A record £10,000 has been distributed among local voluntary organisations in the 2020 round of Rye Fund awards announced last week – though whether the official presentation ceremony next month can be held is uncertain.
Major recipients were Rye and District Community Transport and the Rye branch of the Bexhill Food Bank, both of whose well-known charitable activities reach out to large numbers of local residents. The list of beneficiaries also includes:
- Rye Community Centre for repair works to emergency exit doors;
- Mothers’ Union for their ‘Away from it All Project’ as their caravan is in need of renovation at Winchelsea Beach, where those who may be experiencing stress or difficulties in their family life may spend time together on a free holiday in a refreshing environment;
- Family Support Work for supporting the cost a new part-time family support practitioner for Rye and surrounding villages;
- Rye Allotments Association for security measures at the Love Lane allotments;
- Playden WI towards the cost of caretaking, having suffered the loss of rental income for the hall over the period of Covid-19 lockdown;
- 1st Peasmarsh Brownies for help with expenses, following a period of disrupted fund-raising;
- Rye Wurlitzer Academy for help in its work of teaching and supporting students learning the Wurlitzer theatre organ at Rye College, and seeking to make good its loss of fund-raising events this year; and
- Winchelsea New Hall towards the costs of re-decorating the hall and entrance lobby.
The Rye Fund is an endowment fund at Sussex Community Foundation, of which an agreed percentage of the annual interest accrued goes to making grants to charities and community groups that benefit the local community. Since 2009, the Fund has given 113 grants to more than 50 groups, totalling £76,025.78. Applications for grants are open from July through September annually.
Rye Fund holds in January each year an award presentation evening at the town hall, and this year’s is pictured above, but next year’s event must necessarily remain presently in doubt.
Image Credits: Sussex Community Foundation .