Norwich travel grants up for grabs

Steve DownesA long-running organisation that helps 300 Norfolk people each year to broaden their horizons is urging applicants to come forward to pitch for grants.Steve Downes

A long-running organisation that helps 300 Norfolk people each year to broaden their horizons is urging applicants to come forward to pitch for grants.

The Sir Philip Reckitt Educational Trust (Spret) is a charity set up to pay towards travel and subsistence to help fund projects abroad and in the UK.

It is specifically for people from Norfolk and the East Riding of Yorkshire, having been set up after the death in 1944 of Sir Philip Reckitt - chairman of Reckitt and Sons in Hull, which had links with Colman's of Norwich.

Projects considered for grants include school trips, field trips, community projects, environmental studies, adventure projects, medical electives, gap year travel and further study.

A spokesman said: 'What the trust does is to offer small grants to assist individuals to develop themselves, either alone or as part of organised groups, although it does not subsidise full-time education.

'An individual grant only represents a small part of a trip's total cost, but may make the difference between going and not going at all.'

He added: 'What we do is to contact schools, colleges and other organisations, early each year, to encourage applications, especially via our website, at the stage when projects are being planned.

'There is no age limit, but we do try to ensure that the recipient can really benefit from the experience being sought.'

Grants made in 2008 helped visits to 36 countries, with each case representing an activity over and above the minimum otherwise expected in the applicant's education or work.

For further information or to apply, go to www.spret.org or call 01508 518115.