Nominees from Greater Manchester have been shortlisted ahead of the third annual Gaydio Pride Awards
A host of inspiring individuals and organisations in Manchester are set to be recognised for their contributions to the LGBTQ+ community. Celebrating and championing the LGBTQ+ community is what the third annual Gaydio Pride Awards encompasses at its core; a night to honour the work of individuals, charities and organisations who better the lives of those in the community across the UK.
The ceremony, which will be held this Friday is set to welcome a host of celeb attendees, and will honour individuals and organisations who have made a positive impact to better the lives of LGBTQ+ people across a range of categories. On Friday night, VIP guests and shortlisted nominees will dazzle on the red carpet before the prestigious ceremony at the Hilton, on Deansgate. Music stars Katy B and former X Factor judge Tulisa are among those taking to the stage. Nominations across 13 categories include LGBTQ+ influencer of the year and venue/event of the year, and opened in 2024, before a panel of judges whittled the nominees to a select few. Last year, Manchester's own brought home four awards; Vanilla won the award for Venue or Event of the Year, Sikh drag queen and campaigner Lucky Roy Singh was crowned LGBTQ+ influencer of the year, the Transmanian Devils were given the trophy for Sports Club of the Year and Bury ’s own Layton Williams was awarded the Outstanding Entertainment Contribution award. Darren Pritchard runs Ghetto Fabulous - one of the leading QTIBIPOC entertainment companies. With a mission to 'celebrate and spread queer black joy', they use music, fashion and dance to 'uplift marginalised voices within the queer community' and serves as a platform for artists and performers. Following the nomination for Influencer of the Year, Darren said: 'For the past 20 years, my work has centred on uplifting, promoting, and supporting marginalized communities, with a particular focus on the QTBIPOC community. This dedication has led me to create and support some of the largest performance platforms dedicated to these voices. 'I believe in creating spaces where marginalized individuals can not only express themselves but also find resources and support for their mental well-being. My journey is fuelled by a passion to empower and advocate for these communities. 'Being nominated for Influencer of the Year is truly an honour. It's such a humbling feeling to know that my work has resonated with so many people. This nomination isn't just for me; it's a testament to the incredible community that has supported me every step of the way. 'Your engagement, feedback, and belief in what I do are what drive me forward. Whether I win or not, I'm incredibly grateful for this recognition and the opportunity to continue creating content that hopefully inspires, entertains, and makes a positive impact.' T4T is a pop club night run by trans people; for trans people. Starting out just over a year ago, the club event provides a safe space for the community at Islington Mill in Manchester and hosts regular events. The club night, which is themed and encourages attendees to dress up, has been shortlisted in the Event of the Year category for 2025. “Our aim is to create a safe and diverse space for the local Trans community to connect, make friends and have an all round good time,” organisers Gomorrah and Char said. “We started T4T just over a year ago as we wanted a space where we could dance and sing along to queer pop, while surrounded by Trans love and community. “One of our favourite parts of running T4T is picking fun themes and getting dressed up. Every T4T we have an amazing performer and we’re very lucky to have booked some of the best Trans drag and dance performers the North West has to offer. “When creating T4T we saw a need for more accessible spaces within Manchester’s LGBTQ+ scene so making T4T as accessible and welcoming to everyone as we can is one of our core values. We are extremely honoured to be nominated as a grassroots event and even just being part of such an amazing line up of events and community groups is a huge win for us.” The staff network, shortlisted this year for Pride Network of the Year, aims to ‘create a safe, inclusive and diverse working environment’ that ‘encourages respect and equality for all’ in the workplace. The membership is open to all GMMH staff and students on placement who identify as LGBTQ+ and to those with an interest in driving forward diversity and inclusion. This includes creating a forum to discussing diversity issues at work, offering support and information to LGBT+ staff members and organising a number of inclusive social events. Graham Rimmer, business manager in the specialist hospitals clinical group said: “The MFT LGBTQ+ Staff Network, which is led and run by 3 volunteers who offer their time to make sure that there is a cohesive and inclusive network at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust which continues to grow and widen its portfolio. “Being nominated and then shortlisted was a true surprise and honour, myself and the rest of the organising team are passionate about providing a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community and raising the awareness of the multitude of issues that still need to be resolved across Manchester and Trafford , but across the world. We're looking forward to celebrating the achievements on Friday 14th along with all the other shortlisted nominees.” The Co-op Respect Network supports employees who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, aimed at 'creating a safe workplace where colleagues can be themselves always, no matter their gender identity, trans status or sexual orientation'. Co-Op was the only retailer to speak in Parliament in support of the Equal Marriage Bill. Last year, the network organised the attendance at 38 pride events nationwide, with over 1,600 colleagues involved, and supported the launch of a new trans and non-binary inclusion e-learning module. The network promotes better representation for those who are most marginalised, such as by running business-wide events, presence at pride events and inclusivity panels. They were shortlisted for the Pride Network of the Year award. Dan Sayers-Yates, Co-Chair of PRISM, Co-op’s LGBTQ+ Network, said: “We’re incredibly proud that Co-op’s PRISM Network has once again been shortlisted for ‘Pride Network of the Year’ at the Gaydio Pride Awards. This nomination is a testament to the hard work of our network in making Co-op a truly inclusive and welcoming place for LGBTQ+ colleagues. 'Over the past year, PRISM has focused on strengthening allyship, promoting intersectionality, and ensuring that all colleagues – no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation – feel supported and represented. From organising Co-op’s largest-ever Pride participation with over 1,600 colleagues, to helping shape more inclusive policies for trans and non-binary candidates, PRISM continues to make a meaningful impact. “At a time when equality, diversity, and inclusion are being questioned in some spaces, our commitment to championing a safer and more inclusive workplace remains unwavering. Manchester has long been a hub for diversity, and we’re honoured to stand alongside so many incredible individuals and organisations at this year’s awards, celebrating the progress being made for LGBTQ+ communities.” It's one of the most anticipated days in the calendar for Manchester - when the city turns into an array of rainbow colours and bars are brimming in celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and inclusive rights. The celebrations are organised each year by the Manchester Pride charity which campaigns for the advancement of LGBTQ+ equality and hosts various events year round, with funds raised from Pride ticket sales going towards the grants programme for grassroots projects to enhance the lives of LGBTQ+ people in the city and beyond. Following the announcement of the shortlist, a spokesperson for Manchester Pride said: “The Manchester Pride Team is excited to return to the Gaydio Pride Awards this year and is thrilled to be nominated for Pride Organisation of the Year. 'Manchester Pride celebrations are curated in collaboration with the city’s LGBTQ+ communities to ensure we have diverse, inclusive and empowering spaces for people to celebrate their identities. If we win the award this Friday, we share it with all those brilliant producers and performers. 'In addition to the celebrations, the ticketed events of the Manchester Pride festival help to raise funds to support our grants programme. Manchester Pride distributes grants to grassroots LGBTQ+ organisations and projects benefiting people across Greater Manchester. It is an honour to have the impact of Manchester Pride recognised by the Gaydio Pride Awards.' The New York New York bar in the heart of Manchester's bustling Gay Village opened more than 30 years ago. The much-loved venue, on Bloom Street, has over the years, earned it's nickname 'The Party Palace'. The club has also raised thousands for charity over the years through hosting special themed nights and charity events, and is owned and operated by Tracy Walsh, previously recognised in The Queen's New year's Honours List with a British Empire Medal for services to charity. Trans activist Logan Brown, who lives in Manchester, has been shortlisted in the Influencer of the Year category. Author to the book 'In My Daddy's Belly', he is best known for having a child while having transitioned to becoming a man. Brown, also a residential children's support worker, was featured on the cover of Glamour UK in 2023 for the magazine's Pride issue, whilst in his final trimester of pregnancy and has shared his transitional journey on his blog Up the Duff Man. The glitzy awards ceremony, hosted by the UK's LGBTQ+ radio station Gaydio will see a host of VIP celebrity guests and performers arrive in style and dazzle on the red carpet before the awards are handed out. Find out more details here.
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