Schools urged to make bids for £25,000 funding from Manchester Airport ahead of upcoming deadline

Time is running out for Primary schools near Manchester Airport to submit applications to a one-off £25,000 fund to mark the airport Community Trust Fund’s 25^th anniversary.

One local primary school will receive the top prize for a new eco-friendly garden or outdoor learning area, whilst a runner-up and third-placed school will receive £10,000 and £5,000 respectively.

Primary schools within the Community Trust Fund’s catchment area – which encompasses roughly a 10-mile radius of the airport, including parts of Trafford, Manchester, Stockport, Tameside and Cheshire – are being invited to submit a proposal for outlining how they would spend the funds, with a deadline for entries of Friday 28^th October.

Six finalist schools will be selected, with pupils asked to prepare a pitch to the trustees, which will be delivered at a grand final event under the wings of the Concorde, at the airport’s Runway Visitor Park, to decide the winners.

Entries can be submitted by visiting the Manchester Airport website.. Schools should offer a breakdown of how they would spend the funds and a covering letter outlining the difference this would make, also specifying how they would use the project to promote environmental awareness among pupils, whilst enriching the environment and improving biodiversity.

The application will include producing a short video of no more than 3 minutes, presented by pupils, summarising the eco-garden proposal and the benefits it will bring.

Selected finalist schools will be contacted by 21^st November and will be asked to prepare a 10-minute presentation for the trustees, to be given at the grand final on Tuesday 6^th December.

Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director at Manchester Airport, said:

“This competition provides a unique opportunity for primary schools in our area to develop an area of their campus that is in need of renovation. Outdoor learning is an important part of primary education and this funding will support projects that will provide a real legacy for pupils. That is why I would encourage schools to get their applications in before the deadline.

“We are proud of the work that the Community Trust Fund has done over the past 25 years and that work will continue. We are committed to ensuring that our neighbouring communities share in the benefits of having a major international airport on their doorstep.”

The Community Trust Fund is overseen by the airport and managed by a committee of independent trustees, formed of local councillors from the six local authority areas which fall within the fund’s catchment area. It provides cash either as a contribution to, or to meet the full cost of, not-for-profit initiatives.

Trustees meet on a quarterly basis to consider pledges up to £3,000, with applications welcomed from community groups or charities based within 10 miles of Manchester Airport. Since its establishment in December 1997, has invested more than £3.5m into worthwhile causes – with some organisations having benefitted from multiple donations in that time.

Photo: L-R: Trustee Cllr Sam Naylor; Manchester Airport Managing Director, Chris Woodroofe; and the Airport’s Head of Community Engagement, Rob Pattison.