16 community groups benefit from Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund

More than £28,000 of donations were agreed at the latest Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund meeting, benefitting a total of 16 community groups, projects and not-for-profit organisations in Greater Manchester and Cheshire.

The latest round of grant funding has supported a diverse range of community initiatives, from sports clubs and foodbanks, to green spaces and street art.

The Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund is managed by a committee of trustees from the local area alongside representatives from the airport. It meets quarterly and makes pledges worth up to £100,000 every year to groups based within 10 miles of the airport, including parts of Manchester, Tameside, Trafford, Stockport and Cheshire. Groups are able to bid for up to £3,000 of funding for initiatives with a clear and lasting community benefit.

Among those receiving a grant is Stockport Trinity Cricket Club, which has also received the full £3,000, towards the cost of new wicket covers. Peter Herbert, the club’s Treasurer, said:

“Increasingly wet summers mean that we lose a lot of playing time to the weather and these improvements to our facility will mean a significant reduction in down time. The grant application process was straightforward and, as a small charity always struggling for funds, we are extremely grateful for the Community Trust Fund’s support.”

Other Stockport groups to receive funding include Humans MCR, Vernon Park Veterans’ Bowling Club, All Hallows Church, and Hurricanes Cheerleading CIC.

Robert Pattison, Chair of Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund, said:

“We’re proud to have been able to support such a diverse range of applications made to the Community Trust Fund and we’ve already supported more than 30 good causes so far this year, reaching thousands of local people. When we say Manchester Airport is proud to serve the people of Greater Manchester and the North, we don’t just mean by connecting them to the places they want to fly to – and the Community Trust Fund is a vital part of our strategy for supporting our neighbouring communities.”