Pride in new Exmouth flags

All town's poles will fly banner

Flags celebrating diversity and inclusion will be flying in Exmouth this summer despite the fact that the town’s annual Exmouth Pride has been cancelled because of the pandemic.

Seventeen specially commissioned flags will be raised around the town throughout June to mark International Pride Month using all the Exmouth Town Council poles around the town centre and along the seafront.

The project has been organised by Exmouth Pride with support from Exmouth Town Council to raise awareness of LGBT+ issues (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other minority sexual orientations and gender identities) following the cancellation of annual Pride celebrations in the town.

Exmouth Pride’s Chris Everall said: “Visibility is an issue in the LGBT+ world and it is important for marginalised people, who often face issues of isolation, to see that they are welcome. We can’t do it with our annual celebration in the Manor Gardens this year, but we can still show that we are here.”

The flags have been designed in conjunction with local business and Pride sponsor Vibrant Pulse and the whole project has been developed with Exmouth Town Council’s arts manager Carla Hiley.

Funding is from Exmouth Pride’s National Lottery grant. Plans are in hand for a post-pandemic Pride event next year.