LGBTQ Solidarity: Bringing Queer Essence to Manchester

Hello All,

On November 1st the Pipe Up Manchester 2025 festival will bring together 10 small singing groups from around the UK and Ireland to perform, connect, and show pride in being part of the LGBTQ+ community.

As members of Proud Voices UK and Ireland we understand the importance of showing love and solidarity with our wider family, of holding each others’ hands in difficult times. Which is why we want to expand that reach further and help crowd fund for our friends, Queer Essence, a group of singers from Ukraine, whose lives have been upturned by war in their country, but who still keep singing whenever and wherever they can.

We are hoping to raise £3,650 to cover the cost of bringing the choir over to the UK and look to you, our wonderfully supportive LGBTQ+ community to make this hope a reality.

A message from Nastka and Olena from Queer Essence:

Hello Friends!

We are Queer-Essence Choir from Kharkiv, Ukraine. We would like to enjoy you with our music during the next Pipe Up! Manchester Festival in November this year.

Thanks to our friends from the Laura & the Lesbians choir who invited us to the Pipe Up! Manchester 2025 festival, this can happen!

Who are we - to give you the brief story and why it's worth to come and to listen us :-)

Last year we celebrated our 5th anniversary. Originally we are from Kharkiv in Ukraine. Today not all of us can live in their homeland and home city. But love for Kharkiv united us.

We are not an extremely big choir but with big potential. We sing and we use different instruments during our performances - sometimes unexpected ones.

Our music it's a variety of musical styles. We compile our repertoire of songs that are significant for the LGBT community and for us personally. It includes both covers of world hits and compositions written by the choir members. We also sing Ukrainian folk songs, combining them with LGBT topics.

During our 5 years history we represented Ukraine during the Various Voices Festival in Bolonia in 2023 and in Eastern and Central European Queer Choir Summer Festival in Cracow, Poland last year.

Next year we are aiming for Brussels :-)

Nowadays a sense of belonging and common actions are extremely important. The sense of community is very important to us. Being part of the event, which is built on community and friendship, will allow us to build new friendships and share with you our culture.

We will be happy to take part in such a wonderful event where we can sing together with outstanding choirs and exchange experiences. And since we mostly rehearse online, the festival is a great opportunity for our choir members to meet and hug each other.

Thank you all for your generosity and willingness to join this crowdfund which made for us by Laura & the Lesbians. This will stay in our hearts forever ♥

Hope to see you 1st of November during the Pipe Up! Manchester 2025 Festival

Queer-Essence

Queer Essence talk about their home Kharkiv

Queer Essence has ten members and each one will require a visa, return flights, and accommodation. Below is a little more detail about how your donation could help.

A donation of:

● £250 will cover the cost of a return flight

● £115 will pay for a visa

● Any other amount will help us achieve our overall target

We would also be looking for people to offer free accommodation for members of the choir for the weekend. Please get in touch with Laura and the Lesbians via the Proud Voices Network, email or Insta.

Whatever you feel you can provide, will help Queer Essence on their journey to Manchester.

With love

Vicki, Rachel, Vic and Laura

(Laura & the Lesbians)

on behalf of Proud Voices UK and Ireland