Southern Water awards additional Community Energy Grants in the Chichester District

The Community Energy Grant is delivered with partner CMDP (Costain, MWH Treatment) and is open to independently run community centres and spaces where activities such as local foodbanks, support groups and children’s programmes operate.  

This support will go towards energy costs, helping relieve the pressure that community spaces face staying open during winter months.  

The centres that have been awarded the community grant this week are Chichester Community Development Trust and the Fishbourne Playing Field Association.

Chichester Community Development Trust provides a community hub which offers warmth, drinks and chatter four days a week and currently supports 40 families a week. The centre is seen as a one stop shop by the community and supports families by providing free furniture and white goods.

Fishbourne Playing Field Association hosts weekly meetings of Fishbourne Companies – a social group for older citizens, mother and toddler groups, adult exercise classes and a twice weekly drop in ‘warm hub’ which is open to all. The association supports 100-150 people a week.

The Fishbourne Playing Field Association said: “The Fishbourne Centre is a very active community centre serving the communities in the village of Fishbourne and the surrounding area. We host many community groups covering all ages and in addition we provide facilities for a warm hub two days per week to help those in the community to meet up and enjoy company in a warm environment.

“We are therefore extremely grateful to be awarded £1,000 from the Community Energy Grant towards our operating costs. It makes a real difference!”

Southern Water’s Community Partnerships and Programme Manager, Alex Willumsen said:  “We know times are hard for many customers now, in the face of a cost-of-living crisis, so we are determined to do what we can to build resilience and support for those facing challenges in our community. Through our grants scheme, which aims to support both customers experiencing hardship and our communities, we are providing funding support to enable community spaces to continue to operate over winter months and support the work of those networks in our communities to thrive.”