London Gatwick announces charity fund recipients in Sussex

Local charities and support organisations throughout 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 Sussex, parts of Surrey 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 Sussex to apply for financial support from the next round of The London Gatwick Foundation Fund. The deadline to apply is 6 September.

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

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

FareShare Sussex & Surrey, an initiative run by City Gate Community Projects, received £5,000, which will enable the group to extend its commercial chiller at its Brighton depot.

This will help the charity to be more efficient with deliveries and enable it to meet the increased demand for its services, from people experiencing food poverty in Sussex and Surrey.

FareShare Sussex & Surrey CEO Dan Slatter said: “We are really grateful to 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.”

Groups which received funding included: Ardingly Parish Council (£7,000), Balcombe Tennis Club (£8,000), Yes Futures based in Billingshurst, Cranleigh and Horsham received £1,200 and Copthorne Cricket Club (£1,000).

Crawley Open House received £7,500 which will help the homelessness charity to renovate its showers and toilets, which will benefit hundreds of people over the coming years.

Ian Wilkins, Crawley Open House, head of fundraising and relationships, said: “The Gatwick Airport Community Trust has supported the vital work of nearby homelessness charity Crawley Open House for many years, and we are so grateful.

“We can only accommodate and support those who find themselves homeless and hopeless locally because of such generous support.”

In Crawley other groups which received funding included: The Craftimation Factory (£4,750), Friends of Brook Infant School (£3,000), Rivers LPC (£2,800), The Posh Club (£2,500), Limitless Youth Football Club CIC (£2,500), Table Talk Foundation (£2,500), Carers Support West Sussex (£2,000), Forge Wood Cricket Club (£2,000), Refugees Welcome Crawley (£2,000), Afro-Brazilian Arts & Cultural Exchange (£1,990), Happy Days Children's Charity (£1,500), Children's Safety Education Foundation (£1,500) and Autism Support Crawley (£1,500).

Other successful groups included The Friends of St Mary's School Crowborough (£2,000), Family Support Work in Cuckfield (£1,440), Dormansland Primary School PTA in East Grinstead (£1,000), East Grinstead Community Bonfire (£5,000), 172 (Haywards Heath) ATC (£1,000), Forest Row Cricket Club (£2,500) and East Grinstead Target Shooting Club (£1,400).

In Haywards Heath groups which received funding included Haywards Heath RFC (£5,000) Kangaroos Mid Sussex (£3,000), Bentswood Hub (£2,047), Rockinghorse Children's Charity (£1,800) and Share Haywards Heath (£1,000).

In Horsham funding went to Arunside Primary School PTA £2,500, Roffey Cricket Club £1,600 and West Sussex Philharmonic Choir £1,000.

Further groups which received funding included Rotherfield Cricket Club £1,500, Southwater Cricket Club £1,000, Southwater Academies PTFA £1,000, Three Bridges Cricket Club £1,500 and Warnham CE Primary School PTFA £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 Sussex Community Foundation which manages the fund on behalf of London Gatwick: https://sussexcommunityfoundation.org/

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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