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Oban Lesbian Weekend members invited to lead Glasgow Pride march

Oban Lesbian Weekend wins Outstanding Recognition at Proud Scotland Awards.

By Rita Campbell

June 7 2023, 5:00 pm

OLW team members, from left, Helen McLuckie, Sam Sambells and founder Maz Gordon at the Proud Scotland Awards.

Oban Lesbian Weekend’s team will have top billing at Glasgow’s Pride Mardi Gla march.

The invitation comes after an Outstanding Recognition at the Proud Scotland Awards on June 3.

Members of the OLW crew with the Sky Broadband team at the Proud Scotland Awards.

Proud Scotland Awards celebrate outstanding work by organisations or individuals which support the LGBTQ+ community.

Oban Lesbian Weekend came a close second to Virgin Atlantic in the travel awards final.

It was the only small business to be shortlisted in the highly prestigious category.

The weekend sees hundreds of lesbians and their friends enjoy a break in Oban.

Close call for the Travel Award

Proud Scotland judges at Glasgow’s Radisson Blu said the travel award was a close call. And the seven judges decided in Virgin’s favour by just one vote.

Oban Lesbian Weekend was the night’s only finalist to receive an outstanding recognition award.

Jane Mccarry, best known for her role as Isa in Still Game, presented the award.

Immediately afterwards, there was more recognition for OLW.

Judge Dan Syme, of Glasgow’s Pride Mardi Gla, invited the team to lead this year’s march.

Glasgow’s Mardi Gla 2023 will take place on July 15.

This year’s theme for this year is Women of the LGBTQ+ Community and Movement.

Maz Gordon, founder of OLW, said: “As a small, community business, only in our second year, we are delighted to come such a close second to Virgin Atlantic, one of the world’s largest corporate businesses.

Attendees previously felt isolated

“I’d like to thank our amazing crew and attendees for all their support. Many attendees said they had previously felt isolated and like I felt when I first moved to Oban, (with zero or a very little LGBTQ+ community around us).

“It’s been amazing and quite humbling to hear so many women say they’ve now met lifelong friends, and even embarked on several long-term relationships, including two engagements.”