Welcome to the Pleasure Zone!
Sitting in a little Cornish café (now just a cosy memory), Matthew from Cornwall Pride and I began dreaming up ways to elevate the Pride experience—something a little unexpected, a little irresistible. We wanted to tease at curiosity, spark deeper conversations, and bring something truly nourishing to the community. One thing became crystal clear: pleasure and safety are not luxuries—they're rights. And what underpins both, more than anything else? Consent.
But as we chatted, we realised how rarely consent is spoken about once we leave our teens—especially when it comes to sex that actually feels good. Not just “yes or no” mechanics, but rich, embodied, enthusiastic yeses—the kind that make your toes curl and your soul relax. So, The Pleasure Zone was born.
Our first event in Newquay? Biblical. Picture sheets of rain, a too-small marquee, and two soggy but determined humans clinging to a vision. And still—45 beautiful souls stepped into The Pleasure Zone in just five hours. From an 18-year-old, gender-fluid asexual exploring identity with such bravery, to an HIV+ gay man who lived through the AIDS crisis in ‘80s London. The conversations were tender, electric, unforgettable. We were drenched. We were overflowing. We were onto something.
So, we scaled up. At Truro Pride, we doubled the space—and still, it wasn’t enough. 90 people came through in five hours. The hunger for sex-positive, shame-free, inclusive conversations was undeniable. I met people navigating kink, coming out later in life, rekindling desire after trauma, and everything in between. So many shared that this was the first time they'd felt truly seen talking about sex, gender, pleasure, and safety all in one breath.
As we prepare for Falmouth Pride 2024 with a revamped Pleasure Zone and even more room to welcome you in, I can’t help but wonder—who will walk through the curtain this time? What stories will be told? What healing will happen?
Because this isn’t just about Pride. It’s about reclaiming the right to feel good. To be touched with consent, to be witnessed in truth, to be fully alive in our bodies. The Pleasure Zone is more than a festival stand—it’s a doorway into deeper connection, collective remembering, and personal liberation.
And this is the heart of my work as a coach. Whether I’m supporting someone in a quiet 1-1 session or holding space in a bustling tent at Pride, it’s all about helping people come home to their desires—gently, powerfully, without shame.
If you’re curious, if something stirs in you reading this, if you’ve felt cut off from your pleasure or confused about how to reconnect… this work is for you too.
And yes—The Pleasure Zone is available at other Pride events. If you’re organising something and want to bring this kind of magic to your community, I’d be delighted to talk.
Warmly,
Cherish Amber 💛
