Why is Gift Aid important to charities?
26th October 2023
The #TickTheBox campaign raises awareness about what Gift Aid is and how vital it is to charities.
Since 2018, for one day every October, charities across the UK take to social media to share the #TickTheBox message with donors, supporters, volunteers and others.
In 2022, The Charity Finance Group estimated that Gift Aid is worth around £1.3bn to the UK charity sector each year yet at the same time over £500m goes unclaimed. Gift Aid Awareness Day is organised by Charity Finance Group and charities are encouraged to spread the word about the difference this tax relief makes and ask eligible donors to #TickTheBox.
What is Gift Aid? Why is it important?
Gift Aid is a tax relief for charities in the UK to increase donations – at no extra cost to the person making the donation.
When a charity receives a donation from a UK taxpayer, the charity is entitled to claim an extra 25% paid on that donation.
A £10 donation processed with Gift Aid becomes a £12.50 donation!
What are the rules for Gift Aid
To use Gift Aid, you must have paid enough income tax or capital gains tax to HMRC in the tax year in which you make your donation – at least equal to the amount that the charity will reclaim. The charity will ask you to sign a Gift Aid declaration confirming that you pay enough tax.
When you #TickTheBox, we can do so much more… and If you #TickTheBox – thank you!
A musical masterclass
20th October 2023
On 1st October, through the support of two of our fundholders, the Essex Young Musicians’ Trust and the Brian and Julie Cue Fund, we enabled a Masterclass to be held at Ongar Music Club given by Tasmin Little CBE, one of the supremely great violinists of our time.
During the afternoon Tasmin worked with six young violinists and one violist, providing them with one-to-one tuition and guidance. Essex born pianist, Joanna Smith, accompanied the students during the day. In the evening the musicians presented a recital which was greatly enjoyed by the audience, and at the end of the concert Tasmin awarded the new Essex Young Musicians’ Trust Norman Harper Prize, a £1,000 study bursary.
Norman Harper was a member of the Basildon Symphony Orchestra and when he died his widow, Jean, started a fund within the EYMT in his memory. In her will, Jean left the trust a further sum which has enabled this prize to be established.
The winner this year was Cyrus Yuen. Born in Hong Kong, he gave his first solo performance at the age of 6 and has travelled the world in pursuit of his dream. He is now a student at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama studying under Professor Stephanie Gonley for a Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance.
Jane Webster, Chair of Ongar Music Club said, “The Masterclass was a huge success, helping to nurture the talent of young musicians in Essex is a large part of Ongar Music Club’s objective, and we are grateful to ECF and their fundholders for support in helping us to deliver this opportunity”.
“The music students gain so much from masterclasses. The students were all Grade 6 and above and were all very talented. To have individual tuition and advice from an International Artiste such as Tasmin Little, can be so inspiring for a young musician. The Masterclass was open to the public, and all the students attended each other’s sessions. It was clear that the students were able to learn from observing as well as from performing themselves”.
“We look forward to holding another Masterclass next year.”
If you would like to watch Cyrus play, click here.
Making lasting friendships
26th September 2023
Friendship is a vital element at every stage of life and the positive bonds we form with other people are essential for our wellbeing.
September, which is designated as National Friendship Month, brings this topic to the fore and gives everyone the chance to recognise what their friends mean to them.
Founded by the Oddfellows Friendly Society in 2010, Friendship Month is celebrated across the world and highlights the important role that friends play in our lives. People are encouraged to spend more time with friends and really appreciate them, as well as reconnecting with old friends and reaching out to make new ones.
We support a wide range of grassroots community organisations and voluntary groups that encourage and nurture friendships, including those who help to bring elderly people together and reduce isolation, making a huge difference across Essex.
Age Well East, based in Colchester, estimates that more than 80,000 people in Essex experience loneliness. To help them tackle this problem, we have given them funding to run groups and activities across North Essex.
The popular friendship service provides the connections that people often lose in later life. Linda, who lives alone, attends a Friday lunch club run by Age Well East. She enjoys nothing more than good company, a laugh and a chat. Attending the club has transformed her life and she looks forward to meeting up with her new friends there every week.
“It is a lifeline for me, and I would say to anyone thinking about joining a lunch club that you’re never too old to make friends,” said Linda.
Friendship is recognised as a fundamental way of making people happier and building stronger communities. Our grants help groups like Age Well East to thrive and ensure that friendship is not confined to September but flourishes all year round.
Some of the groups we have supported with grants over the past year include:
- Steeple Community Group – £1,000 to run a regular coffee afternoon and activities for over 45s.
- Tolleshunt Autumn Leaves Club – £3,000 to support the club which is 52 years old and has a membership of around 65 people. They organise regular outings, entertainment and lunches for isolated older people living in the rural area around Tolleshunt D’Arcy.
- Langdon Hills Over 60’s Club in Basildon – £2,500 to run a lunch club, as most people attending live alone and this is their main social interaction with others. Funding from ECF is also used towards the cost of hiring the club venue.
- The Thursday Club – £585 provided a Christmas celebration for older people in Bradwell-on-Sea and surrounding areas.
- Hockley and Hawkwell Day Centre – £7,000 to pay utility costs of the day centre which is open to elderly people in Rochford.
- Bereavement and Friendship Café in Clacton – £750 for transport and running costs.
- Age Concern Southend – £18,250 to expand their befriending service for lonely or isolated older people to help improve their mental health and wellbeing.
Legacy helps vision impaired people in Brentwood
4th September 2023
Sight loss charities, Essex Sight and BASIS, will be able to increase their support for local people with visual impairment thanks to a funding boost of over £44,000.
Essex Sight holds a regular monthly sight centre in Brentwood Community Hospital and the money means the charity can increase their service to twice each month.
The funding has come from the Malcolm and Beryl Crook Fund which is managed by Essex Community Foundation (ECF).
Carol Massey at Essex Sight said, “This funding will make a huge difference to the support we give through our centre at Brentwood Community Hospital.
“Essex has 54,790 vision impaired people, the third highest of two-tier local authorities in England and this number is forecast to rise by 20% in the next ten years, so the increased provision of sight loss support is hugely important.
“Anyone affected by sight loss can come along to the centre for information and support. There is also an opportunity to try out magnifiers and other low vision aids, all of which can help to make life easier.”
Essex Sight will be working in partnership with BASIS who will be offering a home visiting service to clients who are not able to get to the Hospital. During the visits, BASIS staff can provide emotional support, demonstrate equipment, provide details of social activities and signpost to other local support services.
Carol added, “To support the increased service at Brentwood Community Hospital we need more volunteers, so if you have a few hours to spare each month, then please get in touch with us.
“The sight centre operates on the second Tuesday and fourth Thursday of each month 10am-4pm in the main reception area of the hospital”.
Beryl was originally a client of Fiona Ashworth, a solicitor with Colchester-based Thompson, Smith & Puxon.
Fiona said, “After Malcolm died in 2005, and having no children, Beryl wanted her estate, on her death, to benefit local charities in the Brentwood area where she and Malcolm had spent most of their lives.
“I suggested ECF could provide the perfect solution to meet Beryl’s charitable wishes, ensuring that local organisations would benefit in perpetuity from her legacy, and through the fund in their names, keep Malcolm and Beryl’s memory alive.
“It is wonderful to now see how their fund is benefitting local people and to know that this will continue year after year.”
Essex Sight has been helping the visually impaired since 1920. The charity holds sight centres across the County providing information on eye conditions, benefits, local services, and registration. They also demonstrate low vision aids and other essential equipment.
BASIS celebrated their 25th anniversary this year supporting vision impaired people across South Essex. Visitors can attend their resource centre in Basildon or receive a home visit from their outreach worker. The charity also runs a befriending service whereby sighted volunteers give face-to-face and telephone companionship to those most isolated.
For more information contact Essex Sight on 01206 548196, email services@essexsight.org.uk or BASIS on 01268 522817, email admin@basissouthessex.org.uk.
High Sheriffs’ Fund open for applications
30th August 2023
The High Sheriff of Essex, Charles Bishop, is encouraging charities and voluntary groups to apply for funding from the High Sheriffs’ Fund to support their work tackling crime and community safety.
Grants of up to £5,000 are available to support organisations working across Essex, Southend and Thurrock for a wide range of work and projects. These include helping victims of crime, working with young people and informing them about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, gangs and anti-social behaviour, and initiatives that contribute to keeping elderly residents safe in their homes and the wider community.
Previously supported projects included self-defence training for young women, sessions that increase awareness of modern slavery, a programme helping people experiencing homelessness to find accommodation and drama performances in schools that teach students about the dangers of alcohol misuse.
The independent charitable trust, Essex Community Foundation (ECF) has managed the High Sheriffs’ Fund since 1997 and since then, grants totalling £700,000 have been given to a wide range of charities. In addition, successive High Sheriffs who have fundraised during their year of office, combined with donations made by Essex Police from the Proceeds of Crime Matched Funding Scheme, have helped to grow the endowed High Sheriffs’ Fund which provides an annual programme of grants.
Charles has already visited many charities and voluntary groups across the county, meeting volunteers and seeing first-hand the difference these organisations are making.
He said: “It is a privilege to recognise the important work of volunteers and local charities that are making such a difference in our communities. Providing support from the High Sheriffs’ Fund is just one way of showing thanks and appreciation, so I very much encourage groups to apply for funding to support their vital work.”
Andy Payne Worpole, Head of Programmes at ECF, said: “We are delighted to work with successive High Sheriffs to ensure the money they raise tackles important issues at a local level. We also have other charitable funds that can support community safety initiatives so please call our dedicated grants team who will give you support and guidance.”
The deadline for applications is 10 November. Click here to apply or call the grants team on 01245 355947.
Harlow Trust keeps residents moving
Voluntary and community organisations in Harlow are being encouraged to apply for grants from the Harlow Recreation Trust.
Grants of up to £10,000 are available for projects and activities that support the development of recreational skills, knowledge and talent for the benefit of people living in Harlow.
The Trust has been managed by Essex Community Foundation (ECF) since 2010 and has awarded grants totalling over £500,000 to support local charities and voluntary groups. ECF assesses all applications to the Trust and works with a panel of local people who share their local knowledge and expertise to help make decisions on which applications to support.
Andy Payne Worpole, head of programmes at ECF, said: “The grants awarded from this Trust help build recreational skills and confidence. Over the past 13 years, a wide range of projects have benefited from support, including horticultural therapy sessions, sports clubs and a weekly group for young carers.
“The grants team at ECF are available to discuss ideas and funding needs. Grants will generally be for one year, but for exceptional projects the panel may consider awarding funds over a longer term.”
CanalAbility is among the organisations to have been awarded funding previously. A grant of £7,000 helped them to buy a new engine and gearbox for one of their Canal boats which provides accessible day trips to people with disabilities in Harlow.
Doreen Goodall, general manager, said: “We are dependent on two of our boats being available to provide 4-hour trips 300 days a year. We were so grateful for the funding as we were able to replace the engine in our Challenger boat which had exceeded well above the number of expected hours.
“Now we can continue to provide trips for people who, because of their varying disabilities, might not otherwise have access to the enjoyment of being on a boat and all the associated benefits this brings.”
Harlow stroke Support Group also received a grant of £6,000 from the Harlow Recreation Trust to provide chair-based exercise classes for stroke survivors. The sessions help people to rebuild confidence in their abilities in a safe and friendly space and the exercises helps them with their posture, walking and improving their balance so they are less prone to falling over.
Apply here or call the grants team on 01245 356018. The deadline for submitting applications is 5pm on 29 September 2023.