BAA Communities Trust
Registered charity number: 1058617

BAA has it’s own grant-making charity, The BAA Communities Trust.  Funded by an annual donation from the company, the independently run Trust makes grants to support projects in the communities closest to BAA’s airports – Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heathrow, Southampton and Stansted.

We place a priority on funding projects linked to education, the environment and economic regeneration – areas for which local people tell us they most value Trust support

Through our grants, we aim to:

• create opportunities for young people,
• help protect the environment,
• encourage active local communities and
• break down barriers to employment

We also support airport staff with their fundraising and volunteering activity.

The Trust has made grants worth a total of more than £6 million since it was first set  up in 1996. During 2009  we have  made some 500 grants and donations to charity, worth more than £600,000.

From this year The Trust is setting up new community funds for each of the airports, with locally based panels helping Trustees with grant-making decisions.

Trustees:

Helen Murley – Trust Chair
Brendan Gold
Tom Kelly
David Macmillan
Alastair McDermid

For more information e-mail Trust Director Caroline Nicholls caroline_nicholls@baa.com or call 07836 342495

Registered address: The Compass Centre, Nelson Road, Hounslow, Middlesex TW6 2QQ

The Trust funds a wide range of community organisations and charitable groups and charities.

These include:

1) National/international charities, delivering projects in or involving people from the communities local to BAA’s airports
2) Locally-based charitable organisations
3) Schools and local authorities delivering community projects
4) Grassroots community groups and organisations
5) Local grant makers
6) National/international charities in support of staff fundraising activity

PUSH Ahead Challenge, South Hampshire

Southampton Airport has launched the 2010 search for South Hampshire's young entrepreneurs in the 'PUSH Ahead Challenge'. The challenge is open to every school and college in South Hampshire, and will see teams of students designing and creating innovative products and services for use in an airport. The project is the first in a series of events planned throughout 2010 to mark the centenary of flying from Southampton Airport. The official launch was held at NATS, Swanwick where students heard from industry experts about innovation and entrepreneurship, and how Southampton Airport ensures that passengers breeze through the airport with ease. The Dragon's Den finale will take place at the Ocean Cruise Terminal on 24th March 2010.

V-inspired National Awards
These awards, run for the first time by v the national volunteer youth service, celebrated the achievements of more than 700 young volunteers, aged from 16-25. The trust awarded grants of £1,000 for each of the winners in 10 categories to donate to a charity or community project of their choice. For more information

Worldwide Volunteering for Young People – Bounce! Bursary awards
The Boost! Awards are a new youth bursary scheme designed to help and encourage young people to volunteer in their local community.  The awards will help young people aged between 16 and 19 who live within 25 miles of Heathrow Southampton or Stansted airports to undertake voluntary projects by contributing to the costs of food, accommodation and transport. For more information visit  http://baabursaries.wwv.org.uk

Haiti Earthquake Appeal
The Trust made a donation of £20,000 to the Disasters Emergency Committee in support of the relief effort following the Haiti earthquake earlier this year.