Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund pledges £30,000 to local causes

The Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund has pledged more than £30,000 to local charities and community groups at its latest quarterly meeting, with six groups in Stockport to receive grants.

Established in 1997, the Fund has donated more than £4 million to local causes within a 10 mile radius of Manchester Airport. The Trust Fund is overseen by a board of trustees drawn from the airport’s colleague population and local councils in neighbouring communities, with applications for up to £3,000 considered on a quarterly basis.

A total of 22 organisations received a grant at the April meeting, joining 20 others who benefited in January, with more than £60,000 now pledged this calendar year.

Among organisations in Stockport to receive funding was South Manchester Archaeological Research Team (SMART), based in Cheadle. The group carries out small scale archaeological digs in the South Manchester area and invites hobbyists to sign up as members and take part. It received £992.00 to purchase new equipment, which will be used on a dig planned later this year at the site of a medieval mill in Higher Mill Wood in Cheadle.

Janice Adams, a volunteer with the group, said:

“We are delighted that we have been granted funding from the Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund to purchase additional equipment for use in our excavations. This funding will ensure that we have the resources we need to continue to investigate sites of interest in our local area and will mean that many more people will have the opportunity to participate in our digs and to observe archaeology in action.”

Helen McNabb (pictured, with volunteers from SMART), a Trustee of the Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund, said:

“We’re very proud of the role we play in supporting our neighbouring communities – by connecting people living there to the places they want to travel to, but also by providing jobs and investing in local good causes through our Community Trust Fund. We had a wide range of applications this quarter and it’s fantastic that we were able to support such a variety of community-led projects and initiatives.”

Other organisations in Stockport receiving support from the latest funding round are: Headway South Manchester & Stockport, Cheadle Hulme Cricket Club, St Mark’s Church PCC, Café Unity 2014, and Friends of Etherow Park.

Applications must demonstrate a clear and lasting community benefit, seeking funding for tangible items of longstanding value. 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 6^th June.