In celebration of Pride Month this June, Bluewater is hosting a ‘Tree of Pride’, inviting visitors to decorate the tree with their pledges to work toward a more inclusive and loving future.
The community art piece will be touring the country gathering the public’s promises, blooming with messages of love, unity, and acceptance on its journey. Guests are encouraged to commit to one of the suggested pledges or to leave a positive sentiment that feels right to them, such as a dedication to a loved one.
In honour of the Tree of Pride and Pride Month, Bluewater has made a £5,000 donation to Dartford Pride. The funds will be used towards promoting the return of Dartford Pride for 2023 as well as funding the event itself. Additionally, the donation will be used to provide ‘West End Workshops’ to teach young people about performing arts whilst giving them the opportunity to gain experience, social skills, and self-confidence.
The Tree of Pride will be at Bluewater on Friday 30th June and Saturday 1st July, and the public are invited to participate from 10am – 6pm on both days.
James Waugh, Centre Director at Bluewater, said: “We celebrate our wonderfully diverse community all day, every day, and Pride Month is an opportunity to put a spotlight on progress made so far, and the work still to be done.
“We look forward to reading our visitors’ messages celebrating inclusivity, and to seeing the positive impact of the work led by Dartford Pride throughout the year.”
Curtis Sutherland, Co-ordinator of Dartford Pride, commented: “We are delighted to have the support of Bluewater Shopping Centre for this year’s Dartford Pride.
“This is the second year of Dartford Pride after it first launched in July 2022. The event is a fantastic platform to represent and support the local LGBTQIA+ community. Run in partnership with Dartford Borough Council, we are excited to bring back the Pride stage, which will include live entertainment from River Medway, Queenz, West End performers, X Factor’s Anton Stephans, Strictly’s Graziano Di Prima and more acts to be confirmed.” Visit https://bluewater.co.uk to find out more.