We have a few people to thank for Pride.

Preparation (including the stall and float) started in March and took Switchboard about two weeks of extra work with at least two volunteers giving up their evenings each day as well as our normal volunteers manning the phones.

This year's Egyptian float was the largest we have had and this brought with it a few complications.

We would like to thank David Panter, chief executive of Brighton and Hove City Council, for stepping in and helping us and we would also like to thank Patrick and his partner Joanna at the council's refuse depot in Hollingbury Road for the help they gave us.

Another new idea this year was to decorate the Switchboard building and hang a well-wishing banner so people could have a sense that Pride was coming.

This meant, for the first time in our 27 years, publicly telling everybody where Switchboard is and having a banner with the words "gay and lesbian" displayed.

Despite having a window smashed on the Friday night of Pride, we will definitely do the same again next year.

Further to this, we have also been working on having the freedom flag flown outside the building, giving our community a non-commercial focal point.

In January, we aimed to have it up by Pride but, because of planning permission, it looks like we should get this by November - yes, 11 months.

Above all, we would like to thank the Pride team for the day and our volunteers, as always, for the work done both on phones and on the day itself.

Aside from Pride, the lesbian and gay community has needs all year round and our helpline is one way of meeting these.

If you feel like volunteering a few hours of your time each month to help, you need no special training or qualifications to become a helpline operator.

All we ask is that you are prepared to commit to three two-hour sessions each month, which you pick according to availability.

We will provide you with all the training and support you will need to enable you to make a difference to others.

The best way to find out about becoming a volunteer operator and what it entails is to speak to one.

Call us on 01273 204050 between 5pm and 11pm any evening and speak to a volunteer or you can complete a volunteer application that you can download from switchboard.org.uk/Brighton/application.doc

-Iain, Brighton Lesbian and Gay Switchboard