The Circle Funerals Fund is NOW CLOSED FOR APPLICATIONS. We are delighted to announce that the Circle Funerals Fund in partnership with Forever Manchester is now open for applications from Community Groups in South Trafford and its adjacent areas. If you would like to view this page as a PDF, please click below: The Circle Funerals Fund Guidance The Circle Funerals Fund is offering awards of up to £1,000. The deadline for applications was midday on Thursday 26th June 2025. Fund Criteria The Circle Funerals Fund welcomes applications from grassroots community groups based in South Trafford and its adjacent areas.
Who can apply? The Circle Funerals Fund aims to encourage and support grassroots community organisations. This means small, community-based and locally controlled groups that manage themselves, encourage people to get involved as volunteers and who just need a bit of financial help to be able to work with their community in the way they’d like. Applicants must have an annual income of less than £50,000. Whilst funding will primarily be awarded to groups based in South Trafford, applications from Wythenshawe will also be considered. To see which areas are covered by the Fund, please view the map here.
How much can you apply for? The maximum award request that will be considered is £1,000. What can you apply for? Local groups understand how they can best work in their communities, so we don’t want to limit the type of request you can make. If oversubscribed the Fund will prioritise applications from projects which focus on any of the following: Children and young people Older people Bereavement support Carers Sport and physical wellbeing Emotional and mental wellbeing Food projects (cooking & nutrition, food provision, holiday hunger etc.) Skills and employment support Is there anything you can’t apply for? Unfortunately, there are a few things that can’t be funded, such as activities that have already taken place or been paid for, contributions to major appeals, activities promoting political or religious beliefs and activity which should be provided by statutory services. If you’re not sure if we could consider your application for funding, please contact a member of the Forever Manchester Communities Team, email awards@forevermanchester.com and we’ll be happy to help. Supporting Documents For help and guidance on your groups’ supporting documents and to see what we require to be submitted alongside your application, please refer to our guidance which you can find here: Supporting Information Deadline for Applications We will close for applications at midday on Thursday 26th June 2025. Any applications received after this time will not be considered. CLOSED FOR APPLICATIONS How long will a decision take? For this round of the Circle Funerals Fund, we aim to let you know the outcome of your application in August 2025. Please do not plan to start any activity until after you hear if your application has been successful. Our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) provide further information on our funding programmes. We encourage you to have a look if you would like to know a bit more about who can apply and what the application process involves. If you have any questions or have trouble completing your application, please contact us at awards@forevermanchester.com or phone 0161 214 0940. About Circle Funerals Circle Funerals in Altrincham are a fully independent funeral service, run by husband-and-wife team Sara and Jeremy Fixter. They are available 24/7, so there is always someone there for people to speak to when they need support. Circle Funerals regularly support families in Altrincham, Trafford, South Manchester and Cheshire, and are also able to help people across Greater Manchester and further afield. Sara and Jeremy take time to listen carefully and understand what matters most to each family. Some want something simple, others something elaborate or unique – and all are supported with the same care. They handle the practical details with professionalism, while giving families the space and flexibility to make decisions at their own pace. Circle Funerals are recommended in the Good Funeral Guide, which means they have been independently inspected and recognised for achieving high standards of care. They are also proud members of SAIF (The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors), demonstrating their commitment to professional standards, transparency and accountability as an independent, family-run service. The service in Altrincham was first established in 2022. From the beginning it was owned and run locally by Sara and Jeremy as an independent business, initially operating under the Full Circle Funerals Partners network. In 2025 they amicably stepped away from that network and now continue to provide the same trusted, family-led support under the name Circle Funerals. Their work has been recognised both locally and nationally: they received the Bereavement Support Award at the Good Funeral Awards (2023) and were named Business of the Year at the Altrincham & Sale Chamber of Commerce Awards (2024). These awards reflect their commitment to thoughtful care, community involvement and the trust placed in them by local families. Families consistently highlight the professionalism, kindness and responsiveness they receive. Linda wrote: “Jeremy and Sara were wonderful at every step of the way, making the whole process around our mother’s funeral remarkably stress-free despite it being potentially one of life’s most stressful and sad events. They took care of everything and ensured it all ran smoothly, and I was quickly able to trust them completely. Their responsiveness was particularly impressive and helpful. Every query was answered immediately, and nothing seemed to be too much trouble. The supporting providers they suggested, like flowers, crematorium and celebrant, were all excellent. Thanks to their care and professionalism it was as perfect as we could have imagined. The whole family will always be grateful for their part in giving Mum the send-off she deserved.”
