UK drag queen Tess Drive performed for residents at Badminton Place retirement home in Bristol on June 25 as part of Pride celebrations.

Retirement home staff were amazed by the residents’ reaction to the drag queen’s performance, with many of them cheering Tess on while wearing colourful feather boas, bright wigs, and waving Pride flags.

The act consisted of mandatory lip-syncs, as well as Tess singing live and belting out some classics, making sure to include songs that the residents could sing along to.

Tess made the act “a bit tamer” than she normally might, Daisy added. “He was really up for it. He was hilarious and everyone was laughing. We had about 20 residents taking part.”

Tess also engaged her audience with banter and some lovely conversations about what Pride means to her. One of the residents even revealed they had once enjoyed a trip to a drag bar in Benidorm, according to events manager Daisy Evans. 

 

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A post shared by Tess Drive (@tessdriveuk)

Speaking about the conversations had between Tess and the residents, Daisy said, “[Tess], as a gay man, spoke about what Pride represents to the community. He made it clear it didn’t matter what walk of life, what sexual orientation, race or creed, everyone should be accepting, and all our residents agreed and really tuned in.”

Bringing Pride to the care home was about understanding the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community with family members and friends of the residents. “From the start of June, we had started having relaxed conversations about Pride. It was very much not forced upon them.”

Daisy was moved to see so many lovely comments on the care home’s Facebook page after posting a video of the Pride celebrations. “It’s lovely to see that it’s being used to raise awareness elsewhere.”

Check out Tess’ performance below.

 

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A post shared by Daisy Evans (@badmintonplace)