East Coast Pride Publishes 2025 Impact Report, Revealing Record Attendance, Near-Universal Safety Ratings, and Up to £665,000 Economic Boost for Skegness
- East Coast Pride
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
A grassroots movement turned registered charity celebrates a landmark year, and sets out its vision for a more inclusive Lincolnshire.
East Coast Pride, the LGBTQIA+ charity serving rural and coastal communities across the East Coast of Lincolnshire, has today published its Impact Report for the period ended 31 December 2025, detailing the scale, reach, and outcomes of its most ambitious year to date.
The report, covering East Coast Pride’s first full year as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (Charity Number: 1210722), reveals an organisation that has moved swiftly from grassroots beginnings into a well-governed, evidence-led charity delivering measurable impact for thousands of people across Lincolnshire and beyond.
Download the report in full
A digital version, alongside other publications, is also available on our Yumpu profile.
A Landmark Event for the Lincolnshire Coast
East Coast Pride 2025 returned to Skegness as a free, family-friendly celebration spanning Tower Gardens, Compass Gardens, and the Hildreds Centre. An estimated 7,000 people attended the full-day programme, which featured a main performance stage, a dedicated family area, a community marketplace, and the launch of East Coast Pride’s Got Talent, a new grassroots talent showcase held at The Suncastle in Skegness.
The post-event evaluation returned exceptional findings:
84% of respondents rated the event 8 out of 10 or higher
61.9% awarded a perfect score of 10 out of 10
More than 98% of attendees reported feeling safe throughout the event
Visitors travelled from across Lincolnshire, neighbouring counties, regional cities, and further afield
“What started as a simple question, what would it look like if everyone here felt safe to be themselves? - has become something that thousands of people across our region now feel part of. East Coast Pride 2025 showed what is possible when local people stand together." Amy Basker, Chair of the Board of Trustees, East Coast Pride
Significant Economic Contribution to the Coastal Economy
Survey data from the event reveals that visitor spending averaged approximately £95 per person (median £50), translating into an estimated £350,000 to £665,000 injected into the Skegness economy during the late-season coastal period, supporting hospitality, retail, accommodation, and tourism at a time when the local economy benefits most from sustained visitor activity.
Digital Reach and Public Visibility
East Coast Pride’s digital presence extended the event’s impact far beyond physical attendance:
1.2 million Facebook content views during 2025
55,000+ Instagram views
Over 11,000 website sessions from more than 7,700 users
Regional and national press coverage further amplified the charity’s profile, highlighting the scale, inclusivity, and family-friendly nature of the Skegness celebration.
Volunteer-Powered and Community-Led
East Coast Pride remains entirely volunteer-powered, with hundreds of hours contributed across planning, outreach, safeguarding, logistics, governance, and community engagement throughout the year.
The Pride Committee, comprising Nick Walton, Nicola Mitchell, Cameron Hankinson, and Adam Hind, provides operational leadership alongside the Trustee Board of Amy Basker (Chair), David Taylor (Treasurer), and Bradley Johnson (Secretary).
Year-Round Impact Beyond the Event
During 2025, the charity also developed an online Support Directory, providing clear and accessible signposting to mental health services and trusted local and national LGBTQIA+ organisations.
Research partnerships, including with Skegness Pride in Place Board, are laying the groundwork for a dedicated community LGBTQIA+ and Allies Survey, the results of which are published in 2026.
Looking Ahead
East Coast Pride’s 2025–2028 Strategic Plan sets out a phased pathway to deepen impact across Boston, Skegness, Mablethorpe, Louth, Horncastle, and surrounding communities. East Coast Pride 2026 is already in development, building responsibly on the success of this year’s landmark event.
Media Enquiries
Brad Johnson, Secretary & Trustee: brad.johnson@eastcoastpride.co.uk
About East Coast Pride
East Coast Pride (Charity Number: 1210722) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation founded in late 2024 to champion equality, celebrate identity, and strengthen wellbeing for LGBTQIA+ people across the rural and coastal communities of Lincolnshire.
If you would like to find out more about how you can support East Coast Pride and explore our sponsorship opportunities, please visit our website: www.eastcoastpride.co.uk/sponsorship
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