The recipients and their respective grant amounts are as follows:
Hailsham Community Land Trust – £500
Hailsham Bonfire Society – £3,500
Hedgehogs for Hailsham – £400
Hailsham & District Twinning Association – £1,500
Hailsham Foodbank – £500
Hailsham Cricket Club – £500
Hailsham Active CIC – £497.47
Hailsham Choral Society – £500
Action Against Abuse – £500
Sweet Circus CIC – £500
Hailsham Old Pavilion Society – £120
Wealden Works – £500
St Wilfrid's Hospice – £1,000
Baby Bank & Beyond – £500
Hailsham Table Tennis Club – £500
Hailsham Gospel Mission – £200
Gallery North – £500
TOTAL: £12,215.47
These grants were approved following consideration by the Finance & Governance Committee and are part of the Town Council's ongoing commitment to supporting the voluntary sector. These funds are intended to assist organisations that rely on public donations, fundraising, and volunteers to deliver valuable services to the community.
Councillor Gavin Blake-Coggins, Chair of the Finance & Governance Committee expressed his support for the scheme: "Our grant scheme is the main way in which the Town Council provides funding and support to the voluntary sector. Most of the time, voluntary groups and charities survive on the generosity of donations from the public, fundraising and the willingness of volunteers to give up their time."
"Small grants such as these are a valuable addition to this mix and can make a considerable difference to them when planning and funding a worthwhile project. Such organisations are assets to the local community, and I'm proud the Town Council can help them to keep up their excellent work."
Councillor Blake-Coggins added: "Any group that has a constitution, a non-profit ethos and are of benefit to the local community of Hailsham may apply for a grant for the 2026/2027 financial year."
Town Mayor, Councillor Paul Holbrook commented: "We are very proud to offer small-scale support to help local community groups, volunteers and charities with their projects, events and other valuable work in the community. For many years, the Town Council has awarded grants that relate to its grant criteria and considers each application fairly and openly."
The next deadline for grant aid applications (2026/27) will be the end of March 2026.
Due to an underspend in the 2025/26 grants budget, a second round of grant applications will commence later this year whereby the remaining £3,784 (with a starting budget of £16,000) will be shared amongst successful applicants. The new deadline for applications will be announced soon.