Community Grant Awards
As we all know, fundraising remains a challenge for many charities. However, last year we had an amazing year, raising a fantastic £405,000.
This much needed funding enabled us to continue to make Community Grant donations in March, through our End of Year Awards, supporting charities local to our vehicle plant in Derbyshire, as well as our Engine Plant in North Wales.
Find out more about some of the charities we support
Some of the charities who received funding earlier this year
Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity
The charity supports the University Hospitals of Derby & Burton NHS Foundation Trust and offers extras not provided by NHS statutory funding but making a difference.
Ward 4 at their Florence Nightingale Community Hospital in Derby is a dedicated stroke rehabilitation ward with 21 beds. A donation earlier this year funded 4 new wheelchairs for the unit. The team describe the new chairs as “life changing”, enabling more independence and hugely impacting mental health.
We are proud to support their vital work making a real difference in the lives of patients and staff in our local community.
Wales Air Ambulance
Funded entirely by donations, it costs Wales Air Ambulance £11.2m annually to deliver vital lifesaving, advanced medical care to people across the North Wales region.
Their Rapid Response Vehicles (RRV) are part of their operational fleet, alongside their helicopters, and are based at each of their four bases across Wales. They provide vital land-based support when poor weather prevents the helicopters from taking off. They can cover up to 600 miles in a shift and are the difference between no response and attending a patient.
In March 2026, the Trust donated £5,000 to contribute towards rising fuel costs for their RRVs.
Annie Lawrie, Grant and Trust Fundraiser for Wales Air Ambulance, said “We believe everyone in Wales deserves fast, critical care wherever and whenever they need us. We are so grateful to the Toyota Manufacturing UK Charitable Trust for this donation, which has helped us deliver our lifesaving service across North Wales.”
Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance
Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance receives no government funding, meaning every lifesaving mission is made possible entirely through the generosity of donors.
Each year, more than £69,000 is spent on vital medical consumables, the single-use items that help their highly skilled crews deliver critical care to patients before they reach hospital. Thanks to our 2025 fundraising activities, we were incredibly proud to contribute £5,000 towards these essential costs.
Visiting their Nottingham helipad and learning more about their extraordinary work was a truly inspiring experience. Seeing firsthand the dedication, expertise and commitment of the team reinforced just how important their service is to our local communities.
It is a privilege and an honour to support Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance and help them continue delivering lifesaving care when it matters most.
Burton and District Mind
Burton and District Mind aim to ensure that everyone who needs it gets the right support to improve their mental health.
A £2,000 donation earlier this year will fund their 8-week Mindful Weekend Walking Group which introduces adults with experience of mental health problems to the benefits of walking and psychoeducation. The project will run in partnership with a Qualified Walk Leader alongside a Trained Counsellor.
Having undertaken their first session, one participant commented “ I would have stayed in bed if I hadn’t planned and come along to the group.” Whilst another said “I find it difficult to open up and talk, especially in clinical environments, this walking group is just what I needed. It is brilliant that it is free of charge!”
Keep on walking!
Canine Partners - Amazing Dogs, Transforming Lives
Canine Partners is a UK charity transforming the lives of people living with disabilities by training assistance dogs. Their amazing dogs are trained to meet the needs of individuals with even the most complex physical disabilities. They currently help adults aged 18 and over (both civilians and former service personnel) who have a physical disability or condition that affects their daily life and limits their independence.
Earlier this year, the Charitable Trust was proud to contribute towards their quest to purchase a Stance Analyser for their National Training Centre. This is a veterinary diagnostic tool that measures how an animal distributes weight across its limbs to detect lameness and monitor rehabilitation. Having their own equipment reduces reliance on costly external services and allows them to obtain results and resolve issues quickly.
Ellie Foster, Trusts and Grants Manager, Canine Partners said “we are very grateful to the Toyota Manufacturing UK Charitable Trust for their continued support and generous donation of £3,000”.
Circus Starr
Circus Starr is a circus with a purpose. Their mission is to transform, enrich and inspire the lives of children and families across the UK who need it most. Free tickets are given to disadvantaged, disabled or vulnerable children and their families so they can leave their worries behind and escape to the big top circus for a few hours of fun and entertainment. Following a donation of £5,000 from the Toyota Manufacturing UK Charitable Trust, children from the Derbyshire and Deeside areas will experience the thrill and magic of a live performance in 2026.
Jonny from the Deeside Engine plant took his family, including his son Harley, to the Ellesmere Port performance and absolutely loved the big top. The magical art of circus performance certainly made many happy memories, not only for Harley, but for the whole family. See the video at the top of the page how they got on.
South Normanton Area Foodbank
Established in 2013, South Normanton Area Foodbank believes that no-one in their community should have to face going hungry. That’s why they provide nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people who are referred to them in crisis. Part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, they work to combat poverty and hunger across the UK.
Spread across 2 locations, South Normanton and Alfreton, they provide a warm drink, chat and advice if needed, together with receipt of a food parcel that lasts 3 to 4 days. 33 wonderful volunteers are involved with processing and handling their foodbank stock and running the 3 foodbank sessions per week. Last year, approximately 4,000 local people were referred to them in crisis and fed by their project.
Earlier this year, a £2,600 donation was made to contribute towards rent and increasing energy costs, enabling the foodbank to grow and keep up with demand.
Lisa Wilson, Foodbank Co-ordinator said “We think the level of community support that Toyota Charitable Trust is doing is amazing and you should all be really proud of how many people you are helping across a very diverse range of needs”.
Daffodils
Based close to our Engine facility in Flintshire, North Wales, Daffodils provide recreational and leisure activities to children and young people with physical and mental disabilities.
The charity facilitates approximately 170 events and activities each year, consisting of weekly youth clubs, monthly leisure centre activities, swimming, bowling and cinema sessions to name but a few. The activities are crucial to foster inclusion and improve wellbeing whilst reducing social isolation for disabled children, young people and their families.
Following a donation of £3,000 from the Trust in March, their recent fun filled trip to Manorafon Farm Park in Abergele enabled 68 parent carers, 39 siblings/young carers and 54 disabled children and young people to have a fabulous day out during the Easter holidays. Creating accessible, family-friendly spaces, not only offers the opportunity to spend quality time together but builds confidence to venture out and about as families living with a disability.
Burton Hope
Luckily, help is always available at Burton Hope for those in crisis.
A donation from the Trust supported mileage costs for their much-needed volunteers, enabling them to use their own vehicles, which can be crucial to attract and retain those volunteers. They are the only food-bank in Burton that deliver.
John Anderson Chairman of Burton Hope said “Some clients are unable to collect for a host of reasons, including mental and physical health issues. Thank you for caring. Your support is very much appreciated and very valuable to the users of our service”.
In 2023, Burton Hope was awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest honour a charity can receive. This is testament to the incredible work of their team, comprised completely of volunteers who work hard to provide services to those in need.
Derby Theatre
At Derby Theatre, community and collaboration are at the heart of what they do, creating experiences that uplift hearts, broaden horizons and build change for the better.
Funding from the Trust earlier this year supported them in their mission to host a monthly Dementia Friendly Carers Café, welcoming people living with Dementia and their carers to socialise and take part in creative activities. The café is led by an experienced creative practitioner and supported by Derby Theatre's Community projects.
In addition, a Dementia friendly tea dance enabled participants to enjoy an afternoon of music, dance & refreshments whilst a singer and musician toured care homes in Derby, maximising the positive impact of live music and interactive sessions.
Blood Bikes Wales (Wrexham Group)
Bloodbikes Wales (Wrexham Group) is a member of the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes which share their quest to provide a reliable, free, high-quality service to health trusts throughout the country.
An amazing team with 100% volunteers, Bloodbikes Wales (Wrexham Group) are ready to support come rain or shine, delivering blood samples, plasma, donated human milk, documents and other items in and around our Deeside Engine Plant.
We are always proud to support this wonderful charity and were delighted to donate £1,924 earlier this year to fund equipment ranging from Sat Navs to panniers for their bikes.
Chris Jones, Area Committee Representative & Trustee Wrexham said "Once again the generosity of the Toyota Manufacturing UK Charitable Trust has helped us to kit out another bloodbike to service the people of North Wales. Their generosity has helped supply equipment used to carry/transport blood samples plus many other items to either the Labs or directly to patients to help with their speedy recovery".
St John Ambulance Cymru
Providing first aid treatment, training, and transport, this amazing charity has four divisions across North Wales in Holywell, Ruthin, Deeside & Wrexham. On average, they support 100 events each year and treat around 250 patients.
Funding from the Trust earlier this year funded essential lifesaving equipment, including resuscitation equipment, tourniquets, and medications. A training defibrillator and CPR manikin were also funded.
Sam Cook, Partnership and Relationship Manager at St John Ambulance Cymru, said: “We are extremely grateful to the Toyota Manufacturing UK Charitable Trust for their donation which will ensure our volunteers have everything they need to provide high quality firstaid cover across North Wales. As well as helping to improve our volunteer experience, we hope it will encourage more people to learn vital first aid skills and become volunteers to support our goal to make Wales a community of lifesavers.”
Derbyshire Blood Bikes
Derbyshire Blood Bikes provide a free 24/7 medical courier service to the Royal Derby Hospital and Chesterfield Hospital. They continue to have the trust and support of both our major hospitals, saving them considerable sums of money.
Annually, they carry out over 8,000 deliveries which directly benefits some 75,000 patients and saves the NHS around £500,000 each year.
We are proud to support the Derbyshire Blood Bikes (DBB) and are were delighted, earlier this year, to donate £3,000 towards dashcams for their 12 motorcycles and 6 vehicles. Lack of dashcam evidence can be costly in terms of repairs but also gives their amazing drivers increased peace of mind whilst volunteering for DBB.
Keep up the good work!
Derventio
Derventio Housing Trust helps around 1,200 people annually across five UK counties who might otherwise experience homelessness. At their Growing Lives Centre in Ilkeston, residents, including those referred through recovery services, take part in a range of activities including gardening, cycle maintenance, crafts, cooking and guided walks.
During a recent visit, we met Leo, who proudly shared how our funding has helped transform the centre's growing space through the creation of raised vegetable beds. The results are remarkable, with Brussels sprouts, runner beans, carrots, lettuces and broad beans flourishing in a thriving community garden. Building on this success, exciting plans are afoot to expand the plot further, growing more fresh, nutritious produce for healthy, home-cooked meals. The project is not only cultivating vegetables, but nurturing confidence, independence, and a stronger sense of community.
Sarah Hernandez, Managing Director of Derventio Housing Trust said:
The project brings huge benefits to residents and others referred to our service. It’s well known that practical tasks like gardening can be beneficial for mental health and growing our own fruit and vegetables is a great thing to do for wellbeing and nutrition. We are delighted to receive funding through the Trust to pay for the raised beds which are already being used and valued.
Derbyshire Mind
Since launching in 2025, the Craft & Coffee Club has been bringing people together through creativity, connection, and community. Supported by a talented local artist, the club offers a welcoming space where clients can explore their artistic side through a variety of activities, all of which are free of charge.
A £3,000 donation allowed the project to expand into Swadlincote, Derbyshire, enabling more adults to explore and express themselves through arts and craft in a relaxed setting. Whether dropping in for a cup of tea, quick chat or immersing themselves in a craft project, everyone is welcomed into a safe, supportive space to relax, socialise, and have fun with like-minded people.
More than just an arts and crafts group, the Craft & Coffee Club is helping people build friendships, improve wellbeing, and discover the positive impact that creativity can have on their lives.
Erewash Voluntary Action
The team is passionate about supporting voluntary sector organisations make a difference to the mental health and wellbeing of people across Derbyshire.
Funding contributed to help make their recent Derbyshire Countywide Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Conference a success. The event brought together local organisations, professionals, and community members from across Derbyshire and Derby City to collaborate, learn, and inspire positive change. Through a programme of expert speakers, thought-provoking discussions, and valuable networking opportunities, attendees explored key topics including mental health awareness, suicide prevention, community support, and wellbeing initiatives.
We were delighted to attend and see first-hand the positive impact it is having across the region. Thank you for the opportunity to be involved and we look forward to supporting this important event once again in the future.
Tegan’s Butterflies in Paradise
The charity support families of young people aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, creating a safe space where families can connect and build friendships.
For many children with additional needs, traditional pantomimes can be overwhelming. Loud noises, bright lights, and busy environments often mean they miss out on this much-loved festive experience.
To ensure every child can enjoy the magic of Christmas, the charity transforms a local community centre into an inclusive theatre experience. Working with talented actors and British Sign Language interpreters, they create a relaxed performance where children are free to move around, make noise, and engage with the show in a way that feels comfortable to them, while also benefiting from dedicated sensory and quiet spaces if they need a break. Ear defenders and picture communication cards ensure that every child can enjoy the experience in a way that meets their individual needs.
The festive fun culminates in a visit from Santa Claus, who brings a gift for every child, adding an extra touch of Christmas magic and creating treasured memories for families.
We are proud to support this magical event where families return year on year, making it a highlight of the festive season.
Melbourne Community Care
Melbourne Community Care provides invaluable support to sick and disabled people of all ages across Melbourne and the surrounding villages.
One of their most cherished services is a free weekly shopping trip to the local Co-op which runs 50 weeks of the year. Every Friday, a dedicated volunteer minibus driver and shopping escort collect between seven and eleven passengers, helping them safely on and off the minibus and ensuring their groceries are carried right into their homes. But the support goes far beyond transport. Volunteers assist with every aspect of shopping, from reading labels and comparing prices to packing bags and helping with payments.
Despite the closure of the store café, Co-op staff generously provide free tea and coffee, and occasionally biscuits, creating a welcoming space for everyone to gather after shopping. Filled with conversation, friendship, and plenty of laughter, these weekly trips have become a highlight of many people's lives.
The Trust are proud to support this much needed lifeline helping older residents who may be isolated, lonely, or unable to access essential shopping independently.
Peak 4x4 Response
Established during the harsh winter of 2006, the charity began with a small group of dedicated volunteers who wanted to use their 4x4 vehicles to support their local community during periods of severe disruption.
Today, they are a self-funded, volunteer-led charity driven by a passion for helping others when they need it most. Their mission is simple but vital: to ensure NHS staff, care workers, emergency service personnel, and vulnerable members of the community can reach essential services when snow, flooding, or other extreme weather conditions make roads impassable. The group also support at many community events where manned road closures are required. This can be very challenging in ‘public facing’ roles.
As part of their commitment to safety, the charity is increasingly using video footage to support its operations. A donation earlier this year enabled the purchase of 20 waterproof body cameras along with charging stations, helping to protect both volunteers and the people they assist. So, whatever the situation, their volunteers stand ready to answer the call.
Watch the thank you video here.
Age Concern Eastwood
Age Concern Eastwood is making a real difference in tackling loneliness, creating a welcoming community where people can enjoy friendship, conversation, and a freshly prepared meal.
Each week, around 80 nutritious meals are served across four days, providing not only nourishment but also valuable social connection. No one is left behind, as a door-to-door minibus service ensures that those with mobility challenges don’t miss out.
Funding from the Trust helped bridge a shortfall in their transport costs, enabling vital services to continue reaching those who need it most. The impact is best captured by one member who commented
Without help, I wouldn't be able to leave home. I can no longer cook for myself so without this place my life would be empty.
Previous Recipients
Their Stories
We are proud to share the stories of those who have received a Community Grant.
Explore the organisations we’ve supported in recent years and the incredible work they do in our communities.
The 2026 Award
We are now accepting applications to apply for funding following our 2026 fundraising activities.
The closing date for applications is Friday 1 January 2027 and successful donations will be made at the end of March 2027. Please be aware that applications will not be accepted after the closing date.
Feel free to click on the link below to download the application documents. Please ensure that you read the criteria to confirm eligibility prior to completing an application.
Community Grant recipients following our 2025 fundraising activities
Thank you messages from some of our recipients
