London Gatwick announces charity fund recipients in Surrey

Local charities and support organisations throughout Surrey 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 parts of Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex and parts of 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 in Surrey to apply for financial support from the next round of The London Gatwick Foundation Fund. The deadline to express an interest is 14 October.

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 Surrey, which need financial donations to continue their good work.

“Since its establishment, the Trust has been a pillar of strength for Surrey-based 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.

Dormansland War Memorial Hall received £2,500 to help save the 100-year-old building, originally constructed on land gifted to the village by the Nichols family in honour of those who returned after the First World War.

David Birchall, trustee, Dormansland War Memorial Hall, said: “At the end of 2022, the people of Dormansland voted to save their War Memorial Hall.

“This historic building in the heart of the village had been left open to the elements for years, and a team of volunteers have worked tirelessly to make it secure, refurbish it and now improve it.

“Gatwick’s grants have played an important part in this incredible success story, providing much needed funds for flooring in the beautifully restored Jubilee room, and allowing us to transform the old bar area into a modern function room: where, as in all good building projects, we are starting with the ceiling.”

The Patchworking Garden Project in Dorking received £1,000 which it will use to fund an outdoor shelter.

Isobel Gowan, chair of Trustees, Patchworking Gardening Project said: “We are so delighted to have received £1,000 from the Gatwick Airport Community Trust towards the creation of a new outdoor shelter in the centre of the garden.

“This will be used every day by our volunteers to enjoy crafts, plan garden activities and shelter from inclement weather. We are a small charity dependent on fundraising and grants, so this generous contribution is very much appreciated.”

In Charlwood, Providence Chapel Charlwood received £3,630 and Village Magazine Group received £750.

Cranleigh groups to benefit included St Joseph's Specialist Trust (£3,881), Friends of St Cuthbert Mayne RC Primary School (£2,881), Cranleigh Parish Council (£2,000) and Home-Start in Waverley (£1,000).

Other groups to benefit included Newdigate Parish Council (£2,000), Rainbow's End Pre-School in Ewhurst (£1,000), Horley United Football Club (£1,500), Newdigate Bowls Club (£1,640) and Ockley Village Hall (£1,800).

In Redhill successful groups included I Choose Freedom (£2,500), YMCA East Surrey (£2,000), Salfords Cricket Club (£1,250), SparkFish (£750) and Battlebridge Football Club (£700)).

In Tandridge groups to receive funding included Warren Clark Golfing Dreams Ltd (£7,000), Outwood Cricket Club   (£4,476), East Park Riding for the Disabled (£3,500), South Nutfield CC (£2,000 and Lingfield Cricket Club (£1,500).

Across Surrey, Knowle Park Trust received £1,600 and St. John The Evangelist, Wotton received £1,500.

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/

For more information about the London Gatwick Foundation Fund contact the Community Foundation for Surrey which manages the fund on behalf of London Gatwick: https://www.cfsurrey.org.uk/

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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