Bristol Airport grants over £170,000 to local projects in first half of 2023

The first half of 2023 has been a success for Bristol Airport’s Local Community Fund, with over £170,000 granted to support local community projects.

In total, 51 individual projects have benefited from the Fund with grants ranging from £500 to £15,000 so far in 2023.  This includes funding for a nature conservation project in the village of Wrington; car park improvements to Golbin Coombe in Cleeve and children's educational equipment for Winford Village Pre-School. In total, £1.5 million has been granted to projects in the surrounding community of Bristol Airport since the fund was set up in 2012.

The management committee, which oversees Bristol Airport’s Local Community Fund, meets on a quarterly basis to discuss and make a decision on all applied projects. The Committee Members consist of representatives from both the Airport, North Somerset Council and is independently chaired.

The Fund’s purpose is to help mitigate the impact of the Airport’s operations and to give something back to surrounding communities who are situated in close proximity to the Airport.  The Fund’s area of benefit includes the parishes of Winford, Wrington, Backwell, Brockley, Cleeve and Barrow Gurney. Projects which could be eligible for support include initiatives to improvements to transport infrastructure, measures to reduce community severance, nature conservation, educational projects and local sustainability initiatives. 

Also, as part of the Local Community Fund is the Noise Insulation Scheme which helps mitigate the impact of aircraft and ground noise. This scheme is set up to provide funding for new window installation for families living close to the airport and so far this year, Bristol Airport has given £85,000 to 32 individual residents in the local area.

David Hall, Independent Chair of the Bristol Airport’s Local Community Fund, said: “To be able to distribute over £170,000 from the fund to support worthwhile community groups is a huge achievement and it has enabled many projects to continue to thrive, grow further, and provide essential support for local residents in close proximity to the airport."

“As a committee, we fully recognise the importance of the fund and how it can make a valuable contribution to local community life.”

Wrington Parish Council received £4,375 towards the Wrington Quarry Nature Reserve, a conservation project which aim is to turn an unmanaged and overgrown woodland area into a local nature reserve which includes an improvement of a permissive footpath.

The project leader, Tony Harden, said: “It was fantastic news when we heard that we had been successful in our application to the Bristol Airport Local Community Fund. The £4,375 that we received has gone towards the opening up of a disused quarry which is being turned into a local nature reserve and now provides a fantastic new area of woodland for walkers, local residents and school children to enjoy. The funding has provided the foundations for the footpath, new steps and banisters, insect habitats and a campfire.”