Last week on a sunny (non-melty) Tuesday in Brighton and Hove, 15 individuals from the games industry took to the seafront with flags, music and one mission… to unite the game devs of Brighton and Hove, and march together in support and solidarity for LGBTQ+ people and allies alike!
Led by Hayley Blundy, Wellbeing Manager at FuturLab, the group walked together from King Alfred to the Brighton’s iconic bandstand and back. Along the way, connections were made, honest discussions were had and bonds were formed. Passers by gave us a cheer, some took photos and the wonderful Pedal People stopped to offer their support too.
We involved our remote-FuturLabbers with a custom walking challenge on our wellbeing platform, YuLife, so that everyone could feel included in the march and celebrate pride in their own way.
It's always lovely to see the local game dev community come together like this. Here's to repeating it next year!
Ruth Atkinson, Talent Acquisition Manager at Mag Interactive
It was fantastic getting out and seeing the local Game Dev community come together to support Pride. It's important to represent the amazing talent in games, and ensure people feel welcome and safe in their careers. Now more than ever, particularly when it comes to the attack on trans rights, these events mean so much, and I'm proud of our local Brighton community for showing up. I can't wait to watch it grow over the years.
Emily Scahill, Global Head of Client Success at Skillsearch
While our group may have been small, the message was anything but. Pride is about visibility, belonging and showing people that they are not alone. Every conversation, every rainbow flag and every step along the seafront was a reminder that our industry is at its best when everyone feels able to be themselves.
As part of celebrating Pride month, FuturLab has also donated to Galop - a charity which supports LGBT+ people who have experienced abuse and violence.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, cheered us on or helped spread the word. We hope this is just the beginning of a new Brighton & Hove games industry tradition, and we look forward to welcoming even more studios, friends and allies next year.
