Pride in Brighton and Hove is a year-long organisation, unlike London Pride, which is a single day entity.

So trying a comparison is a bit like mixing apples and pears. We raise money through direct sponsorship and from fundraising efforts by the committee and the organisation's membership making it a community effort.

Brighton and Hove City Council gives us the use of the Preston Park for free whereas Hyde Park may charge the London event.

These are examples of the very different costs and financial set-up between the London and Brighton event.

The accounts for last year's Pride in Brighton and Hove were published on August 1 and are available from Companies House.

Our current financial year end is on February 28, 2004 and it would not be good practice to print income and expenditure until the accounts have been subject to a full audit.

Thankfully, Brighton Pride is heading towards charitable status so long as our members, new and old, support this move at the next annual meeting later in the year.

Charitable status will protect the organisation from any potential business takeover forever as trustees cannot, by law, make money out of any aspect of their work with the charity either directly or indirectly.

-Pride Committee, Pride in Brighton and Hove, Bartholemews, Brighton