A Sutton charity for the blind has won a Gannett Foundation Award cheque, which will allow them to offer cheap sports lessons for disadvantaged children in the area.

The Sutton Association for the Blind received the cheque for just over £2,000 to help them buy new equipment and give people the opportunity to test it out in their Resource Room.

Derek Forbes, the association chief officer, will receive the cheque from the Gannett-owned Sutton Guardian later this year.

Mr Forbes said: “I am absolutely delighted we have been granted this award. This money is going to be used to help clear our storage room and buy up-to-date equipment for our Resource Room, which we use to test new gadgets.

“Because of this money, people of all ages can come into our offices and try out the latest equipment.”

The Gannett Foundation trustees met on April 23 to evaluate 200 applications, and chooses almost 60 groups, which received a total of £300k.

Mr Forbes said they decided to enter the award after the chairman of the school saw the advertisement for the award in the Sutton Guardian.

He said: “I have only been here for a short while so I don’t think I can take any credit, but I have been very impressed with what the organisation does.”

Through its Community Grant Program, Gannett Foundation supports nonprofit activities in the communities in which Gannett does business.

Through its other programs, the foundation invests in the future of the media industry, encourages employee giving, reacts to natural and other disasters, and contributes to a variety of charitable causes.

To find out more about the Sutton Association for the Blind visit sab.gb.com or call 020 8409 7611.

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