Community funding increase

Community groups will be able to apply for their share of more than £147,000 as Edinburgh Airport increases its Community Fund for 2020.

The fund allocates money to local initiatives that support health and wellbeing, the environment and education, with the total pot rising in line with yearly passenger numbers.

Almost £143,000 was allocated to 74 groups across Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and Falkirk in 2019, with Edinburgh Airport contributing more than £1 million to local group over the past ten years.

A few of the projects that received funding last year include:

• Edinburgh Food Social CIC - £5000 to fund a teaching kitchen to deliver courses and workshops on healthy eating

• 5th Livingston Pipe Band - £1970 to buy piper cases, snare drum carriers, drum sticks and reed protectors

• Silversands Park Run - £1000 to start up a parkrun event in Aberdour, money allocated specifically to purchase a defibrillator

• Syngenta Juveniles Cerebral Palsy FC - £2064 to help cover costs for their first ever cerebral palsy football festival

Anna Light, Head of Engagement at Edinburgh Airport said:

“The Community Fund is our way of giving back to our communities and supporting local groups who make a difference to their neighbourhoods, and we are proud to have donated more than £1 million over the past ten years.

“We want to help wherever possible and I’d invite any local group with a focus on health and wellbeing, the environment and education to apply for funding and let us provide assistance where we can.”

Alex Cole-Hamilton, Chair of the Community Fund said:

“The Community Fund is a great opportunity for local groups and organisations to obtain equipment and capital to help their activities. I know from first-hand experience that the awards we make through the fund can make a world of difference to groups who apply. The fund brings the airport closer to the communities that live beside it and can offer a lasting benefit to people of all ages. I’m proud to chair the group that makes the awards and I would encourage groups to apply.”

Steve Brown, Head of Food Education at Edinburgh Food Social said:

“The grant that we received from Edinburgh Airport Community Fund has been instrumental in allowing us to deliver a number of food projects around Edinburgh, both with young people and communities in areas of multiple deprivation. The money has changed lives for the better, giving people the skills and understanding to feed themselves and those around them with local, seasonal and nourishing food.”