SWINDON Pride could play a starring role in the Old Town Festival parade.

It follows the news that July’s Pride event has been cancelled, with organisers blaming a lack of volunteers.

The Swindon Pride committee says it will host a fundraiser in August, but discussions with the organisers of Old Town Festival could see them take up a place in the colourful festival parade on June 10.

Festival chairman Sarah Church and secretary James Marshman said: “The Old Town Festival committee is really pleased to offer Swindon Pride a place in the parade and at the Lawns.

“Swindon Pride is an inclusive and much-loved event in the town’s calendar and we felt it was a shame that they would not be running this year.

“By taking part in the Old Town Festival, we hope Pride will be able to keep an element of their event going in 2018 while giving them an opportunity to get ready to return bigger and better next year.”

The June Old Town Festival will see scores of performers descend on Wood Street and High Street for the annual parade.

Lydia Lawrence, of the Swindon and Wiltshire Pride Committee, said of the offer: “That’s something we’d be looking to do. We’d definitely consider it. If the Old Town Festival are happy and willing to accept us, that’s great.

“We’re still trying to do something this year, even if it’s just our fundraisers.”

Swindon Pride said this week that a lack of volunteers was behind the decision to cancel the event.

Lee Clarke, chairman, said: “This decision was not arrived at lightly and we appreciate the disappointment not only from the LGBT community but by the many Swindon residents who have come year on year to support us.

“We will be holding a Pride Day at the Regent Hotel on August 11 to raise funds for an event in 2019 to celebrate LGBT diversity, but it won’t be on the scale we have been able to enjoy in previous years.

“It is vital to our community to bring everyone together to raise the fund to keep Pride as a free event for all to celebrate and support each other.”

Last year marked the 10th anniversary of the event.

Old Town Festival runs from June 10 to June 16. For more: http://theoldtownfestival.co.uk/