Paul flies the flag for LGBT rights

Photo: Picture: CHRIS SUNDERLAND

Paul Burgess of Pink Triangle Theatre Company.

An outspoken campaigner against homophobia has been nominated for a Pride in Oldham award.

Paul Burgess is co-founder of the Pink Triangle Theatre Company and a member of the Oldham Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Forum.

Paul played a big part in July’s Oldham Pride rainbow parade, and also appeared with Pink Triangle in the Gallery Oldham performance as part of the day’s events.

The theatre company played to a packed audience and received a standing ovation at the end of its four-man production ‘Show One!’, a 30-minute, monologue-based play about the different perceptions and attitudes towards homosexuality.

In August they performed 10 times at the U-Nite event in Rochdale, a series of workshops throughout the day for up to 300 young people, and will also perform for a full week at The Oldham College this term.

The group also made its first festival appearance, at the Limetree festival, in Grewelthorpe, North Yorkshire, last month.

By day Paul (41), from Hathershaw, is a health trainer with Oldham Community Health Services, part of NHS Oldham, the primary care service.

He has also challenged views expressed on websites and in printed literature which misrepresent or misunderstand different types of sexuality.

He was nominated by Katy Stewart, who said: “Paul is an amazing person, tackling homophobia head on, championing LGBT equality and working tirelessly to bring LGBT issues to the fore.

“I hope you recognise Paul for his work and realise how proud he is to be part of the Oldham community.”

Paul, born and bred in Oldham, added: “When we played at the festival we had a really positive response and a really responsive audience.”

He added: “To be nominated for Pride in Oldham is very, very nice.”