London Gatwick awards nearly £100,000 to Community Groups in Sussex, Surrey and Kent

Community groups in Sussex have received a share of an incredible £30,000 donated from London Gatwick Airport

The money was awarded as part of the third round of the London Gatwick Foundation Fund

Community groups in Sussex, Surrey and Kent were celebrating this week as London Gatwick announced the recipients of nearly £100,000 of funding from the third round of the London Gatwick Foundation Fund.

A total of 16 groups across the region benefitted from a financial boost which they will use to pay for staff and core costs or to launch new services.

The London Gatwick Foundation Fund was set up in 2016 to award funding to local groups that work to fight social isolation and tackle disadvantage, raise aspirations and develop skills, improve health and wellbeing, and support children and young people.

Alison Addy, Head of External Engagement and Policy, London Gatwick, said: “The London Gatwick Foundation fund has helped hundreds of groups since it was founded. It always gives us so much joy to find out how our funding has helped to make people’s lives better.”

In Sussex the five good causes included Wealden Citizens Advice with £10,000, Horsham Matters with £5,000, Parkfield Equine Solutions in Hurstpierpoint with £4,900, Ardingly Village Club with £4,620 and Burgess Hill Pantry with £4,110.

Jim Sloane, Trustee, Ardingly Village Club said: “The support from the London Gatwick Foundation Fund is so important. It will bring food and support to many families suffering from the cost-of-living and to people who live alone and are lonely.

“As with other years, we delivered food parcels and presents to young families in the village who otherwise would not be able to celebrate Christmas.”

In Surrey the six good causes included Citizens Advice Tandridge District with £8,000, Hourglass Safer Ageing and Renewed Hope Trust in Reigate and Banstead both received £5,000, while The Jam Place CIO in Mole Valley benefitted from £4,300, The Grange Centre for People with Disabilities in Mole Valley now has an extra £4,000 and finally Kingswood Shetlands & Friends AAT CIC in Tandridge received £3,000.

Sarah Lopez, Director, Kingswood Shetlands & Friends AAT CIC, which provides support to people facing mental health challenges said: “Our service provides an important non-judgemental space for people to grow. It wouldn't be possible without the dedication of our incredible team, passionate volunteers, and generous supporters like the London Gatwick Foundation Fund.

“This funding will enable our team to grow and to be able to support young people on their journey.”

In Kent the five good causes which benefitted from a financial boost were Paddock Wood Community Advice Centre with £10,000, Tunbridge Wells and District Volunteer Bureau and Community Car Service with £10,000, Sevenoaks Samaritans received £5,000, while Tonbridge Baptist Church received £3,000 for day coach trips and finally Tonbridge Lions Club now has £2,000 to spend on supermarket food vouchers for local families.

Funding was made available to beneficiaries 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.

The London Gatwick Foundation Fund is managed on behalf of London Gatwick by individual Community Foundations for Kent, Sussex and Surrey.

For more information and to find out more about The Gatwick Foundation Fund please click here.