The Duke of Richmond is asking businesses and philanthropists in Sussex to help him create a multimillion pound charitable fund.

The 76-year-old has launched the Sussex Community Foundation, which he hopes will raise enough funds to distribute £1.5 million a year to worthy causes by 2010.

The Duke said the trust had already raised £150,000, a third of which had been donated by billionaire Hans Rausing, who lives in Wadhurst Park, East Sussex.

American Express became the first firm to come on board this week with a "sizeable donation" and BAA's community trust has given a further £30,000.

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

The Duke 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 on the national social deprivation scale parts of Bognor, Littlehampton, Eastbourne and especially Hastings."

With chief executive Kevin Richmond, the Duke has spent two years setting up the trust.

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

Mr Richmond said: "The more the fund grows, the more we can do to meet the changing needs of the county.

"We're not going to compete with other charities. We'll be adding to the pot of charitable cash."

Once the fund was in place, a small percentage would then be used to sustain the trust's management, rather like an investment manager charging a fee.

On their own, charities could not afford to publicise themselves and seek new sponsors, and for businesses trying to find worthwhile charities had equal difficulty.

The trust, the Duke said, would help both.

He said: "If you're doing work on the ground in Bognor Regis in some of the most deprived areas, you don't know if there's any money out there or who has it.

"Some of these charities have no idea of the rich people who live out here and the rich people themselves know nothing of them."

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

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

Tuesday, April 18, 2006