Vice Admiral Jonathan Woodcock OBE, the Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff and Anna Wright, Director, NFF receiving a cheque on behalf of Woodentots Nursery from Annington’s Vanessa Farnell
Woodentots Nursery situated within HMS Collingwood, the Royal Navy’s training establishment in Plymouth was just one of a number of Service community projects that successfully bid for funding from The Annington Trust in 2016.
The Annington Trust was established for the benefit of Services Families living on the Married Quarters Estate with the objective of sponsoring community activities and projects. Woodentots Nursery met the criteria – it is a vital asset within the base and is used by 90 babies and pre-school aged children from over 50 families who have one or both parents currently serving in the Armed Forces. The nursery received a donation of £23,000 for the purchase of outdoor play equipment.
Other successful bids included over £16,222 to Aggie’s Storybook Waves, £950 to RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire for their Family Day and £1,000 to Kendrew Barracks, Rutland for their annual summer residential event for children.
The Trust also made a three year commitment of £25,000 per year to fund the Royal British Legion Industries LifeWorks for Families programme which has been established specifically to help veterans and/or their spouses find and sustain work.
The Trust also continued its support of the Outward Bound Trust through The Annington Challenge. Now in its sixth year, the Annington Challenge has to date sponsored over 162 young people from Service families on outward bound adventure courses in Scotland, England and Wales.
The Annington Challenge gives young people from military communities aged between 11-19 the chance to benefit from their own outward bound adventure, in the process gaining a huge sense of achievement and confidence in their own abilities. Last summer, 33 youngsters were nominated by their local schools across the three Services.
The Trust is now actively seeking applications for 2017. For further information about the work of The Annington Trust, and how to apply please visit http://www.anningtontrust.org/ or call Jane Harsham on 0207 960 7559.
