Pride is a great way to show the world how wonderfully diverse London is but for me personally, it shows how accepting we are as a people, a nation and as a city. I just happened to have my disabled gran visiting me so she tagged along also.
The journey to central London was certainly colourful with many people using the tube network to get to Pride. Guys as girls, girls as guys and one such guy started chatting to my gran with my gran commenting on how beautiful she looked. At this point the guy laughed maniacally and jumped off. My gran was puzzled so I explained she had chatted to a transvestite, she simply replied, 'well, she looked good anyway.' I think such a wonderfully accepting response from an older person.
I was, of course, en route to Trafalgar Square to promote the Olympics and Paralympics along with a bunch of colleagues who were equally up for it. I arrived early to enjoy a little of it with my gran and I then sat her in a more shaded corner behind our London 2012 stand so I could get down to business.
The atmosphere was amazing, beautiful hot weather, hot guys and girls and hot music! The very first song to be sang as I started working on stage was our very own Heather Small singing Proud, perfect start! I sang my heart out while randomly sticking our stickers on anyone that walked past.
Once my bad singing was over, got down to it, chatting about Olympic and Paralympic values which of course were all very appropriate at this event. That's what I love about our values, you can go along to any event and translate them in to something relevant to the audience you have, they are truly universal.
By the end of the day, we had engaged with over 1,000 people which is our biggest yet for an event like this and I had such a good feeling. London being the open and inviting city that it is as proved during Pride is the perfect place to stage 'everyone's Games'. Here's to a bigger and better Pride 2010 and also, World Pride in 2012 just one month before the Olympics kick off!
