WARLEY, England, July 4, 2001 (FCN) -- At the weekend, more than 85,000 party-goers attended the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Finsbury Park, North London.

 

Ford Globe members ride in a Ford galaxy and Ford Ranger during the parade through the city

The event is one of the largest in Europe, and continues to grow in size every year. All sorts of entertainment were laid on -- food, drink, white-knuckle rides and top dance and pop acts from around the country.

 

The Ford stand at this year's London Mardi Gras

For the second year running, Ford was a main sponsor of the event. The company set up an extensive stand that hosted exciting rally simulators, the latest video-game dance machines, as well as a variety of Ford vehicles on display.

 

Members of Ford Globe at the London Mardi Gras

"Ford is here really to show that we are a diverse company; we have gay, lesbian and transgender employees working in Ford, and there is a place for us in their community, and we make up a diverse work force that hopefully should add to Ford's culture experience," said Rob Latchford, a member of Ford GLOBE, the company's Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual Employees group.

Nearly 50 employees from the UK and Germany, and a procession of Ford vehicles, joined the Mardi Gras parade through the city.

"Ford GLOBE is open to employees, agency staff, contractors -- anyone working at Ford Motor Company, encompassing all the brands -- and it is a way of meeting other gay, lesbian and transgender employees and networking. We're not so much an activist group as a means for social networking," explained Latchford.

 

A Ford Ka decorated by Ford Globe

Ford also donated a Ka Collection as a raffle prize, with all proceeds going to the Terence Higgins Trust Lighthouse, a charity that supports people living with AIDS and HIV.

In total, GLOBE raised £3,500 (USD $4,900) for the Terence Higgins Trust, and they hope to be back, bigger and brighter, for next year's event.

©2001 Ford Communications Network -- reprinted with permission