Woking Community Fund – a fund by and for the people of Woking since 2012

5th March 2024

A man in a white apron paints a bird box brown that has been made in a workshop

In a world where communities face diverse challenges, the importance of local support cannot be overstated. For residents of Woking, the Woking Community Fund offers vital assistance to grassroots organisations making a difference in our borough. But what sets this fund apart, and how does it empower locals to create positive change?

First and foremost, it’s crucial to understand the independent nature of the Woking Community Fund. This fund is administered by Community Foundation for Surrey (CFSurrey), an independent registered charity with no direct affiliation to Woking Borough Council, or any other public sector body. The fund was set up in 2012 by local business people and has been run by a team of volunteers ever since, all overseen by the trustees of the Community Foundation for Surrey who have been overall responsibility for the governance and strategy of the foundation.

Led by a dedicated panel of volunteers, including Taravat Taher-Zadeh (Chair), Shahid Azeem DL, Elizabeth Duggan, and Mark Stevens, the Woking Community Fund embodies the spirit of local empowerment. These passionate individuals oversee the fund’s fundraising and awarding of grants, supported by the Community Foundation for Surrey who ensure that donations are channelled directly into projects that benefit our community. From combating social isolation to providing essential support services, every grant awarded reflects the collective effort to uplift Woking and its residents.

But how much impact can local giving truly have? The answer lies in the generosity of donors like you. The Woking Community Fund operates on a simple yet powerful principle: the more we receive in donations, the more we can award to local organisations. The Community Foundation for Surrey has awarded over £22m in grants since it was set up in 2005, and the Woking Fund alone has awarded over £138k since 2012; supporting small local organisations, empowering them to address pressing community needs with flexibility and efficiency.

However, it’s essential to acknowledge the Woking Community Fund is now operating in a landscape where previous sources of funding are limited. Despite our best efforts, our resources may not match those previously provided. Nevertheless, this reality underscores the importance of grassroots philanthropy and the resilience of our community in the face of challenges.

As we navigate the complexities of local giving, transparency and accountability remain paramount. The Woking Community Fund prides itself on its open and transparent allocations process. While all donations are pooled to support various Woking community causes, the panel ensure that grants are made aligning with the fund values and priorities.

In conclusion, the Woking Community Fund represents a shining example of the power of local giving to create positive change. Through independence from the council and a steadfast commitment to community empowerment, this fund empowers locals to make a tangible difference in the lives of their neighbours.

If you are able and would like to help us, you can donate to the Woking Community Fund here:
https://www.cfsurrey.org.uk/wokingdonate

Grants will be awarded to support the following:

  • Supporting projects or improving facilities which combat social isolation and disadvantage;
  • Helping people to gain confidence and raise aspirations through training and development of new skills;
  • Providing counselling, advice, respite and support; and
  • Supporting people who are experiencing difficult circumstances due to an illness, injury, disability, bereavement or financial difficulty.
  • Grants may fund existing services or facilities and new initiatives and can contribute to either capital costs such as funding new equipment or support on-going running costs.

Community Foundation for Surrey & Surrey Cultural Partnership take partnership to a new level

25th January 2024

An older woman holds up a painting she has done with teal, turquoise, orange and mustard yellow paints. It is an abstract pattern a little like a tortoise shell. The woman has attended a workshop at Park Barn, Guildford run by Watts Gallery.

In 2023 our two organisations came together to scope what more could be done to support the arts and culture sector in our county – in particular to tap into the huge potential of the sector to make transformational impacts to the lives of those who are most disadvantaged in Surrey.
Working together we engaged a consultant to review the history and geography of arts and culture funding in Surrey, and help us to identify whether there was potential to reach out to new philanthropists and donors in this space.

The consultant’s report can be accessed here and makes sobering reading. It is clear that for too long our county has been overlooked by a number of national funders. What is also clear though is the huge variety and vibrancy of the arts and culture sector in Surrey and we believe that there is therefore huge potential to come together to develop a new fund – by and for the sector.

Surrey Cultural Partnership will be launching their exciting new strategy on 25th January at surreyculturalpartnership.com and we have committed to continue to work together to develop our plans to bring in new funding and support for the sector.

Our vision is to develop a new fund which could:

  • Support Improved quality of life and wellbeing of the most disadvantaged in Surrey through reducing barriers to creative experiences and exploring how they might benefit from the transformative power of arts and culture through participation and engagement.
  • Support arts and culture organisations to develop their capacity to deliver programmes which will bring particular benefits to specific needs in the county such as mental health and wellbeing, place-making and social cohesion.
  • Support arts and culture organisations to be able to form partnerships with Voluntary and Community Groups and other stakeholders in order to co-deliver programmes to address specific needs and issues in our communities.
  • Support arts and culture organisations to improve their representation of all members of our community, as employees, participants and audience members.
Children paint on a long table with older women in the background also painting. The children and elderly women attended a workshop at Park Barn, Guildford run by Watts Gallery.

We hope that this fund will also go alongside pro bono volunteer support for some of the smaller arts and culture organisations to develop their business and financial skills. If you are interested in hearing more, or have views about what we should be doing with the new fund, we would love to hear from you.

giving@cfsurrey.org.uk

Grants Awards – CFSurrey Awards Over £360k in Grants to 54 Organisations in Surrey!

10th July 2023

two ladies at a Look Good Feel Better session receive make up support

We are pleased that we could support 54 local organisations in our most recent round with providing £360,164 in grant funding.

The round included the Woking Council Community Fund. This is the first time we have managed the Community Grants Programme for the borough council. The Fund awarded £144,694 to 21 groups. Our family of Donors awarded a further £21,000 picking up 3 applications which could not be funded by Woking and topping up another application which had been partially funded by Woking.

We are still seeing a huge level of demand for projects addressing health and wellbeing in all its forms, 47% of awards went to address this issue including isolation and loneliness and mental health. The impact of the cost of living crisis is being felt not only in practical difficulties but in the knock-on effect on mental wellbeing as communities cope with these challenges

A few quotes from some of the groups funded in this round:

Guildford Shakespeare Company

 GSC are thrilled to be awarded this grant. By linking primary school children with a care home, participants share their experiences and stories, as they convert Shakespeare’s words into their own. The age-gap complements each group through companionship and respite, combined with a real desire to listen and engage – principles that both ages readily offer and accept.
KERRIE DRISCOLL, GSC Creative Learning Producer

The Mary Frances Trust

We are delighted to have received this vital funding from The Gatwick Foundation Fund via The Community Foundation for Surrey.  The funding will give an opportunity for asylum seekers to learn some basic English, alongside this we will be providing them with some emotional wellbeing support.
Christine Schauerman, Programme Manager, Mary Frances Trust.

St Catherine’s Hospice

We are incredibly grateful to the Community Foundation for Surrey for working with their donors to support St Catherine’s Community Clinical Nurse Specialists with a £7,000 donation. This support will help people facing the end of their life in East Surrey, spend their final days in the comfort and familiarity of home – pain free, dignified, and comfortable. And this hospice care will extend to their loved ones helping them to feel supported, reassured, and better able to cope with the demands of caring for the person they love.
Laura Kelly, Head of Partnerships at St Catherine’s

Canalside Community Fridge

The fridge is has a visibly positive effect on everyone who uses it. It has been fulfilling its explicit objective of using surplus from Woking’s stores, but it is also alleviating food poverty in the town, for example, supplying local schools with items for breakfast clubs; combatting loneliness and encouraging the community to come together through volunteering and using the fridge. As one person said “it is a stigma free place and I enjoy being here.
Gerry Mitchell, Co-Director

Us in a Bus

You only need to hear some of the stories of connection and interaction with the people we support from the practitioners as they return to the office at the end of each day to know what a difference this grant will continue to make.
Victoria Goody C.E.O

Look Good Feel Better

We are absolutely delighted to have received funding for 12 of our face-to-face workshops for women with cancer at our Guildford and Redhill venues, helping them to face their cancer with confidence, to make friends, and most of all to Look Good and Feel Better.
Ian Daniels, Director of Fundraising

Intergenerational Music Making

IMM are thankful for the support we have received from Community Foundation for Surrey in helping us to continue the intergenerational work we are currently delivering to tackle loneliness and isolating whilst improving the mental health and wellbeing  for all generations.
Charlotte Miller, Founder and Director of IMM

Much needed funds flying in!

15th June 2023

Surrey charities and community groups were celebrating this month as we announced the recipients of £35,000 from round one of the 2023 Gatwick Foundation Fund – the first awarded since the fund was paused as a result of the pandemic in 2020.

Six outstanding organisations benefited from a financial boost:
  • Amber Foundation – Funding towards employment readiness training for young people who have experienced homelessness and/or addiction.
  • Guildford Shakespeare Company – An intergenerational project that enhances people’s mental health through drama by an organisation based in Guildford.
  • Home-Start Epsom, Ewell & Banstead (HSEEB) – support group for parents. Funding for a support group and services for mothers with young children who are experiencing difficulties.
  • Mary Frances Trust – Funding for regular English lessons for asylum seekers together with monthly group support sessions.
  • Mid-Surrey Community Fridges – Funding toward the staff costs of a food delivery service to the isolated and elderly living in Mole Valley by a community fridge.
  • YMCA East Surrey – Funding towards the expansion of a project supporting young people with disabilities to develop life skills and support for employment.

Christine Schauerman, Programme Manager, Mary Francis Trust said:

We are delighted to have received this vital funding from The Gatwick Foundation Fund via The Community Foundation for Surrey. The funding will give an opportunity for asylum seekers to learn some basic English, alongside this we will be providing them with some emotional wellbeing support.

Guildford Shakespeare

The Gatwick Foundation Fund has granted Guildford Shakespeare Company £5,000 to continue their intergenerational programme ‘Spirit of Youth’. Since 2018, ‘Spirit of Youth’ has sought to address social isolation in the elderly by bringing together care-home residents with children from less-advantaged primary schools, exploring Shakespeare’s plays and using drama to learn from each other.

Kerrie Driscoll, GSC Creative Learning Producer said:

GSC are thrilled to be awarded this grant. By linking primary school children with a care home, participants share their experiences and stories, as they convert Shakespeare’s words into their own. The age-gap complements each group through companionship and respite, combined with a real desire to listen and engage – principles that both ages readily offer and accept.

Each course is led by professional drama facilitators from GSC in consultation with school and care-home staff.

The funding from Gatwick Foundation Fund will enable GSC to launch the next ten-week course. Once a week in a safe and a risk-free environment, the children and adults will work together to create a 15-20 minute version of a Shakespeare play, which is then performed to family, friends and the wider community.

One of the relatives of a participants said:

It was so good to see the young children working alongside the residents. Although my mother has difficulty in remembering sometimes, she found it good to have something to work towards.

Gatwick’s Fund was originally launched in 2016 and to date has awarded over £1.2M, in more than 230 grants, benefitting over 100,000 people across Surrey, Sussex and Kent. For Surrey organisations it supports projects in Tandridge, Reigate & Banstead and Mole Valley and each year there are three rounds of grants, totalling £100,000. The community Foundation for Surrey works in partnership with the Community Foundations of Kent & Sussex to support the Fund.

The Gatwick Foundation Fund was set up specifically to support work to fight social isolation and tackle disadvantage, raise aspirations and develop skills, improve health and wellbeing, and support children and young people. See here for more information on the fund criteria.

Click here to apply for funding.

Click here if you are a local business who wishes to talk to us about setting up your own Corporate Fund.

Woking community groups receive essential funds through a local council partnership.

13th June 2023

In our latest round of grant funding we have awarded £166,056 to 24 voluntary and community groups of which £144,694 was awarded from the Woking Borough Council Community Fund.

The purpose of the partnership between Woking Borough Council and the Community Foundation for Surrey is to deliver voluntary grants in Woking in the most effective way possible in order to:

  • Leverage funding from other community foundation donors and provide a single front door for applicants to over 80 different funds.
  • Maximise the impact of the grants by applying Community Foundation due diligence to ensure the funded organisations are well run and governed.
  • Ensure projects supporting those in the highest need in Working are prioritised for funding.
  • Ensure projects funded address the strategic priorities of Woking Borough Council.

The Woking Borough Council Community Fund Panel, consisting of Trustees of the Community Foundation, volunteers from the local community, and representatives of Woking Borough Council, met on 4th April and reviewed applications totalling over £250,000 from a wide range of groups awarding a total of 21 grants totalling £144.694 (full list below). The Fund Panel made their decisions by reviewing grant applications against the fund criteria (see below).

This collaborative approach has been more efficient in enabling community groups to apply for funding through one single expression of interest, without the need for multiple applications. All those who applied in this round were also reviewed against the other 80+ funds that CFSurrey manages.

I am delighted Woking Borough Council’s partnership with CFS has been such a success and supported our vital voluntary and community groups. Volunteers and community group are the heart and soul of our Borough. It has been great to meet so many of them to see first-hand the work they do on the ground.

Woking Borough Council’s Deputy Leader & Portfolio Holder for the Voluntary Sector, Cllr Will Forster

On top of the partnership with CFS, the council have directly commissioned some charities that provide an essential service to local people. By providing groups such as Citizen’s Advice Woking, Woking Community Transport, Woking Asian Business Forum, Woking People of Faith and the York Road Project with a service-level agreement, those charities will benefit from secure funding.

Woking Council Community Fund – funding Criteria
Eligibility
What we will fund – our strategic priorities
Healthier Communities
  • E.g. projects which support improving health outcomes in our communities in particular addressing health inequalities in our borough (Priorities: Mental Health, Living independently, carers, isolation and loneliness, obesity)
  • E.g. projects that encourage and increase active lifestyles and participation through the provision of varied cultural and sporting opportunities and amenities
  • E.g. projects supporting safer communities
  • E.g. projects to provide early support to improve residents health and wellbeing, or support residents to be more proactive about their health.
  • E.g. Support improved engagement in active lifestyles, in particular by under-represented groups/ages
Engaged Communities
  • E.g. projects which support the ability of communities to develop solutions to local needs and support those most disadvantaged in our communities
  • E.g. projects supporting older, vulnerable and disabled people in our community
  • E.g. projects supporting engagement in areas of the borough highlighted by the Indices of Multiple Deprivation, particularly with children, younger people and older people.
Greener Communities
  • E.g. projects which support access to green space for members of the community who wouldn’t normally be able to access.
  • E.g. projects which support the Borough in tackling climate change, noting the Council’s target of the Borough becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
Prospering Communities
  • E.g. projects which support our communities to improve skills and raise aspirations
  • E.g. projects which improve signposting of career opportunities to those seeking employment and training
What this fund will not support:
  • Large Capital projects such as buildings or purchase of vehicles
  • Projects with beneficiaries not resident in Woking (if you work benefits a wider area, please tell us what percentage of your beneficiaries are resident in Woking)
Size of Grants
  • The level of funding offered would normally be up to £10k for 1 year in the first instance, although this could vary depending on the grant award currently being received from the Council, the level of service provided in the Borough and any exceptional circumstance.
Grants Funded

Thank you to all our Funder Plus Volunteers!

6th June 2023


Volunteers are the lifeblood of any charitable organisation and here at the Community Foundation for Surrey is no exception. We are incredibly lucky to have some amazing volunteers who give their time and expertise to help us support our grant seekers who are working so hard to support those in need in Surrey. We have a range of people who volunteer here at CFSurrey, from our Trustees to our wonderful professionals in Funder Plus.

Our Funder Plus programme provides highly skilled and experienced volunteers to support grant seekers with advice and guidance in a range of crucial business areas, ranging from accounts to business plans.

These dedicated volunteers freely give their time, skills and experience to our grant seekers in need of some extra support, working with them on short term projects to improve their chances of being “funder ready” for future applications they may make to grant makers. The Funder Plus team work with a wide range of third sector organisations, both large and small, registered and unincorporated and they do this because they, like everyone here at CFSurrey, want to help those that are helping those in Surrey that are most in need.  

The third sector, and those they work with, has been hit especially hard by the pandemic and the recent cost of living crisis; and now more than ever needs and deserves all the support it can get. That is why we wanted to take the opportunity this week, Volunteers Week, to say a huge thank you to our wonderful volunteers, especially those at Funder Plus, who give so much of their own time and skills to freely support our grant seekers.

This quote is from a fantastic organisation, Be Me Project. They recently received some input from Funder Plus and this is what they had to say:-

Be Me Project is extremely grateful for providing us with Funder Plus support. We had approximately 8 sessions over three months with a consultant, who also did some work for us in between sessions. We were able to talk through a number of aspects of the charity and how it is/could approach its expansion plans, looking at project management, risk analysis and accounting/budgeting. Creating a simple project management tool in Excel for us has been particularly helpful, as it has given us a tool to plan and to assess our progress throughout the year. However, perhaps the most positive thing was knowing that CFS understands the challenges small charities face, and that they are investing in us by providing tools to help us be successful and sustainable. Thank you very much.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you feel your organisation would benefit from some tailored support from Funder Plus, or indeed if you would like to become a volunteer. We are always on the lookout for dedicated people who want to join our team and we really couldn’t provide this support to groups without our lovely, committed volunteers.

Click through to our Funder Plus page to find out more.

Shepperton Studios Community Fund awards new grants to support local people

24th May 2023

Shepperton Studios launched a £500,000 community fund, in 2022, to support local individuals, non-profit and voluntary organisations including charities, social enterprises, and community groups that serve the Shepperton area and wider borough of Spelthorne.

Areas of particular focus for the Fund include:

• Youth Development
• Community Development
• Supporting under privileged and disadvantaged individuals and communities

Following the first round of grant awards in the autumn of last year, the Fund has now granted awards to the following organisations:

We are glad to see this second round of grants from the Shepperton Studios Community Fund awarded. The fund is continuing to have a meaningful impact on a variety of very worthy causes, particularly in these difficult financial times where support within our communities is needed most.
Andrew M Smith OBE DL, Corporate Affairs Director, Pinewood Group

We’re very pleased to be able to support Shepperton Studios by ensuring that their vital Community Fund is supporting projects that will make a lasting difference to those in the local communities who most need our help. We particularly welcome the fact that the funds awarded will help projects which are providing vital space for people to come together and combat loneliness and isolation.
Rebecca Bowden, Chief Executive, Community Foundation for Surrey


Daybreak – The Staines Parish Community Care Trust

Daybreak operated by Staines Parish Community Care Trust has been running for almost 15 years. They care for disabled and elderly adults in a fun and safe environment allowing their carer, often a husband or wife, to take a few hours for themselves free from worry. The grant from the Shepperton Studios Community Fund will enable the centre to open for an additional day providing respite and allowing more people to benefit from their support.

Daybreak is still recovering from a long Covid shutdown and we are currently only operating on one day a week. This grant will be invaluable in helping us to improve our advertising and recruitment and carry out staff and volunteer training with the ultimate aim of reopening our second day. We are already inviting more varied outside entertainers; our patients (‘guests’) really enjoy 1950s and 60s tribute acts and we will also now be able to replace some of our ageing furniture. The future of Daybreak is now secure, thank you.
Geraldine Forster, Vice Chair of Trustees. Daybreak


Talking Tree Climate Emergency Centre

Talking Tree provides a place where people can go to keep warm and find information about how to save energy. The grant from the Shepperton Studios Community Fund will support the increased energy costs of the climate action community café and warm hub.

The Talking Tree Climate Emergency Centre was struggling with the huge increases in its energy bills and the grant from Shepperton Studios has helped us continue the important work we do in raising awareness of the climate and ecological emergencies during this challenging time. It has also provided the opportunity for us as an organisation to undertake more forward planning to ensure that we can be both more sustainable and more effective in our work in the future.
Tony Woodward, Director, Talking Tree Climate Emergency Centre


A2Dominion Housing Group – Listening Ear project

Listening Ear is a partnership project aimed at men under 60 living in Spelthorne who may be lonely and socially isolated. The Listening Ear befriender and A2Dominion health and wellbeing coordinator support people through weekly telephone calls and meetups at the Stanwell food bank. The grant from the Shepperton Studios Community Fund will help to fund the social gatherings and cover the costs of the volunteering programme.

We are extremely grateful for the funding, it will help grow the service by training more volunteers and allowing more people to access the service. The funding will help us tackle
emotional loneliness and help adults who lack confidence to connect to the local community.
Danielle Coram, Health & Wellbeing Project Co-ordinator

More about the Fund

The Fund forms part of the Studios’ ‘Set For More’ programme which is a long-term commitment that focuses on creating opportunities for young people, investing in the local community and supporting underprivileged groups. This is in addition to the community benefits already pledged by Shepperton Studios as part of its plans to expand and improve the world-renowned facility.

Read the article on the Pinewood website.

How to apply for a grant
Please click here for further information and register on the ‘Expression of Interest’ page.

Please note, grants will be awarded subject to meeting the Fund Criteria.

For general enquiries, please contact the Community Foundation for Surrey on 01483 478092.

Mental Health Scale Up Fund makes five year grant award to Eikon to provide mental health & wellbeing support to Surrey primary schools

18th May 2023

The Community Foundation for Surrey is delighted to make our third grant award from our Mental Health Scale Up Fund to The Eikon Charity to provide early Mental Health and Wellbeing Support across Primary Schools in Surrey over the next 5 years.

As always, we wouldn’t be able to do this without the financial support from our community and we are forever grateful for all the donations we receive.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

About the Project:

There are currently significant unmet needs for children 10 years of age and under. This new support in schools will help ensure children can understand challenges they face, learn how to positively approach key areas & relationships in their lives, and give a safe space to share when things are happening that worry them.

Primary Head Teachers have told us that there is less help available to their pupils than secondary age pupils. This fantastic longer term funding from the Community Foundation for Surrey will help begin to change this. This resilience building programme that prevents poor mental health in children will run in 8 primary schools in year 1 and will be substantially scaled up over the remaining four years. We ‘re really excited to recruit the member of staff and get cracking on it.

Chris Hickford, CEO of Eikon

_ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read more about our Mental Health Scale Up Fund

Become a Friend of Surrey!

5th April 2023

 

Supporting our local community with vital funding and making Surrey a better place for everyone

 

 

 

 

 

  • Annual membership of £500 – half of which is awarded to current projects & half towards the work of the charity
  • Membership pack: Introduction to the Community Foundation to Surrey, Fast facts report about the issues facing disadvantaged people in our county, email Bulletins and funding literature.
  • Invitation to exclusive annual ‘Friend’ event
  • Quarterly updates on the impact of your donation
To become a Friend of Surrey

Please contact our Development Managers, Zoe or Amy:

Tel: 01483 478092

Email: giving@cfsurrey.org.uk

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

More about the Community Foundation for Surrey 

We are proud to fund hundreds of vital community groups across Surrey every year. And in 2021-2022, our grants totalled more than £2.7 million. We work in partnership with our donors to fund a range of needs and themes, including helping to alleviate winter poverty. Discover more