Newcastle-based train operator Lumo is supporting more Pride events this year than ever before, proudly championing the LGBTQ+ community.
One of those events is the biggest 5K Pride Run in recent years, which has taken place in Newcastle after sports legend Dame Kelly Holmes fired the starting gun.
A total of 450 runners, many dressed in an array of colourful outfits, took part in the vibrant race in Leazes Park.
The uplifting sell-out event, organised by LGBTQ+ community running club Newcastle Frontrunners (NFR) and sponsored by Lumo, kicked off the city’s Pride weekend in style.
More than 80,000 people were thought to take part in the festivities across Friday, Saturday and Sunday, during which Nadine Coyle, Katy B, Bimini and Danny Beard performed at Times Square.
Andrew Melville, of NFR, said: “This has been the best 5K Pride Run in the history of the event.
“We sold out of tickets for the first time since the pandemic, which is brilliant.
“The run has been nine months in the planning. I am tired and relieved, but mostly just incredibly proud of what we have achieved.
“It was fantastic to have double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes start the race.
“She is a major person within the LGBT community. She’s served in the armed forces, she’s faced discrimination, and all while maintaining an incredible Olympic career.”
After firing the gun, the former army sergeant took part in the race herself. She was joined by 2024 Mr Gay GB winner and dance artist Andrew Gardiner, who warmed up the runners at the start line ahead of the run.
Entertainment came from local Drag Queen Miss Gloria Love, singing group Heaton Jukebox, Northern Proud Voices and the Metrognomes.
The 5K Pride Run was the largest to have taken place since before the pandemic, when 600 gathered to race in 2018.
Andrew added: “It’s been a difficult time for the LGBTQ+ community.
“There has been a lot of anti-LGBT and anti-trans sentiment, and for that reason we wanted to make this year’s 5K event bigger and brighter than ever.
“There may be grey clouds, but we’re not going anywhere.
“It’s never been as important for us to shine brightly, and we have attracted the support of some brilliant sponsors.
“Lumo were the first to get involved and have offered us many opportunities and connections, which we are grateful for.”
Dame Kelly Holmes said: “The Pride Run is more than running – it’s about community, freedom and moving forward together.
“That’s what makes a Pride Run so special. It brings LGBTQ+ people, friends, families and allies together to celebrate who we are, support one another and share the joy of being active and visible.
“Pride is about being proud of exactly who you are, and there’s something incredibly powerful about running side by side with a community that celebrates you for it.”
Richard Salkeld, Director of Communications and Partnerships at Lumo, added: “We’re thrilled to support the 5K Pride Run and to play a part in such a joyful and inclusive event for Newcastle.
“At Lumo, we’re passionate about connecting communities, and it’s fantastic to see so many people coming together to celebrate Pride, diversity and everything that makes our region such a welcoming place.”
As a further show of support for Pride, Lumo showcased many of the country’s Pride organisations on Out of Home (OOH) screens across the city. It follows Lumo launching a train earlier this month featuring many of the LGBTQ+ organisations Lumo supports across England and Scotland.
The outdoor screen space was donated by Digital Out of Home advertising company Ocean Outdoor.
Keith Crisp, from Ocean Outdoor UK, said: “Like Lumo, Ocean has a long tradition of supporting Pride events in the communities where we live and work. We are pleased to extend that to Newcastle using five of our large format screens to celebrate and support the LGBTQ+ community.”
Earlier this year Lumo was named Best Small Employer in Scotland, in part thanks to the company demonstrating a clear commitment to inclusivity from how it supports customers, colleagues and the communities served.
Lumo introduced gender-neutral uniforms for Customer Experience Ambassadors on its affordable and sustainable East Coast Main Line services last year. Trains on the route link Glasgow, Falkirk and Edinburgh with the North East of England and London.
The company also created around 100 new jobs with the launch of its new West Coast Main Line service in May, which connects Stirling with London Euston. The new route also calls at Larbert, Greenfaulds, Whifflet, Motherwell, Lockerbie, Carlisle, Preston, Crewe, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes.
www.lumo.co.uk