JT has donated £1,000 to Liberate Guernsey through its Community Giving Scheme to help make this year’s Channel Islands Pride in Guernsey more accessible, ensuring deaf, hard of hearing and disabled islanders can fully participate in one of the island’s largest free community events.
The funding will support professional British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation across key parts of the Pride programme, helping remove communication barriers and enabling more people to take part in the event’s celebrations, performances and community activities.
Channel Islands Pride attracts thousands of islanders each year and provides an important opportunity for LGBTQ+ people, families, friends and allies to come together in a visible celebration of inclusion, community and belonging. The accessibility initiative forms part of Liberate’s wider commitment to creating welcoming spaces where everyone can feel represented, connected and able to participate fully.
The donation aligns with JT’s commitment to championing diversity, inclusion and belonging across the Channel Islands and reflects its Digital for Good programme, which supports initiatives that improve accessibility and strengthen communities.
Laura Belo, Chief People Officer at JT, said: “At JT, we believe that inclusion means creating environments where everyone has the opportunity to participate, connect and feel a sense of belonging. We’re proud to support Liberate Guernsey’s accessibility initiative and help ensure that Channel Islands Pride is open and welcoming to as many people as possible. The continued presence of a professional BSL interpretation is a fantastic step and demonstrates Liberate’s commitment to making community events truly inclusive. We’re delighted to play a small part in helping remove barriers and ensuring more islanders can share in this important celebration.”
While Pride is widely recognised as a celebration of diversity, it also provides an important opportunity for many people to find community, build connections and reduce feelings of isolation. As the event continues to evolve, organisers are placing an increasing focus on accessibility and ensuring people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities can participate in the experience.
This year’s Channel Islands Pride Guernsey will take place on 12 September 2026 and marks a significant milestone as the event celebrates its 10th anniversary in Guernsey. Over the past decade, Pride has grown into one of the island’s largest free community events, bringing together thousands of people in a celebration of diversity, inclusion and belonging. Organisers are committed to ensuring the event continues to evolve and become even more accessible, enabling as many islanders as possible to take part in the experience.
Ellie Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Liberate Guernsey, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to JT for supporting this important accessibility project. Creating genuinely inclusive events requires us to think about the barriers that can prevent people from participating and take meaningful action to address them. Thanks to JT’s donation, we’ll be able to provide professional BSL interpretation, helping deaf and hard of hearing islanders engage more fully with the event. Accessibility should never be an afterthought, and we’re proud to be taking another step towards ensuring Pride is a celebration that everyone can enjoy.”
As a volunteer-led event, Channel Islands Pride relies on the support of local organisations and partners to continue enhancing the experience for attendees. JT’s contribution will help ensure that more islanders can access the event, participate in community life and experience the sense of belonging that Pride seeks to foster.
Through its Community Giving Scheme and wider commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging, JT continues to support initiatives that create more accessible, connected and inclusive communities across the Channel Islands.
More information about Channel Islands Pride and Liberate’s programme of events can be found at www.liberate.gg/whats-on and www.channelislandspride.org.