Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) are to march in the annual Leeds Pride parade next month.
Leeds Pride will take place on Sunday, 21 July and the Club, participating for the third year in a row, will be joined by Leeds Kites Cricket Club – the first LGBT+ cricket team in Leeds, alongside members of the Club’ s Yorkshire and Proud supporters’ group.
Now in its 19th year, the parade and day-long event will celebrate both the diversity within the city and also act as an empowering statement of the strength and the rights of the city’s LGBT+ community.
Last year more than 70,000 people attended with more than 160 organisations also enjoying the festivities.
Yorkshire Cricket will take part in the Leeds Pride parade for the third year in a row.
Steve Gillies, the Chairperson for Leeds Kites CC, said: “We are delighted to take part in Leeds Pride once again alongside YCCC.
“The club is a high-profile brand in the city and globally and Yorkshire Cricket choosing to be an active supporter of Leeds Pride – a time of celebration and visibility for the LGBT+ community – is so very powerful.”
The Club will also be collaborating with Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign in cricket between Saturday, June 29 – Sunday, July 7.
This will be supported by the Northern Diamonds against Central Sparks in their Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy match at Scarborough on Sunday, 30 June, followed by the Yorkshire Vikings T20 fixture against Birmingham Bears on Friday, 5 July, at Headingley.
Northern Diamonds players pictured showing support to the LGBTQ+ community with rainbow armbands when they took on The Blaze during June last year.
Stephen Vaughan, Chief Executive Officer at YCCC, said: “We are delighted to support the Rainbow Laces campaign and take part in Leeds Pride once again and continue to actively support participation and inclusivity in cricket for everyone in society.
“Celebrating our LGBT+ community is just one of many ways Yorkshire Cricket is committed supporting equity, diversity and inclusion in all areas of the Club and reflect Yorkshire’s rich and vibrant community.”
If any YCCC supporters would like to show their continued support for members of the local LGBT+ community, it would be fantastic to see you at the Pride Parade.
For further information around Leeds Pride 2024, please click here, and more information will be sent out via YCCC channels for those who would like to be involved nearer the time.
Leeds Kites CC take part in a training session at Headingley. They are thought to be only the third LGBT+ inclusive cricket club in the world. They follow the creation of Graces Cricket Club in 1996 and the Birmingham Unicorns, established in 2021.
Yorkshire and Proud
Yorkshire and Proud is Yorkshire’s official LGBT+ supporters’ group. For more information please visit here.
Follow the LGBT+ supporters group on @YCCCAndProud
And to join Yorkshire Cricket’s LGBT+ Supporters Group contact: [email protected] and [email protected]
Leeds Kites CC
Leeds Kites CC, is a proudly inclusive cricket club, providing a place for people passionate about cricket to come and play and socialise, and is only the third such cricket club in the world.
The club welcome everyone, including allies, who want to enjoy cricket in a friendly, supportive community environment with the team catering to all playing levels and welcome everyone to come down and play, watch or socialise whether you have played cricket before or are totally new to the sport.
If you want to find out more and get involved please contact: [email protected] &/or @LeedsInc_CC on X
