LONDON Stansted has announced today it will commit £1.5 million over the next 10 years to its charitable arm, the Stansted Airport Community Trust.

The independently-run Trust will receive £150,000 a year for the next decade to provide financial support to charities and community projects in the local area.

Projects that support community life, leisure activities, the environment and conservation will be eligible to receive donations of up to £5,000, with a flagship award of £50,000 also being presented each year.

The commitment was made as part of the publication of Stansted’s annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report, which details the work it has done over the past year to benefit communities and the planet, as well as ambitious targets it has set for the future.

The Report details Stansted’s commitments around three key themes: Opportunity for All, Zero Carbon Airports and Local Voices, and has been published to coincide with the launch of the Government’s new Generation Aviation drive, which aims to inspire people about a career in the sector.

Robert Pattison, Head of Community Engagement, said:

“London Stansted is an integral part of the community, and we take seriously our responsibility to be a good neighbour, provide education and employment opportunities and drive forward our sustainability agenda. The Community Trust will allow our new group of Trustees to work together with local people in deciding where the £150,000 annual donation from the airport goes to. As we look to the future, our hope is the Community Trust will bring the community together and help make a positive difference for local people. This is one of a series of commitments we are making with the publication of our CSR Report, and we look forward to working with local people and organisations to deliver them in the months and years ahead.”

Following the increase in funding from the airport, the Trust is being re-launched with a new Board of Trustees. Local people from various organisations have been invited to join the Board, who will meet every three months to consider grant applications.

New Chair of the Stansted Airport Community Trust, Cllr Garry LeCount, said:

“The new Board of Trustees are representatives of the airport’s stakeholders and have an exceptional knowledge of the local area. We all have a common aim and desire to ensure the local community benefits from the Stansted Airport Community Trust.”

In the past year, the airport’s CSR work has achieved several milestones, including passing stage 2 of the airspace modernisation programme; obtaining planning permission for a solar farm; launching a carbon offsetting tool called Carbon Click; and airport staff giving up 2,000 hours of their time to volunteer in the local community.

It has also reopened its Aerozone education centre, which had been closed during the pandemic, and its Airport Academy has played a crucial role in the recruitment efforts, making more than 5,600 job referrals.

The airport’s commitment to a sustainable future reaches beyond education and employment, with this year’s report also outlining the steps the airport is taking to decarbonise not only its own operations but also those of the wider industry as it continues to recover from Covid-19.