THE people of Chester and beyond are being urged to help ensure the ill-fated Pride festival goes ahead this year.

The event, which celebrates the LGBT+ community and promotes peace, love, equality and diversity, had to be cancelled on Saturday (August 10) due to the weather.

It has left the organising committee out of pocket – and they are now calling on people to help them raise enough cash to put on the rescheduled festival.

They hope to be able to announce a new date for the event by the end of this week.

A Go Fund Me page has been set up at

www.gofundme.com/f/save-chester-pride

which has already raised more than £2,700 towards a target of £5,000.

Organisers say on the page: “For the past seven years Chester Pride has provided a safe space for our LGBT+ community to celebrate love, equality and diversity. Unfortunately, this year the forecast weather has forced us to postpone our event.

“The volunteer committee has worked hard for the past 12 months to make this event happen, and this has been the toughest decision for us to make. We want to ensure that we can still put on this event, and are asking people to show their support.

“They say that there's always a rainbow after the storm, so please help the rainbow shine over Chester 2019.”

And on the Chester Pride Facebook page, they write: “We have been able to assess our losses a little more from this Saturday's postponed event. The community support has been fantastic looking at the donation bucket collections on Saturday and we thank you. But we ain't out the woods just yet and this is where we ask you for your help.

“If everyone on our Facebook page donated £5 we would be in a much stronger position to help towards our new date, which we will announce at the end of this week. The team have a huge task ahead this week and are 100% committed to the hard work ahead.

“Any support you can give us is very much appreciated.”

Acts that had been lined up for the festival in Castle Square included M People vocalist Heather Small, 90s pop sensation Whigfield and X-Factor star Lloyd Daniels.