Tandridge Voluntary Service Council & CFS FUNDING SURGERY Wednesday 18 January

3rd January 2017

Kate Peters

Does your group need funding?  If so come along and meet the Grants Manager for Community Foundation for Surrey (CFS) to discuss your funding needs.

Tandridge Voluntary Service Council and CFS are running a FUNDING SURGERY on Wednesday 18 January 2017 12.30pm- 2.30pm at Oxted Community Hub, First Floor above Oxted Library, 14 Gresham Road, Oxted. RH8 0BQ

Did you know…..?

  • Tandridge charities and voluntary groups are not applying for funding that could be theirs!
  • 65% of groups who submit an expression of interest go on to receive funding
  • 85% of applications are successful

Following a short presentation from Kate Peters, Grants Manager for CFS there will be an opportunity to book a ‘one-to-one’ chat with her to discuss your funding needs.

To book a place compete the attached form and return to info@tvsc.org.uk by Wednesday 11 January.

Tandridge Community Fund

27th April 2016

The Tandridge Community Fund supports local community and voluntary groups who are making a difference to the quality of local community life by awarding grants to fund their work. The Fund enables and encourages local giving to support local communities to develop and thrive by supporting voluntary effort, not just for a single cause, but across all sectors including; isolated older people, those affected by long term illness and disability, the environment, sport and recreation, young people, families and community facilities.

The Tandridge Community Fund makes it easy for local residents to support the breadth of local needs by:

  • Exclusively supporting local community projects
  • Pooling donations from companies, individuals and families to make a bigger impact
  • Providing a sustainable source of funding to support the evolving community needs
  • Developing the capacity to respond to local issues as they arise
Claire Coutinho, MP for East Surrey, is seeking donations to support work to address social isolation amongst people in Tandridge and East Surrey and has chosen to work with the Tandridge Community Fund to raise funds. 

“Social isolation is when you feel alone (even if you are surrounded by people) and not part of social or cultural groups and activities. Feeling isolated can often have a negative effect on a person’s mental well-being. There are many things that can increase feelings of social isolation including bereavement, relationship breakdown, role change, job less, having a baby, moving home, social anxiety, or shyness.” Ref. Healthy Surrey

You can donate to Claire’s Friendship Project via the Tandridge Community Fund. Donations will go directly towards supporting work to address social isolation amongst people in Tandridge and East Surrey. Please see How to give below.


Example grants of the fund: 

Tandridge Voluntary Action: Tandridge Befriending Scheme – £3,500

The Tandbridge Befriending Scheme is well established, having started in 2001, and matches volunteer befrienders with people who feel socially isolated or lonely. The number of referrals and enquiries has continued to rise year on year and especially as a result of the Covid pandemic. At the end of March 2021 the organisations had 172 active clients and 172 active volunteers.

The grant provides a contribution to support the salary costs of a part-time befriending coordinator costs. who works 20 hours per week, enabling Tandbridge Befriending Scheme to continue its work and hopefully, to grow the Scheme.


Oxted and Limpsfield Cricket Club – £1,000

Oxted and Limpsfield Cricket Club aims to provide good quality cricket and a social forum to all who would like to play or be involved in Cricket at Oxted and Limpsfield.

This grant was awarded for their ‘SMASH IT’ cricket in schools project for coaching and tournament costs within local schools in Tandridge and surrounding areas.

Sport has a number of benefits and the group aims for attendees of the project to build on their courage and compassion, increase mental and physical well being and help with communication skills and social interaction. It is predicted that 600 children will benefit from fun and active coaching and participation in 3 tournaments.


Bloomin’ Arts – £750

Bloomin’ Arts provides accessible opportunities for participation and education in performing arts for adults with learning disabilities, who live in Surrey and the surrounding areas.

This grant funded the charity’s ‘Express It Group’ project, designed to support attendees of the group with a Freelance Artist in visual and performance arts for one day per week. The work will follow-on from previous projects undertaken by the charity, and encourage participants to take ownership of their creative ability with the support and expertise of a professional in the field.

Supporting communities to capture local history

31st March 2016

Memory Tree

A grant of £500 from the Tandridge Community Fund supported the installation of a Memory Tree at the Caterham Festival 2015.The Caterham Memory Tree, a sound art sculpture and oral history archive project, was the brainchild of local award winning classical musician and sound artist Julie Groves.

Exhibited at St Lawrence’s Ancient Church throughout the first ten days of June the project collected, preserved and shared over 300 memory sound clips with visitors in a soundscape which lasted over two hours and emanated from ‘fruits’ in the Tree.

“What a joy – really touching and beautiful how the voices fade in and out as you pass along and around the tree finding another voice to listen to.”

The project encouraged shared community conversation and dialogue of shared local memories between people of all ages. The Memory Tree provided an interactive and dynamic way for these oral histories, which would otherwise fade over time, to be preserved and shared in an accessible way. See more photos of the project here.

Julie explains, “When a group meets for recordings, three times as many people engage in chat about the local area and history as actually record their memories. A number of elderly and more isolated residents have been visibly moved and affected by the opportunity of spending 30 minutes recollecting their personal memories with another person who considers them valuable and worth recording.”

The project played a central role in the Caterham Festival 2015 engaging people of all ages in local history and memory. There were over 600 visitors to the installation – some of whom left touching comments in a visitor’s book, of which a selection are shared below;

“So good to learn so much about Caterham – a great project – my dad was a contributor which means his and other people’s memories will carry on through the years!”

“What a wonderfully atmospheric way to hold people’s memories and share them.”

“This is fab – nothing like I imagined but totally better and amazing. What a wonderful way to preserve local history and make it accessible to so many people. Incredibly thoughtful – love it!”

“I found out things today mum has never told me before! Brilliant.”

“Well done Julie – brought back many memories and wonderful to hear other people’s memories. Learnt a lot about Caterham – wonderful personal stories.”