Kent Community Foundation is delighted to have received a £15,000 donation to support young adults in Ashford
Ashford Youth Trust which has been supporting local youth clubs and enabling young people to become community leaders has donated £15,000 to Kent Community Foundation to support projects that empower young people in Ashford.
The Trust recently took the decision that there would be a better way to reach the causes in most need through Kent Community Foundation. As experienced grant-makers, Kent Community Foundation was well placed to take over the trusts grant-making and has since distributed the donated funds to youth work projects in the Ashford district.
Proud of their history of successfully supporting youth projects in the Ashford district, Ashford Youth Trust was formed in 2019 from the merger of two charities, Ashford Youth Centres, which had supported local youth clubs since 1991and Ashford Youth Forum Trust which was formed in 2004.
Richard Eason, Former Trustee of Ashford Youth Trust, said “Our aim has always been to do what is best to support adolescents and young adults in Ashford, and this decision to transfer our funds to Kent Community Foundation is no different. We felt now is the time to wind up our charity and pass on funds to an organisation with in-depth knowledge of local charities and community groups who could benefit and have a greater oversight of where funding is most needed.”
Josephine McCartney, Chief Executive, Kent Community Foundation, said “The Kent Community Foundation team has vast experience in finding, funding and supporting some of the smallest voluntary organisations in the county. We are very grateful to Ashford Youth Trust for the £15,000 donation and we will ensure it is used to support projects that empower young people across Ashford.”
To contact Kent Community Foundation about funding for charities and community groups call 01303 814500, email admin@kentcf.org.uk or visit www.kentcf.org.uk/funding
About the Ashford Youth Trust
Ashford Youth Trust was formed in 2019 from the merger of two charities, Ashford Youth Centres and Ashford Youth Forum Trust. Ashford Youth Centres had been supporting local youth clubs since 1991, whereas Ashford Youth Forum Trust was formed in 2004 by Ashford Borough Council out of their Ashford Youth Forum.
Notable successes have been lobbying and gaining decisions on a number of projects such as the establishment in 2003 of the award winning Sk8side Connexions Access Point. Others include involvement in the ‘Safer Routes to Schools Programme’ with KCC Highways along Hythe Road, delivery of a conference for young people about the Town Centre re-design in partnership with ABC’s Strategic Planning team, and their active support of ‘What Matters’ youth consultation group alongside local youth leaders was significant in helping to shape the focus and delivery of work in Ashford based on young people’s need. This led to the formation of the ‘What Matters Forum’ for local youth programme leaders.
About Kent Community Foundation
Grant-maker Kent Community Foundation has been finding, funding, and supporting some of the smallest voluntary organisations in the county for over twenty years. In this time, it has distributed over £50 million to support thousands of small charities and deserving causes where a modest sum of money can make a significant impact.
They are part of a UK wide accredited network of forty-seven Community Foundations who are committed to improving the lives of local people and communities, particularly the most vulnerable, isolated, and disadvantaged by matching those who want to help, with those who need the help.
Responsible for more than ninety philanthropic funds, Kent Community Foundation is unrivalled in its knowledge of local causes and assists individuals, families, and businesses, who want to help, to establish and administer their own charitable funds.
