Doncaster Pride 2026

On Saturday 8th August we donned our pride gear, covered breakfast pancakes in caster sugar, and drank our Yorkshire tea. That's right, we were at Doncaster Pride!

Hitachi Rail Pride in Unity network with a little Journey support in a parched Town Field

Doncaster is steeped in railway history and remains a major operations and maintenance base for passenger and freight operators, as well as an engineering hub for the upkeep of the rail network. Hitachi Rail maintain the East Coast Mainline LNER Azuma trains in the city, so it made perfect sense for their Pride in Unity LGBTQ+ network to support Doncaster Pride, and kindly extended the invitation to the wider Journey community. Hitachi Rail and Pride in Unity are leaders in the transport sector, putting inclusion and engagement with the communities where they're based such as Newton Aycliffe and Doncaster at the heart of what they do, and people attended from the Northeast, London, and of course Doncaster to ensure the Hitachi Rail contingent was a roaring success.

Rainbow flag flutters in Duke Street before the parade moved off

The parade assembled on Duke Street and set off through the city centre along St Sepulchre Gate, High Street, and Hall Gate to reach a parched Town Field on a hot and sunny day typical of the endless summer of 2026. There was a great atmosphere along the way with hundreds of well-wishers and wonderful engagement with the Hitachi Rail crew who were handing out merch while bopping along to some disco classics.

The Hitachi Rail stall at the Town Field pride event

Hitachi Rail had a stall in the community tent which was a huge success, providing a great opportunity to engage and showcase Hitachi Rail as an employer that values diversity and inclusion. It was fantastic to see so many colleagues come together to represent Hitachi Rail with such enthusiasm, energy, and pride. Their presence throughout the event demonstrated their ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves and thrive.

The front of the parade at Duke Street

There is so much power to smaller more community-based Pride events like Doncaster, where transport sector employers and their LGBTQ+ networks can have conversations directly with members of the LGBTQ+ community. It's a fantastic opportuniuty to inspire and advise people about careers in an industry which has so much potential to benefit from greater representation of not just LGBTQ+ people, but women, minority ethnic and disabled people who are all under-represented.

Huge thanks to the organisers from the Pride in Unity network and to everyone who supported a brilliant day, roll on 2027!