London Gatwick announces charity fund recipients in Kent, Surrey and Sussex

Local charities and support organisations throughout Kent, Surrey and Sussex are celebrating today as the Gatwick Airport Community Trust announces the beneficiaries of its funding programme throughout the region.

This year a total of £250,000 was made available for worthy causes in West Sussex, East Sussex, parts of Surrey and Kent.

The Gatwick Airport Community Trust, which is funded exclusively by London Gatwick, has been providing much-needed support for charities and groups for more than two decades and this year has provided essential funding for more than 100 groups.

London Gatwick is also appealing for community groups across the region to apply for financial support from the next round of The London Gatwick Foundation Fund. The deadlines to apply are 6 September in Sussex, 27 September in Kent and 14 October to express an interest in applying in Surrey.

Melanie Wrightson, stakeholder engagement manager at London Gatwick, said: “The ongoing support offered by the Gatwick Airport Community Trust is yielding tangible benefits for grassroots organisations, charities and voluntary initiatives throughout Kent, Surrey and Sussex, which need financial donations to continue their good work.

“Since its establishment, the Trust has been a pillar of strength for local groups. London Gatwick remains as committed as ever to contributing to the wider community’s welfare."

The Gatwick Airport Community Trust supports a range of initiatives designed to enrich different facets of local communities. These endeavours prioritise nurturing youth development, championing the arts, bolstering sports facilities, fostering environmental improvements, enhancing community infrastructure, advocating for volunteering and offering aid to the elderly and disabled.

Amongst the many groups to receive funding were City Gate Community Project which runs FareShare Sussex & Surrey. The food poverty charity benefited from £5,000.

Dan Slatter, CEO, FareShare Sussex & Surrey said: “We are really grateful to the Gatwick Airport Community Trust for its recent donation. 

“As a charity, we are reliant on funds such as these to be able to continue feeding 16,560 people every week.

“These remain challenging times for so many in our communities around Gatwick. This will enable us to extend our commercial chiller at our Brighton depot, helping us become more efficient with our deliveries and enabling us to meet the increased demand for our services." Other groups which received funding included Stripey Stork (£5,000), Jigsaw South East (£3,000), Mycarematters 2020 (£2,500), Sal's Shoes (£2,500), The Launchpad Collective (£2,000), Family Support Work (£1,600), Chestnut Tree House (£1,538), Tall Ships Youth Trust (£1,500), Surrey Care Trust (£1,500), St Catherine's Hospice (£1,438), Susy Radio Ltd (£1,260) and Lingfield Marathon Minibus (£750).

The Gatwick Airport Community Trust was originally set up in 2002 as part of the legal arrangements between West Sussex County Council, Crawley Borough Council and London Gatwick following the publication of the airport’s Sustainable Development Strategy.

It aims to make a positive contribution to the quality of life of the communities affected by the airport and its continuing growth.

Applications for the Gatwick Airport Community Trust will reopen again on 1 November 2024 and close on 31 March 2025.

For more information about the Gatwick Airport Community Trust and to find out how to apply for the next round, visit: https://gact.org.uk/

To find out more about funding from the London Gatwick Foundation Fund visit:

https://www.gatwickairport.com/company/community/funding.html

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Editors notes

About the Gatwick Airport Community Trust

GACT is an independent charity that has been in operation since 2002 as part of the legal arrangements between West Sussex County Council, Crawley Borough Council and London Gatwick following publication of the airport’s Sustainable Development Strategy.

It awards grants annually for deserving projects within the area of benefit, which covers parts of East and West Sussex, Surrey and Kent.

The demand for grants always exceeds the funds available, and the normal level of grants is from £1,000 to £5,000. Occasionally larger amounts may be considered if they will benefit a significant number of people and will make a valuable difference in the longer term.

Applicants should seek advice from the Community Trust BEFORE applying for a larger grant.

London Gatwick funds GACT, with the annual amount linked to passenger numbers.

The purpose of setting up GACT was to ensure that, as the airport continued to grow, funds generated by the existence of the airport should be made available to a board of independent trustees, to make a positive contribution to the quality of life of the communities affected by the airport and its continuing growth.

Visit: https://www.gact.org.uk/

About London Gatwick Foundation Fund

The London Gatwick Foundation Fund is managed by individual Community Foundations for Kent, Sussex and Surrey on behalf of London Gatwick, which oversees the programme and assesses all applications.

Each year, there are three rounds of grants, which are split equally between Sussex, Surrey and Kent.

Since it was founded in 2016, the London Gatwick Foundation Fund has made more than £1.5m in donations, which support local grassroots community and voluntary projects that make a difference to people’s lives and meet local need.

It operates in Sussex across Crawley, Horsham, Mid Sussex and Wealden, in Surrey across Reigate and Banstead, Tandridge and Mole Valley, and in Kent across Tonbridge and Malling, Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks.

For more information visit: https://www.gatwickairport.com/company/community/funding.html