Celebrating 10 years of Southampton Pride
Southampton Pride returned for another impressive weekend on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August 2026. Despite the rainy weather, the event saw an estimated 20,000 visitors for their 10th anniversary.
As a Diamond Partner for the event, the University of Southampton had staff and students joining in the festivities on day one – starting with the march, which was coordinated by the Pulse LGBTQ+ Staff Network & PGR Network team.
UoS Roadshow
The University also brought along its ‘Bringing Research to Life’ Roadshow, which had a large and vibrant stand in the Market Hall in the O2 Guildhall. Five activities were run by 22 members of staff, including:
- ‘Acts of Kindness’, a special commission by artist Tracey Bush for the Community Takeover 2026, at John Hansard Gallery
- The LGBTQAI+ Special Interest Group run by the Faculty of Medicine
- The UoS Festival stand with UoS branded freebies for everyone (400 given away – inc. magnets, lanyards, pocket mirrors, pronoun pin badges, British Science Festival fans, and 3D printed figures and reading bundles from the UoS Library)
- 3D Printing with the University of Southampton Library
- Novel Crops for a Future Climate by Professor Mark Chapman’s team, School of Biological Sciences
- A British Science Festival stand with ‘Slime Time!’ run by the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
The team saw 1,150 visitors at the stand – mainly coming from Southampton, Portsmouth and Bournemouth. However, some came from as far as Manchester, Pembrokeshire, Penzance, Norwich and Northumberland. They also welcomed visitors from Ireland, Norway, Germany and Czechia.
Visitors described their experience with the UoS roadshow as fun, interesting, friendly, amazing, kind, inclusive, exciting and cool.
Ben Littlefield, Head of Public Engagement commented on the importance of bringing the University’s research to Southampton Pride. He said:
‘Southampton Pride is a protest as well as a celebration and it is a privilege for the ‘Bringing Research to Life’ Roadshow to be involved. The Roadshow exists to provide a platform for our researchers and staff to connect and listen to communities who are not always involved in shaping research by going to where they are. Our presence enables vital conversations about research directions, supports hearing different perspectives and centres lived/living experience in how we understand and solve challenges together.’
The presence of the University of Southampton at Southampton Pride means so much to so many people. Staff Matters heard from a variety of people on the impact of this partnership.
Julianne Watling-McCarthy, Founder and Director of Southampton Pride, said:
‘Having the support of the University of Southampton is a big deal for the team. We are all volunteers working behind the scenes, and the sponsorship allows us to gain professional support to apply for large national grants, to keep the festival free, and to support the Youth Outreach programme which encourages and supports young people and their families to be included in Southampton Pride. This enables us to ensure that the Southampton LGBTQIA+ youths are heard and understood and enjoy a safe area at Southampton Pride in collaboration with Breakout Youth and In Focus.’
‘The partnership with the University is so important for our communities: it helps reinforce the message that the city of Southampton welcomes everybody and it is really important for new students and staff to find that sense of belonging.’
Woodrow Kernohan, John Hansard Gallery Director, added:
‘Southampton Pride is hugely important to the city. It brings people together, contributes to a more welcoming and inclusive Southampton, and shows what a city-wide partnership between the University, cultural organisations and communities can achieve. Sustaining that support matters most precisely when it is hardest to find.’
Kate Henaghan-Sykes – Public Partnership Manager, Primary Care Research Centre at the University of Southampton – was one of the UoS Roadshow exhibitors at Pride. She said:
‘Our highlight is seeing people validated by the research that we are doing. They feel seen.’
‘Part of the mission of the LGBTQIA+ Special Research Interest Group in the Faculty of Medicine is to connect a wide range of communities in the surrounding areas. LGBTQIA+ health is embedded in all the research we do in primary care. Thanks to bringing our research to Southampton Pride we met communities we haven’t been able to reach out before. The connection is more powerful when talking in person than by e-mail and the energy exchange starts to build that foundation of trust straight away.’
Southampton to host UK Pride 2027
Next year, Southampton Pride will take place on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 August as the official hosts of UK Pride 2027. This is an exciting opportunity to highlight what our city has to offer, just one year after the 10th anniversary milestone of Southampton Pride, and for the University to strengthen its role as a civic player in the region.
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