24
June
2025
|
13:39
Europe/Amsterdam

Community Fund hits £500k milestone - with more local groups set to benefit this summer

Charities, sports clubs and community groups across Essex and Hertfordshire are being invited to apply for grants from the Stansted Airport Community Fund (SACF) as it marks more than £500,000 awarded since its relaunch in 2023.

The Fund supports local projects within a ten-mile radius of the airport, from village halls and sports pitches to wellbeing charities, green spaces and community facilities.

Grants of up to £5,000 are available for projects that improve community life, leisure, conservation and the local environment and a larger Flagship grant of up to £50,000 is also awarded each year.

So far, more than 122 groups have received support since 2023, with recent standout recipients this year including:

  • Molehill Green Village Hall, awarded £30,000 to install a permanent electrical system,
  • The Parent Hood in Harlow, which received £20,000 to replace the roof of its busy family hub.

The next round of applications opens on July 1, and the SACF is encouraging local groups to apply, whether they’re launching something new or need a boost to keep making a difference in their community.

Cllr Maggie Sutton, Chair of the SACF, said:

“We’re incredibly proud of the impact the Fund has had so far. From sports clubs and wellbeing charities to village halls and conservation groups, this funding is making a real difference. As we head into summer, we’d love to hear from even more local organisations who could benefit from a funding boost – whether it’s a new idea or a long-standing project in need of support.”

Lucy Johnson, Trustee at Molehill Green Village Hall, added:

“We’re over the moon about the £30,000 grant. Installing permanent electrics means we can keep running activities that bring people together. We’re so grateful for the support.”

Marika Opara, from The Parent Hood of Harlow, said:

“This has been a game-changer for us. A new roof means we can continue offering a safe, warm space for families in Harlow. We’re incredibly thankful to the Stansted Airport Community Fund.”

The SACF meets quarterly and is managed by a committee of independent members, local authority representatives and airport staff.

Since its relaunch in 2023, the SACF has awarded 122 grants worth a total of £531,220. 

Between December 2024 and now, the Fund has met three times and, in addition to supporting the Flagship grant, has distributed over £130,000 to 41 local charities and community groups, including:

Uttlesford

  • St Martin's Church, White Roding – Tables, chairs (£1,700)
  • Saffron Walden Mencap Society – Musical instruments & accessories (£3,000)
  • Stebbing Cricket Club – Ball stop net (£500)
  • Stansted Bowling Club – Clubhouse refurbishment (£2,000)
  • Stansted Hall & Elsenham Cricket Club – Wicket mower (£2,500)
  • Hockerill Cricket Club – Scarifier (£1,500)
  • Flitch United FC – Football training equipment (£3,500)
  • Great Canfield Parish Council – Chairs, trolleys, picnic tables (£4,715.07)
  • St Mary’s Church, Saffron Walden – Lighting (£5,000)
  • Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra – Carrying stands (£1,200)
  • Uttlesford Community Transport – New PC screens (£5,000)
  • Saffron Walden RFC – Container and racking (£3,000)
  • Thaxted Community Land Trust – Laptops (£1,228)
  • Takeley Youth JFC – Goals, flags & line marker machine (£3,300)
  • Peacock Surgery PPG – Medical device (£4,740)
  • Dunmow United Football Club – Equipment (£5,000)
  • Stansted Cricket Club – Replacement nets (£5,000)

East Hertfordshire

  • Hoodoo Radio – Radio equipment (£3,061.57)
  • Blues Preschool and Nursery – Outdoor space transformation (£5,000)
  • Friends of Southern Country Park – Butterfly bank materials (£2,500)
  • Thorn Grove Primary School – Picnic tables and play bark (£2,500)
  • The Animal Rescue Charity – Isolation kennel equipment (£2,500)
  • HABS Strength in Mind – Laptops (£1,500)
  • Friends of Sawbridgeworth Neuro Centre – Picnic tables, fencing & greenery (£4,000)
  • Carers in Hertfordshire – Laptops (£4,746)
  • Little Hadham Primary School – Polycrub (£5,000)
  • Hertfordshire Boat Rescue – Boat (£2,067)
  • Age Concern Bishop’s Stortford – Dining chairs (£4,000)
  • Bishop’s Stortford Bowling Club – Replace bowling green (£5,000)
  • Isabel Hospice – Community care medical equipment (£4,304)
  • Water Lane Theatre Company – Outdoor theatre equipment (£3,000)
  • Butterfly Out of School Club – Toys (£2,400)

Dunmow/Chelmsford

  • Church of St John and St Giles – Bell replacement (£5,000)
  • High Easter Cricket Club – Heavy cricket roller (£1,800)
  • Eastons Cricket Club – Kitchen units and sink (£1,500)
  • Great Waltham & Ford End PCC – Organ restoration (£5,000)
  • Little Dunmow St Mary’s Priory Church – Stained glass window repair (£3,984)

Harlow

  • Gilden Park Residents Association – Gardening equipment (£999.77)
  • Harlow District Scout Council – Camping equipment (£5,000)
  • Rainbow Services – Interactive light projector (£5,000)
  • Safer Places – Garden furniture (£2,024)