Gary and John Byrne from CJB Plumbing at Rowleys
Rowleys Centre for the Community in Cranleigh always has a warm welcome for visitors but this year it will be even warmer, thanks to the Community Foundation for Surrey which has awarded a grant for a new boiler.
The boiler at Rowleys was very old, expensive to run and had become unreliable, so Rowleys applied for a grant to the Community Foundation for Surrey for a replacement.
Everyone was delighted when the grant was awarded, and a new boiler has now been installed just in time for the winter weather by CJB Plumbing and Heating of Cranleigh.
The Community Foundation for Surrey works with local philanthropic donors to deliver grants to organisations needing financial help. The Foundation’s local knowledge assists these donors to connect with projects which are often operating below the radar, where sometimes even a small amount of money can make a huge difference.
The Pargiter Trust, a family Charitable Trust, is one of those donors and in this case provided the money for Rowleys boiler. This Trust aims to support older people to be independent, healthy and to ensure they have access to local community facilities like Rowleys.
Rowleys Centre Co-ordinator Gary Lee said: “We are thrilled that we have a new reliable boiler for this coming winter. Not only will the heating system be reliable, it will be more economical for us to run as well. We are grateful to the Community Foundation for Surrey and The Pargiter Trust for their support.”
The Community Foundation for Surrey Director of Grants and Impact, Kate Peters added: “The Community Foundation is delighted to be able to support this valuable community resource. It is quite an unusual grant for us. We are not able to make many capital grants, but with winter approaching we recognise the importance of providing a warm and comfortable venue for older members of the community to meet and socialise”.
The Community Foundation for Surrey is part of a national network of 46 Community Foundations which collectively expect to award £100M in grants this year. The Foundation has just reached the sum of £845,000 awarded in grants for the benefit of local communities, in Surrey, since April 2018 with 187 groups and 96 individuals directly benefiting.
Rowleys Centre for the Community in Victoria Way Cranleigh is a centre open to the whole community offering a great place to meet up with friends for a coffee, lunch or a snack. There are lots of activities on offer, including a hairdressing salon and chiropodist. There are also regular day trips and weekend breaks to enjoy. www.rowleyscranleigh.co.uk
