£17,500 up for grabs as Revive Community Fund returns to support Surrey charities

The Revive Community Fund is powered by Surrey’s five Revive re-use shops, which sell pre-loved household and garden items, diverting over 1,000 tonnes of reusable goods from disposal each year. Since its launch in 2018, the Fund has distributed over £102,500 to charities and community projects across the county.

In 2024, the Fund ran two funding rounds, raising more than £34,000 in total. The latest winners included:

• Woking & Sam Beare Hospices – £3,808: supported their Respite and Relaxation programme, including wellbeing activities such as flower arranging and therapy pony visits. Staff said it helped people “live as well as they can for as long as they can and make lasting memories with their loved ones.”

• Samson Centre for Multiple Sclerosis – £4,000: expanded social opportunities for members and carers, adding coffee mornings, book clubs and reading groups alongside physiotherapy and oxygen therapy.

• Charlton Village Playpark – £4,000: transformed the site with new fencing, creating a secure and welcoming space that residents called “fantastic” and where families feel much safer.

• Gatton Trust – £2,950: developed its Forest School for All initiative with Home-Start East Surrey, offering families opportunities to learn and explore outdoors.

• Patchworking Garden Project Academy – £2,742: helped students prepare their plots for spring planting, with the team thanking the Revive Community Fund for supporting their Academy’s work.

Fresh grants of up to £4,000 are now available for not-for-profit, formally constituted organisations. Eligible projects should focus on enhancing community life, promoting health and wellbeing, or delivering environmental benefits. Applications must be submitted via the ActionFunder platform, where shortlisted projects will be reviewed by representatives from SUEZ and Surrey County Council.

Gareth Swain, Regional Manager at SUEZ, said: “We’re proud that the funding rounds in 2024 raised over £34,000 for Surrey charities – a fantastic achievement made possible by local residents choosing to shop at Revive. Those funds translated directly into projects that improve lives, from therapy ponies bringing joy to hospice patients, to safe play spaces and opportunities for outdoor learning. It’s exciting to launch a new round this year with another £17,500 available, helping more community projects thrive while keeping sustainability central to our mission.”

Natalie Bramhall, Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure at SCC, added: “The Revive Community Fund has already supported so many worthwhile projects, and I’m delighted that it’s continuing into the final months of 2025. This Fund is about giving local organisations the boost they need to deliver initiatives that improve lives, support wellbeing, and build stronger communities across our county. I encourage all who are eligible to apply.”