Hew Watt Family Charitable Fund hits grantmaking milestone

21st August 2024

Thanks to the generosity of one family, we have been able to award over £1 million to local voluntary and community groups in Thurrock.

The Hew Watt Family Charitable Fund was transferred to us nearly 20 years ago. Hew and Molly have both sadly died, but we work with their daughter, Trudy, to agree grants from the fund and support local causes as well as introducing her to emerging issues affecting people in Thurrock.

Hew and Molly farmed in Orsett for over fifty years. Hew trained at Writtle Institute of Agriculture and later became a writer and broadcaster. He received an OBE for his services to agriculture.

Trudy said: “I was surprised and very pleased to learn that the Fund has reached the milestone of awarding £1m in grants since it was set up with ECF in 2005. Shortly after the deaths of my parents, the trustees of their charitable trust agreed to pass its management over to ECF, and I am so pleased that they did.

“We have been able to support some incredible local projects over the years, just as my parents would have wanted, most of which we would have never known existed.

“Thank you ECF for helping my family make a difference to a community we care so deeply about and keeping my parents’ legacy alive.”

Two of the projects that have received support from the Fund are Welcome to the UK and Essex Wildlife Trust.

Last year, we awarded a grant to Welcome To The UK to expand their work into Grays, supporting families from overseas to help them to engage positively with their local community. This includes English language classes, advice and support, and friendship groups.

In 2012, we awarded £35k to Essex Wildlife Trust for the new visitors centre at Thameside Nature Park in Thurrock. If you visit, you will find there is a room named after Hew and Molly and this was a great project to support in their memory given their love of nature.

Sir David Attenborough was invited to open the new centre in 2013. Trudy was deeply moved when, unexpectedly, Sir David paid a personal tribute to Hew, with whom he had worked.  He said “Hew was a remarkable, marvellous and vigorous man. He was characteristic of the way that people keep public welfare in their minds to produce places like this.”

If you would like to talk with us about how we can help you leave a legacy to your community or work with you and your family in your lifetime, please contact Perry Norton.