Worthing Community Chest agrees seven grants totalling nearly £8,500

The independent charity makes small grants to groups, clubs, events and other good causes in Worthing.

The money is raised through a clothes and shoes recycling scheme, with green textile bins located at 14 sites across the town.

Decisions are made by the appraisal panel, which is made up of representatives from groups the chest has funded in the previous 12 months.

Chairman Karl Allison said: “This round of funding really shows the range of projects we are able to support. There’s arts, sports, leisure, the environment and social infrastructure.

“It’s a well-balanced set of awards. If the people of Worthing keep putting their old clothes and shoes into our textile recycling bins, then we’ll be able to keep making awards like these.”

Seven awards were made, including £1,500 to Worthing Dynamos for coach training and kit for youth, female and disability football teams.

Friends of Homefield Park also received £1,500 to design and paint an intergenerational active trail.

Worthing Light Festival was given £1,490 to fund an exhibition of sustainable art installations, which will light up the beach for 48 hours in September.

Yada Sussex, a support service to women in the sex industry in Worthing, received £1,380 for outreach work and counsellor training.

Pearsons Social Group was given £1,358 for a greenhouse for its gardening club at Pearsons Retreat in East Worthing.

Bright Futures received £925 to fund workshops supporting adoptive parents.

Care for the Earth was given £344.60 to fund workshops to promote the benefits of eco-cleaning and avoidance of single-use plastics.

Grants of up to £1,500 are made in four rounds of funding each year. The new round of funding is already open for applications. The closing date is April 30. Visit www.worthingcommunitychest.org