More than 200 staff at Southend, Basildon and Broomfield hospitals have celebrated Pride month with special picnics at each site.

The annual celebrations, which were open to all staff, were organised by Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust's LGBTQ+ network to help raise awareness of issues facing the community and to celebrate its diverse staff network. Staff enjoyed complimentary picnic packs, a rare treat.

Joshua Cologne, Events Manager and Co-Chair of the LGBTQ+ network group, said: "Pride Month is such a fun and exciting time as it celebrates being proud of who you are and giving kindness to the LGBTQ+ community.

"As a member of the community Pride is super important to me as I see it as a valuable time to celebrate love and individuality and to talk about acceptance and inclusivity."