Lifting the lid on South East Water’s Community Chest has revealed £20,000 to share between local good causes.

The drinking water company, which has 2.3 million customers across Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire, has today (10 February) launched its Community Chest Fund which is open to community groups, charities and not-for-profit organisations across its region to apply for donations of up to £2,000.

Last year a total of 10 organisations across the south east were chosen by a panel of five employees from all parts of the business with an interest in raising money for good causes.

These included upgrading a school’s wildlife garden, supporting a potentially lifesaving prostate cancer screening event, a rainwater harvesting system for a cricket field, the purchase of defibrillator cabinets and support for a local food bank.

Tanya Sephton, Customer Services Director, South East Water, said: “We are delighted to once again be launching our Community Chest Fund and helping support local good causes. Making sure we are doing the right thing for the environment and society is at the heart of our purpose at South East Water. We know this matters to our customers, communities and employees and we are delighted that our Community Chest Fund will help provide a financial boost to develop projects that can make a huge difference to our local community.”

Applications are open to group projects within the water company’s supply area that are water or environment related, or help the young, old or disadvantaged.

All requests for funding are to be submitted by midnight on Thursday 20 March. Successful organisations will be informed about their funding from 1 April, with the presentations of the grants taking place soon afterwards.

To read the full criteria and to apply, visit southeastwater.co.uk/communitychest