AIRPORTS IN THE COMMUNITY THE STORY OF HOW UK AIRPORTS HELP THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES Airports: Essential for the local community Airports are where journeys start and end. They provide an essential service for business travellers, holiday makers and people visiting friends and relatives. They are also a vital part of the UK’s transport network.

The aviation sector is a key driver of economic growth, helping the UK to create businesses and jobs. The sector contributes over £50 billion to the UK economy, provides over a million jobs, supports 2.5 million tourism jobs and pays over £8 billion a year in taxes. Impressive though these numbers are, they don’t convey the important role that airports around the country play in their local communities. They are, of course, key players in regional economic development, but they are much more than that, enabling local people to secure skills, training and jobs, helping local charities, and inspiring local school children. You can find out much more about what local airports are doing in your area by visiting their websites, but this précis will give you an overview of how airports up and down the country are contributing to the communities they serve.

Pictured right: Heathrow’s new Terminal 2 has directly supported 35,000 jobs right across the country. AIRPORTS IN THE COMMUNITY AIRPORTS

2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY UK airports play a vital role in supporting the wider economy Airports around the UK help people to find jobs and start their own businesses Airport local community funds award grants to small community-led organisations UK airports and their staff help to fund local health charities Many airport community initiatives focus on inspiring children and young people AIRPORTS IN THE COMMUNITY AIRPORTS

3 The role of airports in economic development

The UK is home to some of the world’s leading international airports but, whether airports are large or small, it is easy to underestimate the vital role that they play in helping to support the wider economy.

A strong and well-connected and affordably. suppliers or employees, airport can be a crucial thus enabling aerospace element in the success of employs technology and know-how, local businesses. 3,000 people on site and designed in the region, to be International Airport every overseas visitor using put to maximum use”. provides 2,000 jobs on site the airport is worth over and supports a further 4,000 £400 to the South West is one Scottish jobs. Its network of economy. Katherine Bennett of the largest employment connections across the UK OBE, Vice President, Public sites in the UK, with over and Europe plays a key role in Affairs, at Airbus in the 76,000 employees and 320 helping to sell courses to the UK explains that: “Strong businesses. It accounts for 1,700 overseas students who regional transport links are one in five local jobs, but it attend Aberdeen Business vital for a global company also has a significant impact School and want to make such as Airbus. Bristol Airport on the national economy. home visits and to see the provides an important service Consider, for example, the UK and Europe conveniently for our partners, whether inspiring story of Heathrow’s

Pictured right: Luton’s “Get into Airports” programme, delivered in partnership with the Prince’s Trust. AIRPORTS IN THE COMMUNITY AIRPORTS

4 brand new Terminal 2. leisure and business routes Its annual ‘Meet the Buyers’ The Queen’s Terminal was have grown, describing new event gives local SMEs and “made in Britain”. At £2.5 routes to Poland, in particular, entrepreneurs direct access billion, it has been one of as “a gift to the business to companies based at or the largest privately funded community”. near the airport and it is infrastructure projects in the estimated that the most country and will welcome London Airport has recent event will generate 20 million passengers a year. routes to over 40 destinations over £1.5 million of new Its design and construction across the UK, Europe and contracts for East of England will have directly supported the United States and nearly firms. 35,000 jobs right across 3.5 million passengers pass the country, from the 77 through its doors every Newcastle International tonne, 70 metre entrance year. KPMG Senior Partner, Airport plays a vital hall Slipstream sculpture, Dr. Ashley Steel, says that economic role in North East fabricated in Hull to the the airport “is important England. It contributes 3,200 direction signs manufactured in helping to make our jobs on site and supports in Exeter. The Terminal merged KPMG Europe 8,000 in the North East 2 project has helped to operate efficiently. It enables region, to which it makes underline that there is a colleagues from our offices a £650 million economic wealth of expertise, skills and across Europe to do a full contribution. Since 2006 talent across the country day’s work at our Canary the value of exports flown and that the UK remains Wharf European HQ before through the airport has risen extremely competitive, both returning home the same day. from under £20 million to on price and product quality. It enables our European firm over £250 million, with most to provide the very best client of them carried by Emirates ’s John Lennon service”. to Dubai and beyond. Duco Airport, with over 2,000 Ltd, a £60 million subsea people working on or near oil and gas manufacturer, the site, is a significant driver is the biggest single site employs 500 people at it of prosperity in the Liverpool employer in the East of site in Newcastle and flies city region, contributing £170 England, with over 10,200 engineers internationally to million to the local economy. people working for nearly work on projects, installations Cognitio, a Cheshire-based 200 on-airport companies. and repairs. Then there is the professional marketing Stansted offers more than 150 value to the local economy services company, is typical international connections and of visitors arriving at the of local businesses whose handles over 200,000 tonnes airport, with each incoming growth has been facilitated of cargo a year, helping to visitor to Newcastle Airport by the airport’s connections. connect the region’s small spending on average £720 in The company says that and medium sized enterprises the region. it has gained where both with the global marketplace. AIRPORTS IN THE COMMUNITY AIRPORTS

5 Helping local communities

UK airports have long understood the unique role they are able to play in raising money for and supporting local community groups and organisations.

Aberdeen International heritage conservation, providing nearly £40,000 Airport donated over encouraging or protecting from the fund to a local £80,000 to charities and wildlife and facilities for sport charity to fund the cost of community groups in its area and recreation. four tandem go-karts. These in 2013. It also encourages will enable children and adults staff to volunteer in their Bristol Airport’s local with additional support and own communities or for community fund invests in learning needs to experience causes close to their own a range of projects which the thrill of go-karting. hearts. Each year staff can benefit the local community nominate themselves to and environment, with Heathrow Airport has win a volunteering award, support focused on projects invested £750,000 per annum with over £10,000 given to with recreational, educational in the Heathrow Community local charities at the most and environmental benefits. Fund and £1m per annum in recent ceremony. Airport Most recently these have the Hillingdon Community staff support local mountain included an improved Trust. Both provide grants rescue operations, lead youth pedestrian crossing, improved for local projects and support groups, help emergency road safety signage, courses a wide range of community services and give their time to for small businesses in North focused projects, including kids’ sporting groups. Every Somerset, a community art The Waterman’s Art Centre year the airport partners programme, outdoor play which received £25,000 to with a charity to take part in equipment and a countryside help fund Urban Ambush, a Celebrate Aberdeen, a huge day, teaching children about four-week festival of creative parade through the centre food production. programmes for young of Aberdeen that attracts people from Ealing, Hounslow ’s FlightPath and Hillingdon during the thousands of spectators and Fund was established in participants. summer of 2013. In addition, 2010 to provide financial the Willow Tree Centre in ’s support to local charities and Hillingdon received grants local community fund is a community groups. Since of £25,000 in both 2012 typical example of the help then over £750,000 has and 2013 to help build new that many airports offer been awarded to over 200 volunteer and maintenance to those living closest to community groups, charities facilities. Volunteers, including them. Its Community Trust and innovative projects. staff from Heathrow, maintain fund awards grants of up to Funding is targeted in three £3,000 to small community- key areas of education, led organisations in those employment and the areas most affected by its environment, and is focused operations. Since 1998 the in the four local authorities airport has invested more of Glasgow, Renfrewshire, than £1.2 million in the local East Dunbartonshire and community, helping more West Dunbartonshire, which than 500 local groups with lie under the airport’s flight environmental improvement, path. In 2014 the airport is AIRPORTS IN THE COMMUNITY AIRPORTS

6 15 acres of woodland, reed Maggie’s Centre at Freeman football and cricket teams, beds and meadow with the Hospital, which opened in supports an annual duck race, centre providing outdoor May 2013 and seeks to meet sponsors village flower beds activity facilities for children. the practical, emotional and supports a project that and social needs of people encourages growth of the red Newcastle International with cancer, as its adopted squirrel population. Airport has the city’s charity. It also sponsors local

Pictured right: Residents of Blackwell, a nearby village to Bristol Airport, celebrate the building of an improved crossing, made possible by the airport’s community fund.

Pictured right: Glasgow Airport has provided nearly £40,000 to a local charity to enable children and adults with additional support and learning needs to experience the thrill of go-karting.

Pictured right: Bristol Airport funds a programme that teaches local children about food production. AIRPORTS IN THE COMMUNITY AIRPORTS

7 Pictured right: raised £35,000 for the charity Sue Ryder by taking part in a sponsored cycle ride to Paris.

Helping local health charities

UK airports and their staff have a long tradition of health philanthropy, helping to provide funding for local health charities.

In 2013, staff at Gatwick support to families whose locally at St John’s Hospice in Airport raised more than children have life-limiting and Bedfordshire and Stagenhoe £25,000 for its three complex healthcare needs, in Hertfordshire. nominated charities: St many of them from some of Catherine’s Hospice, Sussex the poorest areas of London. Hertfordshire has also been Wildlife Trust and its own In 2013 a 40-strong group of one of the beneficiaries of a on-airport charity Gatwick City Airport staff, led by Chief fundraising drive by staff at TravelCare. In addition Executive, Declan Collier (and London Stansted Airport, the airport organises a including local MP, Stephen which has helped to raise Fundraising Week every year Timms), cycled 166 miles from nearly £15,000 for the Essex which unites the airport, London to Amsterdam and & Herts Air Ambulance Trust, encouraging staff to raise raised £25,000 for the hospice. a charity which provides a money in creative ways and free life-saving helicopter offering passengers the Around the same time, emergency medical service opportunity to contribute also. employees of London Luton for the critically ill and Airport cycled from the injured in the two counties airport’s control tower to and the surrounding area. has provided 15 years of the Eiffel Tower in Paris and The helicopters ensure fundraising support to its raised £35,000 for Sue Ryder, that specialist doctors and local charity partner across the charity that provides care paramedics can quickly reach the docks, raising more than for people with life-changing the scene of an incident with £750,000 for Richard House illnesses. All of the proceeds life-saving support equipment Children’s Hospice. Richard from the bike ride went to to deliver advanced clinical House offers free care and support Sue Ryder’s work care. AIRPORTS IN THE COMMUNITY AIRPORTS

8 week-long opportunities for students to understand Inspiring children the varied roles in the travel and tourism sector that are available at the airport and and young people other roles for students with an interest in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. Since the very first flights, aviation has Heathrow Airport’s Primary and Secondary School always fired the imagination of children Challenge has been developed to support academic and young people, so it is not surprising achievement and raise the that many airport community initiatives aspirations of young people in the boroughs of Ealing, focus on this group. Hillingdon, Hounslow, Slough and Spelthorne. Through the Primary School Challenge the airport invests in over curriculum, delivering projects Biggin Hill, a major business 50 schools, providing a fun that help students become aviation airport, is in the way for students to explore more employable and confident second year of its Nick their enterprise skills, help individuals. Highlights have Davidson memorial flying students’ social and personal included preparing and serving scholarship. Captain Nick development and motivate food to 350 VIP guests at the Davidson was a British students to continue in Royal opening of the airport’s Airways pilot, who had earlier education. The Secondary £50 million international pier. spent time as an instructor School Challenge, meanwhile, The partnership has become at Biggin Hill. Just before he aims to encourage further a cornerstone of the school’s died from cancer in 2012 he study and a career in Science, innovative approach to work- agreed to fund a legacy which Technology, Maths and related learning, which has would enable a young person Engineering, and is supported been widely recognised as a between the ages of 18 and by Heathrow Engineering model for future partnerships 25 to learn to fly at Biggin Hill Apprenticeships, Engineering between business and and qualify to the standard of Managers and employee education. a full Private Pilot’s Licence. volunteers. The overall value of the Birmingham Airport also training package provided by Airport has has its own Flight School, a the airport and the Surrey & partnered with dedicated facility within the Kent Flying Club is £10,000. to offer students from schools terminal building, opened across West an by Business Secretary, Vince Birmingham Airport’s aviation master class, led Cable MP, in 2012 and used partnership with Small Heath by airport and airline staff. by pupils from schools across secondary school has been Fifteen schools from across the Midlands. Airport staff in place for seven years and competed to and teachers work together focuses on providing students develop business plans to set to develop projects covering with real-life experiences that up and run their own airline, many areas of the curriculum, excite and challenge them with the prize being awarded including science and and help them to develop the to School in Leeds. skills that they will need when engineering, the environment they leave school and start and history study days, where work. The school is located in students have met Second one of inner city Birmingham’s World War veterans. most deprived wards and almost all of its 1,300 pupils has won are from minority ethnic a Business in the Community backgrounds. The airport has award for its work inspiration worked closely with the school programmes, which provide to enable teachers to exploit the rich learning resource Pictured right: Students at Horsforth School in that it represents to embed Leeds developed a business plan to set up and

work-related learning into the run their own airline from Leeds Bradford Airport. IN THE COMMUNITY AIRPORTS

9 Helping job seekers and young entrepreneurs

Airports around the UK have been quick to recognise that in today’s competitive economic climate people need all the help they can get to find jobs or start their own businesses.

Gatwick Airport sponsors training and 2,323 people into the Prince’s Trust. Participants Young Start-Up Talent, a work (including a record 525 in the programme undergo Sussex and Kent community- in 2013), contributing savings two weeks intensive training, based project whose aim is to the public purse of over £6 covering such aspects as First to help 16 to 25 year-olds million. Aid, CV workshops, interviews with an entrepreneurial flair and developing presentation for business to make their London City Airport is an skills. A further two weeks dreams a reality. It offers attractive proposition for are spent in work placements business and professional London business travellers within the airport’s operations support to young people but, in contrast to its typical and with business partners. aiming to set up their own passenger, the local area in Since its inception in 2011 the businesses in the Gatwick which the airport is situated scheme has grown to two area, Brighton & Hove and around East London’s Royal programmes a year and seen Kent. The project runs Docks suffers from high rates 65% of participants gaining workshops in schools to of deprivation. The airport’s employment onsite as a direct develop business ideas award-winning Take off into result. The airport’s model has and to provide start-up Work programme has been since been employed by First financial support for the most running for five years and Capital Connect, who have promising. aims to help tackle the high just completed their first Get unemployment rate in the into Railways programme. In 2014 the Heathrow local borough of Newham, Academy celebrates ten which is almost a third higher Education into employment is years of supporting local than the national average. the lead theme of Manchester unemployed residents into The programme gives local Airport’s corporate social the workplace in the retail, unemployed residents two responsibility work. Its construction and aviation weeks of airport-specific Airport Academy has been & logistics sectors at the employability training, running for ten years and, airport. Candidates come followed by a two-week work through its 20-week paid from one of the priority placement at the airport. Since work placements gives boroughs around Heathrow its inception the scheme has unemployed people the (Ealing, Hillingdon, Hounslow, helped over 350 people into skills and experience they Slough and Spelthorne) and work, two thirds of whom had need to secure work. The are either unemployed, school previously been unemployed airport’s new Young People leavers or looking for work. for six months or more. Skills Academy targets young The academy courses help people in Wythenshawe. people to develop the skills London Luton Airport Teams of experts will work that employers want and that has won a Business in with 75 people over two years will help them to thrive at the Community Local to assist them to develop Heathrow. Over the past ten Impact Award for its Get skills and obtain qualifications years the Academy has put into Airports programme, that will help them to secure 3,446 candidates through delivered in partnership with their first jobs. AIRPORTS IN THE COMMUNITY AIRPORTS

10 Pictured right: Heathrow Airport’s Secondary School Challenge in action.

Pictured right: London City’s Take off into Work programme in action.

Pictured right: ’s Academy has been running for 10 years and helps unemployed people get back into work through 20-week paid work placements.

Pictured far right: Manchester Airport’s Young People Skills Academy. AIRPORTS IN THE COMMUNITY AIRPORTS

11 Pictured above: Members of 2030 Squadron, Air Training Pictured above: Students from Small Heath Corps received a Trust Fund award of £3,000 from school in Birmingham produced and delivered Birmingham Airport for new IT equipment which will the catering at several recent launch events at enable them to more effectively study for their badges. Birmingham Airport.

Round-up Airports play a vital role in the UK economy and are an essential part of the UK’s transport network. This publication from airports’ trade body, the Airport Operators Association, has sought to give a picture of how the UK’s airports also make an important contribution to the communities in which they operate. It is only a snapshot of just a few of a very much wider range of activities. The relevance and success of all of the airports’ community programmes have been built on local community engagement, so if you would like to learn more or have ideas about how your local airport could do more to help your community, please either contact us at the AOA, and we will ensure that your enquiry is forwarded, or get in touch with the airport direct.

Airport Operators Association 3 Birdcage Walk London SW1H 9JJ T: 020 7799 3171 E: [email protected] www.aoa.org.uk