• Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

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Health games and dog show pair up for Pride

A POPULAR pet show is set to return to Newcastle city centre this month (August) along with a free day of sports for the LGBT community.

Paws with Pride, a canine contest organised by North East charity Northern Pride – which runs the annual Newcastle Pride festival, sponsored by NE1 – has teamed up with Pride Health Games, for a free day of sports, talks and dog walks in the city.

And the joint venture, which aims to promote and engage the LGBT community in healthy recreational activities and local sports groups, will take place on Sunday, 13 August from 10am to 4pm at Leazes Park, Newcastle.

The day will begin with a warm-up in the site’s dedicated sports arena before visitors are invited to explore a wide range of taster sessions, in a series of sports, with local LGBT-friendly fitness groups.

As well as taster sessions, Pride Health Games will also host a traditional sports day which will include classic favourites such as egg and spoon races, sack races and a hula hoop competition.

From 11am, dashing dogs and pampered pooches will go head to head to win custom-made rosettes for categories including: Waggiest Tail, Best Biscuit Catcher and Dog The Judge Would Most Like To Take Home.

And, as the dog show is a Kennel Club Registered Companion, there will also be a special Best Condition category for Kennel Club members to enter.

Entering a dog in the show costs £1 per dog, per category and judging begins at 12.30pm.

Visitors are also invited to take part in the Gay Walkies event – a camp and colourful Pride parade for dogs and their owners – which uses the £2 per dog entry fee to raise funds for hard-pressed local animal charities in the North East.

Mark Nichols, Chair of Northern Pride, which organises Paws with Pride and the annual Newcastle Pride festival, said:

“After a two year hiatus, we’re delighted to see the return of our popular Paws with Pride dog show and teaming up with Pride Health Games will only make the day better, with plenty for everyone to get involved in.

“Following on from the huge success of Newcastle Pride – where 73,000 people of all ages flocked to the Town Moor to celebrate the LGBT community – we’re really looking forward to continuing the celebrations this weekend.

“We hope the people of the North East will join us for what’s set to be another brilliant day of Pride in the city.”

There will also be a host of additional activities and stalls in operation at Leazes Park on the day, including food and drink stalls, market stalls – where owners can pick up items for their canine companions and a raffle, to raise further funds for local animal charities.

Although cats cannot attend Paws with Pride, there is a Show Us Your Kitties photo competition running until Friday, 11 August. Owners can enter their feline friends by emailing a photo toshowusyourkitties@npride.org.uk.

Paws with Pride is sponsored by Northumberland County Council.

For further information on the event, go to www.northern-pride.com/event/paws

By admin