Manchester Airport Fund pledges £37,000 to charities

Manchester Airport’s Community Trust Fund has pledged more than £37,000 to 21 good causes across Greater Manchester and Cheshire at its latest quarterly meeting.

The Community Trust Fund, which is managed by a committee of trustees from the local area alongside representatives from the airport, considers applications from groups based within 10 miles of the airport, including parts of Manchester, Tameside, Trafford, Stockport, and Cheshire.

It was set up in 1997 and has donated more than £4m in that time – with a commitment to pledge at least £100,000 per year. Charities and not-for-profit community groups or projects are able to bid for up to £3,000 of funding for initiatives with a clear and lasting community benefit, with applications considered on a quarterly basis.

Among those benefiting from the latest funding round is Your Local Pantry – Lancashire Hill in Stockport, a community initiative addressing food poverty by providing affordable food access. This site is the latest to receive nearly £1,000 from the Community Trust Fund, which has previously supported locations in Bridgehall, Mottram Street, and Woodley. The funding will cover a refrigeration unit and shelving, allowing the pantry to offer more fresh food to its users.

Marilyn Cockburn, Operations Officer at Your Local Pantry, said: “We’re so grateful for this support from the Community Trust Fund. There’s a real sense of community at Lancashire Hill, and the new refrigeration unit and shelving will make a huge difference in providing more fresh, healthy food to those that rely on the pantry.”

Tatton Park Charitable Trust, in Knutsford, will get £2,000 to fund the purchase of new sensory boxes. John Twigg, one of the group’s trustees, explained: “This generous grant will enable us to provide more of these innovative and imaginative resources that help children and adults with special needs to fully participate in our education programmes.

“The sensory resource packs will increase learning potential and widen participation and inclusivity, values that are at the heart of what we work to deliver through the Tatton Park Charitable Trust. The resource packs will be in place for the next academic year and we can’t wait to see them being enjoyed by our visitors.”

The Water Adventure Centre, a not-for-profit activity centre in Sale Moor, was awarded £1,110 for the purchase of new kayaks. The centre uses water sports as a means to engage young people from underprivileged backgrounds, helping them to gain confidence, self-esteem, and skills to improve their lives.

Lauren Kirby, a member of the Water Adventure Centre team who bid for the funding, said: “The donation from the Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund will make a real difference to the young people we work with. It will allow us to purchase new kayaks for use at Chorlton Water Park, giving them the opportunity to enjoy free, engaging outdoor activities after school, helping them build confidence, learn new skills, and spend time in nature with their peers in a fun and supportive environment.”

St Barnabas Church, Hyde is to receive £3,000 towards a new, energy-efficient lighting system.

Ben Allen, a churchwarden at St Barnabas, explained: “The funding will enable us to continue and extend the work we do in the community. Our Green Lights project not only improves our impact on the environment but helps us to operate the running of buildings more sustainably, freeing up more opportunity and resources to support and care for those in our local community.”

“We are proud of our role in serving the people of Greater Manchester and Cheshire, above and beyond flying them to their destination of choice-whether it’s as a major local employer, an enabler of inward investment, or in this case a champion of good causes in our neighbouring communities. If you are a not-for-profit community group in our area, or are working on a community project that needs a bit of extra cash to get it over the line, we’d love to hear from you,” said Robert Pattison, Chair of the Community Trust Fund.

The full list of organisations to be awarded a grant at the latest meeting, and what they will be using the money for, can be found below.

Details on how to apply for a Community Trust Fund grant, and the full criteria, can be found here. The deadline for new applications ahead of the next quarterly meeting is Saturday, 6th September.