SES Water launches second year of funding for projects in Surrey

16/03/20

SES Water is increasing the amount of funding it awards to local charities, groups and projects, through the Community Foundation for Surrey, now in its second year of partnership with the charity.

 The partnership with the Community Foundation for Surrey began in May 2019 and forms part of SES Water’s commitment to supporting worthy causes in the community and give something back to those groups providing vital services for local people and disadvantaged individuals. Since the partnership started, three rounds of grants - totalling almost £30,000 - have been awarded to 10 local organisations and are expected to have benefitted more than 5,000 people. 

To find out more about SES Water’s sponsorship and donation policy, read here or to apply for funding, please visit the Community Foundation for Surrey’s website.

SES Water Chief Executive Officer, Ian Cain, said: “We are pleased to be working with the Community Foundation for Surrey and increasing our funding this year for organisations that have a meaningful and lasting impact on local people. The decision-making process for selecting which organisations we support is very much a collaborative effort, involving staff from across the business, and we are delighted to have been able to help more than 5,000 vulnerable, elderly and young people in the past year. We look forward to supporting more local groups in the year ahead and encourage applications for future grants.”

In the most recent round of funding SES Water awarded grants to Young Epilepsy, a local charity working on behalf of children and young people with epilepsy, Kinetic Foundation, a charity helping young people through sport into employment, education and training, and Bookham Baptist Church Children’s Centre, which offers family support to vulnerable people.

Director of Grants and Impact for the Community Foundation for Surrey, Kate Peters, said: “The Community Foundation for Surrey is delighted to be working in partnership with SES Water to award grants to local voluntary groups and disadvantaged people across Surrey. 

“Each year the Foundation works with over 400 groups working hard to make a difference across the county and last year distributed over £1.4 million in grants to support people in need. This year, with the help of companies such as SES Water, we’re set to award £2 million. That is the difference our wonderful donors make.”

Other local organisations that have received grants include: 

• Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead 
• Personal Independent Support CIC 
• Southwark Diocesan Welcare 
• The Alliance of Surrey Mediation Services
• Delight in the Woods
• Shooting Star Children’s Hospices 
• Epsom & Ewell Citizens Advice Bureau 

Chief Executive Officer for Epsom & Ewell Citizens Advice Bureau, Lisa Davis, said: “We are thrilled to have been awarded this grant that will greatly impact upon the lives of those with severe and enduring mental health conditions. The funding will ensure they have access to the advice and information needed to obtain entitled benefits, manage their finances and avoid homelessness – leading to them feeling less stressed and better able to cope.”

Trusts & Information Fundraiser for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, Brian Gallagher, said: “Thanks to SES Water, the grant contributed towards our work with the siblings of life-limited children/young people including a siblings day at the Hospice and a sailing event where they spent five days learning the ropes, sails and everything in between that goes into sailing.”