The northern hub has pledged donations worth £31,898.96 to 18 organisations as part of its Community Trust Fund’s latest quarterly meetingFunds provided by Manchester Airport are topped up by noise fines levied on airlinesBeneficiaries include four cricket clubs, local scouts and sea cadets and a bagpipe band
Manchester Airport’s Community Trust Fund is helping 18 organisations in Greater Manchester and Cheshire, with donations worth more than £30,000 to a variety of community-led schemes.
The Community Trust Fund, founded in 1997, receives £100k of funding annually from the northern hub, topped up with money raised by fines levied on airlines which break noise limits.
In its latest round of funding, a total of £31,898.96 was pledged to 18 organisations for use on projects as varied as the recommissioning of a boat for a local Sea Cadet group, the creation of an allotment and sports equipment for basketball and cricket clubs.
Among those to benefit are the Agricultural and Rural Centre (ARC), based in Stockport. They were granted £534.56 towards the improvement and development of a tool storage room.
The ARC’s Charlotte Robinson explained; “This tool room will be an important focal point for the users and volunteers to have the opportunity to develop their social skills, gain friendships and to have access to building and construction materials.
“It will not only contribute to our local community by promoting and advancing social welfare but will also give our participants the opportunity to learn new skills which could be transferred to the home or workplace.”
Four local cricket clubs in Greater Manchester were also given grants to help purchase equipment and enable them to resume their activities in a Covid secure manner, ahead of the 2021 season.
Among these were Offerton Cricket Club, awarded £2,640 for the purchase of new sight screens, replacing the club’s aged and worn existing equipment.
Club Captain, Adam Davies, said: “Offerton Cricket Club is focused on offering a great facility for the local community to use and call their own.
“With the help of Manchester Airport’s Community Trust Fund, we have been able to secure funding to purchase new sight screens. These will replace our heavily rusted and damaged equipment with something that is easy to use for all.
“This completes another long-stated ambition by the club, enabling all age groups of our club to have full use of a vital piece of equipment.”
He added that applying for a grant was “an easy and open process that I would recommend any local organisation to investigate.”
Another club to benefit is Mottram Cricket Club, which will get £2,824 towards equipment including a mobile cage, nets and benches. The club is at the heart of the community in the Mottram and Hattersley area, providing facilities for playing and practicing cricket for all age groups. It runs eight teams, from Under 9's to Over 40's.
Mottram Cricket Club’s Philip Mellor said: “With Covid restrictions on social distancing now in place this mobile practice facility and seating will be ideal to keeps groups practicing at a safe distance.”
Pickering Lodge Allotment Association, in Trafford, were awarded a total of £2,200 to support an ambitious project that will turn a brownfield site into a new community allotment.
Les Ditchfield, who applied for the grant on behalf of the Allotment Association, said that the project would “benefit the environment by replacing an eyesore with a functional and productive green space.”
He added: “It will also enable members of the community to experience the benefits, both physical and mental, of the joys and rewards of producing fruit, vegetables and flowers from their own labours, which has been shown to reduce the stresses of the current pandemic situation.”
Also celebrating were the Gorton-based Ryder Brow Community Allotment Society, who will receive £3,000 towards a new storage shed. The group hosts weekly organic gardening workshops for Greater Manchester Youth Network (GMYN) and says the donation will “help to provide shelter during inclement weather and allow us to continue indoor activities like plant propagation, potting on seedlings into flower pots and tool maintenance.”
Stockport Garrick Theatre, in the centre of the town, is in the process of renovating a disused basement area into use as a flexible performance space for the local community and its Youth Theatre group of over 90 youngsters. It is envisaged that space will accommodate theatrical and musical performances, comedy club, dance classes and local people needing a meeting area.
The theatre will receive £2,950 towards ventilating the basement area. John Baker, who is overseeing the project, said: “We’d like to thank the Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund for kindly making this donation, which will be vitally important in enabling us to fit the ventilation system that will make the area fully usable.”
Manchester Basketball Club received a £400 donation towards equipment that will be used for training sessions and competitive games. The club aims to promote the game of basketball within the Greater Manchester area and to provide the opportunity for people of all ages to learn, develop and enjoy the game, in accordance with their individual ability and aspirations, within a safe and encouraging environment.
Club organiser Nicola Conroy said: “The club has young people involved from all areas of Manchester. We intend to use the funding to support a number of young people whose only barrier to participating is that they cannot access the full programme, due to low or no income within the immediate or wider family.”
The full list of organisations and what they will be using their Community Trust Fund grant for, can be found below.
Karen Smart, Managing Director at Manchester Airport, said:
“We are thrilled to be able to assist 18 organisations with an amazing array of community-led projects which will make a tangible, positive difference to the communities that these groups serve.
“These donations underscore our commitment to our neighbouring communities, particularly during these challenging times.
“If your organisation is based within 10 miles of our airport and you need some support with a community project, please do take the time to apply.”
The Community Trust Fund’s board is next due to meet in April 2021 and is already welcoming applications for up to £3,000 from locally based, not-for-profit organisations. Details on how to apply and the full criteria can be found at www.manchesterairport.co.uk/community/working-in-our-community/community-trust-fund.
List of beneficiaries:
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