A Battersea charity has secured extra funding to improve educational opportunities in Wandsworth and Lambeth.

Sir Walter St John’s Educational Charity (SWSJ) recently announced a ‘significant increase’ in its ability to help educational projects in both boroughs.

After the Trinity Fields Trust (TFT) secured a new 50-year lease for Trinity Playing Fields, it is said that it will help generate £75,000 of additional income per year.

People who can benefit from SWSJ’s grants include:

- Young people, up to the age of 24, in both Wandsworth and Lambeth

- Local community groups and charities in both boroughs

- Grant funding for educational projects with a duration of three years, but prioritises young people such as refugees, carers and lone parents who may be at a disadvantage

John O’Malley, chair of the SWSJ educational charity of trustees, said: “I am delighted that this valuable community asset has been secured for the future and should now have the security to achieve TFT’s ambition to invest in long term development of the site.

“Our trustees are looking forward to being able to expand our grants programme and will be looking for new applicants with ideas to support the education of some of the most vulnerable in our communities.”

Barry Fairbank, trustee of the SWSJ charity, said: “I too am very pleased that following lengthy negotiations we have satisfactorily settled the long term future of the playing fields whilst at the same time boosting SWSJ's distributable annual income.

“As a former pupil of the school founded by Sir Walter St John, Lord of the Manor of Battersea, in 1700, I am proud that the Trustees have been able to continue and to reinforce the tradition of providing financial support for meeting educational needs which he started all those years ago."