Reading Pride party goes on despite financial woes

Grace Anatomy is one of the hosts of the Reading PrideXtra stage

Reading's annual Pride festival is taking place at the town's King's Meadow.

Revellers joined the parade from Reading Station before the start of the free festival at noon.

Performers at the event include comedian and singer Jordan Gray, X-Factor contestant Amrick Channa and the Thames Valley Gay Chorus.

Organisers previously said the town's Pride, which costs £110,000 to put on, was facing financial challenges after support from local companies halved.

The PrideXtra stage showcases local talent

As well as the main stage performers, a PrideXtra stage is showcasing local talent.

PrideXtra host Grace Anatomy said: "It's a lovely stage full of smaller acts - it's for the community, so everybody's welcome to perform on our stage."

The first Reading Pride was held in 2004.

Reflecting on the first event, Lorna McCardle, one of the founders, said: "We didn't know who would turn up, we just knew that Reading Pride would be a really good thing for Reading to have.

"I didn't have anything like that, I didn't have anyone I could come out to, and I didn't have anyone who I could take with me, so joining the Pride committee meant I made new friends."