Our Generous Sponsors 2023/2024
The following organisations have been extremely generous and awarded us grants to enable us to purchase essential equipment and maintain our services to our members:
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Heathrow Community Trust
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Schroder Charity Trust
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National Lottery Community Fund
Egham Constellations was awarded a grant of £1,520.00 from the National Lottery COMMUNITY FUND in May 2024.
Now that we have more wheelchair members that need hoisting into the pools, we were in need of another large wet chair in order to have a smooth flow of members changing, entering and exiting the pools.
This generous grant has enabled us to purchase a Chiltern Invadex Wet Chair, Sling and a Chiltern Invadex Bewl Seat (chair insert to replace one that was damaged). We are now able to cater for twice as many wheelchair users. It has made a huge difference to Egham Constellations and the people we support.
More information about the fund and how to apply for a grant is available on their website:
Egham Constellations was awarded grants of £5000 from HEATHROW COMMUNITY TRUST and £1,506.40 from The Schroder Charity Runnymede in November 2023.
Now that we are more established, we have members that have improved so much that they have graduated to the main pool, as well as a greater numbers of members who are able to swim lengths.
However, the only access to the main pool is by ladders. There is a mobile pool hoist available, but it has to be shared between the two pools.
Therefore, the installation of a second poolside hoist makes it possible to have a hoist for both pools during our session, and members are easily able to access either pool. Now we have an increased number of members who can benefit from swimming each week. Also, we can exit members from both pools without delay, and save lifeguard resource. The new pool hoist provides a back up in case of maintenance or down time, preventing members from having to cancel their swim.
We also hope that the wider community will become more accepting and understanding of the more vulnerable members of our society by seeing us more often in a leisure setting. We hope that it will encourage consideration and provision for the needs of those with health and mobility challenges.
These generous grants has enabled us to purchase a Handimove Pool Lift. The hoist helps transfer wheelchair users from their wheelchair in a sling chair to and from the water, allowing them to access a pool. We are now able to cater for twice as many wheelchair users. It has made a huge difference to Egham Constellations and the people we support.
We celebrated the arrival of our new hoist by inviting the Mayor of Runnymede, Cllr. Shannon Saise-Marshall, Claire Knight CEO of HEATHROW COMMUNITY TRUST and Lorna Jamison a trustee from The Schroder Charity Runnymede on Tuesday 26th March to visit our Assisted Swim Session, at EGHAM ORBIT to commission it. Gavin Baker, CEO of Achieve Lifestyle who manages the EGHAM ORBIT leisure centre, was also on hand to host the visitors.
Michelle Cockram (Volunteer Coordinator) said:
“We are delighted to have this additional facility which improves the session for our members, volunteers, and the life-guarding team at the Egham Orbit. Over the years we have been able to improve the accessible facilities at the Orbit with the generous funding from sponsors. Without these, our sessions would not be as successful, or maybe not even possible.”
HEATHROW COMMUNITY TRUST’s vision is to enable local projects which create healthy, happy communities. Our Board of Trustees and volunteer Grant Review Panel members live and work locally. They are supported by the CEO and a team at Groundwork South, who draw on their local knowledge and experience to enable community groups to submit strong applications which detail the value of your work. To inform our funding priorities, we carry out an annual survey of community groups across the local area.
The Schroder Charity Runnymede's grants are made to individuals or local organisations, usually for capital expenditure. The funding provides for health and welfare needs that cannot be met through the statutory agencies and granted to organisations serving the population of Egham, Englefield Green and Old Windsor.
More information them and how to apply for grants is available on their websites:
https://www.heathrowcommunitytrust.org
