Press Release

BAA Gatwick has played a key role in the launch of the new Sussex Community Foundation which has just opened for business. Through BAA’s own charity the BAA Communities Trust, Gatwick has also donated £30,000 towards the foundation’s start up costs.

The charity foundation, designed to make available extra money for charities and communities across Sussex will promote philanthropy and build a substantial permanent fund to support communities across East and West Sussex and the City of Brighton & Hove.

In its first year, the foundation, led by the Duke of Richmond, plans to make grants totalling more than £100,000 to a range of local groups in need. Its ambition is to raise enough funds to distribute £1.5 million a year to good causes by 2010.

The Foundation offers businesses and individuals a range of tailor-made services to help them donate to local charitable and voluntary causes. In doing so it will attract new funds to support local communities.

The Duke of Richmond explains: “A community foundation can make a significant difference to local quality of life. This is about local communities working together for the welfare of all. We are not just another fundraising body competing for funds with existing charities. Our aim is to develop new sources of funding, promote philanthropy and build a substantial endowment fund to support communities across Sussex for many years to come. “

Paul Griffiths, Managing Director BAA Gatwick said: “Gatwick has a massive impact in the area . As a gateway to the world and provider of jobs it helps drive the economy. It’s estimated that the 25,000 people who work there between them earn around £7 million a week.

“However, we are also well aware of our more negative impacts on the community, such as noise and our need to do something about them.

“When we were first approached by his Grace to be involved in the steering group to set up the foundation we didn’t hesitate. We’ve been involved from the very start because close ties with local communities and local people is a fundamental part of the way we work

“Community support from BAA takes many forms – working with local groups, funding projects with schools and community organisations and investing in schemes to protect the environment and cut our impact upon it.

“Support for Sussex Community Foundation is one important way in which BAA can fulfill its responsibility to local communities”  

Notes to Editors:

Photo caption from left to right:

The Duke of Richmond , Chairman Sussex Community Foundation; Paul Griffiths, Managing Director BAA Gatwick and Kevin Richmond, Chief Executive Sussex Community Foundation at the organisation’s launch.

Background to community foundations:

Community Foundations are charitable trusts that support local community causes. They provide a service for individuals and companies who wish to support their local community. They manage funds for distribution to local good causes on behalf of benefactors, and they make grants to local community groups.

Their role is to link local benefactors with local needs, and to build a permanent fund to improve quality of life in their area.

Created by and for local people, they help donors express their long-term interest in an area and its needs.

Community foundations have been active in the UK since the 1980s and a rapidly growing network of around 65 foundations is now established across the UK. 90 per cent of the UK population has access to a community foundation.

Community Foundations are committed to achieving change in the community by making it easy for private individuals and companies to give to local causes. Taken together, Community Foundations are the fifth largest founder of the voluntary sector in the UK.

Sussex Community Foundation is governed by a board of trustees from a wide variety of backgrounds with a broad range of skills and experience. It draws its membership from across East and West Sussex, Brighton and Hove. A list of the board of trustees is included in this media pack.

The foundation is chaired by the Duke of Richmond and Gordon and has as Joint Presidents Mrs Phyllida Stewart-Roberts OBE, Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex and Mr Hugh Wyatt, Lord-Lieutenant of West Sussex.

Since work to establish the Sussex Community Foundation began just over a year ago, it has attracted financial support from a range of individuals, trusts, businesses and organisations including East and West Sussex County Council, American Express, BAA Gatwick, Barclays Bank and Sussex Enterprise.

For more information about Sussex Community Foundation, visit www.sussexcommunityfoundation.org.uk For information about Community Foundations in the UK visit www.communityfoundations.org.uk