Horizon of Khufu: Journey to Ancient Egypt

What an amazing experience! We put on our virtual reality headsets and (figuratively) fastened our seatbelts! With Horizon of Khufu, we travelled thousands of years back to the heart of ancient Egypt. We discovered the secrets of one of the seven wonders of the world through an innovative concept: the immersive expedition.

We explored the Great Pyramid of Giza as it was more than 4500 years ago. We walked through its mysterious corridors, entered the Queen’s Chamber and met the goddess Bastet.

It was absolutely stunning to rediscover the ancient Egyptian marvels that once defined human ingenuity and imagination, exploring the labyrinth of hidden corridors. We even had a ringside seat at the embalming ceremony of the great Pharaoh Khufu!

The experience was designed in collaboration with Harvard’s Egypt expert Peter der Manuelian, and offered a rare opportunity to witness what it was really like in ancient Egypt’s golden age.

We left exhilarated by a new appreciation for the civilization of the past which mystifies and excites to this day!

The law is changing

Over the years, society has become more inclusive for all: equal marriage, inclusive education in schools and anti-discrimination laws.

But when it comes to LGBT+ safety – we still have far to go. Anti LGBT+ hate crime has risen in recent years – online, on our streets and in public. 

Latest research from Stonewall reveals LGBT+ people do not feel safe to live their lives freely. Less than half (44%) of LGBT+ people feel safe holding their partner’s hand in public.

Even something as simple as reaching out to hold their partner’s hand now feels unsafe.  Everyone deserves to go about their daily lives free from the fear of abuse and harassment, no matter their identities. 

The latest statistics from the Home Office show that there were more than 18,000 hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation and over 2,500 trans related hate crimes in 2024. Behind these numbers are real people who deserve to feel safe to be themselves.

We want the government to ensure the safety of the LGBT+ community,

On 14 April 2026, the Crime & Policing Bill was amended to equalise the punishment of hate crime. The aggravated offence amendment was agreed by the House of Commons. When the law changes, anti-LGBT+ hate crimes will be considered more serious offences in the eyes of the courts – perpetrators will get stronger sentences and victims will have more time to access justice.

This vital change will deliver much needed equality in hate crime legislation.

North West Pride Events – April to June 2026

Here are a few dates for the diary:

Bury Pride Rainbow Train – 19 April

Trafford Pride (Sale) – 16 May

Pride on the Range (Whalley Range) – 23 May

Bury Pride – 30 May

Blackpool Pride – 6 June

Pink Picnic (Salford Pride) – 13 June

Warrington Pride – 13 June

Sparkle Weekend (Manchester) – 26 to 28 June.

More to follow …