London Gatwick Awards £30,000 To Good Causes In Sussex

Sussex community groups were celebrating this week as London Gatwick announced the recipients of £30,000 from the third round of the London Gatwick Foundation Fund, across Crawley, Horsham, Mid Sussex and Wealden.

The five good causes which benefitted from a financial boost 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.

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, from 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.”

Wealden Citizens Advice plans to put the funding towards its Money Advice Service.

Jennifer Jadia, chief executive, Wealden Citizens Advice, said:

“We are incredibly grateful for the support from the London Gatwick Foundation Fund.

"This grant will enable us to continue providing comprehensive advice services, including debt management, to support and empower individuals in our community facing various challenges."

Pioneering foodbank charity Horsham Matters will use the money to form part of the salary of an advice worker, as it continues to tackle the root causes of poverty across the Horsham District.

Emma Elnaugh, managing director at Horsham Matters added:

“We don’t want anyone to have to use a foodbank and that is why we have developed a range of advice supporting those experiencing hardship. 

“Our advice services help our clients address the root causes of their poverty, supporting them to maximise their income and access other specialist services resulting in improved outcomes in the long term.

“Thanks to funding from the London Gatwick Foundation Fund, our advice teams will continue to offer this valuable service, both from our Community Support Centre and out in the community through our specially adapted advice vehicle, Support on the Move.”

Burgess Hill Pantry will use its funding to pay for food. The group operates like a small shop, where members pay £5 per visit and choose at least ten items of fresh, frozen and store cupboard essentials.

Members do not need a referral and can choose to be a member for as long as they need.

Claire Fuller, manager at Burgess Hill Pantry, said:

"The funding will allow us to buy food and other essential items, keeping our shelves stocked over the coming year.

"It allows us to grow our membership and support those in our community who are struggling to feed themselves and their families."

Parkfield Equine Solutions, which delivers the Horse Course, an intervention for those at risk of developing mental health issues or as crisis prevention for those in recovery, will use the funding for a new youth group project, alongside its core work.

Finally Ardingly Village Club, an umbrella organisation for various village activities, which also provides support to single families, families with low incomes and people living alone, plans to use the money to pay for monthly food parcels for local families in need.

The London Gatwick Foundation Fund is managed on behalf of London Gatwick in Sussex by the Sussex Community Foundation.