Stop the presses!! The founder and director of Blossom LGBT CIC has been named one of five winners of ‘My Pride Hero’. The initiative run by Gaydio was designed to recognize and thank LGBTQ+ people who contribute a lot to a person personally or the wider community by rewarding them with tickets to Brighton & Hove Pride. Gaydio is a radio station set up for the LGBTQ+ community in the UK and broadcasts on 88.4FM in Manchester and across the country on DAB digital radio. Gaydio states on their website that they “wanted to make sure that the people who really deserve a Pride to remember, get to win their way in”.
Oscar was nominated for this award by long-time supporter of our work called Claire. She nominated Oscar for their part in setting up and continuing to run Blossom and for providing vital services to LGBTQ+ young adults. She went on to say that “after the parties are over and the rainbow flags come down the amazing work you’ve done continues all year. Thank you for creating @Blossomlgbt and providing safe, sober, engaging spaces for the LGBTQ people of Surrey”.
An independent panel of judges then went on to select 5 finalists with Gaydio Host Chris Blackmore stating that “Our judging panel selected them (Oscar) as one of the most pride worthy winners.”
We caught up with Oscar to find out how they felt about the decision to name them a Pride Hero. Oscar said that “I’m super taken aback and pretty speechless! It means so much to have the hard work I’ve put in over the past 3 years recognized in this way.”
Oscar went on to add that “The entire team at Bossom LGBT CIC has put so much into our projects by ensuring we can run every single workshop & group to the highest standards. I’m sure that, like me, they are overjoyed at the recognition that our work is so important. If I could then I’d buy each of them a ticket to Brighton Pride to celebrate together!”.
Oscar concluded by stating that “I am really looking forwards to taking a weekend to really celebrate all that Blossom has achieved under my, and our three other directors, lead. My work at Blossom LGBT CIC, my work in my day job at one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights charities, and my ongoing personal activism within the LGBTQ+ community are only just getting started. I can’t wait to see where the future takes us and what we can achieve as one strong community working together for good.”