Hounslow Council has unveiled a rainbow crossing in Brentford, West London, to demonstrate solidarity with the LGBT community and promote inclusion and respect. Situated outside the Six Bells pub on Brentford High Street, a venue which is used and valued by LGBT customers, hosts events and is a safe space. The inspiration for the crossing came from the West London Queer Project; members of whom live in the borough. The design reflects the need to retain the traditional black and white crossing for safety considerations and will remain in place pending the future installation of a traffic light-controlled junction when construction of new homes in the area is completed. Hounslow would like residents, visitors or those working in the borough to give their ideas on what a future crossing could look like, and also to get involved in a conversation on twitter by taking a selfie, using the hashtag #Proud and tagging Hounslow @LBof Hounslow Cabinet member for Communities including Equality and Diversity, Councillor Katherine Dunne, said: “The crossing is a visible statement of our commitment to inclusion and progression within our borough. It shows that we recognise the difficult issues that many in the community face and are committed to stamp out hate in all its forms. “Everybody is welcome in Hounslow and I hope that even in a small way, these rainbow colours encourage everyone who sees it to reflect on how they can help tackle discrimination. Thank you to the West London Queer Project for helping to make this project happen.” Aubrey Crawley, from the West London Queer Project, said: "Well done Hounslow Council! Pride crossings are a great way of getting out a positive message on tolerance and acceptance. I hope to see more of these across the borough soon.” Peter Clark, owner, and operator of the Six Bells, said: “I am so overjoyed at the level of support from Hounslow Council and all involved who were able to make this happen." Anyone experiencing or witnessing hate crime should contact the Police who will deal with all reports in confidence. There is a full range of information on Hounslow Council’s website including details of specialist support services for people that have experienced hate.
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