Over 140 guests helped the London Fire Brigade, the UK's top gay friendly fire and rescue service, to celebrate Pride at a special breakfast at Soho Fire Station on Saturday, 30 June.
Brigade staff and representatives from local businesses and Soho's gay community joined the celebration which was held at the station for the third year running. Following the breakfast, Brigade staff marched alongside other emergency services on the main parade through London which despite the bad weather was attended by thousands of people.
Pride is an important date in the London Fire Brigade's diary and shows London and the rest of the world that the Brigade is proud to be, once again, the country’s top gay friendly fire and rescue service according to Stonewall’s 2007 Workplace Equality Index.
It also provides a unique opportunity to encourage interest from people in the gay community who may never have considered a career as a firefighter before and offers London's gay businesses and residents the chance to learn more about the Brigade's community fire safety initiatives and programmes.
"It is vitally important that we work closely with all of London’s diverse communities and I hope today we can strengthen even further our relationship with the gay community," said Councillor Liaquat Ali, London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority’s Equalities Committee . "Saving lives is not just about turning up at a 999 emergency. The Brigade also has an equally important role in preventing fires and other accidents from happening in the first place and the only way we can do that effectively is to work with everyone living and working in the communities we serve – which is why events like the Pride breakfast are so important."
“What a great day the LGBT members of staff from the London Fire Brigade and other fire brigades had at this year’s Pride” said Crew Manager Norman Perry. “The rain failed to dampen our spirits and we celebrated along with our fellow LGBT colleagues from the Armed Forces and Blue Light Services.
“Being ‘openly gay’ in the London Fire Brigade no longer has a stigma attached to it and its great that the Brigade value its diverse workforce and community.”
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Members of the media can obtain further information from the press office on:
telephone number: 020 8536 5922
email: press@london-fire.gov.uk
