Community Centre Grant
We’re offering grants to assist independent community centres with their energy costs.
Supporting communities over winter
We’re proud to celebrate for the third year running our Community Centre grants winners. This year 30 incredible community centres across the South East have each received a £1,000 grant to support their operational costs as part of our commitment to support resilient communities.
These grants will help cover core costs such as heating, utilities, and supplies, ensuring these vital hubs remain warm and welcoming throughout the winter. These centres provide so much more than a space—they offer support, connection, and a lifeline for their communities during the most challenging months of the year.
Hearing how our grants will be used is truly inspiring. From hosting free meals and craft clubs to creating warm spaces and offering support for vulnerable residents, these centres are at the heart of their neighbourhoods. By helping to meet their running costs, we’re allowing them to focus on the brilliant work they do—keeping their doors open and their communities thriving.
Applications are now closed and will open again in 2025
Our Community Grants have been awarded to
Our Community Grants help support running costs for community centres supporting 38,280 visitors per month. Find out which community centres have benefitted from this years grant.
Bognor Regis Youth and Community Centre
“We’re very pleased to receive this grant! It will help us continue reaching over 300 weekly users with activities like arts and crafts, youth drop-ins, and more.”
Creative Heart Littlehampton
“This grant will go towards rising energy costs, helping us provide a warm, safe space where everyone is welcome. Creative Heart is a lifeline to many, and we’re so grateful for Southern Water’s support.”
Southwick Community Association
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be selected for this grant! The £1,000 will make a huge difference in helping us cover essential costs this winter.”
Arun Community Church: Wickbourne Centre
Details coming soon.
Billingshurst Centre
Details coming soon.
Chichester Community Development Trust
“Southern Water’s support demonstrates the importance of businesses investing in the communities they serve,” added de Bathe. “Their funding is more than financial—it’s a vote of confidence in the power of grassroots organisations to make a lasting impact.”
Exeter Street Community Hall Limited
“Many thanks to Southern Water for the award of a £1,000 Community Grant. We’ll use the money to support our Friday 'Soup Club,' offering homemade soup, tea, coffee, cakes, a free raffle, and a warm space for the community every Friday lunchtime. Your support will help cover costs for ingredients, equipment, and energy.”
Hillcrest Community Partnership
Details coming soon.
Ore Community Centre
'The Ore Community Centre are delighted to have received the Southern Water Community Grant, this grant will be helping us keep our warm space and Community Café open this winter"
The Pelham CIO
“Thank you so much for this; it will make such a difference to us here running this centre.”
Havelock Community Centre
“This generous funding will ensure all centre users stay warm throughout the winter months. It will support our Monday Warm Space, Craft Club, exercise classes, and other community activities.”
Valley Park Community Association
“This award will help us manage soaring energy costs, ensuring we can continue hosting activities and remain a thriving hub at the heart of our community.”
Woolston Community Centre
"Woolston Community Centre is a vibrant community facility, offering daytime and evening sessions on weekdays for a wide variety of user groups. Weekends are also very busy with the addition of family parties to the mix. To enable all this to happen, our energy consumption is relentless and consumes a major slice of our annual budget, particularly in the winter months. The Southern Water grant is very welcome at this time, to take some of the burden away and enable the centre to survive another cold season and continue as a much loved and valuable facility at the heart of our community".
Norden Community Association
"We are pleased to say that the library will be operating as a warm space again this year. From Monday 2nd December hot drinks and biscuits will be offered to anyone in the library for over an hour. Soups and Bovril are also available. Newspapers will be available on most days. This facility is open to all including families. Visitors are more than welcome to consume their own hot or cold food in designated areas. As well as substantial reading material, games, jigsaws and PCs are available. Feel free to charge your own devices and connect to the library internet. Thank you to Southern Water in supporting us in in this project."
Elson Community Library and Hub
"Thank you so much for supporting Elson community library and hub. It is really appreciated."
Lordswood Residents and Community Association
Details coming soon.
Aspire Ryde
“This grant will be instrumental in helping us deliver essential services like fresh food hampers, pre-frozen meals, and warm spaces for our community. Southern Water’s support ensures families facing food insecurity and isolation have access to warmth, nourishment, and connection.”
Memorial Hall Arts & Leisure Company
“We had a tough winter last year with sky-high energy costs eating up over 20% of our total income for the year. This funding will make a real difference, particularly for activities such as our annual Christmas lunch for senior citizens and Community Singabout and Arts Sessions where we need the Hall to be welcoming, warm and cosy. Thank you Southern Water”.
St Helens Community Centre
“Thank you, Southern Water, for supporting us during the challenging winter months. This grant will be extremely helpful in offsetting heating costs and supporting our local community.”
The Methodist Church
“Thank you so much for this; it will make such a difference to us here running this centre.”
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Greenhithe Community Centre
“Your generous grant will help us keep the heating on and offer reduced or free sessions to our community groups. Thank you!”
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Hartlip Village Hall
“This grant will help cover energy costs and ensure we can continue offering a warm, safe space for our community—especially for the elderly and very young.”
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Sunflower House
“With this grant, we’ll be able to keep our building warm, the kettles boiling, and biscuits rolling for the families we serve. Thank you for making everyone feel part of our community family.”
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Greenhithe Community Centre
Details coming soon.
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All Saints Community Project
Details coming soon.
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Dover Big Local CIC
Details coming soon.
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PCC OF ST AUGUSTINE’S
Details coming soon.
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South Willesborough &Newtown Community Centre
Details coming soon.
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Thanet Community Development Trust
Details coming soon.
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The Alexander Centre CIC
"We very much appreciate this grant and, would like to thank you for thinking of The Alex."
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Newington Community Association
Details coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Here you can find answers to some commonly asked questions about the community centre grant.
This grant is open to community centres, hubs, and spaces within our service area. You can check this with Water UK’s Postcode Checker.
To be eligible, your organisation must have:
- A governing document (e.g., constitution) outlining its purpose and operations.
- A committee or board with at least two unrelated members.
- A bank account in the organisation’s name with two unrelated signatories.
- Yearly financial accounts (or an explanation if the organisation is under 15 months old).
The building or space for which you are applying for a Community Centre Grant, must be used at least three times a week by in-person meetings for the community
Successful applicants may have to supply these on request. For assistance with writing a constitution, the NCVO and GOV.UK provide helpful resources.
You can apply using the form below.
You’ll need to share information about:
- Your organisation’s services and how the community uses your space.
- How many people benefit from your services
- Any other funding sources for your organisation.
Yes! We encourage successful applicants to share testimonials, photographs, and display a branded Community Grant sticker in their building to highlight the partnership.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please email Community@southernwater.co.uk
This contact inbox is monitored during usual office hours of Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm (excluding Bank Holidays). Please note that we can't change or alter a submitted application on your behalf.