The Duke of Richmond has made a plea for philanthropists and charities to unite and bring an end to deprivation in Sussex.

The 76-year-old Duke launches the Sussex Community Foundation on Thursday, hoping to raise enough funds to distribute £1.5 million a year to worthy causes by 2010.

Speaking from Goodwood House in Chichester, the Duke said he will be appealing to businesses and the wealthy to do their part in helping the poorest parts of the region.

He said: "People look at Sussex as quite well-off and comfortable but there are pockets of severe deprivation and I believe it's a scandal.

"We can't go on with businesses giving very, very little. There are a few companies giving generously but very few.

"There are 12 wards in Sussex which in terms of economics are actually in the bottom 20 per cent of the national social deprivation scale - parts of Bognor, Littlehampton, Eastbourne and especially Hastings."

Together with Chief Executive Kevin Richmond, who was formerly of the Carers Centre in Brighton and Hove, the Duke has spent two years setting up the trust. Community foundations make up a national network which last year distributed more than £57 million to worthy causes.

The Duke said: "We discovered there were only about five counties in England who didn't have community foundations and, much to our shame, East Sussex and West Sussex were two of them."

He fears that, as a handful of national and international charities soak up ordinary donations, smaller, local-based operations are being left behind. The foundation aims to find alternative sources of funding by promoting philanthropy in big business.

Mr Richmond said: "There's a sense companies are not supporting the community in Sussex. We want to promote corporate social responsibility, helping businesses look at the impact they make.

"Up to 90 per cent of regional charities in the UK survive on an income of less than £1,000. We can bring those charities together with people who have money and can help them."

To these ends the foundation has already raised £100,000 through just two donors.

The Duke also aims to build up a substantial endowment fund from which interest can be creamed annually to fund community projects.

Representatives are travelling across the whole of Sussex targeting organisations needing help.

The foundation is inviting the public to recommend charities to help and for companies to get involved. Details on 01273 405450.