A TOWN councillor has got the ball rolling for the first LGBTQ+ celebrations in Witham.

Chelsey Jay put a motion before councillors for Witham to host annual celebrations every June for Pride month.

Miss Jay won the motion by one vote.

This will be the first year Witham is supporting pride month.

Miss Jay now hopes to “spread a rainbow of support through the town”.

June was chosen for LGBTQ+ Pride month to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall riots in the USA in 1969.

Now thousands of Pride events are held throughout June to recognise the impact LGBTQ+ people have had on the world.

Miss Jay said: “The process was literally me having the idea and then having it put on the Community Agenda to consider.

“By crazy coincidence the day before I took this to the chamber, I got an email from a young person, who is part of the LGBTQ+ community, asking if Witham could do something.

“I was so happy the ball was already rolling.

“Sadly not all councillors voted in our favour, but we won by one vote.

“This is the first year Witham is supporting the month so it’s starting somewhere and I am really happy about it.

“The general idea is to visually celebrate the LGBTQ+ Community here, through spreading a rainbow of support throughout the town.”

Miss Jay hopes shops, schools, surgeries, dentists, pubs and restaurants will display Witham Pride promotional material throughout June.

She said: “As a town council we will be hanging the LGBTQ+ flag from our mast at the front of the building for the whole month, with a window display.

“This is a relatively small way to celebrate, but it has a big impact on changing cultures and historic ignorance.

“It is important that we celebrate now how far we have come in accepting love in all its different colours, and that as a little town, Witham will play a role in continuing and spreading that message as a loving community.”

The vote was won by four votes to three.

Miss Jay also hopes to organise a launch night on June 1.