In August 2018, following a period of significant organisational challenge within Liverpool Pride Ltd, a decision was made to step back from the existing structure and build something new.
The opportunity was clear. Liverpool had established itself as a city with genuine LGBTQ+ credentials, but the infrastructure to support and grow that identity needed to evolve. Rather than simply continuing what existed, the aim was to create an organisation with a broader brief, a stronger foundation, and deeper roots across the entire Liverpool City Region.
Working alongside a co-founder, and entirely on a voluntary basis alongside full-time employment, the process of building what would become LCR Pride Foundation began.
The Snapshot
Role: Co-founder and Co-chair
Timeframe: August 2018 to February 2019
Organisation: LCR Pride Foundation (registered charity)
Mission: To make the Liverpool City Region the most LGBTQ+ friendly region in the UK
Stakeholders engaged: Approximately 100 organisations and individuals prior to launch
Launch event: Official partner and stakeholder launch, Love Lane Brewery, Liverpool
The Challenge
The founding period was demanding in every sense. A new charitable organisation needed to be built from scratch, including company formation and charity registration, with no dedicated resource or budget.
Approximately 100 stakeholder organisations and individuals needed to be engaged ahead of launch, to build confidence, establish relationships, and communicate the vision. And the narrative needed to be managed carefully throughout, presenting the transition as a natural and positive evolution of Liverpool Pride rather than a break or rupture.
All of that was sustained entirely voluntarily. Stakeholder meetings began at 8am before a full working day, and foundation work continued into the evenings, often until 8 or 9pm. It was intense, and done for the love and the passion.
The Approach
The central challenge was not simply operational but reputational. The story told, consistently and across every conversation, was one of evolution rather than replacement: that Liverpool Pride was becoming LCR Pride Foundation, with an expanded brief and a renewed commitment to the whole region.
That framing held. The transition was received as a progressive step forward, and the circumstances that had made it necessary were never brought into question publicly.
Over the five months between August 2018 and the February 2019 launch, around 100 organisations and individuals were engaged individually. Relationships with Liverpool City Council and Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram were maintained and deepened, and new relationships were established with boroughs and organisations across the wider region.
LCR Pride Foundation was formally incorporated as a new company and registered as a charity, with a new board of trustees recruited to support the organisation from its earliest days.
The Launch
The official partner and stakeholder launch took place at Love Lane Brewery in Liverpool in February 2019, bringing together the organisations, individuals, and community figures engaged throughout the founding period.
Coverage was secured across the Liverpool Echo, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s own channels, Bi Community News, and the Foundation’s own platform.
- LCR Pride Foundation launch announcement
- Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
- Liverpool Echo
- Bi Community News
What Was Set in Motion
In the months following the launch, LCR Pride Foundation moved quickly. Pride in Liverpool 2019 was delivered under the new Foundation’s banner, with a full festival programme and strong press coverage. Conversations around an inaugural LCR Pride Awards were initiated. A bid to bring the Gay Games to Liverpool in 2026 was launched, reflecting the ambition of the organisation’s regional and national positioning.
The Foundation also established itself as a community voice, with its leadership called upon to respond publicly to incidents affecting the LGBTQ+ community, including coverage on BBC News.
What This Demonstrates
- Strategic organisational thinking and the ability to identify opportunity within complexity
- Narrative management and disciplined public messaging across a sensitive transition
- Large-scale stakeholder engagement delivered entirely on a voluntary basis
- Charity formation and governance, including board recruitment and company incorporation
- Relationship building with public sector partners at city and regional level
- Community leadership and public spokesperson work
- Sustained delivery under significant personal and professional pressure
This work was undertaken on a voluntary basis, alongside full-time employment, between August 2018 and early 2019.
For consultancy, strategic communications, community engagement, or LGBTQ+ advocacy work, get in touch at hey@proudlysaid.co.uk