Shepperton Studios Community Fund Grants Announced

Shepperton Studios have awarded the latest round of grants from their Community Fund. The £500,000 Fund was launched in 2022 to support local individuals, non-profit and voluntary organisations including charities, social enterprises, and community groups that serve the Shepperton area and wider borough of Spelthorne. The fund applications are reviewed and presented twice a year and has so far supported 17 local organisations, including five in this latest round.

Tristam Slater, General Manager, Shepperton Studios said,“Supporting local organisations around Shepperton Studios is of the highest importance to us as a local business and employer. This latest round of grants from the Shepperton Community Fund provides support for a great range of initiatives across the community from childbirth to wellbeing.”

In this fourth round, five organisations have been awarded grants:

TALK Ashford supports people with aphasia (primarily resulting from stroke) by enabling them to practise all aspects of communication and promote confidence in a supportive environment, leading to increased participation and independence in the community. Awarded £2,500.

Home-Start Spelthorne offers friendship and confidential support to Spelthorne families with young children to help them through difficulties and prevent these becoming crises. We recruit, train and support volunteers with parenting experience and match them to families with children up to age 11 who are experiencing loneliness, mental or physical illness or disability of child or parent, domestic abuse, poverty, inability to cope and other problems. Awarded £10,000.

Dance Woking have nurtured and sustained the overall dance ecology in Woking & wider Surrey benefitting many thousands of people as performers, participants or audiences. This year the organisation celebrates 30 years of dance centred activity. Dance Woking provides participation opportunities, to inspire creativity and to connect individuals of all ages in moving and memorable artistic experiences. Their pop-up and festival appearances; working with partners, in shopping centres or local parks, bringing public spaces to life, engaging whole communities, and showcasing skills in extraordinary ways. The funding enables Dance Woking to remove some of the financial barriers to participation for those in Spelthorne. Awarded £2,285.

Charlton Village Residents Association represents the residents of Charlton Village within the wider community. The association promotes membership to all residents within Charlton Village and represents the interests and rights of residents whilst encouraging them to be more actively involved. Awarded £5,000.

Derek Ferguson , Chair, Charlton Residents Association

“Charlton Village Resident’s Association were delighted to be awarded £5,000 from the community fund. This money will be used to improve and enhance our village and bring colour to our verges and borders. We are very grateful to Pinewood for this award.”

National Childbirth Trust Sunbury, Shepperton and Chertsey Branch aims to support each unique journey of pregnancy, birth and early parenthood. The branch has been active locally for over 30 years by providing antenatal and postnatal classes, breastfeeding support and weekly parent and baby groups. Awarded £5,000.

Dianne White, NCT Sunbury and Shepperton, said,

"We are absolutely delighted to receive funding support from Shepperton Studios Community Fund. Both our weekly drop-ins have been steadily building in momentum since returning to in-person support, so to know we are secure for another year is a huge relief. We look forward to supporting many more expectant and new parents/carers."

Rebecca Bowden, CEO of Community Foundation for Surrey said,“We’re delighted to be able to support Shepperton Studios with their Community Fund to make a huge positive difference to their local communities. It is pleasing that the fund has been able to support people of all ages with this set of grants, from new mums to young children to adults affected by aphasia.”

The Community Foundation for Surrey, a local charity, works with Shepperton Studios to identify worthwhile causes and oversees the implementation and monitoring of all projects that are supported by the Shepperton Studios Community Fund.

How to apply for a grant

To be considered for an award in December 2024, please send an expression of interest

Please access the following website for further information and register on the ‘Expression of Interest’ page https://www.cfsurrey.org.uk/makeanapplication/.

Please note, grants will be awarded subject to meeting the Fund Criteria.

For general enquiries, please contact the Community Foundation for Surrey on 01483 478092