Charity recognition event Crawley: thanking the people behind our work
Every year, The Greenaway Foundation holds a charity recognition event in Crawley to say thank you to the businesses and individuals who support us with no expectation of public recognition. Recognition Day 2026 took place on Friday 27th March at Crawley Rugby Club.
Much of what we achieve happens quietly. Businesses donate food and prizes, local people give up their evenings and weekends, and supporters spread the word without ever asking for anything in return. Our charity recognition event in Crawley is our chance to stop, say thank you properly, and let those supporters know just how much difference they make.
A fitting venue at Crawley Rugby Club
The evening was held at Crawley Rugby Club, who are themselves long time supporters of The Greenaway Foundation. It felt fitting to say thank you in a place that has backed us for so long, and we are grateful to the club for welcoming us.
Joined by two of our patrons
The event was hosted by our founder, Darren Greenaway, and we were delighted to be joined by two of the charity’s patrons, Mims Davies MP and Dinesh Nathan.
Our patrons give their time and support to help raise the profile of The Greenaway Foundation, and having them both in the room made the evening even more special for the supporters being thanked.
Certificates of recognition
Dinesh was on hand to present certificates of recognition to the businesses and individuals who have contributed to the charity’s work. Each certificate is a small token of thanks for a contribution that has made a real difference to local children and their families.
Some of our supporters have been with us for many years, while others came on board more recently, but every one of them has helped us reach more families who fly under the radar of formal help.
Why a charity recognition event matters
For a small charity run largely by volunteers, a charity recognition event is about more than certificates. It is a chance for the people who help us to meet each other, share stories and see the bigger picture of what their support achieves.
Many of the businesses we thanked help in ways the public never sees, from donating goods and services to giving their staff time to volunteer. Saying thank you in person matters to us, and we know it matters to them too. We also hope that by recognising the generosity of local businesses, we can inspire others across Crawley and the surrounding area to get involved.
Grahame Russell’s ride across America
One of the highlights of the evening was a talk by Grahame Russell, chair of the East Grinstead Business Association, about his epic coast to coast cycle ride across America in 2025. Together with his long time friend Tim Howse, Grahame set off from Santa Monica Beach in California and rode around 3,800 miles to Boston, Massachusetts, following parts of the legendary Route 66 along the way.
The ride raised an amazing £10,000 for The Greenaway Foundation. Guests heard about the highs and lows of life on the road, and it was a real privilege to hear the story first hand. You can read more about Grahame’s Route 66 cycle ride in our earlier blog.
Grahame and the East Grinstead Business Association also organise the annual Charity Golf Day in aid of The Greenaway Foundation.
Food from Paella Fella
Thank you to Paella Fella for providing the catering on the night. Paella Fella have supported The Greenaway Foundation at other events too, including as a hole sponsor at our Charity Golf Day, and we are grateful for their continued support.
Good food helps bring people together, and having a local supporter cater the evening made it all the more fitting for a night that was all about community, friendship and saying thank you to the people who help local children.
What your support makes possible
The support we celebrated at our charity recognition event in Crawley is what makes our work possible. Last Christmas, The Greenaway Foundation delivered festive food hampers to over 1,000 families across much of Surrey, Sussex and Kent, and more than 3,000 children received the present they had asked Santa for.
This Christmas we aim to help 1,200 families and make 4,000 children’s wishes come true. Find out more about our Christmas 2026 appeal, and see what happens behind the scenes of our charity Christmas deliveries.
Through the year we also help with school uniforms, school proms, school trips and residential holidays, and transport to school, for children whose families are struggling but do not qualify for formal help.
There are many ways a local business can make a difference. Some sponsor a food item for our Christmas hampers, some donate raffle and auction prizes for our events, and others give their teams time to volunteer as elves or reindeer in December. Every one of those contributions was in our minds when we planned this year’s charity recognition event.
Individuals make just as big a difference. Whether someone has taken on a challenge like Grahame, helped at Santa’s Workshop or simply shared our posts with friends, their support helps us reach families who would otherwise go without. If you have supported us this year, thank you. You may well be invited to our next charity recognition event.
Thank you
Thank you to everyone who attended Recognition Day 2026, to Crawley Rugby Club for hosting us, and to every business and individual who supports The Greenaway Foundation. We look forward to helping even more families this year, so keep an eye out for our upcoming events.
We are already looking forward to our next charity recognition event, and to celebrating another year of support from the local community. If your business would like to support The Greenaway Foundation, we would love to hear from you.
If you would like to get involved, you can volunteer with us this Christmas, become a sponsor, or donate directly using the button below.
Darren Greenaway
Founder & Chairman
