The Rye Fund

Presentation of Rye Fund awards at Rye Town Hall
 by Mayor Bernadine Fiddimore

2015 AWARDS PRESENTED BY RYE MAYOR

Rye Fund's annual awards presentation was held at the Town Hall last Wednesday, January 20. The eight voluntary organisation award winners were welcomed by John Holbrook, chairman of the Rye Fund local panel and were presented with certificates by the Mayor, Cllr Bernadine Fiddimore. 

Also present were Laura Williams of the Sussex Community Foundation and other members of the Rye Fund panel and steering group.

Each award recipient was invited in turn to outline their group’s project and purpose for which the grants would be used. This gave an interesting window on their often unsung contributions to the local community.

Lizzie Chapman representing Age UK 
told the assembly that the £300 award 
would help cover the cost of the Christmas party 
for 20 older people from Brede and the surrounding area.

Samantha Birks -  Camber After School Club 
said the £1000 
would be used to run cookery classes 
for children to learn how to cook and eat healthily; 

Vera Papaspyrou -  Counselling PlusCommunity
 would put the £1000 award towards
 their hardship fund for local residents. 

Jo Kirkham -  Rye Museum Association, 
will spend the  £353 grant 
on a new laminator
for protecting literature and display materials; 

Pat Hughes - Rye and District Community Transport 
would use the £1000 grant 
towards running costs for the 326 bus route;

Debbie Perfitt -  1st Rye Scout Group 
received £1000 
to help pay for finishing off the front of the new Scout Centre
 and providing fencing and hard surface areas for activities.

Jo Devlia  - St Michael's Hospice, 
received £1000 
to support Hospice at Home visits to Rye beneficiaries; 

and finally, 

Dan Lake - Tilling Green Residents Association 
received a grant of £500 
towards start-up costs towards establishing the 
Association as a community interest company.

FOUNDING MEMBER OF STEERING GROUP STEPS DOWN

The other news item is that Robert Bromley who was one of the founding members of the Rye Fund has resigned from the steering group.

Kenneth Bird, the steering group chairman thanked Robert Bromley for his contribution over the last nine years to the formation and development of this community fund. This has now reached the £100,000 total endowment sum, enabling annual grants to be made to voluntary organisations in Rye and District at a sustainable level even in these times of economic difficulty.

He also expressed appreciation for the input of the Sussex Community Foundation in managing the fund's resources and so competently providing team support.