Episode 10: Pride in Hull with Lee Pearson and Andy Train

Gemma is back with another episode of Moving Minds and this time we've got an exclusive preview of Pride in Hull, which returns this August.

Organisers Lee Pearson and Andy Train share very personal stories in this episode, which also explores the ongoing importance of Pride in 2026.

Of course, there are plenty of laughs too in the chat recorded on a real Hull Trains journey on the East Coast Main Line.

Find information and support for your mental health on the NHS website or contact Samaritans who offer help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at samaritans.org

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:07

Next up, it is 25 years of Pride in Hull, and it is going to be this weekend, and I'm going to be talking to the men behind it. Well, two of the men behind it, Andy Train and Lee Pearson. Don't go anywhere. So, happy 25th, Pride. First and foremost. Talk to me, talk to me. So, next Hull Pride is Saturday, the 25th of July.

SPEAKER_02 0:33

It's easy to remember. 25th and it's the 25th of July.

SPEAKER_00 0:36

25th and it's the 25th. And from my perspective, I just think this has grown year in, year out. I remember going to the Pride with was it Marcus Collins and Nadine? And I was flossing with Alex Duffy backstage. There you go. But I remember like the buzz around that. And I don't know why, but that sticks in my mind as the year that I was actually aware that Pride in Hull existed.

SPEAKER_01 1:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

But it seems to be on the radar now and on the map. Talk to me about the journey. Let's let's go back.

SPEAKER_02 1:13

We we we certainly have seen um the ease at which you can have a conversation now about being involved. And we used to fight for people to fly a flag, and now people just get on with it. And in fact, June is internationally known as Pride Month. But 75% of prides don't happen in June. So it it's throughout the whole year. Yeah. So we've always stuck with the last Saturday of July to keep it sort of regular because within the calendar of 200 prides nationally, people get a bit funny if you start chopping and changing. Yeah. Because did you know there's so many, I mean there are about six or seven prides on the same weekend as ours.

SPEAKER_00 1:53

Really?

SPEAKER_02 1:53

So Liverpool, Norwich, Newcastle.

SPEAKER_00 1:56

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_02 1:56

So there's there's a whole there's a whole host of because there's only so many weekends in July and fingers crossed about the weather.

SPEAKER_01 2:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 2:03

But it's just become a staple and a main event in Hull's calendar of events, and in fact, classed as one of the six main events. So both those Freedom and Sesh are kind of up there as the summertime ones. But the all the issues, all the attractions, all the organisations that get that shopfront opportunity at the event, and just everybody's been welcome, and it's it's just been wonderful, and the way it's kind of grown and and developed.

SPEAKER_00 2:30

So how how how long have you both been involved then?

SPEAKER_02 2:33

So I've been involved since I was at the first one in 2002. Right. And then got quickly involved with that in 2003. So I've been involved for almost 25 years.

SPEAKER_00 2:43

Wow, wow, since the very beginning.

SPEAKER_02 2:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:49

Gorgeous, darling.

SPEAKER_02 2:51

Stress, the stress of every year.

SPEAKER_00 2:53

I bet.

SPEAKER_02 2:54

With it with a wonderful team. I mean, it is a massive team, isn't it? People, volunteers, all of us volunteers, all with day jobs, um, bringing this event together and really just being so lucky to have organisations and people who support us all the way through. And that's where Lee comes in.

SPEAKER_03 3:10

Yeah, so I've been with the organisation now, this is my third pride, which is super exciting. And last year the footfall across the whole city centre was 175,000. I mean, that's a lot of people for Primark, but it's an amazing Wow, it's huge, isn't it? Absolutely massive.

SPEAKER_00 3:26

I can't even get my head around that.

SPEAKER_03 3:29

No, so like for us, so the way like it's measured, it's through like a vast range of different internal like surveys and things like that. But a footfall last year, 175,000. So amazing.

SPEAKER_00 3:40

So because you were at Queen's Gardens. Yes. Wait, and obviously Queen's Gardens is getting done up and everything. So you move to, tell me if I'm wrong, you moved to Zebedee's Yard. Right, yes. Yes. And this year it's going to be at Zebedee's That's right, yeah. Again.

SPEAKER_02 3:53

So main stage is in Zebedee's Yard. So every Pride has a certain pattern to it.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

Right.

SPEAKER_02 3:59

Some have a march, because some people don't like calling it a parade. If you talk to Americans, where obviously pride's originated with a Stonewall Inn and all the rest of it, um, and we've actually got a greeting from one of the co-owners of the Stonewall Inn to us in Holt. We met them at London. Wow. Pride in London. And to wish us all the very best in our 25th year of there being a pride in Holt. So um uh it you know, it has a parade, it has a it has a march, it has community stalls, it has entertainment, maybe it has a family area, yeah, um, which we do have. Um we've got DJing on the balcony of Hull City Hall into the square.

SPEAKER_01 4:34

Have you?

SPEAKER_02 4:34

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we've got that all happening. I know, yeah. And we've got the and now the Freedom Quarter, I mean the Freedom Quarter and all the venues in the city.

SPEAKER_01 4:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:42

Um, I mean there are about a dozen LGBT plus friendly venues in Hull, which is quite an amazing thing. Yeah. No, you've got safe spaces, yeah. People can go in. Um, and I'll say main stage that'll be happening from 12 till 6, but parade-wise, um, that's 11 till 12. She's about an hour it took us to get from uh Wellington Street near near the marina through across the bridge and into the city centre and around. And so many people want to join in. It's wonderful.

SPEAKER_03 5:11

And I think kind of like when you look at like how far we've cut, obviously we were very much in Queen's Gardens. Yeah. Whereas now in Zabadizade, we've actually taken over the full city centre. And when you look at it from that point of view, we're actually monopolising, so we're making awareness and we're educating people about what's it like in the in the community. And we're not just there for a parade, we're not just there for people to go have a good time and have a drink, we're there to remind people of how hard it is and how far we've come from a heritage point of view, and there's still struggles ahead. And but together as a community, we can literally stay united and be that forefront going forward.

SPEAKER_00 5:50

I think at the moment as well, like I don't know if you've seen it, and I'm I'm sure you have Tiptoe.

SPEAKER_02 5:55

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 5:56

And I I grew up with the majority of my friends are male and they are gay. And I think for me, the the behind behind that psychology is that I struggled very much growing up and with bullying, and I struggled to figure out who I was. Yeah, the eating disorder took away my identity. So I always I feel have connected with gay men because they've had the same struggle, but also I think that I was bullied by a lot of women.

SPEAKER_01 6:28

Right.

SPEAKER_00 6:28

So for my for me, my safe space has been men, not straight men, but also like homosexual men. So I've always been an ally, I've always been there, and I've always understood the coming out stories, the the trials, the tribulations, the way some of my best friends to this day have had to repair their relationships with parents and family.

SPEAKER_01 6:51

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 6:52

But tiptoe, Russell T. Davis's tiptoe, I think has just reignited what this is true. I still get emotional thinking about it.

SPEAKER_02 7:03

And for me talk to me. It was Russell T. Davis's queer as foot that made me or helped me realise that perhaps everything wasn't completely right with me, being very depressed, being very low, and realising quite quickly there weren't any support services for people like me who were 32, married, with a child, struggling, and thinking I've made a complete hash of everything, and just been so angry, frustrated, and in a very, very dark place.

SPEAKER_03 7:34

And I think as well, like from a different generation, like I'm from the younger generation, and even for me, before I told my mum, I had a bag ready in packed, ready to leave.

SPEAKER_00 7:43

Thinking that she would react in that.

SPEAKER_03 7:45

Yeah, exactly, because of what I've seen culturally, what I've seen as from my friends, um, and I generally thought that's what was going to happen, and you scare for your life, and a bit like what you've just shared with yourself about you were bullied and you kind of like gravitate to the gay people, I did exactly the same, but to women because they had that soft, motherly nature, exactly, and it was kind of like that's what you missed because people if you if you were the black sheep, you was picked on because you weren't a follower and you was different. Yeah, and I think my experience was very much the same because I was different and in more ways than one, that was frowned upon. Yeah. So I completely get it.

SPEAKER_02 8:23

Whereas I thought I could choose, I thought I could just go, right, okay, you don't you don't want that. I'm certainly well aware of feeling different at the age of 15 and thinking, you know, this isn't this isn't right.

SPEAKER_00 8:34

I'm being told this is wrong because the church told me you felt from 15-year-old man that you I knew in in hindsight.

SPEAKER_02 8:41

I knew very young you've had that that that I was aware of of that, that that maybe you know why I had all female friends in the sixth form, you know, perhaps.

SPEAKER_00 8:49

And that you're attracted to men at that point.

SPEAKER_02 8:51

Yeah, yeah, and and but was told it was wrong. And section 28, which was something originally Pride in Hull, stood up against, has a lot of pride stuff.

SPEAKER_00 8:59

Talk talk to talk to me about section 28 because a lot of people listening to the podcast won't won't know what that what that means. What what does it mean?

SPEAKER_02 9:07

A lot of younger people will have enjoyed, I would say, the last 20 odd years of of kind of the benefits of not having that in place, right? But it basically meant that anybody in a position of authority, so you're talking teachers, social workers, wouldn't be able to, by law, in schools and otherwise, talk about anything that wasn't being straight. So the government at the time had this in position position, I mean it's crackers to think about it now, even had a pr an apology from the Prime Minister back in 2017 when we were the first UK pride. Theresa may apologise and said, I've changed my mind, um, and I'm sorry that I voted section 28 in at the time. That must have been huge. It was it was massively huge, very emotional about that because um uh it it just there's generations of people who were told it was wrong or told nothing, were told nothing, and then trying to find your way through. Nobody on TV, apart from you had a couple of camp characters like John Inman, yeah, Are You Been Served, whatever, and and uh and and Larry Grayson and others, and you kind of think, yeah, but I don't really relate to those people. Yeah, and then as I say, queer as folk, and other positive images of LGBT plus people came out, and you kind of realised actually, I see I see that that that might be me. I can see that is something he can be. So pride is about visibility and it's about showing people that you're not on your own. Yeah, and I felt there would be somebody listening to this right now who feel completely on their own, might physically be on their own, but but even in a room full of people, I've been the learn felt like the learned person there.

SPEAKER_00 10:40

But even just being around your energy today and and the like the other times that I get to interview people on on the podcast, it's about being yourself and standing up for yourself, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03 10:52

So if you think about it, it's 365 days in the year, 364 of them. If we're in that mindset like other people are, you're in a room full of people, and you just feel so alone in a dark place, you people think you're the life and soul of a party, but actually you're not, it's the it's your makeup, it's your war paint that you put on. Yeah, pride, and especially pride in hope, is there to bring you out, to support you, to guide you, and you know what? Celebrate who you are. Yeah, and for me, and that's why we all do it. Like, if if you can't help somebody, then who can we help? Because that's what it's all about, and it's not about us as individuals, it's about our generations previously, our future generations, and also how we support each other, solidarity, arm in arm.

SPEAKER_02 11:36

Yeah, something we get a lot of on social media is um well when's the straight pride happening then? When do we get that? Well, do you know what? You've got all year for that. Yeah, but also I mean celebrating nobody gets bullied for being straight.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

So but also we're not celebrating it. Like I said, I'm looking forward to Saturday.

SPEAKER_02 11:53

Duddy will say to you, can you just point at this LGBTQIA plus um acronym and will you just tell us which one you are? Because we need to know. No, actually, we don't need to know. We don't we don't mind what what gender you are, we don't mind what your sexual orientation is. No, this obsession people have with why are you going on about sex? We're not actually, we're not. What you'll find is an incredibly loving, welcoming, safe space in the whole of the city centre, yeah, and there's nothing quite like it. I mean, I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck going up and out, just just sort of like thinking about how it's gonna feel, yeah, and and it's so exciting. I mean, we've got a we've got a uh a unit in the princess key that's actually open from now until pride, yeah. So people can come in, and often people just walk in and just go, hi, I just want to say hello, because they're just so excited about knowing this event's happening, and everybody comes along. It's quite you know, there's a there's a famous saying by Martin Green from uh City of Culture year that Pride in Hull has managed to invite everybody, including their heterosexual wife, and that's a success. Yes, of course it is. But we we just you know, and there's something for everybody, it's very family friendly. We have a rule in the parade, swimwear coverage. So I'm really sorry, but you're gonna have to cover up, Jim.

SPEAKER_01 13:04

No!

SPEAKER_02 13:05

You can wear this gorgeous yellow outfit. Yeah, we love it. But people do get so excited about you know, often they get their hair done, ready for bite, they get their outfit chosen, they you know, they're the big thing you're just amongst people who just want to be.

SPEAKER_03 13:20

Yeah, and I think as well, like there's still a lot of hurt in the world. Like, we've had hurt, we've had death threats, we've had Ulyin, we've had the full shebang, like rotten fruit thrown at us, everything's like that, even still this day and age. And I lived in Manchester for a year, and that's where I got mine. And that's why when we moved when I moved back to Hull, it was like, you know what? Of course, I want to be involved. Like, there's a reason why it's still needed, and I think as well, that's why we're over the moon last year to have received the King's Award and also the Reeters Award as well, which is absolutely astonishing. There's only three prides across the whole of the UK that's actually been given the King's Award. Yeah. Wow, which is phenomenal.

SPEAKER_02 13:58

The King has actually said LGBT plus pride in Hulk. You're good, you're good enough for me.

SPEAKER_00 14:05

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 14:06

Which is something. You know, it's um in fact it's amazing. Because normally always feel a bit downtrodden and a bit like you know, they don't support that. But actually, do you know what they do?

SPEAKER_00 14:14

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:15

There's so much, there's so many layers to this thing called Pride. I mean, it's not unusual. Whole truck have a whole pride programme. They do so the the ice arena are doing a drag thing on on the ice on the night of pride, it's just gonna be everything.

SPEAKER_03 14:32

Like with our volunteers, we've got 40 volunteers, right?

SPEAKER_00 14:35

That's amazing.

SPEAKER_03 14:36

Some of them may want to do career progression, they might want to move into a different sector, they want to move into a charitable sector, yeah, and we help them with an employability side. So by volunteering, you are actually giving back, but you're also helping your portfolio.

SPEAKER_00 14:48

Yeah, cool.

SPEAKER_03 14:49

So if you want to volunteer and you've got a level three first aid, then we can work with you on that side. You want to volunteer and you want to go around doing fundraising, you can do stuff like that. You want to do event management, we can help you. So it's all about your career progression as well.

SPEAKER_00 15:02

I bet it's useful to do like the event management side. Is that you said about it? Like you'll be thinking about it on the 26th for the next year, won't you? We do.

SPEAKER_02 15:09

I think the biggest frustration though, and Lisa's good back, we have had this, is when people think all the money goes on the stage, all the money goes on the axe, like we spent a million pounds on a rupole person or whatever.

SPEAKER_00 15:19

Right.

SPEAKER_02 15:19

Do you know what? Six thousand pounds for Pride in Hull goes on waste management. That's just cleaning up the litter. They do an amazing job. I can't knock them because it is like the next day we look at the city centre and we go, Oh my god, you wouldn't believe we were ever there. Really? Because it's so tidy and they do such a great job. And we work very closely with the whole city council on that. In fact, it's not all about that, you know, it yes, it is all about making sure the bills are paid, but actually, there's there's a lot of in-kind support that we get.

SPEAKER_00 15:48

Yeah, I bet. I bet.

SPEAKER_03 15:50

Yeah, and I think kind of like as well, like the support that, for example, whole trains do is just transformational.

SPEAKER_00 15:56

Like, and I'm gonna say they they are they've been massive as a support network for you, haven't they?

SPEAKER_03 16:00

And like for us, and the way I look after it, because I look after all our partners, is we look at our partnerships not as transactional but transformational because it's not it's not just giving money, you're giving a community and a purpose, and you're helping shining the light in the darkest hour for people. So, for example, like the work that whole trains do is literally they become a sponsor, they have given us free train trip train travel. Last year it was absolutely phenomenal. So we've planning pride, we got a lot of grey hairs and white hairs, yeah, good like little powder pox. Um and then at the end of last year we hosted a conference. We hosted a national conference, didn't we? Yeah, and we welcomed over 42 different prids from across the whole of the UK, and we had a cabin like this on the train, pride, pride-related drag queen.

SPEAKER_02 16:53

We had people trying to come in to our carriage because could hear the music and see the drag queen, and they knew that we were all because I mean invite the gays, what'd you get? Prosecco, you get you get fun, and and it's all happening. And we had Queen Marguerite little trolley doll bringing a little spot. Was it even dressed as my my because I I I do a little bit of work as I say a little bit, it's quite a lot, as Sir Topham Hat for Mattel. Right with Thomas a tank engine. Right. So I dressed as Sir Topham Hat on the travel, coming down because people want in pictures. So Rainbow Sash, Sir Topham Hat, unofficially, if in case everybody from Mattel is listening. Um, but not only did we do that, whole fair was on. Yeah. So they thought we'd laid on a fair for them, you see. Oh my gosh. So they went to Whole Fair, they had Whole Fair, we took them around all the venues in the city centre. Wow. We filled the venues instantly because it wasn't just 42. There was like, you know, three or four people from each pride who had come to and we had Double Tree Hill supporting us. That's why we had the five. So that was full. So we we literally went whole fair, crazy days. I mean, those who wanted to walk, I mean, yeah, we walked them up on Leby Road. Yeah. We we we took them out, we gave everybody chip spice, so they all had our pride in whole chip spice, getting that um the full the full whole cultural experience was had. Wow. Um, and then they all went away. And to top it, free travel there and back. And we've had Dolly Parton on the platform singing them away. Not the real one. Obviously not the real one, but but she's amazing.

SPEAKER_00 18:15

Talk to me about then the the acts for this year. Yes. Um what are we allowed to talk about?

SPEAKER_02 18:24

Everything. So everything. Because what we've done is, and and and Leo agree, this is different from other prides. We do showcase a lot of community groups. So Hesel Theatre Company, what are you doing this year?

SPEAKER_03 18:36

So they're doing a scene from the amateur operatics. There we are.

SPEAKER_00 18:41

I used to be part of the Hesel Amateur Operatic Society. So am I.

SPEAKER_02 18:44

So it's all good stuff. So my god, sorry, sorry. Showcase state of the arts as well. Yes. Who who do, I mean, there's a there's an awful lot of our community running through the thread of performing arts and musical theatre. So can I mention maybe a little bit?

SPEAKER_03 19:00

Oh well, you mentioned it now.

SPEAKER_00 19:02

Oh my Gideon.

SPEAKER_02 19:03

We did all of those things, amazing.

SPEAKER_00 19:05

She's gonna do some queen numbers, do you think?

SPEAKER_02 19:07

Well, do you know? Apparently she she does.

SPEAKER_00 19:09

I can't believe you've got Kerielli.

SPEAKER_02 19:11

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We've I've wanted to come for years, and it's a 25th anniversary, got a couple. Oh my god. So super excited. But no, we've we've got NHS choir. We have, yeah. So we've got we've got all of all of that, and we've got local drag queens performing. So Miss Fanny is gonna be how means Fanny. Oh nice. Say that, Miss Fanny. Miss Fanny. Yeah, Miss Fanny. Can I say the other one? Can you say what the what a full name?

SPEAKER_03 19:30

Oh yeah, good for it. RuPaul, RuPaul, go. Right, so we've got Ginger Johnson coming from RuPaul's drag race. No. Yeah, so we're super excited. So she'll be coming down on the whole trains as well.

SPEAKER_00 19:41

Oh my god!

SPEAKER_03 19:42

So we've got one of them coming out. Yeah, absolutely. Um and then, like what Andy was just saying about like local talent, because we're a local pride, we like to support local communities as well. Yeah. So, like last year, for example, we held it at um Pride's Got Ton, didn't we? We did. Um, we handled it this year, but literally just to showcase what we've got and doing.

SPEAKER_00 20:00

Can you do it again? Can I be can I be on the the judging panel?

SPEAKER_02 20:04

You should we can, and you want me to get you on hosting.

SPEAKER_00 20:06

Oh, I'd love to come and host!

SPEAKER_02 20:08

Do that. You see, we see we've got ideas and plans for always thinking about ahead.

SPEAKER_00 20:13

Do you know what? I would have the time of my life.

SPEAKER_02 20:16

Well, previous years we've had Ash, haven't we?

SPEAKER_03 20:18

We have Ash Ash from Emmerdale. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:22

Which one's Ash?

SPEAKER_03 20:23

Um they were related to Moira.

SPEAKER_00 20:26

Oh god, this was after me. Yes, sorry. It was after my after my days.

SPEAKER_03 20:31

It's it's a PG. The best days. Post gem.

SPEAKER_00 20:34

Post gem. No, I'd love that.

SPEAKER_02 20:36

But but it's it's so because it's party here, we've got fast food rockers. Oh my goodness, this sounds amazing. Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut. Other places are available to eat that.

SPEAKER_00 20:46

Do you do the song? Uh Pizza Hutch is what I do with it. Pizza Hook, Kentucky Fried Chicken and the Pizza. McDonald's, McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken and the Pizza.

SPEAKER_03 20:53

That's exactly it.

SPEAKER_00 20:54

I can't wait to come back.

SPEAKER_03 20:55

We also have the YMCA. Oh yeah, yeah, we have this tradition.

SPEAKER_02 20:58

So there's there's gonna be so in the parade, we've got people who like me at the first one in 2002. Yeah and then all the all the groups. We we normally have like sponsors in the parade, we've put there's like um music and stuff in the parade as well. Usually outside of the Fern's Art Gallery, there's usually about 15 deep of people waiting to see it all going on. So you can imagine on the balcony there, there's a there's a DJ, and they're gonna be announcing the the people in the parade as they come past, cheering, whistles, flags, everything, bright and breezy, glitter, everything. Um and and then and then into the main city centre. Um but yeah, it's it's just gonna be it's just gonna be absolutely immense. So lots of representation, lots of uh opportunities for people to showcase who they are and that they're involved, but lots of conversations, particularly with the trans community, and we rebrand our query square as trans square. So we say to people, go find out what what needs to be done as an as a good ally, find out what what you need to do. Do you write do you need to write to your MP? Do you need to get involved? Do you need to sign something? What can we do? And so we we uh go and speak to the trans. I'm not trans, so but go and speak to the trans community. I love that um because it's really important. We have a platform, a representation, and there's lots of things that we've we've uh how far we've come as far as things like the armed forces. There's a scheme at the moment for people. I think there's about another 12 months left. No, it's actually the end of the year, so it's coming up soon for people who were basically booted out of the armed forces because they were LGBT bus. But you can get your berry back, you can get your badge back, you can get your pension back, you can get your medals back, you can get recompense basically.

SPEAKER_03 22:35

So, in a different hat, I'm the curve chair for Pride in Maritime across the whole of the UK, and that's very much kind of standing with our Royal Navy and our forces to say, Well, actually, we're here, yeah, and we're here to be represented as well. Yeah. Um, and I think it's really pivotal, isn't it? And like when we're talking about like our heritage, like I can only empathise and sympathise of what people's gone through, but that doesn't mean that I don't care. Yeah, it means it actually gives me my ammonition to actually say, Well, no, this is wrong, and this needs to be put right.

SPEAKER_00 23:04

Well, together we are gonna put it right. Exactly. Um on the 25th of July. Thank you, Andy and Lee, for joining me today. This has been wonderful. All there is left to do is practice the YMCA. Are you ready? Yes, YMCA! It's fun to stay at the YMCA. I think we can do a little bit more practice and I think we can make it more flourishable.

SPEAKER_03 23:25

Agree.

SPEAKER_00 23:26

No, seriously. Thank you. Thank you for coming on, and thank you for allowing me to be part of your community as well. Um, yeah, let's get some chemine.

SPEAKER_03 23:36

See you on the 25th.