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.

Mole Valley Community Fund

7th December 2023

The Mole Valley Community Fund is a Fund dedicated to Mole Valley that provides support to local projects which tackle need and disadvantage across the borough, it is the latest in the network of local area funds supported by the Community Foundation for Surrey and is run by volunteers from the local communities in Mole Valley.

Our ambition is to provide a significant level of sustainable funding to support and benefit local residents, community projects and voluntary groups in the District of Mole Valley, by bringing together local donors and stakeholders who are passionate about their local community, who can together make a difference to the area in which they live.

This fund is one of a number of borough/district Area Funds across the county managed by the Community Foundation for Surrey, developed in partnership with representatives from the local area. This model has successfully worked in other areas of the county and provides an important local emphasis for funding in Mole Valley.

The Mole Valley Community Fund is a long-term fund that people who are passionate about the area can donate to now, or leave a legacy to in the future.

If you want to get involved, find out more by downloading the information document here.

How we help people

The aim of the Mole Valley Community Fund is to establish a permanent community fund to support and benefit local residents, community projects and voluntary groups in the district. With your help we can help build a stronger community by supporting local causes that can make impact and that will empower Mole Valley to help itself now and in the future.

Fund objectives

The key objectives of the fund are:

To create a permanent source of community capital to support and benefit voluntary and community groups, charities and local residents in Mole Valley
To encourage local philanthropy and raise the level of local giving from residents and local businesses

The Fund will award grants to non-profit organisations including charities, social enterprises, community groups and voluntary organisations in the District of Mole Valley.

To apply for funding Express your Interest here.

Protected: Woking Community Fund

17th November 2023

Spelthorne Community Fund

7th April 2022

The Spelthorne Community Fund is a Fund dedicated to Spelthorne that provides support to local projects which tackle need and disadvantage across the borough, particularly supporting youth and community development.

Our ambition is to provide a significant level of sustainable funding to support and benefit local residents, community projects and voluntary groups in the Borough of Spelthorne, by bringing together local donors and stakeholders who are passionate about their local community, who can together make a difference to the area in which they live.

The Spelthorne Community Fund is a long-term fund that people who are passionate about Spelthorne can donate to now, or leave a legacy to in the future.

How we help people

The aim of the Spelthorne Community Fund is to establish a permanent community fund to support and benefit local residents, community projects and voluntary groups in the borough of Spelthorne. With your help we can help build a stronger community by supporting local causes that can make impact and that will empower Spelthorne to help itself now and in the future.

Fund objectives

The key objectives of the fund are:

To create a permanent source of community capital to support and benefit voluntary and community groups, charities and local residents in Spelthorne
Encourage local philanthropy and raise the level of local giving from residents and local businesses

The Fund awards grants to non-profit organisations including charities, social enterprises, community groups and voluntary organisations in the Borough of Spelthorne.

Fund focus

Grants awarded focus within the following area(s):

Youth development: Initiatives that create opportunities for young people to develop their skills and support their long-term success. For example, but not limited to, investing in facilities that will be used by young people, training programmes or summer school initiatives.

Community support and development: Programmes that improve and strengthen the local community, including, but not limited to, the improvement of community facilities or community events.

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.

Grants awarded

The Spelthorne Community Fund has recently awarded funding to:

Spelthorne Natural History Society

Towards the costs of analysing the ecology of a pond in a local nature reserve. This will enable the group to develop a Management Plan so that SNHS’s conservation volunteers will be able to focus on those tasks which will ensure the proper management of the pond and meadow, and which in turn will result in the creation of a more attractive open space for use by the local community.

Spelthorne Committee for Access Now (SCAN)

https://www.spelthorneaccess.org.uk/ to support the production of a directory of services for those with disabilities, meaning that People in the community who do not have access to computers and would otherwise remain uninformed on a range of issues which affect their wellbeing (e.g. disability rights, living cost, housing and highway issues, etc.), can now be informed of how to access help and support.

Cameo

To cover their work to provide a dementia support group https://www.cameodaycentres.org.uk/ . The group meets at St. Mary’s Parish Hall in Lower Sunbury and welcome clients from any area who can travel to the venue. They are a friendly and caring charity run by a team of enthusiastic fun-loving people who want to enhance the lives of those living with dementia, and their families. They run daily sessions 5 days a week, Monday to Friday, and provide specialist care for people living with dementia including stimulating activities, entertainment and socialising in a safe and engaging environment, connecting and caring for people as individuals. As part of the daily session they also provide a freshly made, 2 course, hot and nutritious meal for all the clients.

Download the Spelthorne Small Grants Form here, to apply for a grant up to the value of £2,000.

For grant applications over the value of £2,000, Express your Interest here.

Community Fund for Reigate and Banstead

17th October 2018

Logo

Charities

We are a Community Fund dedicated to our local area providing support to charitable projects tackling identified local needs across the borough.

Donate

The easiest way to donate to the Reigate and Banstead Coronavirus Appeal is via the Fund’s Enthuse Giving page.

Donate here

The easiest way to donate to the Reigate and Banstead Community Fund is via the Fund’s Enthuse Giving page.

Donate here

Nicholas Owen

"I'm honoured to be Patron of the Reigate and Banstead Community Fund and lend my support to this fantastic initiative."
BBC Newsreader and Fund Patron

The Need

Despite being one of the wealthiest boroughs in England, Reigate and Banstead has unseen pockets of hardship and need in areas such as mental health, care for the elderly, poverty, homelessness, and domestic abuse. The borough also contains the most deprived ward in Surrey and many, often underfunded, sports and community clubs.

The Fund and How to Give

The Community Fund for Reigate and Banstead is a growing philanthropic fund set up in 2018 by a group of local volunteers that provides support specifically to local projects which tackle need, disadvantage, and community participation across the borough of Reigate and Banstead.
Run by volunteers, and managed by the Community Foundation for Surrey (CFSurrey), the Fund, comprising donations from individual residents and local companies, has a long-term endowment fund for future growth, and a grants fund from which disbursements are made to local charities and good causes on a regular basis.

Please donate to help your local community at this critical time, by clicking the following button:

Donate to the Reigate and Banstead Fund today!

Apply for Grant

Beneficiaries of the Fund

We are delighted to have been able to distribute more grants to local good causes:

Stripey Stork – support for the ‘school days’ project which provides school uniform, new school shoes and bags to families who cannot afford them. Each school bag comes equipped with a water bottle and stationery for the new term. Stripey Stork have been supplying these items to school children from pre-school age to secondary school age for several years through their professional referral partners. In 2022 they supplied 1,194 filled school bags, 608 pairs of school shoes and 733 bundles of school uniform. Referrals are distributed through the network of professional referral partners who ensure they are distributed to the most vulnerable families in the community.

Look Good Feel Better – confidence boosting workshops in East Surrey Hospital and Redhill for people experiencing the effects of cancer treatment.

Sparkfish – Youth worker provision for schools in East Surrey to deliver mental health and emotional wellbeing support through one-to-one mentoring, lunchtime activities, small group courses on emotional wellbeing, and assemblies on self-care and self-esteem.

Kinetic Foundation – funding for October half-term sports provision to run engaging and active sport sessions for 6-12 year old children in two areas of deprivation in the Borough: Preston and Redhill West reaching 200 young people in key stages 1 and 2 who otherwise would not be able to afford to attend holiday clubs or participate in activities.

YMCA East Surrey – Beatz programme working with disadvantaged young people aged 11-25, teaching them to compose and record music. The young people will learn new musical skills as well as developing life skills such as teamwork, organisation, and communication skills. They will have access to a fully operational music studio at the Family and Young People Centre in Horley, where they can compose and record music, play musical instruments and sing, as well as broadcast on the radio.

Our Grants Fund Panel

Our independent grant making panel is supported by the Community Foundation for Surrey, Crispin Blunt MP for Reigate, and Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, and is made up of local stakeholders and donors with a knowledge and interest in the community.

No matter how much or how little you give, your donation will go to a really important local good cause.

The Community Foundation for Surrey thanks SES Water, Concept Financial Planning and Reigate and Banstead Borough Council for their generosity towards this local area fund, and is delighted to be able to support even more vital local causes with this funding!

“As a small local company deeply embedded in the communities we serve, we are not seen as just a supplier of water and we don’t want to just deliver great service for our customers – we want to play an active part in improving the areas we are privileged to serve.”

– Cat Holland, Head of Communications at SES Water

If you have a project in the area of Reigate and Banstead that needs support, submit your interest today.

More information

More information about the Reigate and Banstead Community Fund can be found within the Fund’s Brochure here. If you are interested in donating to the Fund, please email us at giving@cfsurrey.org.uk

Crispin Blunt MP presents 2020 winner of Reigate and Banstead Writes competition with her prize – Monday 15th June

Orla McNally, a pupil at Reigate Grammar School, is the winner of R&B Writes 2020. Orla received her prize, sponsored by the Community Fund for Reigate and Banstead, from Crispin Blunt MP. Read more here!

Guildford Young Carers Fund

22nd March 2018

The Guildford Young Carers Fund was set up by Mike Parsons during his year as mayor in 2018/19 and is part of Guildford Philanthropy. The Fund awards grants to support young carers in the Borough of Guildford. Grants of up to £400 will support young carers by providing services or equipment that will help them with their educational, emotional and social needs.

Grants for things such as:

additional non-statutory support in school or college
extra tuition or educational support outside school or college
IT or other equipment to support educational needs**
school trips, outings or residential activities
courses
music, sports or play activities or other clubs outside school (including membership fees)
opportunities to meet other young carers

Grants are not available for duties that are the statutory responsibility of the local authorities.

** The Fund is unable to provide laptops in situations where there is a statutory obligation for a Government body to provide one. We are unable to consider the provision of grants which are solely relating to laptops for school/college-based courses unless there are exceptional circumstances.

How to apply

The Guildford Young Carers Fund accepts applications from Guildford schools and Action for Carers Surrey (ACS). A member of the staff team from any Guildford school, or ACS, can complete an application on behalf of a young carer in their care. The Fund Panel will review the application, and if approved, payment will be made via BACS to the school/ACS.

For more information and advice on how to apply, see the guidance notes.
The application form can be accessed here – GYC Application Form.

Please send completed application forms and supporting documents to grants@cfsurrey.org.uk

We will aim to have funding outcomes within 6-8 weeks.

Did you know…

Guildford Young Carers addresses an area of society that is very much overlooked by us all. Estimates suggest that as many as 20% of children aged 5 to 18 in many areas of Guildford act as carers – unrecognised and hidden to society. The effect on these children is huge. Some fail to realise their academic potential, and they often suffer mental health issues, bullying and social media abuse.

These are young people who find their normal young lives being replaced by caring for a relative within the family unit. These responsibilities often cause negative outcomes, such as falling behind at school, or simply a loss of precious childhood time. These children and young people are often unable to access help and many do not even realise that they are acting as carers – it’s just what you do.

Carers Support (Guildford) Fund

4th May 2017

The Carers Support (Guildford) Fund is part of Guildford Philanthropy, and makes small grants to carers who live in the borough of Guildford who are in need in order to provide them with a respite from their caring role.

Grants for things such as:

contribution towards respite holidays or breaks
club membership
courses
second-hand computers or other IT equipment
holiday play schemes
travel costs for specific activities
cover for the carer when engaged in a respite activity

Grants are not available for duties that are the statutory responsibility of the local authorities.

We cannot accept applications direct from carers – the application must be through an organisation that is providing support and can vouch for the need (for example Action for Carers Surrey, Surrey County Council social care and health teams, NHS older adult and mental health teams, local charitable organisations).

Applications are made by referring organisations using the Carer Support application form available below and returned to directly to grants@cfsurrey.org.uk.

Application Pack

Carers Support (Guildford) provided support to carers living within the borough for 19 years up to 2017. Following the closure of the charity the trustees have collaborated on a partnership with the Community Foundation for Surrey and the Guildford Philanthropy Fund to create a lasting resource specifically to support the well-being of carers within the borough of Guildford. Guildford Borough Council previously matched this donation at a rate of 50%.

Woking Community Fund

27th April 2016

The Woking 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 Woking 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

At the moment we are able to double your donations to Woking Community Fund thanks to matched funding up to £4000 from Surrey County Council – click the banner above to donate!

There is also the opportunity to help by volunteering in Woking, and we are looking for interested community members to help us make a difference in our town. If you think you could spare time and/or skills and advice to local organisations, please email recruitment@cfsurrey.org.uk to find out more.

Example grants from the fund:

The Woking Community Fund has recently awarded £17,000 to support project in the local community:

Catalyst – Shifa (£5,000)

Funding towards the staff costs of a project supporting women from ethnic minority backgrounds with health and wellbeing.

Emmaus Transformation Trust Limited – Nurture Project (£5,000)

Funding is towards staff costs for Emmaus Transformation Trust’s Nurture Project for women in Woking facing hardship, helping them to become more resilient, to make friends and gain self-esteem.

LinkAble Woking – Life Skills Plus (£7,000)

Funding for a project providing life skills and learning opportunities for adults with learning disabilities to improve wellbeing.

Other projects supported include:

True Honour – £2,000

True Honour delivers training and awareness on crimes such as domestic violence, female Genital mutilation, forced marriage and honour based violence. The charity’s mission is to engage with Police and other agencies to gauge a better understanding of victims, to meet the needs of all communities, by providing awareness-raising activities on hidden abuse, and to support them in a safe and empowering way.

This grant will help with the continuation of the women’s support group at the Woking Children’s Centre and to run workshops for women who attend as they have been through domestic abuse. The charity will run keep fit classes for the women to encourage both positive mental and physical well being, as well as provide the charity’s volunteer to complete a counselling course to support victims further.

Bright Shadows – £7,178

Bright Shadow’s mission is to enable people with dementia and those affected by it to live well and to thrive. Creativity and performance are used to create means and opportunities for people with dementia to express themselves, interact with others and take part in meaningful activity.

This grant helped support the charity’s ‘Zest’ workshops and programmes for people living with dementia and their carer’s, in care settings and the community. Bright Shadow also deliver training for care staff and activity workers, produce resources to enable those working with people with dementia to deliver meaningful and creative activities, and deliver creative public awareness raising events.

Tandridge Community Fund

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.