Grants totalling £110,688 awarded to local LGBT+ and HIV organisations at the annual Rainbow Fund Grant Awards Ceremony at the Brighton Metropole Hotel on Monday, October 16.
Rainbow Fund Patron Zoe Lyons and entertainer Lola Lasagne proved a great double act hosting the ceremony and announcing the successful recipients of this years grants.
Chris Gull Chair of the Rainbow Fund welcomed the guest presenters for the evening who included The Mayor of Brighton and Hove Cllr Mo Marsh, The Chief Executive of Brighton & Hove City Council, Geoff Raw, The Chief Superintendent of Brighton & Hove Police, Lisa Bell, the Leader of the Conservative Group on Brighton & Hove City Council, Cllr Tony Janio and Ward Councillors for St Peters and North Laine, Pete West and Queens Park, Adrian Morris.
The Rainbow Fund does not engage in fundraising itself, but rather, acts as a central hub for general community fundraising. Money donated is distributed once a year, through an independent grants panel who assess grant applications from local LGBT+ and HIV groups and organisations who provide essential front line services to LGBT+ people in the city.
Chris thanked the Directors of Pride in Brighton and Hove, for the £1 a head they donate to the fund each year from every ticket sold for paid for events at Brighton Pride, which this year amounted to £107,508.74.
He thanked the long list of supporters who had made donations to the fund this year including, Brighton Bear Weekend, Legends, Bear-Patrol, Charles Street, Dr Brightons, Brighton Gin Company, and the many individuals who had made private donations.
Special mention was reserved for the Hilton Brighton Metropole who had donated the buffet, and allowed the Rainbow Fund to use the room all day free of charge for a conference and summit for local LGBT+ and HIV organisations.
Paul Kemp, Director of Brighton Pride said: “‘Pride with a Purpose’ remains the central focus of our fundraising activities at Brighton & Hove Pride. Seeing all these groups, from every corner of our wide and diverse communities benefit from our fundraising efforts, makes it all worth while.”
Two special fundraising awards were presented to Legends whose sponsorship and fundraising support for Brighton Pride amounted to £8,650.75 and Brighton Bear Weekend whose fundraising raised £11,855 for the Rainbow Fund during 2017.
Grants awarded:
Allsorts Youth Project received £5,000 towards continued support for Transformers (trans youth group 16-25) and One to One support. Presented by Mayor of Brighton & Hove Councillor Mo Marsh
The Clare Project received £5,000 towards One to One Counselling Project for trans people in conjunction with Clinic T. Presented by the Chief Superintendent of Brighton and Hove Police, Lisa Bell
The Rainbow Chorus received £7,150 for core funding, and continued support for the RC+ project. Presented by DJ Osaro
Older and Out received £5,270 for continuing support for monthly lunch club for LGBT+ Elders. Presented by Dulcie Weaver from Pride in Brighton & Hove
Sussex Beacon received £7.500 part funding for group work. Presented by David Raven
Accessibility Matters received £1,800 for core funding. Presented by Councillor for St Peters and North Laine, Pete West
Whitehawk LGBT+ Support Group received £1,000 as seed funding to assist through early stages of setting up and constituting a new LGBT+ group for East Brighton. Presented by owner of Dr Brightons, Charles Childs, and founder and promoter of Smiley Sunday comedy night, Deborah Lennard
Trans Alliance received £5,000 for production of high quality video to be used in Trans Awareness Training. Presented by Councillor Tony Janio, Leader of Conservative Group on Brighton & Hove City Council
Peer Action received £7,300 for core funding, and continued support for monthly therapy days and weekly yoga sessions. Presented by Councillor for Queens Park, Adrian Morris
Lunch Positive received £8,082 for core funding, and continuing support for weekly lunch club to provide information, social inclusion, and a healthy meal for people living with, or affected by, HIV. Presented by Andrew Kay, presenter at Latest TV
MindOut received £14,989 for continued support for Out of the Blue suicide prevention peer support group, facilitation of an open, weekly, social support group and part funding for a new LGBTQ+ counselling service. Presented by Danny Dwyer from Bear-Patrol
Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard received £11,725 for The Rainbow Café – a project to reduce isolation for LGBT+ people living with dementia, their families and carers.
Presented by Kathy Caton, presenter of Radio Reverb’s Out in Brighton LGBT+ radio show
LGBT Community Safety Forum received £29,147 towards cost of four public meetings a year to hold statutory authorities to account on behalf of our communities; a one-off purchase of two scooters to allow volunteers to respond more quickly to over 500 call outs per year for their 24/7 outreach service and continued support for the Next Step Project to help 50 LGBT+
people move on, into employment, training, and volunteering opportunities. Presented by Geoff Raw, Chief Executive Brighton & Hove City Council.
Rainbow Fund Fundraising award: Presented to Brighton Bear Weekend by broadcaster, politician and activist, Sophie Cook and Rev. Richard Butcher-Tusset from Rainbow Fund Grants Panel
Brighton Pride Fundraising Award: Presented to Legends by Jane Mezzone and Steve Beaumont independent members of Rainbow Fund Grants Panel.