Sussex Community Foundation worked with a community panel of local residents to allocate grants totalling more than £270,000 from Southern Water’s Goodwill Fund for Hastings and St Leonards, set up to support the community following last May’s water outage and previous flooding incidents.

The community panel asked priority to be given to projects tackling homelessness, financial hardship, mental health and wellbeing challenges, as well as those supporting young people and families, under-represented sectors and older residents.

Grant recipients, who have each received sums of up £20,000, include Education Futures Trust and Hastings Emergency Action Response Team CIO. Education Futures Trust (EFT) in Langham Road supports low-income families by equipping them with skills and knowledge to manage household expenses, access essential services and join support programmes to reduce financial strain. Their CEO Zoe Jackson said more than 25% of Hastings children live in low-income families, compared to around 14% nationally, and demand for the charity’s services was increasing. Zoe added: "We deeply appreciate Southern Water's generous grant, which allows us to continue supporting families as they navigate significant challenges. Our work is dedicated to helping families identify their needs, access essential services, achieve financial stability, and nurture early play and communication skills critical for development. In today’s difficult climate, this support is more important than ever.”

Meanwhile, Hastings Emergency Action Response Team CIO (HEART) will use its grant to develop its Community Info Hub. Based in Hastings Town Hall, the Hub offers support and guidance to people facing issues related to disability, lack of transport, poverty, or language and literacy barriers. Alastair Fairley, Finance and Fundraising at HEART, said: “Thousands of people visit the Hub each year to get vital help accessing services, information and support across a huge range of areas. Meeting this demand is a constant challenge, so Southern Water’s help will make a big difference.”

Sussex Community Foundation received more than 80 applications for this round of funding. Hannah Clay, Head of Grant Programmes at the Foundation, said: "The overwhelming response to this programme highlights the significant need for this kind of support. We’re delighted that this additional funding for Hastings and St Leonards is helping to fund important local causes and strengthen the voluntary sector, which plays such a crucial role in the community."

For more information on the Foundation's grant-making programme, visit sussexcommunityfoundation.org