Students and staff from across East Kent Colleges Group (EKC Group) united to march for Pride Canterbury 2026.
The annual Pride Canterbury parade and festival took place on Saturday 6 June 2026, and celebrates inclusivity and diversity in our community.
This year, the Group’s participation was organised by the LGBTQIA+ Staff Network, and invited students and staff from each of our colleges in Ashford, Broadstairs, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone and Sheppey to come along and celebrate together.
Covered in face paint and glitter, and showing off their fabulous outfits, the parade group waved their rainbow flags high as they marched through the City.
For many, the event is a great opportunity to get out and show the world who they are, while representing EKC Group as a safe, inclusive environment where everyone can be themselves.
Suki Watts, a Creative Writing and Journalism student at EKC Canterbury College said: “I think it’s very important that such an ostracised community can come together in a way that is so big, and loud.
“Everyone sees it, and everyone is coming together to just create this really powerful atmosphere of acceptance, and community.”
Helping to organise the involvement in Pride was Student Experience Officer, Joe Rook.
He said: “Everyone’s welcome, and everyone deserves to be who they are.
“Our City is gorgeous, why not spruce it up with a bit of sparkling glitter?
“Pride is important because these young people have got constant access to the internet, and everything is just telling them how bad things can be.
“It’s nice to have these events where you can be yourself – you don’t have to hide.”
EKC Group is proud to be an inclusive employer, and education provider.
We support Pride because education should be a safe, inclusive space where everyone can be themselves.
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