** Announcement – Funding Changes **
Our projects transform lives through education
By providing grants for educational opportunities and inspirational life experiences since 2011 we have helped thousands of young people build new skills, provided access to new learning opportunities and enhanced education opportunities for all. Going forward we are moving to a new funding phase for Fonthill, focusing our support on a small number of significant Legacy Grants which will provide a lasting impact for young people into the future. Visit our Grants page to find out more about this exciting future for Fonthill, but also what it means for our small grants’ programmes.
Supporting Young People into Employment, Education or Training
We were thrilled to provide a grant towards ESTEEM's successful programme supporting young people to transistion into meaningful employement, education or training. A series of skill-based workshops and training has supported young adults on their journey to future opportunitie. Continuing the success of previous programmes, more than 86% young adults reported an increase in their confidence and self-esteem 82% young adults reported an increase in their skills development and 76% young adults have transitioned to or maintained education, employment or training.
Clean Water Flows for Karbo School in Northern Ghana
We are delighted to celebrate the installation of a borehole at Karbo School in Northern Ghana. Following a visit to the school back in October 2024, by Fonthill's CEO, Ceetah Grieves and Project Manager, Laura Ward, Fonthill has worked with PEAS and Savannah Education Trust to fund the drilling of a borehole at the school. That is not only providing much needed clean water for the school staff and pupils, but also for the wider community as well.
Education Focused Community Hub for SEND Families
We are delighted at the success of an inclusive community hub providing activities for SEND families that has been delivered in Worthing through the Family Support Work charity and funded by a Community Grant. The Hub has provided bi-weekly sessions are welcoming 18-20 children and their families on a regular basis since January 2025, with increased sessions and trips provided during the holidays. With the success of the project and the high demand for such a provision, Family Support Work are looking to expand the service to other areas in need.
Myth Monsters! Captivates Pupils at Hastings and East Sussex Primary Schools
Den's and Signals amazing new immersive project Myth Monsters! A journey into the mind-boggling realm of deep time, captivated more than 600 pupils across 12 schools in Hastings and East Sussex. Part performance, part immersive headphone experience, the live production enthralled children in a world of ancestory and myth, and drew hope and excitement for the future. We were delighted to have funded the delivery of this new programme through our Community Grants programme and were thrilled with the feedback from the pupils, schools and teachers.
1st Petworth Scouts Get Camping Ready with New Equipment
Funding to purchase five new air-beam tents has enabled this Scout group to provide camping residential activities for 82 young people aged 6-18. Not only is the group now better equipped for the outdoors, the young people have been able to take part in activities that foster team work and group participation, as well as enabling self-confidence and new skills. The Scouts have learnt how to put and and take down the new tents safely, and how to carryou out regular maintenance to ensure the longevity and safety of the new equipment.
Exploring Challenges through Creative Art Opportunites
We were delighted to support Saltwater Creations CIC to deliver of a series of creative art workshops for young people facing challenges in their lives. Whilst creating beach themed arts in a safe space environment, participants were able to engage in positive and inspiring conversations about their experiences of the beach and blue space, which opened up conversations around life adversity, day to day struggles at school, coping mechanism and empathy and support sharing.
Financial support for projects and initiatives
We continue to take a partnership approach to our grant giving as we move to our Legacy Grants. By working with established partners, who are right at the heart of the communities they support, we can provide the financial scope to help them realise their projects.
What's new
Stay in the loop with our latest charity news, projects and goings on.
Congratulations to the Fonthill funded Spear Brighton Cohort
Congratulations to the Fonthill funded Spear Brighton 2026 cohort who successfully completed their initial 6-week training phase of the Spear Foundation programme. Fonthill are a long standing supporter of Spear Brighton who support unemployed 16-24 year olds to realise their potential by coaching them with the mindset and skills to get into the world of work and thrive once they are there. Trustees were delighted to meet the 9 young people and support them at their recent mock interview workshop, which as always proved to be a really inspirational day. Following their celebration event the young people will now embark on their follow on year of Spear support. We wish them all the very best with their progression to employment. To find out more about Spear Brighton visit www.spearbrighton.org
Delightful Social at the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership’s Community Kitchen
Trustees Maggie Lloyd and Niki Cannon were delighted to join other funders and supporters at Brighton & Hove Food Partnerships 'pre-Christmas' thank you event held at their Community Kitchen Venue. The event, organised as a 'thank you' to the valuable funders, supporters and friends of the organisation, promoted the work of the partnership and showcased the super talents of the chefs and food professionals working with the Charity. A thoroughly delightful evening with the bonus of such fabulously delicious foodie treats! Thank you in particular to Kawthi who produce the lovely indian style nibble and Sally the amazing and modest 'cupcake queen'!
Fonthill Foundation Announces Role as Lead Funder in Jamie’s Farm, Lewes
Since 2019 The Fonthill Foundation has had a very successful partnership with Jamie’s Farm, Lewes, and the trustees have seen the enormous impact the farm has had on young people attending. Recently, opportunity arose for the Foundation to help secure the Lewes farm site for the future of Jamie's Farm. The charity’s ethos of encouraging a family atmosphere, the amazing staff and their gentle therapy, combined with the benefits of outdoor life and greater proximity to nature is closely aligned with the Foundation's values and longstanding commitment to outdoor education and passion for the environment. The trustees are thrilled that, by assisting Jamie's Farm to continue its work, the legacy of Fonthill school will live on. Read more on the Jamie's Farm (Lewes Blog)
Farm to Fork Day with the Prept Foundation & Plumpton College
Fonthill's CEO and Trustees had a great time visiting Plumpton College in the glorious sunshine for one of the Prept Foundation's 'Farm to Fork' days. The programme for primary school pupils is part of a wider 'Adopt a School's' programme of in-school workshops that are delivered to primary schools across Sussex. The programme aims to help children develop a positive relationship with food, to understand healthy nutrition, grow their cooking skills and to learn where food comes from. All of this as well as growing their understanding of the hospitality industry and future employment opportunites in the sector.
Supporting Spear Brighton Mock Interviews
Trustees and their families were delighted to support the recent Spear Brighton Mock Interview Session. Helping young people on the Spear Foundation programme to develop their confidence and interview skills. We were especially pleased to be supporting this group of young people as they are the cohort funded by our UK programme. It is always a pleasure to be part of this award-winning progamme that has supported hundreds of young people in the Brighton & Hove area to overcome the challenges they face and build vital skills for their career, enabeling them to be fully prepared for the workplace and ready to commit to long-term employment.
New Round of Community Grant Funding
We are thrilled to have awarded fifteen Community Grants in our latest funding round. As always we received a high-level of interest in this programme that offers grants of up to £5,000 to community focused education projects. Recipients include: Varndean College, Dens & Signals, Impact Initiatives, Prison Family Support CIC, Tuppenney Barn Education, Brighton Women's Centre, 1st Petworth Scouts, Brighton Marina Studios Foundation, Priory School, Pregnancy Options Centre, Chichester, Debbie Stevens Wellbeing CIC, Carlton Hill Primary School, Brent Lodge Bird & Wildlife Centre, The Goodwood Education Trust, and Family Support Work.
Visiting Saltpond Education Project, Ghana
During our trip to Ghana we also visited a small education organisation based in the southern coastal region of the Country. Saltpond Education Project (SEP) run a small primary school for children in the rural fishing based communities of the south coast. SEP Happy School provides fee-free education to those who need it most, helping to break the cycle of poverty that often afflicts fishing communities in Ghana. It was a joy to finally get to visit the school after the cancellation of our planned trip back in Spring 2020 due to the pandemic.
PEAS School Improvement Programme, Ghana
During our Ghana trip we travelled to the upper west region to visit project partners PEAS, who have been rolling out a successful pilot project with the local Ghana Education Service and partners, the Savannah Education Trust, to design and deliver a sustainable school improvement programme. We were able to see how the programme is driving sustainable change through it's focus on building school leaders’ capacity to drive long-term improvements, including inclusive teaching practices, robust safeguarding systems and a positive school culture.
Visiting EduSpots in Ghana
Having supported EduSpots for many years we were thrilled to finally visit their community-led education spaces in Ghana this year. Their unique locally-driven model of education supports an extensive network of volunteers known as 'Catalysts' to deliver high-quality education in their communities across rural Ghana, where often mainstream education is of poor quality or lacking all together. It was such a pleasure to meet so many inspirational young people who are dedicated to driving change for a better future.
