This week Sussex Community Foundation were delighted to join the High Sheriff of West Sussex in celebrating the work of nine local organisations providing services to make the county a great place to live for everyone.

The High Sheriff of West Sussex, retired solicitor Neil Hart, says he has ‘learned a lot’ during his year in office and his eyes have been opened to the amount of need in the county and the voluntary work that goes on to help people.

In presenting the High Sheriff of West Sussex Awards 2022 at Wisborough Green Village Hall on 29 March, he spoke of the very varied work being done by a huge number of volunteers across the county.

Mr Hart said: “What I really enjoyed about being High Sheriff was the role supporting charities and organisations throughout the county. There is nothing better, as far as I am concerned, than having a good chat to find out what’s going on, what motivates people, what the issues are and where the problems are.”

From left to right: Stephen Chamberlain, Neil Hart, Zoe Gandey and Kevin Richmond.

Nine charities were recognised for their work in the community with the presentation of certificates and each will receive a £750 donation from the West Sussex High Sheriff Fund at Sussex Community Foundation.

Mr Hart said: “You are an inspiration to us. I have learned a lot. My eyes have been opened.”

He talked about the journey he used to make to work, where he drove past two different housing estates every day but knew nothing about them and the support the people living there needed.

He added: “West Sussex is such a great place to live but there are those areas which need support. During the year, I have met over 200 charities and I have become a different person as a result. It has been a real experience.”

The nine winners:

• PACSO, a charity supporting children and young adults with disabilities and their families in Chichester and the Arun
• Lifecentre, a Chichester-based charity providing support and therapy for people who have had an unwanted sexual experience.
• Selsey Community Forum, a partnership of local voluntary organisations which seeks to identify and meet local needs.
• East Grinstead Food Bank, which helps local people in crisis with food and other support.
• Service Dogs UK, a West Sussex charity changing lives two at a time for veterans and rescue dogs by pairing them up.
• Spurgeons, a children’s charity that runs family support services at HMP Lewes and HMP Ford.
• Shout WSK, which runs street homeless outreach and Worthing Soup Kitchen.
• Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity, which supports children with cerebral palsy and other motor learning impairments across Sussex and beyond.
• The Bridge Cafe, a social action Crawley charity supporting probation officers and their clients, as well as Armed Forces veterans.

Find out more about how to set up a named fund at Sussex Community Foundation here.