Festive cheer for two charities
29th November 2022
Two exceptional Essex charities have been given a funding boost to recognise their team spirit and outstanding work over the past year.
The charities, Essex Search and Rescue and Thurrock CVS, were chosen for a special award by staff and volunteers at the independent charitable trust, Essex Community Foundation (ECF).
In the course of its vital work ECF has close contact with hundreds of local charities, distributing grants to good causes from the funds it manages on behalf of individuals, families, companies and statutory organisations.
ECF’s staff and volunteers have established their own Team Fund and each year they pick local charities who have had an exceptional year and have a team who deserve recognition by receiving some funding to do something special for themselves.
The staff and volunteers at Essex Search & Rescue and Thurrock CVS are receiving funding so that they can spend some relaxing time together.
Essex Search and Rescue is made up entirely of volunteers, who often work in difficult conditions to support Essex Police and other rescue services. Working in shifts that cover all hours, volunteers come across some upsetting circumstances including suicide attempts, fatalities and missing people. So far this year, the Search and Rescue volunteers have attended 70 call outs across Essex. They plan to spend their funding on a special meal out.
Thurrock CVS provides support to around 500 voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise groups in the Thurrock area. They also run a wide variety of projects including a home help service for those who have just left hospital.
The team has had a tough year, as in August, Kristina Jackson, their CEO of 11 years, sadly died. Her death had a big impact on the team, so they spent the money on a Christmas party, gathering together to mark the end of a difficult year and to begin the festive season.
Caroline Taylor, chief executive of ECF said: “Charities work so hard and would often not think of doing something for themselves. The grant from our team to theirs is meant to be a treat. They can put the money towards anything, but we encourage them to do something for themselves that they wouldn’t otherwise do and give their team a morale boost.
“Since we started our Team Fund in 2010, we have awarded more than £17,000 to the teams of 21 local charities, to thank them for all their hard work during the year and recognise their significant contribution to our local communities.”
For more information on supporting the work of local charities call ECF on 01245 355947.
East of England Co-op donates £100,000 to help sustain local warm hubs and foodbanks through the winter
The largest independent retailer in the east of England has donated £100,000 to helping people in the region keep warm and fed this winter. The East of England Co-op has re-directed funds from its Christmas marketing budget to go directly to local warm hubs and foodbanks, helping local people in need of support this winter.
Working with Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex Community Foundations, £70,000 will be split among warm hubs. Warm hubs have been set-up to provide those who need it with a warm space, food and drink. Critically, the hubs also provide guidance and signposting to additional support for people using the service.
The remaining £30,000 will be donated to 25 local foodbanks. The donations will be given out in foodbank parcels in the form of vouchers which can be used to pay for items such as groceries, electric and gas top-ups from the East of England Co-op.
The money would typically be spent on marketing leaflets featuring the East of England Co-op’s Christmas offers, usually distributed to 0.5m homes across the region. The donation will instead benefit thousands of local people through Christmas and into January, February and beyond.
Niall O’Keeffe, joint chief executive of the East of England Co-op said: “Warm hubs have been created in the face of spiralling energy costs and demand on foodbanks this winter is expected to be unprecedented. In these difficult times we have been compelled to do more than we have ever done before. Re-directing our marketing spend to help people directly was morally the right decision knowing the difference the money will make to those most in need in our community.
“We are working closely with the Community Foundations to ensure this is a donation not just for Christmas, but that will continue to make a difference right through the winter and in particular the tough first few months of the year when there is typically a fall in charitable giving.”
The east of England is a world leader in clean energy generation with figures recently released by GENERATE showing that 32% of UK homes are powered by clean energy from our region. Despite so much energy on our doorstep, it is estimated more than half (51%) of households in the east will be living in fuel poverty by January 2023, ramping up demand on warm hubs.
Jackie Pobjoy, business manager at Walton Community Centre, one of the facilities benefiting from the donation commented: “We will be offering food, warmth, practical support and so much more, all under one roof, creating an accessible space which anyone can use without fear of judgement. Running a warm hub has the potential to make a huge difference in our community, particularly in Walton where there are no other services like this. We are extremely grateful to the East of England Co-op for their financial support, which will directly benefit so many people locally who are having to make a tough choice between heating or eating. It is a hard time for everybody right now.”
Henry Wilson from Reach Haverhill foodbank commented: “As the nights draw in and it is getting colder, more families need help from our foodbank than at any other time in our 14-year history. We have already fed more children in 2022 than any other year and we still have 6 weeks to go. Therefore, the very generous donation of vouchers for food and heating is incredibly welcome. We value the dignity that vouchers afford people, giving them far more choice and empowering families who find themselves facing a financial crisis and hardship.”
In 2020 the East of England Co-op launched the Foodbank Donation Gift Card. The card can be purchased in store and then be given as a gift at Christmas with 100% of the £5 purchase price going to local foodbanks. The card contains a message of thanks for helping local people in crisis. East of England Co-op customers are being encouraged to support however they can either through donations at the till point, by purchasing the Foodbank Donation Gift Card for someone or donating groceries at collection points in store. Niall added: “We want to make it easy for our customers to give back to their community and ethical gifting is an excellent way to do that.”
The marketing budget re-direct ends a significant year of giving for the East of England Co-op, which donated more than £400,000 to local charities and good causes in 2022.
For more information visit www.eastofengland.coop.
Apply for support:
We are keen to hear from local charities and voluntary groups and are here to help with grants, where possible. Please contact us or fill in our short, online application form here.
New partnership with the Freemasons’ charity will support Ukrainian Refugees
24th November 2022
We are pleased to be working with the Freemasons’ charity (MCF), through UK Community Foundations, to support refugees from Ukraine.
The funding will be distributed to local organisations in Essex, supporting the integration of Ukrainian refugees into their local communities in one or more of the following ways:
- Preparing support for refugees arriving from Ukraine
- Funding the direct delivery of services for Ukrainian refugees
- Developing longer-term support for the integration of Ukrainian refugees
Along with nine other community foundations in the UK Community Foundations network, we are participating in the project because our region has welcomed Ukrainian refugees this year.
Rosemary Macdonald, CEO of UK Community Foundations, commented: “We are pleased to be able to distribute support to local organisations who are doing so much to welcome Ukrainians into their communities. It is the small, grassroots charities and groups that know their local areas who are best able to listen to new arrivals and help them find the resources and support that they need.”
Les Hutchinson, Chief Executive of the Freemasons’ charity, said: “I’m very pleased we’ve been able to provide substantial assistance to Ukrainians in need across the country. There has been an unprecedented wave of support for Ukrainians from the British public but there is a great deal more that needs to be done. These are people who have left everything behind in a country suffering the effects of a devastating war and I’m proud the help Freemasons have provided has now exceeded a million pounds.”
If you are a charitable organisation working in Essex to help Ukrainian refugees, please contact our grants team to discuss making an application. Call us on 01245 355947 or e-mail grants@essexcf.org.uk.
Financially struggling charities offered new lifeline as Saffron Community Fund grants open
14th November 2022
As the cost-of-living crisis impacts everyone, donations to charities are on the decline as people count their pennies to get through what is likely to be a difficult winter. The Saffron Community Fund is offering a lifeline to smaller local charities as it announces that applications open today to apply for a grant from the Saffron Building Society initiative.
The Fund is operated in partnership with Essex Community Foundation, who receive and manage all grant applications on behalf of Saffron Building Society.
Grants are open to charities, not-for-profits, community, and volunteer groups. Each application for a grant is assessed individually to ensure all funding is fairly distributed to charities during this difficult period.
Claire Hunnable, Saffron’s Community Business Partner, explains: “Our Fund is an essential source of funding for some of the smaller charities and community groups around our branches. We have developed a unique and important working relationship with Essex Community Foundation that ensure all grant decisions made by our panel are undertaken with expert guidance from them.
“Every year we are amazed by the diversity of the applications and are always delighted to be introduced to groups we may never normally have been aware of. I also have the pleasure of meeting the people behind the projects and to see the amazing work that is happening all around our communities.”
In 2021, Saffron Community Fund announced it had reached the milestone of £100,000 in grant funds in the ten years since the launch, spread out over yearly grant funds totaling up to £20,000 per year.
However, this is now going to be significantly increased by Saffron joining the Reclaim Fund Scheme. The government backed scheme allows monies that are unclaimed and currently held in dormant accounts to be used for social and environmental schemes. In 2022, Saffron was able to claim over £436,000 from the Reclaim Fund initiative which has been added to the endowment fund which will now be used to bolster the value of grants from 2023 onwards. 2023 will also be the first year that grants will be issued twice yearly, to ensure if a deadline is missed, the recipient doesn’t have to wait another year to apply.
Claire added, “We are pleased to say that applications for the Fund are officially open, and we are always keen to hear from new groups who may need our support. If you run a charity or group and are unsure if you qualify for a grant, all the information and links you need are all available on our community fund webpage, with a step-by-step guide on how to apply. But you must be quick!”
How to apply
The deadline to apply to this Fund has passed. If you are still in need of funding for your voluntary or community organisation, please contact the ECF grants team on 01245 355947 or e-mail grants@essexcf.org.uk.
Supporting refugees in Essex
27th October 2022
The war in Ukraine caused hundreds of people to flee their homes and settle in other countries, including the United Kingdom, and many have been welcomed into homes and communities in Essex.
Charities are providing support to help people adapt to their new environment and overcome language barriers. Social groups are also vital in providing a safe space where refugees can meet each other and get help with everyday tasks, such as shopping for food and necessities.
Andy Payne Worpole, Head of Programmes at Essex Community Foundation, said: “It is impossible to fully understand the trauma that some of these people may have experienced and the upheaval the war has had on their lives.
“We are committed to supporting refugees in Essex and have funding available for local projects that are helping them to feel welcome and connected in their local community. “
Among the recent projects to be supported are:
- Voluntary Action Epping Forest received £6,730 to employ a part-time community hub responder to provide dedicated support to Ukrainian nationals in Epping Forest and Harlow.
- Hamelin Trust received £18,525 to increase the capacity of their community support and respite care teams, which work with Ukrainian families that have a disabled child.
- Colchester Mercury Theatre received £8,975 to run an intergenerational choir and host creative meetups to help support refugees, asylum seekers and migrants meet each other and express themselves.
- Welcome to the UK received £6,100 to develop a new community space and increase the number of English as a Second Language (ESOL) lessons on offer in Southend.
Andy added, “We have recently received a generous donation of £35,000 from the Freemason’s charity to support refugees in Essex, including projects helping those from Ukraine. I encourage groups in need of funding to contact us on 01245 355947 or email grants@essexcf.org.uk.”
To discuss how we could help you to support refugees in Essex, please get in touch with us.
Supporting the causes you are passionate about
26th October 2022
Each of us have our own passions and when you set up a fund with Essex Community Foundation you have the option of keeping your giving broad, to support a wide range of charitable work in the county, or to channel it towards what you care about most.
Ann and Anthony Bartleet were ahead of their time with their deep concerns for the natural environment and protecting our heritage for future generations – and this is what they choose to give to.
Their far-sighted interests and practical action for such causes, along with promoting musical events and activities, began several decades ago and continue to this day, through the Bartleet Family Fund they established with the independent charitable trust, Essex Community Foundation (ECF).
Historic churches, heritage and maritime centres, outreach programmes involving young people and opera workshops are among the projects that have benefited from grants totalling more than £200,000 distributed by ECF through their Fund.
“Essex is a very much underestimated county, but we have the most splendid buildings and wonderful countryside,” said Ann. “I believe that heritage, the environment and the countryside are hugely important to people’s wellbeing, which is why we always supported such causes, even when they were not as popular as they are now.”
She and Anthony brought up their three sons in Essex and had a family trust fund for many years to make annual charitable contributions. In 2017 they made the decision to transfer the management of the fund to ECF.
“This has proved to be very satisfactory, said Ann. “ECF give a very personal service, doing the groundwork and the administration for regular giving to both local and national charities. This allows me to respond to local requests for funding in the areas that I am especially interested in.
“Although the fund, quite rightly, concentrates on good causes that have direct community benefits, I like to think that by supporting environmental and cultural initiatives, I can remind everyone just how important the natural world, countryside and historic buildings and all sorts of cultural activities are to us all.”
At her home in Great Tey, Ann is surrounded by the glorious Essex countryside which she has cherished since she came from “over the border” in Hertfordshire to live in the county, at the start of her 45-year marriage to Anthony, a marine underwriter with Lloyds of London, who sadly died in 2019.
A passionate gardener, baker, crafter and true countrywoman, Ann says she feels fortunate that she has been able to give a lot of her time to the causes that have inspired her. More than two decades ago was made an MBE for preservation work protecting rural areas.
“For many years I was lucky enough to have been able to work as a trustee of environmental charities both nationally and locally, reflecting my interest in the historic built environment and in the natural world,” she said.
“I have been a trustee of the National Trust, vice chairman of CPRE as well as chairman of the local branch here in Essex. My husband set up a building preservation trust here in north-east Essex whose mission is to repair and find new uses for historic buildings in distress.
“As well as supporting national wildlife and nature conservation charities such as RSPB, Plantlife and the Woodland Trust, we have always contributed to Essex Wildlife Trust.”
Along with devotion to heritage and the countryside, Ann also has a lifelong love for music, having sung in choirs for 70 years, since she was a schoolgirl.
She said: “Music and the arts always played an important part in our lives, and we have been contributors to charities which support music in cathedrals. My husband was a trustee of a small opera company and we have been contributors to the Art Fund.”
Grants from the Bartleet Family Fund have helped to restore and repair bells and organs in several Essex churches and have also supported music festivals and choirs in the county.
Being involved in so many causes and organisations has given Ann a great insight into the power of harnessing people’s interests to ensure that everyone can benefit from healthy and sustainable surroundings.
“It is amazing what communities can do – and there is always plenty to do if you look out for it,” she says.
But Ann believes that the word community does not just relate to the people of the county. She feels it is also about preserving and restoring the important structures in our communities, so that people can appreciate their history and beauty now and in the future.
Although she says that advancing years mean restricting her activities to closer to home, Ann relishes her connections with the whole county. Her family fund is helping to fulfil the vision she and husband Anthony had to enhance the environment and help secure the precious heritage of Essex for future generations to enjoy.
A grant from the Bartleet Family Fund came to the rescue when members of Writtle Bowling Club feared that an historic grade two listed wall surrounding the club’s green could fall down.
The club, based in a conservation area in the picturesque village of Writtle, has sole responsibility for maintaining its boundary wall, parts of which date back to Tudor times.
Funding was desperately needed when investigations revealed that a section of the wall bordering the busy Lodge Road, needed extensive work to prevent possible collapse.
The club made an application to ECF for a grant and received £4,000 from the Bartleet Family Fund, as the project fitted perfectly with the fund’s aims.
Wendy Harvey from Writtle Bowling Club, who submitted the application on behalf of the club to ECF said: “We appreciate that we are in a conservation area with an historically important wall and take our heritage very seriously. But maintaining the wall is a huge burden and if we had to meet all the costs ourselves it would take us to rock bottom.
“We knew the wall wasn’t stable and it was a real worry that it might fall on to people walking by or on to cars in the road. I remember lying awake one night when we had some hefty storms, wondering if the wall was still going to be there in the morning!
“We are so very grateful for the grant from the Bartleet Family Fund towards the cost of repairs to the wall – it was a real lifesaver for us.”
If you would like to discuss your charitable goals and how ECF can help you to achieve them, click here or call us on 01245 355947.