Nearly 70 charitable and community projects have received funding from the Englefield Charitable Trust in the autumn round of grants.

From Scout groups to health charities and environmental projects to support for disadvantaged youngsters, the awards provide a vital injection of cash for organisations across West Berkshire the Thames Valley and further afield.

Among the beneficiaries are the Kennet Valley Wetland Reserve, awarded funding to support the creation of a wetland landscape near Hungerford. The area will be open to the public and will include an education and information centre.

Restoring wetlands is seen by Natural England as one of the best ways to mitigate some of the most serious threats from climate change, providing vital habitat in times of drought and resilience during floods.

Also given funding is the charity Sport in Mind which uses sport and physical activity to improve the lives of people experiencing mental health problems. Activities include yoga, gentle movement for mothers and new babies, walking football, tennis and Tai Chi.

Sport in Mind operates in many parts of the country but the Englefield Charitable Trust grant is targeted on the Newbury centre where football, a wellbeing walk and badminton are all available.

Kirsty Bowden, Senior Development Officer of Sport in Mind, West Berkshire, said the organisation was extremely grateful for the grant from the Englefield Charitable Trust.

“Sport in Mind is the leading mental health sports charity, helping people take their first brave steps toward better mental health through the power of movement,” she said. “Our free, weekly sessions offer people struggling with their mental health the chance to join a fun, supportive activity, where they can feel safe, connected, and like they truly belong.

“The activities in Newbury & West Berkshire include walking, allotment gardening, football and badminton, and the support & funding from Englefield Charitable Trust sustains meaningful sessions of sport which give people a reason to smile again.”

Kirsty said one Sport in Mind participant had described how they relied on the sessions for a weekly boost, saying: “It is epic! LOVE these sessions…”

She warned that the UK is in a mental health crisis affecting millions of adults, children and young people, yet faced serious underfunding. “Thousands of lives are lost each year due to mental health problems and stigma still stops many from seeking help,” she said. “Sport in Mind sessions offer a non-clinical, community-based support system that empowers and connects people and creates real change.”

The West Berkshire Dementia Hub is another recipient of financial support. The recently created charity is planning a purpose-built centre to bring together dementia care services and support under one roof.

The new hub will be adjacent to the West Berkshire Community Hospital in Thatcham, on land zoned for healthcare related development

More than 2,000 people over 65 are estimated to be living with dementia in West Berkshire, with a further 1,000 expected to be diagnosed with the condition by 2030, underlining the need for this new facility.

The Beenham Wind Orchestra, an amateur group that puts on three or four concerts a year, was set up with just six members as part of millennium celebrations in the village, near Newbury. It now has 46 members and has been awarded a grant to support its 25th anniversary celebrations.

Other charities that made successful applications for grants from the Englefield Charitable Trust, in line with the Estate’s focus on people, planet and place, include community associations and groups, a tennis club, a healthy families group, churches and organisations providing support for the homeless.

Catherine Haig is the chair of the Trustees which meets twice a year, in March and October to choose the recipients of grants from dozens of applicants.  The Trust was founded in 1968 by Catherine Haig’s father, Sir William Benyon, who was chairman until his death in 2014.

Catherine said: “It’s a privilege to be able to help such a wealth of remarkable charities and organisations raise funds to facilitate and further their valuable work.”

Applications for the next round of grant funding should be submitted either by email (charity@englefield.co.uk), or listed on The Good Exchange, by 1st February 2026.