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To register you MUST fill out this form: https://www.essexpride.org/get-involved/volunteer/

Essex Pride is an annual celebration of LGBT+ life in Essex and beyond. Establishing itself since it began in 2003 as a cornerstone event showcasing Essex's successful approach to diversity and inclusion, and even becoming a factor in Chelmsford being granted City Status in 2012 by her Majesty The Queen.

This is an event for the whole community, and its more than just a huge party. Pride inspires everyone to embrace equality, and demonstrates that people from all walks of life can join together and celebrate diversity.

Essex Pride is a not for profit registered charity, run on behalf of the LGBT+ community of Essex by a volunteer board of Trustees. All proceeds from ticketing and fundraising go towards the operational and running costs of Essex Pride.

What a stunning day to volunteer at a half marathon and support all the runners and their amazing and diverse reasons to run. It was a pleasure to support the Headway volunteers and the police cadets. The Goodgymers were stationed on East Hill around the three mile mark to encourage and cheer runners and to become amateur traffic police! We are a bit biased so the loudest cheers came for Louise, Emma and Dan!

Despite the event highlighting how (needlessly?) reliant people are on driving into our city centre, the runners looked happy, safe and quite pleased to be running downhill after the effort of North Hill and with the gradual Ipswich road incline ahead!

As I write WhatsApp is buzzing with news from end of the race...the volunteers and cheer squad went for a coffee and a cake and I hope the runners relax and recoup however they enjoy the most!

Well done everyone, you all managed the same distance, and well done to the organizers and volunteers for doing Colchester proud.

Warm Wednesday nights are made for workouts and all the benefits Goodgym comes with. A run, a chat, a sense of achievement, a giggle, a new face (for me at least), an approaching sunset and an earthy connection - I am sure there is more but that's shallot for now.

I met the team, led by Russel and Joel, at Great Baddow Community Allotment shortly after chatting with Bob who showed us our task - simply turning over two fallow plots, releasing the fertile soil, weeding and readying a blank canvass for the Brownies to plant in. We all noticed the difference in moisture between the covered plot, which was damp and the exposed plot which was dry and dusty. A few old potatoes and a shallot were removed as part of this forking great workout...

Job done the team planned a route back to base via Baddow meadows, getting some quality Kilometers in the tank - next stop Parkrun? Or come and support Colchester Half Marathon - meet at 8.15am at the War Memorial, High Street, outside Castle Park (with Headway Essex).

Pun credit goes to Russell and Charlie!