Game-changing funding awarded to support young people’s mental health and resilience
29th November 2022
The Community Foundation for Surrey is delighted to announce that thanks to a group of visionary donors we have been able to award the largest grant we have ever made. This is part of a new game-changing fund which has been set up to change the narrative that support in Surrey is not available to all young people who need it.
We believe that all children and young people in Surrey, and their families, deserve help and support with their mental health. We know that over many years of providing funding to the voluntary and community sectors we have supported some excellent work that is making a measurable impact in young people’s mental health, but we will now be targeting funding to scale-up excellent provision so that everyone who needs support can access it in our county.
In 2021 we set up a new Mental Health Scale Up Fund thanks to support from The Quies Trust, The Sedel-Collings Foundation and anonymous donors. Having raised £1M, we were delighted in September 2022 to receive £1M matched funding from Surrey County Council. We have now awarded a grant of just under £0.25M over 5 years to Surrey Care Trust for their Nurture through Nature programme.
This programme provides access to a range of outdoor activities including therapeutic horticulture sessions at dedicated allotments, nature excursions and informally mentored conservation activities aboard their community boats. There will also be activities such as sessions with ponies and donkeys, or paddleboarding integrated with mentoring packages.
Surrey Care Trust bring 40 years’ experience of working with young people and are currently working with a variety of young people with mental health needs including anxiety, isolation, low confidence, PTSD, gender dysphoria, bullying, self-harm, social dysfunction and neurodivergence.
This work will particularly focus on providing support to:
Children struggling with the transition from year 6 to 7 (Primary to secondary)
Students (aged 14-16) struggling with poor mental health that leads to school avoidance
Young people up to age 30 who are (who are at risk of becoming) NEET (not in education, employment or training)
John Downing, Chief Executive, Surrey Care Trust said:
One of our Nurture Through Nature sessions
“Everyone at Surrey Care Trust is delighted to receive the first award of the Community Foundation for Surrey’s Mental Health Scale Up Fund. This award will enable us to develop and expand our pioneering Nurture through Nature activities across Surrey and, most importantly, reach even more young people affected by poor mental health. With rising demand for mental health support and even, in some cases, daunting waiting lists, we are seeing the devastation mental health issues have on young people and its long-lasting impact on their futures.
Working with partners across the county, we can build on our experience in providing support to young people – support that makes the difference to their mental health and their confidence. We can concentrate on engaging the young men and women of Surrey to get outdoors, active, and benefit from everything our wonderful environment has to offer; we can help to build their resilience, establish positive relationships, and build the skills they need to manage (and even overcome) their situation. This would not have been possible without this award. Thank you!”
Surrey County Council Leader Councillor Tim Oliver said:
“At Surrey County Council we continue to work alongside Community Foundation Surrey to ensure funding reaches those in our communities who need it most. We know that mental wellbeing is something many are struggling with in these current times. But in particular we recognise the importance of our young people being able to access help and support easily via a range of different services and in differing ways. This £0.25m funding going to Surrey Care Trust will make a real difference by offering support to young people with Nurture through Nature. And with Surrey’s beautiful countryside on offer this is a real opportunity for us to help make a difference to many young people’s lives for the better.”
Gatwick Foundation Fund relaunches as pandemic eases
28th November 2022
The Gatwick Foundation Fund has relaunched after being suspended during the pandemic. Grants are available for local projects that support young people, improve health and wellbeing, tackle social isolation and disadvantage, or raise aspirations and employment opportunities.
People working for local community projects in Tandridge, Reigate and Banstead and Mole Valley can now apply for funding from Gatwick Airport’s Foundation Fund, with projects receiving £100,000 in total across three rounds of funding.
The Fund is designed to distribute the economic benefits that the airport generates among local people and communities that may not benefit directly from other economic contributions the airport brings to the region.
Gatwick’s Foundation Fund was ordinally launched in late 2016 and – to date – a total of £1.2 million has been distributed in 236 grants, benefiting over 100,000 people across Sussex, Surrey and Kent.
“We feel tremendously proud to be back in a position where we can offer grants to so many worthwhile community projects across our region… “The work these community groups do is invaluable to some local residents and we welcome applications from all projects that meet the wide-ranging criteria.”
“We are delighted to be back working with Gatwick to support their grant making. The Gatwick Foundation Fund is a fantastic resource for the local community and will make a real difference to the groups they fund and in turn the people they support.”
– Kate Peters, Director of Granat making, Community Foundation for Surrey
The Gatwick Foundation Fund has updated the criteria for the relaunched Fund which has been driven by a local needs analysis and local priorities piece of work that has been undertaken.
Building Better Communities
Strengthening social links and fighting social isolation and exclusion particularly in deprived neighbourhoods.
Enabling Social Mobility
Raising aspirations and increasing the skills and opportunities of those who face barriers to employment or those seeking career prospects.
Improving Health & Wellbeing
Improving health (physical and mental), wellbeing and safety.
Supporting Young People
Making a real difference to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people (up to 25)
As for all our funds, the process starts with submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) – this is a simple form where you can tell us what you need to fund. Don’t overthink it or spend too much time on it. Complete the EOI form by clicking the link below and the Grants Team will be pleased to advise you on whether we can invite an application.
New partnership with Sussex Community Foundation and Cubitt & West Estate Agents
24th November 2022
We are delighted to announce our new partnership with Sussex Community Foundation delivering the Cubitt & West Emergency Fund in Surrey, to help address cost of living challenges this winter.
The Cubitt & West Emergency Fund will make grants to support charities and not-for-profit organisations helping to support families and children facing financial hardship during the winter of 2022-23. Grants will be made to fund foodbanks serving people in areas where the estate agent’s branch offices are located. These are: Banstead, Cranleigh, Dorking, Horley, Leatherhead, Reigate, Redhill and Caterham.
Successful grantees will be asked to contact their local branches and where possible, make a visit with them. This aims to connect staff teams with local organisations and to share publicity about these grants.
We are seeking to fast track these awards. Start your expression of interest here. Our normal guidance applies to this funding.
Community Foundation for Surrey awards £383,376 to improve the wellbeing of people in Surrey
16th November 2022
We have just completed our most recent round of funding – addressing our Wellbeing theme.
It has been an extraordinary round. We received 119 applications requesting a total value of £774,000, the most for a single round of donor fund applications we have ever seen, reflecting the level of need in the community.
We are delighted to announce that our donor funds have awarded £383,376 to 64 groups.
Funded through the generous contribution of our donor funds, the Foundation’s Wellbeing theme supports:
Mental ill-health – supporting people to cope with and manage mental health issues and enable early intervention.
Addiction – Support people with drug, alcohol, and substance abuse-related issues.
Caring responsibilities – supporting people caring for others.
Reducing loneliness – provide older people with opportunities to access and participate in their local community to prevent isolation.
Supporting recovery – supporting therapy, advice, counselling, and practical help to aid recovery and improve lives.
Supporting families and parenting.
Addressing physical ill-health and disability.
Active lifestyles – promoting the benefits of healthy living and eating. Helping to counter obesity, preventable diseases, and mental ill-health.
Domestic abuse – supporting people experiencing domestic abuse by providing advice, practical help and/or temporary accommodation.
Not surprisingly in a round focused on Wellbeing, Mental health and isolation and loneliness featured as key issues and there was a broad spread of beneficiaries supported by the grants.
Sadly 29 projects we assessed and considered to be good were unfunded.
Other funding news
During this period, we have also been working on applications to our Strategic Transformation Programme. This programme is rolling, and we respond to applications as they are received. To date four projects have been funded with £35k.
Our Winter Poverty Fund has also awarded £37,725
We are already working on our latest batch of applications to our Equity and Inclusion round. We have received a more manageable 68 applications and look forward to sharing suitable applications with our donors.
Feedback from grant recipients for the Wellbeing round
We have received some fantastic feedback from our grant recipients. Here are a few of their comments (click on the organisation name to visit their website):
– Be Me Project helps build positive mental wellbeing and confidence in life. They deliver their mental wellbeing sessions in a number of secondary schools, but we also offer the courses to ladies within the community, receive referrals from GP surgeries and work in hostels in Surrey and Brighton.
“Be Me encouraged me to come to school, because I struggled – and now I come in because of Be Me”.
A 14 year student with low school attendance because of anxiety
– Men’s sheds are community spaces for men to connect, converse and create. The activities are often similar to those of garden sheds, but for groups of men to enjoy together. They help reduce loneliness and isolation, but most importantly, they’re fun.
“The treasurer of the upcoming Camberley & District Men’s Shed, Paul Cronin, was delighted to receive £4,000 from the Community Foundation for Surrey. They have also been granted the pictured cricket pavilion by Surrey Heath Borough Council as the home for their Shed which has been unoccupied for 10 years, so needs a lot of work to make it suitable for occupation. The money from CFS will greatly contribute to the cost of works needed so they can open and make a difference to the people in their community who are looking for companionship and an improved sense of purpose.”
Paul Cronin, Trustee & Treasurer, Camberley and District Men’s Shed
– Challengers is a charity that gives disabled children and young people the opportunity to play, have fun, and make friends in a safe and supportive environment.
“We are incredibly grateful to Green Shoots Fund and Community Foundation for Surrey for a generous grant to help cover salaries of our Internal Trainers. Many of our young, disabled beneficiaries have special needs and our Trainers are essential in training our Play and Youthworkers, so that everyone can have fun safely.”
– Cook4care is a local community charity of volunteer cooks and drivers, who support young carers and their families by providing nutritious home cooked meals.
“The funding that Cook4care has received is essential in helping us to cook for our young carers in Surrey and their families. By freeing up time to enjoy with friends, family and on schoolwork, we have a positive impact on the mental and physical wellbeing of our young carers.“
Davina Davie and Maria Corry – founder trustees, Cook4care.
– We help children under 5 with cerebral palsyand other motor learning impairments make the best possible start in life – and give families the support and skills to continue their development at home.
“Conductive Education (CE) is learning for life. Purposeful, enabling, and dynamic for children with neurological movement disorders. Seeking to harness potential and improve functional ability and life skills. The benefit of CE is that children learn how to be independent. Sessions allow a child to develop routines and engage in education and hobbies.”
Glenys Creese, Executive Manager, Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity
– Information, advice and guidance to help support bereaved children and young people and those facing the death of a loved one; supporting families across Surrey, parts of West Sussex, Kent and surrounding areas.
“We are thrilled to have received a generous £5,000 grant from Charles Russell Speechlys Community Fund through the Community Foundation for Surrey. This support will help us to make a real and lasting difference to the lives of bereaved children and young people living in Surrey, thank you.”
– LinkAble is a charity that supports children and adults with learning disabilities in Woking and Surrey Heath, offering people activities and experiences they may struggle to access, supporting them to learn new skills, form lasting friendships and lead fulfilling, independent lives.
“We have repeatedly seen that with the right support, adults with learning disabilities can live more independent lives with meaning and opportunity.
The ongoing support received from Community Fund Surrey will ensure the delivery of Lifeskills Plus, a LinkAble programme providing adults with learning disabilities opportunities to develop essential independent living skills”.
– Oasis provides vital support to vulnerable families and children in Elmbridge and the surrounding areas.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have received a grant towards the provision of our Freedom Programme for survivors of domestic abuse and our Adult Emotional Wellbeing Programme. These two courses are vital to our clients’ recovery in the aftermath of abuse, providing the foundation of support and friendship, independence and resilience, to rebuild their lives.”
Caroline Edwards, Founder & Director of Services, Oasis Childcare Centre
– Sight for Surrey is an ambitious charity offering a lifetime of support for people who are blind or partially sighted, Deaf, deafblind or hard of hearing.
“The Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO) service we provide in hospitals across Surrey is entirely funded by Sight for Surrey from voluntary donations so this grant from Community Foundation for Surrey, Carrington Family Trust Grants Fund, is vitally important. Our ECLO’s provide much needed information, advice and emotional support to anyone diagnosed with a vision impairment, signposting and referring them to services that can help them continue to live their life as independently as possible.”
Justine Jasper, Lead Eye Clinic Liaison Officer, Sight for Surrey
– Viewpoint Centre CIO is a registered charity that has been fully endorsed to run courses in Surrey developed by TheHorseCourse. TheHorseCourse is a registered charity founded by Harriet Laurie in Dorset in 2011 as an equine assisted behavioural change programme . Originally, delivered in prisons but now in the wider community throughout the UK. Its charitable purpose is to reduce social exclusion through horse-assisted interventions.
“The pandemic has heightened existing challenges and disadvantages and created new challenges and risks to deal with for highly vulnerable young people. We have seen a rise in referrals as a results of pandemic-related isolation, increased social and health anxiety, pressure on family relationships, increased exposure to harm, household poverty and living conditions, reduced access to education and activities, risks to physical wellbeing and lack of hope/concern for the future. This funding will help us deliver our fundamental role supporting young people and their families to rebuild and restart.”
– Wishing Well Music for Health provides live interactive Music for Wellbeing in healthcare settings. They work in partnership with NHS trusts across Sussex and Surrey, bringing live music interactions into hospitals and hospices – working closely with healthcare staff to make sure that our approach is right for each individual person.
“This new grant enables us to bring the joy of music making right to the bedsides of older patients at East Surrey Hospital. We’ll be singing songs and making music together, creating a space for older people to share their life stories, memories and talents. We can’t wait to get started!”
Jo White, Founder and CEO, Wishing Well Music for Health
A gathering of philanthropists in the Surrey Hills
4th October 2022
A big thank you to many of our Donors who joined us on Wednesday 28 September at the glorious Hampton Estate near Farnham and Guildford, for our first face-to-face Donor Gathering since the start of the pandemic. We are very grateful to estate owners Bridget and Bill Biddell for welcoming us so warmly.
After such a long time, it was really nice to meet people face-to-face – and lovely to see such lively conversation going on! We were joined by Donors from all the different types of Funds that we manage – Corporate Funds held on behalf of businesses, Pooled Funds for which panels of volunteers fundraise for a particular cause close to their heart, and Family Funds. We have a number of new Fund and Grant Managers – and they really enjoyed the evening, getting to meet and have quality conversations with Donors about why they give and how we can best support them.
The social event included speeches from our Chair of Trustees, Sir Denis O’Connor CBE, Bridget Biddell, Vice President of the Community Foundation and formerly High Sheriff of Surrey, and our Chief Executive, Rebecca Bowden.
With our Donors’ enormous generosity, we are making a massive difference by providing positive solutions in our communities for local people and disadvantaged individuals. Do get in touch with us if you would like to join our family of Donors.
Surrey County Council supports our Winter Poverty Campaign with matched funding*
3rd October 2022
We are delighted that Surrey County Council is supporting our Winter Poverty Campaign this year with a pledge to match fund any donations up to £130,000*. This means that for every £10 you donate, it will be doubled to £20.
Winter poverty is the catastrophe about to happen for many people struggling to meet the cost of high energy bills this winter.Your donation will be put towards awarding grants to local organisations that are actively helping those in poverty in our county through food banks, community fridges, warm hubs, baby banks, debt advice, energy advice and other urgent help.
We urgently need donations to our Winter Poverty Fundraising Campaign. With your kind support, together we can combat poverty this winter in our community. There are two ways you can help:
If you are eligible to receive either the Winter Fuel Payment or the Energy Rebate and you are in the fortunate position of being able to manage without it, please donate the money so that we can use it to award grants to organisations who are providing urgent help to those in economic crisis. Donate now (click on this link)
Become a Donation Partner
We are also looking for Donation Partners to pledge £1,000 each to help us reach our Winter Poverty Campaign target of £100,000. To become a Donation Partner, please contact us to arrange a meeting or a call by Zoom. Email giving@cfsurrey.org.ukand we’ll get back to you to discuss the options available.
You can discover more at our website including options for individuals and families, businesses and corporates, Legacy and Memory Funds, and information for Professional Advisors about how best to support their clients to help now, when it is most needed – Give to your community
New UK Community Foundations report looks through the lens of the Levelling Up agenda
29th September 2022
Community philanthropy can multiply value of dormant assets and build resilience, says new report by UK Community Foundations
A new report by UK Community Foundations explains how the expansion of the Dormant Assets Scheme could be the catalyst for growing community philanthropy in the UK.
The report looks at the work of the UK’s 47 community foundations through the lens of the Levelling Up agenda, it explains how community philanthropy is already playing an important role in tackling regional inequality and looks at some of the ways that it can be grown to help build the resilience of communities.
The main conclusions of the report are:
Money from the Dormant Assets Scheme could be used to launch a government-backed match-funding programme that would aim to build community endowments to ensure a lasting impact. In doing this, the Government would multiply the value of dormant assets and help build a sustainable source of funding for the voluntary sector. It would also help encourage a new generation of local philanthropists.
Community philanthropy is already playing a role in creating social capital – one of the key drivers of the Levelling Up agenda. It brings people together from across different sectors and increases understanding of local issues and how to distribute funding to charities that address them. This helps build community cohesion and encourages more strategic charitable giving.
In many cases the pandemic proved to be pivotal for improving the relationship between local authorities and the voluntary sector. This should be built on. Moving forward there should be meaningful representation of the voluntary sector in initiatives that encourage collaboration between communities and local authorities.
“We are living in turbulent times. We need to look at how we can build the resilience and capacity of our communities. This means putting real power and resources in the hands of local people. The Dormant Assets Scheme presents us with a once in a generation opportunity to do that by growing community philanthropy. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Our members been working with local people for decades to create opportunities and support communities. We should be using the local knowledge, insights, and expertise that is already there.”
Rosemary Macdonald BEM, CEO, UK Community Foundations
We’re delighted to have received Quality Accreditation following an assessment of our core standards on:
Governance
Finance
Philanthropy
Grant-making
Community participation
Organisational development
The UKCF Quality Accreditation Programme is an initiative designed to provide due diligence that confirms members have the capacity to deliver grants and programmes on a national level, and will last for three years until October 2024. It promotes excellent practice across community foundations to ensure that they can utilise their resources most effectively to listen to, support and advocate for their communities.
The Community Foundation for Surrey would like to convey our sorrow and condolences for the passing of Her Majesty the Queen.
Thank you for your devoted service and never-ending work. You have been a shining beacon to all and the country salutes you. The nation will miss you but treasure all you did.
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Contact Amy Lee, Fund Development Manager
