Glasgow Airport’s FlightPath Fund awarded more than £145,000 in 2017 to help support 75 charities and community groups in Glasgow, Renfrewshire, East and West Dunbartonshire.
Representatives from community groups and charities to benefit from FlightPath Fund support in 2017 were joined by local politicians, Glasgow Airport managing director Amanda McMillan and members of her senior management team at a celebratory event held at Drumchapel Community Centre.
Established in 2010, the FlightPath Fund was set up to provide grant assistance to local organisations working in and around the airport community. Since its inception, the fund has given £1.3 million in donations to over 475 charities and community groups with a focus on improving education and employment, as well as the environment.
The FlightPath Fund committee operates independently of the airport and is chaired by former KPMG senior partner, Archie Hunter. The committee meets every two months and also consists of an elected member from each of the four council areas under the flight path.
The Renfrewshire Young Carers Project based in Paisley was one of the many organisations to benefit this year. The project received a £5000 support grant to fund a trip to Glencoe for a group of young cares from the area.
Pauline Kelly, the project’s young carers development worker who attended the FlightPath Fund event, said: “We applied for funding so that we could send a group of our young carers on a much-needed respite break to Glencoe away from the pressures they deal with in everyday life.
“The trip will have no televisions, mobile phones or computers; allowing the young carers to switch off, relax and get the chance to be children again while making positive memories that will last them a lifetime!
“We wouldn’t have been able to pay for the trip without the £5000 support grant, so it was great to attend the celebration event to meet the FlightPath Fund committee and Amanda McMillan and her team from the airport.”
Next month a further £25,000 lump sum will be awarded to a group or charity from one of the four local authority areas, taking this year’s FlightPath Fund awards total to £170,000.
Archie Hunter, chairman of the FlightPath Fund, said: “Glasgow Airport’s FlightPath Fund has been a force for good throughout its neighbouring communities for seven years now and continues to support hundreds of charities and groups across four local authorities.
“I’m pleased to say 2017 has been an exceptional year with the FlightPath Fund providing vital support to a diverse range of organisations including this young carer groups, numerous primary and secondary school projects, community sports and environmental improvement groups and charities helping some of the most vulnerable people in society.
“The Renfrewshire Young Carers Project is a great example of the organisations and local groups supported by the FlightPath Fund and the work being carried out by Pauline and her team is both admirable and heartening.
“Our end of year event gives our committee members the opportunity to meet with representatives from the groups to benefit from the fund. It was most pleasing to speak to these people who are both passionate about the work they do and grateful for the support received from the FlightPath Fund.
”Special mention must also go to Glasgow Airport, for which none of this good would be possible without its continued commitment. Managing director Amanda McMillan and her team continue to be the FlightPath Fund’s biggest champions and we are grateful for their support.”
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