A newspaper should both be the hub of the community and help those within it.

That is why The Argus Appeal has decided to give away £10,000 to charities across Sussex. Any registered charity in the county can take part as the appeal is set to distribute the money to good causes throughout the community.

The Argus Appeal is the charity of The Argus and has been working at the heart of our community for almost 55 years.

It prides itself that every penny raised is distributed to those in need. The Appeal provides funds for a variety of causes but particularly focuses on disadvantaged children, the elderly, the vulnerable and people with disabilities.

Any other person, group or charity application is considered by the Appeal trustees for a fund allocation which will make a difference.

Across a variety of projects and campaigns it aims to raise a minimum of £200,000 each year with help from local people – every penny of which will be well and wisely spent.

Elsa Gillio, manager of The Argus Appeal, pictured above, said: “For more than 50 years, The Argus Appeal has been raising funds for the community which The Argus serves.

“We could not do it without the support of the local community who raise funds on our behalf and all the many people who take part in our fundraising cycle rides and other events.

“As we approach the winter season, we are arranging our annual carol concert and our Santa bus which will be coming down a street near you sooner than you think. Please give generously.”

The appeal is run in partnership with Legal & General. Frances Borrer, Community Investment Manager at Legal & General, said: “As part of our corporate social responsibility, we like to contribute to community where we have offices and where our staff live.

“The point of supporting the Appeal is it reaches every section of the Sussex community. Our support means The Argus Appeal can do what it does best and raise money for local good causes.”

Community Chest Any registered charity in Sussex is eligible to register to take part in The Argus Appeal £10,000 Community Chest.

To register to take part, fill out the form below and post it to The Argus Appeal £10,000 Community Chest, Marketing Department, The Argus, Crowhurst Road, Hollingbury, Brighton, BN1 8AR.

You can also register by email supplying the same information and placing £10,000 Community Chest in the subject line to Lottie.elson@ theargus.co.uk.

Once you have registered to take part you can get your supporters, friends or members involved as every day from today until December 17 a collectible token will appear in The Argus newspaper.

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays two tokens will appear. The first two tokens are printed below to get you started.

Every token collected will mean a proportion of the £10,000 will be allocated to your charity.

The funds will be allocated on a proportional basis depending on the total number of tokens collected by all the registered charities. For example, if 10,000 tokens are collected by all charities taking part, each token submitted will be worth £1. If 20,000 tokens are collected each token will worth 50p and so on.

All tokens need to be collected, counted and returned to The Argus by 5pm on Monday, December 22.

Further information regarding submitting your tokens will be sent to your Community Chest Co-ordinator.

All charities and the funds they have been allocated will be revealed in The Argus on Christmas Eve.

Michael Beard, chairman of The Argus Appeal and editor of The Argus, said: “Every year The Argus Appeal helps hundreds of local charities across all the communities we are proud to serve.

“And now we are giving away an extra £10,000 through the Argus Appeal Community Chest.

“We hope to help as many charities as possible and to spread the money far and wide to help needy causes across the county.”

Appeal events Each year, The Argus Appeal undertakes campaigns to raise money for good causes.

This year, after ten years of charity bike rides to Paris, 60 Appeal riders made their way across Europe to honour the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War.

The cyclists travelled through Belgium, paying tribute to fallen heroes and raising money for a valuable cause at home.

Some riders raised in excess of £1,000 in sponsorship as they cycled from Dunkirk to Brussels in a 145-mile adventure.

Another of the Appeal’s most successful schemes is the annual Santa Bus a joint venture with the Martlets Hospice, Hove.

Each year Brighton and Hove Bus Company provides an open top double-decker bus, which is decked out in festive lights by the technical team at the Theatre Royal Brighton.

The bus takes Father Christmas on a ride around Brighton and Hove as he brings the seasonal spirit of giving to the city while helping raise money for the hospice.

Envelopes are delivered along the route for people to put their donations in to give to our collecting teams, many of whom come from local businesses.

Lloyds TSB have generously supported the Santa Bus project over the last two years by match funding the amount raised. In 2013, more than £25,000 was raised.

Also this year Argus staff took on the Sussex section of the Tour of Britain in aid of the appeal. Cycling the 90-mile jaunt from Horsham to Brighton were assistant news editor Arron Hendy, reporter Ben James and feature writer Dom Smith along with newspaper sales co-ordinator Howie Blanks and his wife Denise.

Earlier this year the Masquerade Valentine’s Ball at the Royal Pavilion also raised money for The Argus Appeal.

Then Mayor of Brighton and Hove, Councillor Denise Cobb, hosted the ball at the Royal Pavilion raising over £3,000 in support of the Mayor's charities, Age UK, The Argus Appeal, Martlets Hospice, Off the Fence and Rockinghorse.

Runners also often represent The Argus Appeal during the Brighton Marathon and Half Marathon. Harriet Dack ran on behalf of The Appeal this year as more than 11,000 runners took part in the Sussex beacon Brighton Half Marathon.

Business involvement WHILE individuals play an invaluable role across the county, businesses and organisations can also lend their support to The Argus Appeal.

Each year thousands in donations are made from businesses to the Appeal as they help out in their communities.

Already this year companies such as Waitrose and Southern Rail have both offered their support to the charity.

This year the Sussex Freemasons also offered their support with a donation of £10,000.

Churchill Square in Brighton also got involved as they donated £2,500 raised from a gift card promotion. Supermarket ASDA have also helped brighten up some needy youngsters Christmases as they made donations of toys to The Argus Appeal. The Brighton Institute of Modern Music also got involved last year as they handed over a cheque for £1,000 and Southern Water made a huge contribution of £2,000.