07
November
2019
|
15:09
Europe/Amsterdam

Cash boost for community groups as Manchester Airport’s Community Trust Fund tops £3.5m

More than a dozen (14) community groups from across Greater Manchester and Cheshire are celebrating after splitting over £27,000 between them thanks to the Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund.

Wythenshawe Community Farm has secured a grant of £2,675 to go towards new housing for its small animals. Set in the popular Wythenshawe Park, the farm gives children a chance to learn about where food comes from, and all the elements of a working farm in an urban setting.

Stockport Foodbank at Hazel Grove Baptist church has received £1,169 for fridges to help keep food fresh. Speaking about what it means to, Nigel Telford, Manager of Stockport Foodbank, said: “This grant will allow us to expand the food that is offered to those facing tough time, to now include bread, fresh fruit and vegetables which will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of our clients.”

Whilst in Cheshire, the Friends of Dean Drive Park in Wilmslow have received £2,891 to create an adventure trail in the park. Elsewhere Mere and Tabley Community Club received £3,000 for wheelchair accessible paving. Ian Hodgson, from the club, said: "The generous grant from the Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund will be used to create a much-needed multi-purpose outside community area incorporating a paved recreational frontage to the club premises along with an access ramp for wheelchair users. This will turn a roughly grassed area and unstable path between the clubhouse and the bowling green into a much valued safer surface for many al fresco club activities. We would like thank the airport for its continued support of our local community.”

Each year, Manchester Airport donates more than £100,000 to the Community Trust Fund, as well as the income it receives from fines levied on aircraft exceeding noise limits when operating out of the airport.

Wendy Sinfield, Community Relations Manager for Manchester Airport, said: “It’s great to see so many worthwhile organisations benefitting from the Community Trust Fund. We know it can make a huge difference to those applying and we’d encourage any local groups looking for funding to get in touch and see if it’s something that could work for them.”

Started in 1997, The Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund has donated more than £3.5m to 1,571 local community, social and environmental groups in Greater Manchester and Cheshire.

The Community Trust Fund award grants to a maximum of £3,000 and meetings are held quarterly to allocate the funding. Local groups within a 10mile radius of the airport can apply for funding online by 29 November 2019 before the next meeting. For more information and to check eligibility, visit www.manchesterairport.co.uk/CommunityTrustFund