The 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 committee. The award recipients, listed by organisation, representative and grant amount, comprised:
- Age UK, Lizzie Chapman (£300) – to help cover the cost of a Christmas party for 20 older people from Brede and the surrounding area;
- Camber After School Trust, Samantha Birks (£500) – for cookery classes for children to learn how to cook and eat healthily;
- Counselling Plus Community, Verra Papaspyrou (£1,000) – for their hardship fund for local residents;
- Rye Museum Association, Jo Kirkham (£353) – for a new laminator to protect literature and display materials;
- Rye & District Community Transport, Pat Hughes (£1,000) – towards running costs of the 326 bus route;
- 1st Rye Scout Group, Debbie Perfitt (£1,000) – for finishing off the front of the new Scout Centre and providing fencing and hard surface areas for activities;
- St. Michael’s Hospice, Jo Devlia (£1,000) – to support Hospice at Home visits to Rye beneficiaries,
- and Tilling Green Community Centre CIC, Dan Lake (£500) towards start-up costs of establishing a Community Interest Company to run the new community centre when it is built.
Each had been invited in turn to outline their group’s project and the purpose for which the grants would be used which gave an interesting window on their often unsung contributions to the local community.
Photo: Kenneth Bird