By choosing to back the Rainbow Ball, which takes place at Torquay’s Riviera Centre on Saturday November 30, you connect on favourable terms with up to 500 well heeled attendees on the night - and many times that number through our intelligently targeted promotional activities on social media.

Drawing a wide attendance including many well known opinion formers, the annual gala dinner and cabaret extravaganza is organised by members of the bay’s gay community.

First held in the mid-1990s, the event originally raised funds solely for the fight against HIV/Aids.

With the disease since made treatable but new infections still occurring, the Elton John Aids Foundation remains a Ball beneficiary but from last year was joined by Torbay’s own Rowcroft Hospice, in recognition of the end-of-life care it offers everyone in our area.

Thanks to our supporters’ generosity a total of £17,750 was raised, up from £10,000 in 2017.

For 2019 the Ball’s organising committee has decided to split the proceeds three ways and add a new focus on the other end of the age spectrum - by facilitating the founding of an LGBT+ youth group for Torbay.

A social group initially expected to meet monthly, it will be supervised by accredited counsellors and is intended to be up and running next year.

Fifty years on from the police clashes at New York’s Stonewall bar that are regarded as the start of the modern gay rights movement, rainbow branding was everywhere to be seen in recent months in the UK - as the logos of numerous banks, supermarkets and other high street brands took on the familiar range of brightly striped hues to celebrate a summer of Pride.

In commercial terms, their mission was to send a signal of inclusivity, one that conveys the sense of a decent and thoughtful organisation in tune with the times.

At local level too, it works to link the name of your business in people’s minds with the feelgood factor of endorsing equality.

For Torbay and surrounds, the year’s strongest opportunity to do just that is the Rainbow Ball.

Sponsorships are available to businesses from £250, which bring guaranteed publicity on social media, in the printed programme and at the venue for the night.

A raffle and auctions are on the agenda too, so do also think of products, services or vouchers that you may be able to donate.