London City Airport contributes over £250k in local community work in the past year

LCY this week commences its annual Women in Aviation programme to help inspire local, female students to join the sector

London City Airport (LCY) contributed over £250k to the local community in the past year through sponsorships, donations, volunteering, events and the airport’s Community Fund.

LCY also significantly increased its volunteering presence in the local community, which is part of the airport’s Sustainability Roadmap and third sustainability pillar, ‘Helping East London Grow and Prosper’. More than 120 staff contributed 640 hours directly benefitting over 1,000 east Londoners from schools to charities and other local organisations.

This year, LCY is enhancing its volunteering policy even further, with staff permitted to help the local community for up to two days.

Volunteering activity in the past year included LCY’s annual ‘STEM in Aviation Day’, ‘Meet the Buyer’ local supply chain event, Women in Aviation programme, its youth Volunteering Programme, summer Volunteering Fortnight and ‘12 Days of Giving’ volunteering programme in December, which saw staff support a range of community events across east London.

Throughout December, London City Airport staff helped the Royal Docks Learning & Activity Centre (RDLAC) to host a Christmas party for local residents; the Teesdale & Hollybush Tenants and Resident Association (TRA) in Bethnal Green to arrange over 300 gift hampers for children in the community; the East London Business Alliance Toy Appeal to pack donations for children and the Hope Family Trust supermarket sweep and foodbank donations.

In addition, LCY sponsored a variety of local events and initiatives throughout the year, including Newham’s King’s Coronation programme, Redbridge and Waltham Forest Libraries’ Diwali celebrations and Barking & Dagenham’s Summer Festival.

Each year, the London City Airport Community Fund awards £75,000 in grants. These funds go to local organisations who are creating significant and positive change in diverse, inclusive communities across east London. In 2023, LCY went even further and awarded £86,000 overall to 20 organisations, including Salaam Peace, West Silvertown Community Foundation, Powerhouse for Women and the Helping Disabilities Trust. £50,000 of this funding went directly to support local foodbanks in light of the cost-of-living crisis.

Michael Spiers, Chief People Officer, London City Airport, said: “Last year was the most extensive volunteering programme London City has rolled out since the pandemic.

“Our staff went above and beyond to give back and make positive contributions to our local community, and we intend to build on this further this year”.

Davina Hamilton from More Life Home, a charity recycling furniture to help those in poverty, said: “We are grateful for the continued support and commitment that London City Airport has given us.

“Volunteers from the airport helped us to support a number of vulnerable families with furniture items that have been given a new lease of life”.