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An Open Letter to Kelham Pride

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To the Organisers of Kelham Pride (KINCA, a registered charity), and all associated venues and sponsors,

As members and allies of Sheffield’s vibrant LGBTQ+ community, we are writing to express our profound concern and disappointment regarding your continued acceptance of sponsorship from the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University for Kelham Pride 2025. While we celebrate the spirit of Pride and the vital space it creates for our community, we cannot ignore the deeply troubling ethical implications of these specific partnerships.

The University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University stand accused of complicity in grave human rights abuses, specifically through their alleged involvement in the manufacture of components for weapons currently being used in acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza, and through their financial investments in companies linked to these actions. The report from the Sheffield Campus Coalition for Palestine (SCCP) details these accusations against the University of Sheffield, which has received over £72 million in direct funding from arms manufacturers between 2012 and 2022 [1]. Similar concerns have been raised regarding Sheffield Hallam University’s ties to the arms trade, with reports from Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) and Demilitarise Education (dED) indicating nearly £35 million in partnerships with arms companies [2, 3]. Both universities have been aware of these allegations for a considerable time and, to date, have refused to divest from these ties.

Kelham Pride’s stated mission is to create “fun and safe spaces delivering progressive, inclusive and respectful events.” However, by accepting funds from institutions implicated in such devastating violence, you are inherently undermining these very principles. These partnerships constitute a form of pinkwashing. Kelham Pride is using the vibrant, inclusive image of Pride to sanitise the reputation of entities facing serious accusations of complicity in war crimes.

Current Known Sponsors and Associated Companies of Kelham Pride
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As of June 7, 2025, the following are the known sponsors and associated companies for Kelham Pride:

2025 Sponsors
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Ally Venues
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  • The Three Tuns (Fringe Venue) - 39 Silver Street Head, Sheffield S1 2DD
  • Hymn to Ninkasi (Fringe Venue) - The Wedge, 5 Cotton Mill Walk, Sheffield S3 8DH
  • Alder (Partner Venue) - Percy St, Neepsend, Sheffield S3 8BT
  • The Harlequin (Fringe Venue) - 108 Nursery Street, Sheffield S3 8GG
  • Yellow Arch (Partner Venue) - 30 Burton Rd, Neepsend, Sheffield S3 8BX
  • Factory Floor (Partner Venue) - 92 Burton Road, Sheffield S3 8BX
  • Saw Grinders Union (Fringe Venue) - Globe Works, Sheffield S6 3AE
  • Neepsend Social Club & Canteen (Partner Venue) - 92 Burton Rd, Neepsend, Sheffield S3 8DA
  • Parrot Club (Partner Venue) - 92 Burton Rd, Neepsend, Sheffield S3 8DA
  • Kelham Kitchen & Wine Bar (Partner Venue) - 31 Ball St, Neepsend, Sheffield S3 8DB
  • Riverside Kelham (Fringe Venue) - 1 Mowbray St, Neepsend, Sheffield S3 8EN
  • Peddler Market (Partner Venue) - 92 Burton Rd, Neepsend, Sheffield S3 8BX
  • Happy’s Bar (Partner Venue) - 32 Rutland Rd, Neepsend, Sheffield S3 8DP
  • Grafters (Partner Venue) - Grafters, Burton Rd, Sheffield S3 8BX

Violation of Charitable Objects
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As a registered charity, KINCA has specific charitable objects that guide its operations and ensure it acts for the public benefit [4]. Your third charitable object explicitly states a commitment: “TO PROMOTE SOCIAL INCLUSION FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT BY PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM BECOMING SOCIALLY EXCLUDED, RELIEVING THE NEEDS OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE SOCIALLY EXCLUDED AND ASSISTING THEM TO INTEGRATE INTO SOCIETY.” It further clarifies that “SOCIALLY EXCLUDED” includes those facing “DISCRIMINATION ON THE GROUNDS OF SEX, RACE, DISABILITY, ETHNIC ORIGIN, RELIGION, BELIEF, CREED, SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER RE-ASSIGNMENT.”

By accepting sponsorship from institutions accused of complicity in genocide and ethnic cleansing, KINCA is directly contradicting this fundamental charitable object. This action actively causes social exclusion by creating an environment where queer Palestinians and other ethnic minorities feel unsafe, unwelcome, and discriminated against within a Pride event. For many queer Palestinians, their struggle for liberation is inherently intertwined with the broader Palestinian struggle, and these “pinkwashing” efforts can feel particularly alienating. It normalises the idea that the liberation of some can be divorced from the liberation and safety of others, particularly those facing systemic violence and discrimination. This is not promoting inclusion; it is a profound failure to uphold the very principles upon which your charitable status is founded.

This is not a distant issue; it directly impacts the safety and belonging of LGBTQ+ people right here in Sheffield, not just the Palestinians who are living in terror. When an organisation that claims to champion inclusion aligns itself with alleged perpetrators of genocide, it sends a chilling message. It tells queer Palestinians, and all ethnic minorities, that their safety and human rights are secondary. It signals to anyone aware of these atrocities that Pride, a movement born of protest and solidarity, can be bought and leveraged to obscure complicity in violence.

Silence, in this context, is not neutral. It is a form of complicity.

We have, along with many other individuals and groups, attempted to raise these concerns with Kelham Pride directly. The consistent lack of reply is disheartening and deeply concerning. It suggests a disregard for the voices and genuine fears within the very community you claim to serve. This silence makes all LGBTQ+ people unsafe, not just those directly affected by the genocide. It normalises the idea that our liberation can be decoupled from the liberation of all oppressed people. It threatens the integrity of Pride as a space for genuine solidarity and liberation, not just celebration.

To the venues hosting Kelham Pride events and the sponsors whose logos appear alongside the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University: your association with Kelham Pride, while potentially well-intentioned, now carries this ethical burden. We urge you to consider the implications of these partnerships for your own values and your standing within the community. Are you comfortable being linked to an event that accepts funding from institutions accused of complicity in genocide?

We, the LGBTQ+ community and our allies in Sheffield, demand that Kelham Pride takes immediate and decisive action. This includes:

  • Publicly addressing and condemning the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University’s alleged complicity in war crimes.
  • Immediately divesting from the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University’s sponsorships.
  • Issuing a transparent statement on your future policies regarding ethically compromised sponsors.
  • Engaging in open and meaningful dialogue with the community members who have raised these concerns.
  • Including minority voices in the LGBTQ+ community in positions of power so this kind of ethical compromise cannot be repeated.

Pride began as a riot, a protest against oppression. It was, and must remain, a space for radical inclusion and unwavering solidarity with all those facing injustice. We stand with Palestinians, and we call on Kelham Pride to truly embody the spirit of intersectional liberation.

Until genuine action is taken, we struggle to see how Kelham Pride can truly be a safe or inclusive space for all members of Sheffield’s diverse LGBTQ+ community.

Sincerely,

The LGBTQ+ Community and Allies in Sheffield

Signatures
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Do you agree with the message set out in this letter? Then Add Your Signature Now!

Organisation Signatories
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  • Sheffield Campus Coalition for Palestine | Email

Individual Signatories
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  • Canopy Falls (She/They/It)
  • Alex Meier (he/it)
  • Elisabeth George (she/her)
  • Eve (she/her)
  • Noah (they)
  • Sarah Loasby (they/them)
  • Yoana (she/they)

Citations
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[1] Sheffield Campus Coalition for Palestine. (n.d.). University of Sheffield Genocide and Apartheid Complicity Report. Sheffield UCU. Retrieved from https://ucu.group.shef.ac.uk/weekly-update/genocide-and-apartheid-complicity-report/

[2] Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) & Demilitarise Education (dED). (2024). Weaponising Universities: Research Collaborations between UK Universities and the Military Industrial Complex. Yorkshire CND. Retrieved from https://yorkshirecnd.org.uk/arming-universities-in-yorkshire/

[3] Demilitarise Education (dED). (n.d.). Does your uni support the global war machine?. Retrieved from https://ded1.co/

[4] Charity Commission for England and Wales. (n.d.). KINCA Charity Details. Retrieved from https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5086315/governing-document

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