Thursday, 11 June 2026
Raising the Rainbow
Today, Happy Valley Pride arranged for the Pride flag to be displayed over the river in the centre of Hebden Bridge, celebrating each and every member of our LGBTQIA+ community. The flag will remain in place for the duration of June reminding everyone that they are here to stay.
Following the refusal by the Calderdale's new Reform Council to allow Pride flags on council buildings (see HebWeb News, 5 June) Cllr Sarah Courtney is promoting a GoFundMe page to raise money to to put Pride banners up (legally) across the borough. It will cost around £250 per banner
They're aiming to raise enough to put up 30 banners across Calderdale, and if they receive more, it will go to one (or more) of Calderdale's LGBTQ+ organisations to help them in the work they do.
Organisers point out that flying a Pride flag promotes LGBTQ+ inclusion by acting as a visible marker of safety, solidarity, and allyship. While it does not prevent discrimination, it is a high-impact action that provides comfort to vulnerable individuals, normalises diversity, and challenges social stigma. Displaying a Pride flag can also reduce stress and increase trust and help build cohesion within communities. The banners will signpost information about how to report a hate crime through the inclusion of a QR code.