A rainbow makeover for Adina Surry Hills
Surry with a fringe on top: Adina Surry Hills sees joy in diversity and applauds it, welcoming World Pride 2023 to Crown Street
Adina Surry Hills has undergone a rainbow-flavoured makeover as the community of Surry Hills readies itself to welcome the world to Sydney as part of the WorldPride 2023 celebrations.
Adina guests can now walk a long rainbow carpet from Crown Street right through to the hotel reception desk to snap the ultimate selfie – complete with feather boas, sequins, and other equally colourful props – and all whilst enjoying Adina’s brand of Australian hospitality.
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Earlier this week, MP Alex Greenwich joined TFE Hotels CEO Antony Ritch, Adina Surry Hills GM Ben Saxton and Councillor Jess Scully to cut the rainbow ribbon in a simple ceremony at the Adina Surry Hills that celebrated the diversity of the surrounding community.
“We recognise that, like all journeys of equality, it has been a long road for the LGBTQIA+ community. Their journey has led us to today… to a point where society sees joy in diversity and applauds it,” Ritch said in addressing the assembled crowd.
“Sadly, that’s not the case everywhere and for everyone, and that serves as a reminder that, as a society, we cannot rest on our laurels. Today, our hotel teams in Sydney took great pride in celebrating the WorldPride festival, the return of Mardi Gras to Oxford Street, and the LGBTQIA+ community as a whole… and where better to do that than at the foot of the rainbow here at Adina Surry Hills.”
Adina Surry Hills’ General Manager, Ben Saxton, said WorldPride was bringing a new crowd of domestic and international visitors to Sydney, which was fantastic for the local economy.
“We have this incredible worldwide event coming to our beautiful city, and what better opportunity to wave sayonara to the worst of the pandemic and welcome the world again with a big smile,” he said. “As a proud gay CIS man, I am excited for the world to come together in my adopted hometown to celebrate inclusion, diversity and unity.”
Saxton said the Surry Hills community welcomed him with open arms when he emigrated from the UK, and he was looking forward to seeing festivalgoers feel that same warm welcome from Sydneysiders and from his team at Adina Apartment Surry Hills.
TFE’s Michael Bailey, Sid Singh, Leah Osborne, Emma Soutter, Danielle Schadow, Dianna Quinones-Silva, Marit Connell, Ben Saxton and Francis di Mattina donned boas and sequins to celebrate.
Cutting the rainbow ribbon at the Adina, Councillor Jess Scully declared that ‘Rainbow Season’ had officially opened.
“Sydney is turning it on for Sydney WorldPride 2023 and it’s wonderful to see business, creative and community groups roll out the rainbow carpet to signal their joy in celebrating our gender and sexually diverse communities,” she said.
“It was an honour to join our Sydney Champion – MP Alex Greenwich – as Adina Surry Hills unveiled their rainbow laneway and mirror of dreams.”
“Thanks for being proud supporters of the LGBTQIA+ community and for adding to the WorldPride magic in Crown Street.”
In reflecting on the morning’s event at Adina Surry Hills, TFE Hotel’s Chief People Officer, Michelle Bevan said WorldPride was a great reminder that TFE shared and celebrated the same important values around diversity and inclusion as the festival.
“Diversity and inclusion are all about empowering people – respecting, and appreciating what makes people different, and celebrating it,” she said. “This is what TFE has always been great at, and we employ people who are great at it.
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