Rainbow Fund support young and old people, trans people, people with HIV, people with mental health issues and the organisations who support them, at the Rainbow Fund Pride Awards last night (September 21) at the Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel.
The annual post Pride awards ceremony was hosted by local entertainer Lola Lasagne. Dignitaries in attendance included The Mayor of Brighton and Hove, Cllr Pete West and a host of local scene personalities and politicians including Miss Jason, Davina Sparkle, David Raven, the Conveynor of the Greens, Cllr Phelim MacCafferty and the Labour Councillor for Queens Park, Adrian Morris.
Chris Gull, Chair of the Rainbow Fund thanked Brighton Pride organisers for once again delivering on their funding commitment to donate £1 a head for every ticket sold this at this years Pride to the Rainbow Fund and thanked all other groups who fundraise year round for the Rainbow Fund including Bear Patrol, Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus, Brighton Bear Weekend, all the people who make personal donations and local LGBT businesses.
He made special mention of the support of the Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel who through their sponsorship arrangement with Pride donated the room and hospitality for the evenings awards.
Chris said: “In the present difficult times when statutory authorities are making savage cutbacks to funding of all the voluntary sector, the money that comes from Pride each year should be seen by everyone as a huge ‘windfall’. The Rainbow Fund take very seriously their responsibilities to Pride and to everyone who makes a donation to the fund to ensure we get best value for money from every grant we give. This year for the first time we have issued contracts to recipients of all grants for them to produce regular evaluations on their work during the year.”
Pride 2016 raised £90,000 for the Rainbow Fund made up of £1 a head from every ticket sold for Preston Park and The Pride Village Party which generated £70,414. The rest came from official Pride fundraisers including the ‘official’ Pride parties on the night of Pride, which raised £3,282.00. However, bucketing on the Pride Parade this year raised a disappointing £1,679.00 towards the overall total.
Lola Lasagne, said: “I have been supporting fundraising for the LGBT+ communities in Brighton & Hove for years and feel really proud to support this event. I can honestly say tonight I have learnt about some organisations I did not even know existed and will go away and make it my mission to find out more about them. That’s what makes events like this so important.”
The following organisations received grants this year:
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