Community Sponsorship Scheme

Hinckley & Rugby has a long history of supporting its local communities. This Scheme aims to encourage small local charities, community groups and causes to apply for donations of up to £500.

Building on our long-standing support of our local communities

The Society has been supporting its local communities for decades. Whether it be monetary donations to local community groups, fundraising for charities close to our heart, or sharing our time and skills through volunteering activities, we’ve been on hand to offer our help and give back where we can. Our Community Sponsorship Scheme will help us do even more.

Colleagues volunteering outside in an allotment.

Who we can help

Are you involved with your town’s local choir, village gardening club, or local litter picking team? Or do you want to help gain support for your child’s local football squad, cricket team, scouts’ group or reading club? Get in touch and let us know how you think we may be able to help!

How the Community Sponsorship Scheme works

How we can help you

We will provide our support to local small charities, community groups and causes by means of sponsorships of up to £500, together with the potential for practical support with promotion and volunteering.

Check if you're eligible

Your local charity, community group or cause needs to based in Leicestershire or Warwickshire to apply to our Sponsorship Scheme.

Apply

Our budget for this financial year has been fully allocated, supporting more than 25 community groups, charities, schools, and clubs. As a result, the Community Sponsorship Scheme is now closed for applications. We’ll reopen applications in the new year – 2026 – and share updates on this page when the scheme launches.

Next steps

We aim to meet to discuss applications every two weeks. If you are successful, we will contact you to let you know what the next steps are and detail any requirements we have of you, such as any photographs or quotes. For our full T&Cs please click below.

Terms and conditions

“Our Community Sponsorship Scheme enables the Society to support those small charities and clubs that are the beating heart of our local towns and villages. These organisations build our communities and enhance the mental and physical wellbeing of those who use them, making each a vital asset to its community and deserving of our backing.”

Nadia Baker, Chief People Officer

Our impact

English Martyrs Catholic Primary School

English Martyrs school in Rugby got in touch to see if we could help them to expand their library to include a more varied range of books better representing the diverse mix of the school’s population. The Society provided £500 to help fund the purchase of new books which would benefit the pupils and help the school with their goal of creating a more inclusive and open-minded youth base in their community.

Learn more >

The Hinckley School

The Hinckley School recently reached out with a heartfelt request to create a memorial garden in remembrance of staff and students who have passed away. Their vision was to transform a neglected raised bed outside the main hall into a calming, sensory space where the school community could pause and reflect. Through our Community Sponsorship Scheme, we provided a £500 grant for materials and plants, and with the support of our dedicated Hinckley & Rugby volunteers, the area was completely transformed into a beautiful, nature-friendly garden that will continue to grow and flourish for years to come.

Visit the school website >

Picture shows Marie from our branch in South Wigston visiting the volunteers at the Pantry Nook

The Pantry Nook – South Wigston

The Pantry Nook in South Wigston asked for our support to continue running their vital weekly food and hygiene pantry, which provides fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, and meat to over 125 people across Oadby, Wigston, and South Wigston. Alongside essentials, the pantry offers a safe space for advice on benefits, legal matters, and housing, as well as a friendly environment for those in need. Through our Community Sponsorship Scheme, we were proud to donate £500 to help fund fresh food supplies and keep this valuable service running.

Visit their Facebook page >

Frequently asked questions

How long will it take to hear from you?

We aim to meet every two weeks to consider applications. However, at busy times it may take up to a month for your application to be considered, and we aim to respond within that time.
Whether or not your application is successful, you are welcome to apply again when our scheme reopens for the following year. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for news.

What does your application process look like?

Once you have submitted an application form, our team will consider your application based on our sponsorship criteria.

If you are successful, a member of the team will contact you to complete a Support Agreement, and may ask for other information relating to your application.

Once this is returned to us, we will conduct our due diligence. Sponsorship funding is provided by the Society on behalf of its members, so we have a responsibility to make sure that funds are properly used. We appreciate your patience, and we will confirm the outcome as quickly as possible.

Where the outcome satisfies our requirements, our team will then process your payment. The whole process is completed as quickly as possible, but it does depend on receiving all required information in good time.

How quickly will I receive funds if I am successful?

When an application is successful, we aim to provide funds as quickly as possible. However, we have a responsibility to our members to make sure that our sponsorship awards are used wisely. This means we must follow certain procedures, and how quickly they are completed relies on receiving all required information in good time.

If I’ve received your support in the past, do I need to apply for future finding?

If you are a charity or community group that has already benefited from the Society’s support in the past, and you wish to apply for further financial support, we will be pleased to consider your new application. Simply follow the process as outlined on the page.

Please bear in mind that we want to spread our support across our core geographical areas fairly, to ensure that we are supporting the widest possible range of worthy causes.

What will be expected of my charity or community group in return for your financial support?

Since sponsorship is provided on behalf of our members, it is important to us that the scheme is publicised as widely as possible and that we receive feedback so our members can see that the money has been put to good use. We require the cooperation of organisations we sponsor to help us achieve those goals.

For full terms and conditions, please click below.

Terms and conditions

How do we request additional support in the form of volunteering or advice?

Simply complete the section on our application form that’s headed ‘Are there other opportunities available as part of this sponsorship?’

One of our team will discuss this with you if your application is successful.

Application form

What if the financial support we’re looking for is more than £500?

If you represent a larger charity or community organisation, and are seeking funding for a major project, it may be more appropriate for you to apply to our Community Foundation, which provides grants of up to £5,000.

To find out more, please click below.

Community Foundation

My charity or cause is not based in Leicestershire or Warwickshire. Can I still apply for funding?

Our Community Sponsorship Scheme funds are reserved for charities, clubs and causes local to Leicestershire and Warwickshire. Please do not apply if your charity, club or cause is based outside of these counties.

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