MANCHESTER AIRPORT COMMUNITY TRUST FUND HANDS OUT ALMOST £30,000 TO 18 ORGANISATIONS

Sports clubs, Scouts, hospices, and a local band are among the organisations to benefit from Manchester Airport’s Community Trust Fund, which has handed out almost £30,000 to 18 beneficiaries.

Each year the northern hub donates £100,000 to the Fund, originally set up in 1997, which is also topped up by fines levied on airlines that have breached the airport’s stringent noise limits. This round of funding has seen a range of beneficiaries across Greater Manchester and Cheshire awarded up to £3,000 each. Areas benefiting include Cheshire East and West, Trafford, Stockport, Manchester and Tameside.

Seven of the beneficiaries come from Stockport, including its Volleyball Club, which will receive £2,500 to fund new courts. The Heaton Mersey Lacrosse Society will be also making sporting improvements by purchasing new goals with its £2,400. Whereas the Friends of Cromwell Avenue Park in Marple will be using £1,100 to create a hopscotch area.

Adrian Stores, Chairman of Stockport Volleyball Club, said: “The project will enable us to encourage many other people of all ages and abilities to play this growing sport in the Borough, with health and welfare benefits, including mental health after Covid-19.

“Having a fully functional extra indoor and outdoor facility will increase access to playing amenities irrespective of weather.”

Tameside sees more sporting organisations benefitting with Flowery Field Cricket Club buying some training equipment, Denton St Lawrence Cricket Club purchasing a sight screen and Denton Park Social Bowling Club using £2,520 for two covered shelters.

Denton Park Social Bowling Club offers its members the chance to socialise through a shared interest and does important work in combatting loneliness in its local community. It also works in aid of local Dementia support groups. Tony Moran, Club Secretary, said: “We’re very thankful to the Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund for financially helping our Club in these testing times.

“The grant will help to facilitate our Covid Compliance Policy, safeguarding club members whilst helping to maintain Covid guidelines.”

Over in Cheshire West, Hope House Children’s Hospice will be getting a cuddle bed and Styal Tennis Club in Cheshire East will be using £2,846 towards a kitchen refurb.

Vanessa Baldry, Trusts Manager at Hope House Children’s Hospice, said: “Children and young people at the end-of-life stage or during difficult parts of their treatment journey benefit hugely from positive physical touch - a hug, a cuddle and sharing a bed with a loved one.

“Parents of a very ill or dying child also benefit from being close to their child. The cuddle bed, part-funded with this generous grant by Manchester Airport, is a safe, supportive bed system that can be widened electronically enabling parents and carers to hold their child closely when they are in pain or in their precious last hours, offering great comfort to children and families at an extremely tough time.”

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:

“After what has been a challenging year for many community groups, it’s great to see so many worthwhile and diverse organisations benefitting from Manchester Airport’s Community Trust Fund.

“We have always been proud of the role we play in our neighbouring communities and we are committed to continuing that role, despite the challenging situation we all find ourselves in.

“The fund covers a 10-mile radius of the airport, and we know it can make a huge difference to those applying, so would encourage local groups looking for funding to get in touch.”

The Community Trust Fund’s board is due to hold its next quarterly meeting later this month and is now 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

Pictured - Denton Park SBC members.

List of beneficiaries: