed commitment to the whole region.

That framing held. The transition was received as a progressive step forward, and the circumstances that had made it necessary were never brought into question publicly.

Over the five months between August 2018 and the February 2019 launch, around 100 organisations and individuals were engaged individually. Relationships with Liverpool City Council and Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram were maintained and deepened, and new relationships were established with boroughs and organisations across the wider region.

LCR Pride Foundation was formally incorporated as a new company and registered as a charity, with a new board of trustees recruited to support the organisation from its earliest days.

The Launch

The official partner and stakeholder launch took place at Love Lane Brewery in Liverpool in February 2019, bringing together the organisations, individuals, and community figures engaged throughout the founding period.

Coverage was secured across the Liverpool Echo, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s own channels, Bi Community News, and the Foundation’s own platform.

• LCR Pride Foundation launch announcement
• Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
• Liverpool Echo
• Bi Community News

What Was Set in Motion

In the months following the launch, LCR Pride Foundation moved quickly. Pride in Liverpool 2019 was delivered under the new Foundation’s banner, with a full festival programme and strong press coverage. Conversations around an inaugural LCR Pride Awards were initiated. A bid to bring the Gay Games to Liverpool in 2026 was launched, reflecting the ambition of the organisation’s regional and national positioning.

The Foundation also established itself as a community voice, with its leadership called upon to respond publicly to incidents affecting the LGBTQ+ community, including coverage on BBC News.

What This Demonstrates

• Strategic organisational thinking and the ability to identify opportunity within complexity
• Narrative management and disciplined public messaging across a sensitive transition
• Large-scale stakeholder engagement delivered entirely on a voluntary basis
• Charity formation and governance, including board recruitment and company incorporation
• Relationship building with public sector partners at city and regional level
• Community leadership and public spokesperson work
• Sustained delivery under significant personal and professional pressure

This work was undertaken on a voluntary basis, alongside full-time employment, between August 2018 and early 2019.

For consultancy, strategic communications, community engagement, or LGBTQ+ advocacy work, get in touch at hey@proudlysaid.co.uk