08 Oct 2026
St Albans has become the second official Proud Town in the country, joining the established Proud Watford initiative and becoming the first new community to join the growing Proud Town network.
Proud St Albans has been created by a team of local volunteers and community supporters who want to help make St Albans an even more welcoming and inclusive place – working towards the shared Proud Town vision of “a place without prejudice.”
The Proud Town initiative was established through Proud Watford, which has developed into a well-established community initiative since its launch in 2023. Proud Watford brings together local people, businesses, venues, community organisations and supporters around a shared ambition to create a town where everyone is respected, supported and able to be themselves.
Proud St Albans will operate independently, developing its own programme of activities and partnerships that reflect the character of St Albans, while working closely with Proud Watford and the wider Proud Town network wherever there are opportunities to collaborate.
The relationship between the two Proud Towns is particularly fitting given the close connection between Watford and St Albans, which share many of the same communities, businesses, visitors and cultural connections.
That relationship has already been strengthened through Proud Watford’s Proud Portraits project, which is bringing its collection to St Albans Cathedral this month.
Proud Portraits celebrates the lives and stories of LGBTQIA+ people through photography and personal stories, helping to create a lasting record of the people and communities who have contributed to the life of the area.
Harry Kinsley, part of the founding committee of Proud St Albans said “We are incredibly proud to bring Proud St Albans to life and to become the second Proud Town.
“Proud Watford has shown what can be achieved when a community comes together with a simple but powerful ambition – to create a place without prejudice. We want to build on that work here in St Albans, creating something that is rooted in our own community while sharing the same values.
“There is already a wonderful connection between our two places, and Proud Portraits coming to our Cathedral this October is a fantastic example of how our communities can work together. It feels particularly fitting that, as the Proud Portraits stories arrive in St Albans, Proud St Albans is also beginning its own chapter.
“This is about much more than one group or one community. It is about making St Albans a place where everyone feels welcome, respected and able to be themselves.
“We are excited about what comes next and, most importantly, about working with local people, businesses, organisations and community groups to make Proud St Albans something that belongs to the whole city.”
Ian Port, Chair of Proud Watford and Proud Town Project Lead, welcomed St Albans to the network: “Everyone at Proud Watford is delighted that our near neighbour, St Albans, has proudly taken the plunge to create the first new Proud Town.
“Like us, Proud St Albans will work towards ‘a place without prejudice’ — where everyone is respected and supported, whoever they are and however they identify or express their sexuality and humanity.
“I know how hard the team has worked to make Proud St Albans a reality, and it is a joyful thought that Proud Watford is now joined by such a wonderful new partner. While we will work
autonomously, I know Proud Watford and Proud St Albans will collaborate wherever possible – and together encourage more towns and cities to become Proud Towns. Good luck Proud St Albans!”
Co-founder of Proud St Albans, Chantelle Nassari, added: “A Proud Town like St Albans is the perfect complement to National Pride Month and Herts Pride. Whilst these events are reflective and celebratory dates in the diary, LGBTQIA+ inclusion is something to be woven into everyday civic life: visibility, representation, arts, culture, and the simple act of being seen all year round. It’s about being recognised as equal – part of the fabric of the city, not an exception to it.”
St Albans MP Daisy Cooper said: “It’s fantastic to see the launch of Proud St Albans with a vision to create a ‘place without prejudice’.
“Here in St Albans, I want everyone to feel safe and welcome, so I’m really pleased to see this new initiative which will make an important statement about our values as a community and an important contribution to pro-actively fostering inclusive attitudes.
“I know how important such initiatives can be from the work I did before I was elected – when I campaigned for LGBT+ rights abroad and was involved in the early stages of Ask For Clive, a St Albans-based equality charity that helps pubs, bars, and clubs create safe, inclusive environments for the LGBTQ+ community – and since.
“I hope local residents, businesses and organisations get involved and support the work of Proud St Albans.”
St Albans district council has been actively promoting efforts to keep the local area inclusive and safe for everyone, making clear that there’s no place for hate locally. Earlier this year, the first council motion by Sean Hughes, district councillor for St Peter’s, reaffirmed SADC’s commitment to opposing any hate crime, intimidation, vandalism, harassment or discrimination directed at any individual or community, including LGBT+ people.
He said: “I’m delighted that St Albans is creating its own Proud St Albans, a superb initiative to celebrate our LGBTQ+ residents and community through entertainment, events and activities throughout the year. There is a great group of volunteers behind this organisation from the LGBTQ+ community plus their allies and it’s great to see their hard work has paid off with this launch. It is important that we have a hub to promote events for everyone to enjoy. I hope it brings people together in times where we all seem to be drifting apart.”
