Ahead of a weekend of celebrations at Brighton and Hove Pride, South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) will unveil its newly-decorated Pride vehicle.

With more than 90 colleagues set to represent SECAmb at this year’s event, the Trust is beginning its celebrations with the unveiling of its new Pride vehicle at Brighton Make Ready Centre on Friday, 1 August.

This year’s Pride ambulance, decorated in a specially designed wrap, kindly funded through sponsorship by some of SECAmb’s suppliers and unions, will feature in the parade on Saturday, 2 August 2025.

Following the parade, the vehicle will be used at various events across the South East before becoming fully operational with the pride livery for staff and the local community to spot on the road.

People are also asked to take care and help emergency services manage its demand over the Brighton Pride weekend. The public can help SECAmb manage its demand by only calling 999 in an emergency and by making use of NHS 111 for help and advice.

With warm temperatures expected across the weekend, remember to stay hydrated, use sunscreen and be sensible with alcohol. More advice on staying safe and cool in the warm weather can be found online at www.secamb.nhs.uk/stay-safe-and-cool-in-the-sun.

Vice Chair-Pride in SECAmb, Benjamin Marlow said: “It’s fantastic that we will have a huge presence in the parade once again this year. I’d like to say a huge thank you to all colleagues from SECAmb and other ambulance services who will be giving up their time voluntarily to participate over the weekend.”

Operating Unit Manager for Brighton, Paul Fisher added: “Brighton Pride is a fantastic event each year for both the city and our teams, and I’d like to wish everyone a very happy and safe Brighton and Hove Pride. Our colleagues on the road and in our Emergency Operations Centres will be working hard to ensure people get the help they require and we’re asking the public to help us manage demand over the busy weekend.

“We want people to enjoy the weekend and experience a happy and safe Pride but also remember the impact avoidable 999 calls can have on our services. People should only call 999 in an emergency and remember to make use of alternatives if it’s not, including visiting a walk-in centre, speaking to a pharmacist or using NHS 111.”

Our thanks go to our Pride vehicle sponsors, Optima Health, Unison and GMB and to Jellyfish Designs for the design and fitting.