A Sussex town will host a range of events to celebrate the trans community for their first-ever Trans Pride.

A week of festivities is planned across Hastings, St Leonards and Bexhill for local trans and non-binary people and their allies for Trans Pride Hastings in July.

Events planned so far include a mini film festival, a dog hangout and a “picnics and chill” event at the beach.

Some of the celebrations will take place in some of the town’s more notable landmarks, including the Observer Building, the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery and the De La Warr Pavilion.

Organisers Victoria Oldman and Zed Gregory said: “This year has been really tough for our community. We are under constant attack and it’s all feeling a bit bleak.

“We want to provide some safe and supportive spaces for our community to just hang out together.”

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The pair said that the event has attracted local support and have been “blown away” by the number of people who have offered to help.

Local businesses will be encouraged to put trans flags and stickers in windows throughout the month of July to show that there is “no hate in Hastings”.

Victoria said: “We need people to step up and actively show they are supportive and understanding and that they can really make a difference to people’s lives.”

Zed and Victoria decided to team up following a vigil for Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old trans girl who was murdered earlier this year in Warrington.

Zed said: “The media conversation about trans lives has become increasingly toxic. When a young person is murdered, we have to understand there are real consequences to the hate being spewed by a very vocal minority.”

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Victoria said: “We know the majority of the general public is behind the trans community. Trans Pride Hastings is here to make that support visible, bring it together in solidarity, and to show local trans and non-binary people they are loved and have the right to feel safe.”

While there are no plans for a march for the event this year, a community day trip to Trans Pride Brighton is planned for July 15.

Trans Pride Hastings will take place from July 22 to July 29.