THE chairperson of Swindon and Wiltshire Pride will be stepping down from her role this autumn after many years at the helm.
When Jo Sharpe joined Pride in 2008, it was then called Swindon Pride, expanding throughout Wiltshire in 2009, the same year she became chair.
After seeing the organisation grow over the years, she said she feels it is now the right time for her to let someone else “take the reins”.
“When I first joined Pride, I had limited experience in running events,” Jo said.
“But with the support of some outstanding individuals, SWP has continued to grow each year while helping provide a safe and inclusive environment for the LGBTQ+ community.”
SWP is holding the annual Pride festival attracting more than 10,000 people throughout the day and raising over £80,000 through the charity’s history.
She said: “I would like to thank all of the committee members and trustees who volunteer tirelessly each year for their part in their journey of making SWP what it is today.
“Everyone should be extremely proud.
"I encourage people to come forward, join the Pride Family, to develop skills or discover new ones, while helping to make 2022 another successful year.”
Jo was also instrumental in the organisation becoming a recognised charity in 2019, which has since seen the LGBTQ+ charity continue to grow.
She told BBC Radio Wiltshire: “Pride has grown dramatically across the years, and we’ve established ourselves as a family community.
“Each year, we look at introducing something different, just to give that focus to something else.
“We’re a registered charity and we continually are supporting the community throughout the year with fundraisers or just sharing information on our social media.”
Asked about the reasons for leaving the organisation, she said: “I’ve been involved with Swindon Pride for many years and I think it’s time for me to step down.
“It’s been a difficult two years in terms of the pandemic, and seeing how the committee and everybody adapted last year, made me very proud of the people that have been on the committee, all the effort that they put into it, and I think it’s given me the confidence to sit down and let someone else take the reins and take pride forward.”
Community engagement manager Phoenix Stewart said: “On behalf of the committee and the people of Wiltshire I would like to thank Jo for her outstanding work in making the charity what it is today.
“Jo leaves us in a strong position with an excellent team. We all wish Jo the best for the future and hope that she enjoys a relaxing change of pace, we’re all going to miss her dearly."
The Pride committee is now looking for a new chairperson to take the charity forward. All those interested in applying should email admin@swindonwiltshirepride.co.uk
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