CASTLEMILK-BORN actor Gary Lamont has shown his support for LGBT History Month’s Purple Friday awareness day.

The star, who previously played hairdresser Robbie Fraser in the BBC soap River City, joined young people at Prince’s Trust Scotland’s youth hub in Glasgow to celebrate the day which took place Friday, February 23.

Gary was invited to the Prince’s Trust breakfast club to mark the annual awareness day which happens on the last Friday of February.

Purple Friday is a day for everyone in Scotland to take a stand against homo, bi and transphobia, and show support for LGBTI people and their contribution to Scottish culture and daily life.

This year’s theme for the day is #EverydayHero – calling on people to celebrate individuals who make Scotland more inclusive for LGBTI people with their day to day actions.

George Bryce, Volunteering and Secondment Executive at Prince’s Trust Scotland, said: “Being an everyday hero is about the simple things. Like avoiding assumptions about people’s partners, breaking down unnecessarily gendered language, and making people feel included.”

In celebration of Scotland’s everyday heroes, the young people rallied attendees to sign their giant rainbow ‘equality’ flag, and provided rainbow cake and cupcakes for the occasion.

Speaking at the event Gary shared his experiences of playing a gay character on TV, and celebrated how far we have come with progressing LGBTI equality in Scotland.

He said: “I played an openly gay character for eight years, during that time we tackled so many storylines related to being gay – same-sex domestic abuse, fostering. River City was also responsible for the first ever gay same-sex civil ceremony shown on Scottish television.

“Although there is still a long way to go, we are living in a time of great privilege. For me, it boils down to humanity. Let’s be good people first and foremost, and above all, kind.”

Youth charity The Prince’s Trust is a champion of young people. It works with 13 to 30-year-olds who have struggled at school, have been in care, are long-term unemployed or have been in trouble with the law. Three in four young people helped by The Prince’s Trust move into work, training or education.