Record-breaking fundraising year at Brighton Pride

The record-breaking pot will be distributed between LGBT and HIV organisations, as well as to community groups through the Rainbow Fund, the Pride Social Impact Fund and the Pride Community Fund.

Pride organisers said 2017 was considered the biggest event to date with estimates from Sussex Police and Brighton and Hove City Council of almost 400,000 people celebrating Pride in the city.

Taking place on Saturday, August 5, the Pride Community Parade attracted around 300,000 participants and spectators, with almost 100,000 people attending Pride ticketed events over the weekend, and more than 100,000 people passing through Brighton station.

This year, organisers said Brighton and Hove Pride cost over £1.8 million to deliver and brought in around £18 million to the city’s economy with visitors spending money on accommodation, retail, food and drink across the Pride weekend.

Paul Kemp, managing director of Brighton Pride CIC, said: “We are immensely grateful for the support of everyone who purchased tickets for the official Pride events as well as our sponsors and local supporting businesses all who have helped us raise this record amount of Pride community fundraising. One of the biggest elements of Pride is the free Pride Community Parade which attracted almost 300,000 participants and spectators, many of who spend money with local businesses across the city.

“We really want local businesses across the city to benefit from the Pride weekend but, apart from contributions from venues within the Village Party zone, there has been a disappointing amount of support locally. Prior to Pride we sent over 2,000 letters by post to local businesses who benefit from the bumper Pride weekend inviting them to support Pride’s fundraising for the Social Impact Fund but, to date, no support has been forthcoming.

“Pride is a great event promoting the whole city to a national and international audience, but it’s also about community and responsibility and surely this should be shared by everyone who benefits from the weekend and Pride hope more businesses will help with the fundraising effort in the future.”

Pride organisers said all ticket revenue raised goes directly to the operational and running costs of producing the Pride Festival, Pride Community Parade, Pride Village Party and community fundraising grants through the Rainbow Fund, a Brighton and Hove based grant-giving fund for local LGBT and HIV/AIDS organisations, and the Pride Social Impact Fund (SIF). The SIF was created in 2015 so that businesses that benefit from Pride in the City could contribute to community groups and local good causes across the city. It is independently run and chaired by Tim Ridgway with representatives from local media including the Brighton & Hove Independent.

The Rainbow Fund grants for local LGBT community groups will be announced at the Rainbow Fund Grants Awards 2017 at the Brighton Hilton Metropole on the October 16.
Applications for Pride Social Impact Fund Grants opens on October 1, with successful applicants announced in December. For more information on how to apply, click here.

This year’s Pride Community Fund consists of £107,508.74 donated to the Rainbow Fund. The Social Impact Fund will have a total of £19,755.00 available to distribute in grants, including £5,140.00 rolled over from 2016. The new Pride Community Fund has £20,000 allocated for special Pride grants.