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We were recently proud to be part of Colchester Pride 2026, joining thousands of people in celebrating diversity, inclusion, and the importance of creating communities where everyone feels safe, valued, and able to be themselves.

As one of the largest Pride events in Essex, Colchester Pride brings together individuals, families, community groups, charities, and organisations from across the region. For us, it was a fantastic opportunity to again connect with people, share information about our services, and ensure autistic people and their families know where to turn for support.

By the end of the day, our team had directly supported 101 individuals and families, making it one of our busiest and most impactful Pride events to date.

Connecting People with Support

Throughout the day, we welcomed a steady stream of visitors to our stand, each bringing their own questions, experiences, and stories.

Our team spoke with autistic people, parents, carers, professionals, and community members who wanted to learn more about the services and support available across Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk.

Many conversations focused on:

• Accessing autism and ADHD support
• Autism and ADHD assessments
• Support for families navigating education and life transitions
• Opportunities for autistic young people and adults
• All the ways to get involved with Autism Anglia

Being able to offer guidance, answer questions, and signpost people to relevant support is one of the most important reasons we attend events like Pride.

For some visitors, it was the first time they had spoken to an autism-focused organisation. For others, it was an opportunity to discover services they didn’t know existed. Every conversation mattered. 🙌

The Importance of LGBTQIA+ Representation

At Autism Anglia, we believe that everyone deserves to feel understood, supported, and celebrated for who they are.

Events like Colchester Pride provide an important opportunity to ensure LGBTQIA+ voices are heard and represented within the services we provide. They allow us to engage directly with people from the LGBTQIA+ community, listen to lived experiences, and learn how we can continue making our support more inclusive and accessible.

Throughout the day, we were reminded of the value of creating spaces where people can be themselves, ask questions openly, and feel welcomed without judgement.

Pride is about celebration, but it’s also about listening, learning, and building stronger communities for the future.

Building Partnerships Across Essex & beyond

Alongside supporting individuals and families, the event also gave us the opportunity to connect with local organisations, community groups, and professionals.

We had some fantastic conversations about potential partnership opportunities and future collaboration, exploring ways we can work together to support more autistic people and families across the region.

These partnerships are incredibly important. By working collectively, we can all increase awareness, share expertise, and help ensure more people can access the support they need, when they need it.

Why Community Events Matter

Community events play such an important role in helping people discover services, build confidence, and feel connected to the support available around them.

For many families, finding the right information can feel overwhelming. Knowing where to start, who to talk to, or what support is available isn’t always easy.

By attending events like Colchester Pride, we can take support directly into the community, making conversations more accessible and helping people find answers to questions they may have been carrying for a long time.

The impact of these conversations often extends far beyond the event itself.

Help Shape Future Services

One of the key focuses of our attendance at Colchester Pride was our ongoing LGBTQIA+ Community survey.

The survey has been created to help us better understand the experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals within our communities and identify how Autism Anglia can continue developing services, projects, and opportunities that are inclusive, welcoming, and relevant.

Every response provides valuable insight and helps ensure lived experience remains at the heart of future planning.

Whether you attended Colchester Pride or not, your views matter.

By taking part in the survey, you’ll be helping us:

• Better understand community experiences
• Identify support needs and gaps
• Shape future projects and initiatives
• Create more inclusive opportunities
• Ensure LGBTQIA+ voices help guide future developments

A Big Thank You

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who stopped by our stand, shared their experiences, asked questions, and took the time to speak with our team.

We’d also like to thank the organisers of Colchester Pride for hosting another fantastic event and creating such a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone involved.

We were honoured to be part of the day and proud to support a celebration that brings communities together in such a positive and meaningful way.

Have Your Say

If you’d like to help shape future Autism Anglia services, projects, and opportunities for LGBTQIA+ individuals and families, we’d love to hear from you.

👉 Take part in our LGBTQIA+ community survey, here

Together, we can continue building communities where autistic people feel understood, supported, represented, and empowered to thrive. 🏳️‍🌈💖