Pride in London’s new advertising and community engagement campaign #PrideHeroes, which begins today, is set to showcase unsung, everyday heroes from the capital.

The campaign aims to acknowledge individuals who have contributed to LGBT+ rights over the years and also celebrate the lives of people from across the LGBT+ community. Participants and members of London’s LGBT+ community, including its straight allies, are being asked to nominate their own #PrideHeroes, from the famous to the unsung, and to share their suggestions via the hashtag #PrideHeroes.

Shaun Dellanty, a deputy head teacher and founder of Inclusion For All, which tackles homophobia in schools and other organisations, features in the advertising campaign and is nominated as a Pride Hero.

Shaun said: ‘As someone who walked out of the state education system due to years of sustained homophobic bullying and with the full intention of ending my life, it’s unacceptable to me that a student could be experiencing the same homophobia today. I wrote and set-up Inclusion for All as a training programme to be delivered in my school and today it has a global reach. Pride is absolutely still relevant today. The day I saw my first Pride Parade in 1996 was the day I accepted myself finally.’

For the second year running, Pride will advertise on digital escalator panels throughout central London Underground stations and on London buses for the next two weeks, with creative content developed by DOOH showcasing a number of nominated #PrideHeroes from London’s LGBT+ community, groups and Pride in London sponsors.

Michael Salter, Chairman of Pride in London said: ‘#PrideHeroes will celebrate both the well-known and the unsung heroes who have won equality over the years, or provided individuals with inspiration and support at times of most need. Those campaigning now for further equality and attitudinal change stand on the shoulders of giants but the work to change minds and win hearts in London, the UK and around the world goes on.

‘Exterion Media has again shown their backing for London and its LGBT+ community by enabling Pride in London to run our second ever advertising campaign; we are very grateful to them and our other sponsors for this.’

Despite Pride in London facing cricism on several fronts – with political party Ukip being banned, and commercial sponsors leading the parade – some 20 per cent of the 250 groups registered to take part in the parade are new to Pride this year.

Hundreds of #PrideHeroes nominations have already been submitted, including nominations by Mayor of London Boris Johnson and MOBO nominated artist Rebecca Ferguson who will be performing on Pride’s main stage in Trafalgar Square on 27 June.

Pride in London is a week-long festival, from 20-28 June, celebrating all aspects of the LGBT+ community. Last year more than 750,000 people came to the Pride in London festival and 30,000 people joined the annual Parade, making it one of the world’s biggest LGBT+ celebrations. This year’s Parade takes place on Saturday 27 June.