THE great and the good of Swindon will congregate to raise thousands of pounds for the 30th Rotary Club Charity Ball on Saturday.

The annual ball, which takes place at the Marriott Hotel on May 11 and is backed by the Advertiser, has raised £8470,000 over the last thirty years.

If this year manages to trump previous years it could hit the million-pound milestone.

In 2018 the Bollywood-themed ball dedicated all its efforts towards the Brighter Futures Radiotherapy Appeal, and raised more than £100,000, to play a part in helping the appeal reach its £2.9m target before Christmas last year.

This year's black-tie event will be a Shang Hai Nights-themed affair, which, as well as raising thousands of pounds for local causes, promises to be an evening of high entertainment, with a cabaret, a raffle - including trips to Russia up for grabs- and a three-course meal.

Raffle players might like to buy tickets for the diamond draw to be in with a chance of winning the mystery jewelled ring or necklace donated from Old Town jeweller Richard Deacon, which in previous years has been worth thousands of pounds.

Pete Gavan, editor of the Swindon Advertiser, said: "Once again the Rotary Club Ball is stepping up to the mark to bring together business people of the town to give back to the local community and support some worthy causes.

"I'm amazed by the generosity and the impact that the ball has had, especially in helping the Brighter Futures Radiotherapy Appeal hit its target last year.

"I look forward to seeing the ways in which this one phenomenal evening can make a positive difference to people across Swindon."

The night will donate cash to eight different local charities, including the Swindon and District Samaritans, The Habour project, Friends of Twigs, the Herod Burner Urban Forest, 12th Swindon scout group, Big Breakfast Plus, Swindon 10-18 project, and Wiltshire Search and Rescue.

In previous years the charities to benefit from the night have said it can be life changing for the people they support.

Over the years the ball has supported more than 50 organisations, which has included TWIGS, Swindon Women’s Aid, Prime theatre, and Thamesdown Hydrotherapy Pool, to name a few.

Prime Theatre got £3,200 in 2017 from the ball to buy audio equipment to allow deaf people to take part in workshops without having to lip read all the time.

The Uplands Trust, in partnership with the special educational needs Uplands School on the Tadpole Garden Village, said the £11,00 it got made the world of difference to some of its most disabled pupils.

The school was able to buy a piece of technology called an Eye Gaze to help non-verbal students communicate in class, and £6,000 to set up a community enterprise centre in Penhill.

The 2019 Swindon Rotary Club Charity Ball will be at the Marriott Hotel on Pipers Way, guests have been asked to come for 7pm.