Flying proud for Isle of Wight Pride 2019

Hovertravel flew the rainbow flag for Isle of Wight Pride on Saturday. From extra services, a celebrity host at Southsea, our staff adding a nautical theme to the parade in Ryde, this day was about adding extra colour to this exciting event. 

Loretta Lale, Head of Commercial at Hovertravel, added: “This year is the 50th anniversary of the birth of the modern LGBT+ rights movement and our teams were keen to support the Isle of Wight Pride 2019. Even half a century later, it is important to celebrate past achievements and continue to raise awareness, so we can all have the freedom to live, to love and to be ourselves, free from hatred, discrimination or criminalisation." 2019 saw the Isle of Wight Pride parade return to Ryde, where all the shops created colourful displays, crowds lined the streets and a wave of colour washed down Union Street into the Esplanade. 

Local businesses and volunteers joined in the fun including Southern Vectis, Isle of Wight Scouts as well as sponsors Unison, Inner Spaces and Ryde Town Council. Hovertravel’s parade participants were dressed in white sailors’ uniforms, highlighted with flashes of rainbow colours on their caps, cuffs and epaulets.