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The Pansy Project:

The Pansy Project aims to raise awareness of homophobia

SPRING might just come early this year, if artist Paul Harfleet and the Pansy Project have any say in the matter.

As part of a campaign to raise awareness about homophobia and to commemorate the lives of those that have fallen victim to abusive and life-threatening attacks, the Pansy Project asks members of the public to plant a pansy somewhere that they have experienced homophobia.

Don't be surprised to see pansies sprouting in unexpected places - Harfleet has four to plant this month.

He aims to plant two for himself somewhere in Manchester, one for a friend who was attacked on Whitworth Street, and another for Michael Causer, the young man beaten so severely on account of his sexuality that he died in a Liverpool hospital last year.  

"I am one man on a futile journey to combat homophobia," says Harfleet, who plans to use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to spread word about the Pansy Project.

If you've planted a pansy for someone, email a photograph of it to thepansyproject@aol.co.uk, and Paul will add it to the Pansy Project website.

Visit the Pansy Project website at www.thepansyproject.com