A POSTER campaign aimed at combating an upsurge in LGBTphobic hate crime on the UK’s bus and rail networks is taking ‘pride of place’ at Chester train station.

However, with all but essential travel banned due to coronavirus, the charity behind the so called ‘Ticket to Pride’ campaign is now sharing the artwork online and on social media, alongside information about how to report online hate crime and access support during the pandemic.

Organisers are also calling for people from Chester to share their local LGBT+ knowledge and history using the hashtag #TicketToPride. The information shared will create LGBT+ map of positivity and bring isolated communities together during the pandemic.

The Ticket to Pride campaign has taken months of planning and the posters on display are bespoke to each train station. 15 stations across the North West region will display similar artworks - each incorporating the cultural influences of the location.

Chester’s posters were inspired by the city’s historical ruins and were created by Phoenix - a series of youth groups in Cheshire West and Chester (CWAC) for young people aged 13-19 years who identify as LGBT+ (or anyone who might be questioning their sexuality or gender identity). The groups were set up and are run by The Proud Trust.

Sally Carr MBE, operational director of The Proud Trust, said: “Our Ticket to Pride campaign has been months in the making and was set to launch with a series of high-profile events, sharing artwork and music created by LGBT+ young people. However, with the majority of us not being able to travel by train and public gatherings on hold, we had to find a different way to reach people. With the hope of spreading some joy and love among our communities at this difficult time, we’ve taken the campaign online.

“Hate crime on the transport systems is a problem among the LGBT+ community, but we also know that even before the pandemic one in 10 LGBT+ people (10 per cent) and 26 per cent of trans people would have experienced homophobic, biphobic or transphobic abuse online.

"Covid-19 is likely to have many impacts on politically marginalised groups. People are likely to be more isolated, support services are less available and losing funding, and, as anxiety around the pandemic's impact on health and the economy grows, equality slips down the political agenda.

"We know that child abuse, domestic violence and LGBTphobia in the home and online are all increased during this period. All of this, combined with how people are spending more time online, makes our digital work all the more vital."

Ticket to Pride is funded by The Home Office’s Hate Crime Community Projects fund, Arriva Rail North’s Seedcorn Fund and Community Rail Lancashire.

Stations also taking part include: Manchester Victoria, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool Moorfields, Blackpool North, Blackpool South, Accrington, Greenfields, Bolton, Southport, Seaforth and Litherland, Huyton, St Helen’s, Todmorden/Hebden Bridge and Rochdale.

Find out more at www.theproudtrust.org/resources/ticket-to-pride/