Manchester Pride ‘powerful little gems’ greetings handout brings tears of joy
The power of love from greeting cards shone through at Manchester Pride over the weekend with a heart-warming gesture from one youngster moving an attendee to tears.
Of the 25,000 cards handed out by the GCA’s 50 marchers at the parade on Saturday, 24 August, one was taken by seven-year-old Summer, and she immediately wrote a message to actor Dan Ellis, who was also in the crowd, because she loved his jacket.
Posting on social media platform X on Sunday Dan said: “Yesterday watching the parade was gorgeous as ever. We had a family in front of us who seemed to be really loving it all… and then the daughter, Summer, gave me this card. When I say I was nearly crying…”
The Dean Morris card was one of those specially printed by the GCA for Manchester Pride, and Pride In London last month, and featured a rainbow-coloured design with the caption Sounds Gay I’m In, and Summer had quickly written the message “You look beauitifull, happy pride, love from Summer” complete with hand-drawn heart, before handing the card to Dan.
The post has so far been seen by more than 11,000 people, including Manchester Evening News reporter Adam Maidment who got in touch for a story in yesterday’s paper, where the actor said they were “overwhelmed” by the gesture.
Dan told the paper the family had taken great interest in the denim jacket they were wearing: “There are patches on the jacket, like of the penguin from Wallace And Gromit, and they just made a real fuss of it and were really interested in what I was wearing.
“We nattered for a little bit, and I found out Summer was seven years old. Her brother also received some sweets during the parade and wanted to share them with my friends. They were just having so much fun and love for everybody.
“The girl wandered off for a little bit with her mum and came back with the card that said I looked beautiful and wished me a happy Pride. It was honestly one of the most heart-warming things of my life, it was gorgeous. I was trying so hard not to cry, because it was just so nice.”
And, proving how cards really do make memories, Dan added: “We have a wall full of random memories and we’re going to frame the card and put it on there.”
The GCA had 50 walking places for folk from the greeting card industry in the parade, which featured more than 260 floats and 17,000 participants including Danny Beard, Russell T Davies and Su Pollard, and lasted more than four hours.
Wearing bright white t-shirts emblazoned with the Send A Card With Pride motto, Ohh Deer’s co-owner Mark Callaby was the contingent’s leader as the GCA council’s D&I lead and he was very proud of the impact of the industry’s first appearance at Manchester Pride.
Thankfully the 25,000 specially-printed cards sponsored by The Imaging Centre, Fedrigoni and Enveco arrived safely – they nearly didn’t for Pride In London after the courier broke down.
“Greeting cards really are powerful little gems.” Mark said of the crowd’s reaction to the handouts, Summer’s kind gesture, and a comment from a pal who’d been unable to take part in the event: “I just wanna say how cool I think the Pride cards are.
“A few weeks ago I probably wouldn’t have cared so much but I’d been out with a queer friend who pointed out what a big deal it is to her that there are queer greeting cards all over Manchester as that sort of thing doesn’t happen in Northern Ireland apparently. I’d never noticed or thought about it before then.”
Mark said the whole event – which can be seen in the video above – was “brilliant” and even the rain shower just beforehand didn’t dampen spirits, adding: “Thankfully by the time we got to the main parade area the rain had stopped and the sun was peeking out, there must have been a rainbow somewhere!
“The crowd was electric and incredibly diverse which made Manchester Pride really special and, just like in London, the greeting cards were received incredibly well, which everyone getting really excited about receiving a card, or a few if they were lucky!”
Indie retailer Sarah Laker, of Stationery Supplies in Marple and Wilmslow, was one of the marchers –taking part in her first-ever Pride which can be seen in the reel below – and she said: “There are days in your life that are good, or bad, and then there days which are really great. You know, the ones that you’ll never forget, that make you smile whenever you think of them. And it was one of those great days.
“The sheer joy on everyone’s faces as my fellow cardies and I gave out thousands and thousands of greeting cards. And simply seeing everyone be whoever they wanted to be, with whoever they wanted to be with. A sea full of faces of pride and love.”
It was his first time at the Manchester parade for Dean Morris, who was one of the sponsors covering the cost of the GCA attending the event, along with Ohh Deer, Imaging Centre, Hallmark, Cath Tate Cards, Paper Rose, UK Greetings, Enveco, Fedrigoni, Home & Gift Buyers’ Festival, and Top Drawer.
“I was blown away by the size of the crowds and their response to the thousands of lovely greeting cards we handed out,” Dean said, “the parade moved quickly but myself and other cardies handed out so many cards and briefly chatted with all the recipients who genuinely loved all the cards they received, we elicited so much love from the crowds.
“One point I repeatedly mentioned to the crowd – with my voice getting increasingly hoarse voice from all the cheering! – was that I bet they didn’t know the Greeting Card Association was even a thing. Most, quite understandably, didn’t but one person’s reaction of ‘no, but I’m now obsessed with you!’ really made me laugh.
“And Summer’s story brings me great joy – it just reinforces the message that I was giving to many people on the march of send a card, deliver a smile.”
