A centre which gives disabled children and their families the chance to play has received a share of a £30,000 charity donation.

The Springboard Project in Horsham received £8,486 from Gatwick Airport’s charity to support its work with children, young people and families.

The funding will allow it to expand capacity of sessions delivered for children and young people aged between six and 18 with special educational needs and disabilities.

Vickie Harvey, fundraising and communications manager at the Springboard Project, said: “The funding will make such a difference to the children, young people and families that we support. It will enable us to increase the capacity at sessions, taking more children that require one-to-one support, giving them a more regular break.”

Gatwick has also donated to a number of other charities across the county.

Melanie Wrightson, stakeholder engagement manager at London Gatwick, said: “We are so happy to be in a position to help such worthy causes in Sussex.”

Relate West Sussex in Crawley is another organisation which received funding. 

It got £4,700 to provide counselling for couples, individuals, families and children and young people.

Crawley Jumma Group now has £555 to put towards the cost of a new support group for Asian women and Broadfield Community Centre in Crawley received £5,000 to help pay for staff.

Engage, a charity in the Wealden district, has received £4,764 which it will use to provide socialisation opportunities for rural older and vulnerable people, offering respite for carers. Funding will be used to cover staff, volunteers, venue hire and activities costs.

People Matter Trust benefited from £6,494 to support its work in offering career information, advice and guidance to jobseekers alongside practical support to help them progress into sustained work or accredited training. Money will be used for its jobseekers’ programme in Heathfield.

Ann Gillard, chief executive at People Matter Trust, said: "Unemployment is a major life event which can have a devastating impact on people’s lives, affecting not just the individual but also family members and the wider community. The impact of unemployment can be long-lasting and far reaching, often affecting living standards in retirement and having a negative impact on physical health and mental well-being.”