AROUND £20,000 was raised for good causes across Swindon at this year's Charity Ball.

The event, organised by the Rotary Club of Swindon, The Swindon Advertiser and the Marriott hotel took place at the Marriott in Old Town on Saturday evening.

A total of 180 guest attended and were greeted with a Champagne reception which was donated by Arkells, followed by a four-course dinner.

At the end of 2016, after many weeks spent sifting through applications, the ball committee whittled the shortlist for 2017 down to include eight community projects and this year's beneficiaries will be Swindon Restore, Swindon STEP, Swindon Therapy Centre for MS, Prime Theatre, The Open Door Centre, MHA Music Therapy Appeal, Swindon Children's Scrapstore and Dressability.

The Ball committee will meet over the next few weeks to decide how to divvy up the funds between the good causes.

Now in its 29th year, the annual fundraiser has brought in a remarkable £770,000 for more than 50 local charities.

"Our key objective is to support the pledges that need equipment to get up and running or to advance comfort for those affected," said Charity Ball chairman Adam Flint. "

This year Prime Youth Theatre is poised to cash in £3,210 towards audio equipment to allow deaf participants to follow workshops without the constant need to lip-read.

"Prime Youth Theatre is investing lots to make all of our sessions fully inclusive and enjoyable for all young people and we’re so happy that the generosity of the Charity Ball is supporting us on this mission," said artistic director Mark Powell.

"This means young actors, technicians and writers can focus on creative activities and participate equally without distraction."

The committee has also pledged £1,000 towards the MHA Music Therapy Appeal. The campaign launched by charity care provider MHA aims to raise £26,000 towards pioneering music therapy for all residents suffering from dementia at its Swindon care home, Fitzwarren House.

“We’re delighted to have been chosen to receive £1,000 from the Charity Ball," said Zoe Steer, MHA's Community Fundraising Manager for the West. "The money will be used to buy some much-needed musical instruments to be used in music therapy sessions with dementia residents at Fitzwarren House. These music therapy sessions are vital in helping to regulate residents’ emotions to alleviate symptoms and identify their possible causes. The instruments are an integral part of these sessions and allow the residents to really get involved and get the most out of the therapy.”

After being awarded £2,000 last year, the Swindon Therapy Centre for MS is in line to receive another £1,500 in 2017; this time towards much-needed equipment, including masks and hoods, for oxygen treatment.

"Above and beyond the obvious financial benefit of the £1,500 donation, and I often reflect on this, the fact that we've been chosen again as a beneficiary of the Charity Ball gives us something even more precious than the monetary value of the donation," explained Swindon Therapy Centre chairman Tim Culling. "It gives us hope (in that others are prepared to support us in what we're doing), belief (in that we must be doing something right!) and inspiration to keep going. So I suppose you could say that as well as the donation to us helping to deliver one of our core therapies, we're also using it to fuel hope, belief and inspiration."

Guests were entertained at the Marriott by Johnny Strange who specialises in side shows and freak shows and is known for lifting heavy weights and for his ear piercings.