Ingatestone Hall Spring Reception
3rd April 2023
We were excited to welcome around 70 fundholders, donors and supporters to Ingatestone Hall for the first of our two Spring Receptions of 2023.
Evenings like this are a great opportunity to bring our people together and we are so grateful to our President Lord Petre for once again allowing us to hold our event in his lovely home.
Our Chair of Trustees, Nicholas Alston CBE DL introduced the evening and shared our updates and activities. Two local voluntary organisations shared how financial support from ECF has helped to further their work, and were introduced by our retiring grants officer, Jill Curd. These were:
Knightswood Care
The Knightswood Care in Asheldham, Maldon, has been delivering day services to adults of all ages for over 25 years.
Over time the day centre has developed greater expertise in dementia care and carers support, and their aim is to provide a range of services which empower older people living within the Dengie Peninsular to make choices which enable them to reach their best levels of health and fitness, maintain their independence and to lead rich and fulfilling lives.
They provide door-to-door transportation services for their clients and run a wide range of activities within the centre, including seated exercise classes, singing, board games and gardening.
This work not only helps the person who goes to the Centre, but also provides their loved one with vital respite breaks from caring for them.
Knightswood also manage a ‘Lend A Hand’ Service for those individuals in the community who may need a little help with trips shopping, appointments, companionship or light housework.
Most recently, we supported the centre with a grant of £2,800 for staff training costs. This included their team going on a ‘Dementia Bus’ to better understand what it is like to live with Dementia; it allows delegates to enter the world of the people they help and better understand which simple changes need to be made to their practice and environment to really improve lives.
City of Chelmsford Mencap
City of Chelmsford Mencap is an independent charity that provides services for adults with a learning disability across mid-Essex, ensuring they receive care and support to live life to the fullest.
They run a wide range of social clubs and respite schemes for people of all ages as well as information and support services for members and their families and carers. This includes their weekly youth club, Gateway Juniors, which is for people aged 16 to 25. It offers sports and dance workshops for the energetic and arts and crafts, puzzles and quizzes for those who prefer a quiet evening with friends.
They also run an Outreach Academy that provides lifelong learning to people aged 19+. It helps students to develop their social, work and life skills in a supported environment that enables them to reach their potential. Sessions run every weekday and include Active in the community and environment, cooking, dance, functional skills, social enterprise and yoga.
We awarded City of Chelmsford Mencap a grant of £8,250 to continue the employment of two family support workers.