A Preston woman is starring in Marks and Spencer’s national Pride window display campaign.

Emily Park, who is a Foods Manager at M&S Preston Deepdale, features alongside other members of Marks and Spencer’s LGBTQ+ network in 15 stores nationwide.

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Emily has worked at Marks and Spencer since 2011. She said: “I’m so proud to be part of Marks and Spencer’s Pride campaign, it feels pretty surreal to see my face in the windows of Marks and Spencer stores, but I think it’s amazing to involve colleagues in this way.

“We will be attending Manchester Pride this year. I have attended Manchester Pride every year since I was at university, so this will probably be my 10th consecutive Pride!

“Pride is extremely important to me for many reasons; it keeps LGBTQ+ history alive and encourages us to talk openly and be open about current LGBTQ+ issues.

“It’s a lack of conversation that leads to it being stigmatised, and the fact that the company I work for is so involved in celebrating Pride and encouraging diversity allows me to be myself in the workplace. 

“Going to Pride and being in these spaces is an extremely empowering experience, where being comfortable and at ease is often taken for granted by so many, but in the LGBTQ+ community, feeling this way is so much rarer than it should be. That’s why Pride is so important to me. You also get to dress up, have a drink and dance in the street.”

Read more: Preston university research finds anti-LGBT violence still acceptable in many countries

As part of its Pride campaign, Marks and Spencer will donate £10,000 to AKT, the national LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity, and €1000 to BeLonG To Youth Services in Ireland.

Have you spotted Emily in any Marks and Spencer stores? Let us know in the comments below.