SINCE its inception The Charity Ball has supported more than 50 worthy causes at home and further afield – and this year will be no exception.

Now in its 27th run the event, founded by the Rotary Club of Swindon, will be held at the Marriott Hotel, in Old Town, on May 16.

To date organisers have raised £670,000 in donations ranging from £1,000 to £49,000.

Previous beneficiaries include Uplands Special School, where the staff’s dream came true when they were presented with a specially adapted minibus bought with the majority of the £33,675 proceeds from the 2000 Charity Ball.

The Charity Ball’s £20,770 donation to Prospect Hospice in 2002 went a long way to supporting terminally-ill patients in their final moments.

In 2012 Swindon Women’s Aid was awarded £7,000. The refuge was able to buy a new van to transport women’s belongings to and from the charity and collect donations of furniture and goods.

Many charities have been supported on more than one occasion by the Charity Ball.

Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool received £2,000 in 1992, followed by a £24,500 boost in 2001 to extend the facilities and build disabled changing rooms.

In 2014 it was awarded £10,000 towards repairing a leaking roof.

Accepting the donation pool manager Neil Montgomery said: “We are over the moon. We want to say a huge thank you to the organisers because without events like the Charity Ball charities like ours wouldn’t survive.”

Since its inception the ball has received the support of local businesses and high profile multinationals including Zurich, Nationwide and NPower, as well as Deacons the Jewellers, the Marriott and the Adver.

Last May the festivities hosted by the Rotary Club of Swindon, the Adver and the Marriott Hotel raised £22,953 for seven charities and projects.

This year a handful of causes have been selected by organisers to receive a total of £20,000.

They are Upland Educational Trust, Swindon NSPCC, Headway Swindon and District, Clivey and Twist Children and Young People’s Project and the Great Western Hospital’s charity Brighter Futures.

The ball still has some tables available.

To reserve a table or for more details email susanjharding@btinternet.com or call 01793 813147.