Currently, there is a total of £233,000 of grant funding for deserving projects within the area of benefit, which covers parts of East and West Sussex, Surrey and Kent.
Melanie Wrightson, stakeholder engagement manager at Gatwick Airport, said: “As we continue to live in challenging economic times, we’re inviting community groups to apply for funding so we can support their vital work, which will help those most in need during the cost-of-living crisis.
“It gives us great joy to be able to support our local communities, and invite groups in Surrey, Sussex and Kent to find out about the pots of funding available to them, from the Gatwick Airport Community Trust and the Gatwick Foundation Fund.”
Previous recipients of funding from the Gatwick Airport Community Trust and the Gatwick Foundation Fund have included Kangaroos in Haywards Heath, a charity which provides year-round clubs and trips for people with learning disabilities and additional needs.
Jenni Herrett, Kangaroos’ grants and contracts manager, and one of the initial founders of the organisation, said: “We are extremely appreciative of the support from both Gatwick Airport Community Trust and the Gatwick Airport Foundation Fund, enabling us to deliver exciting and fun events for children and young people with disabilities, helping them to feel less isolated, be independent of their families and improve their confidence.
“The Community Trust has supported us consistently over the last 10 years with grants totalling more than £20,000, which has helped us to organise experiential activities such as overnight and day trips, buying sensory equipment and buying toys.”
Gatwick Airport Community Trust encourages and supports schemes that benefit diverse sections of the local community and are targeted towards the development of young people, the arts, sporting facilities, environmental improvement and conservation, improvements to community facilities, volunteering, the elderly and the disabled.
Applications are open now for the Gatwick Airport Community Trust fund and the deadline is 31 March 2023. As are applications for the Gatwick Foundation Fund in Kent. The deadline to apply for Kent groups is 10 February 2023. During the course of the year, there will also be an opportunity for groups in Sussex and Surrey to apply for funding from the Foundation Fund, with £100,000 available for each county.
