Fighting fire, supporting local charities
25th July 2025
The hot and dry summer months present numerous challenges for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS), including an increased risk of wildfires and other emergencies. Beyond their frontline duties, and since 2006, ECFRS has been collaborating with us to support a wide range of local charities and voluntary groups.
Firefighters in Essex are always at the ready to respond to a wide range of emergencies across the county and many lives have been saved thanks to their bravery and dedication.
As well as tackling fires, their skills are also in constant demand to deal with road traffic collisions, specialist rescues, maritime incidents, flooding and incidents involving hazardous materials.
The high-profile work of fire service staff in Essex is well recognised. But their work in the community, although less well known, is also of vital importance. From educating young people about the dangers of fire to protecting vulnerable people, through fire prevention measures in their homes, this work helps to make Essex a safer place.
Community groups and charities making a positive impact in the county, tackling a wide range of social issues, have also been given much-needed support by the charitable fund set up by Essex County Fire and Rescue Service nearly two decades ago.
The fund is managed by us and since it was established, the fund has awarded grants worth almost £200,000.
Neil Cross, Director of Finance, Procurement and Improvement with Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said: “People identify us with the shiny red trucks they see when we are out on call. But the fire service is so much more than that. We are actively engaged in fire prevention and detection work as well as a wide range of projects to promote safety in the community.
“Working with Essex Community Foundation helps us to achieve our strategic goals, and the grants awarded from our charitable fund make a real difference. When so many charities are struggling to raise the vital funds they need, it can be difficult to prioritise and decide which organisation should receive the money. ECF helps us to understand where our funding will have the greatest impact.
“Through the Community Foundation we have found out about some organisations we were not familiar with and have been able to make visits to them to find out first hand about their work. Through this we can sometimes identify people who are at risk and may need some fire prevention updates and advice.
“Our Firebreak scheme (pictured left) is a great example of our intervention work with young people. The five-day courses are held at our operational fire stations, and they help young people learn about structure, discipline and working as a team. Climbing ladders, spraying water and engaging with fire service staff all prove very popular and we have had very good feedback about the benefits of the programme. By the end of the course there are a lot of bright faces and the young people have developed some life skills.
“A recent grant from our fund has also given support to the Braintree Youth Project (pictured right), a charity working with disadvantaged and vulnerable young people. I was very pleased to be able to make a visit, spend some time with them and learn more about their work. Becoming involved in this way is more than just handing over a cheque.” 
Other local organisations recently supported by the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service Charitable Fund, through grants from ECF, include:
- London Bus Theatre Company – to support a project highlighting issues around alcohol and binge drinking for vulnerable Year 6 young people living in Clacton-on-Sea.
- Rainbow Services – to expand a community youth project in Harlow helping young people to reengage with education and supporting them to build more positive futures.
- BASICS Essex, a charity of volunteer doctors and paramedics who respond to incidents at the request of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust. They received a grant to help with the running costs of their office base in Chelmsford, where they deliver training, store equipment and meet with volunteers, clinicians and partners.
- Maldon District Community Voluntary Services – to improve the safety of Men’s Sheds across Essex and increase the benefit for those who attend by enabling First Aid Training, PAT Testing training, networking forums and other activities that promote the health, wellbeing and safety of Shedders.
“Essex Community Foundation is a fantastic organisation and working with them and attending their events is a privilege,” said Neil.
“We are also very pleased and proud to be involved in the annual High Sheriff’s Awards, which ECF organises, to recognise the work of voluntary organisation working across Essex and their contribution to community safety.
“It is very important to hear and see a lot of the good work being done in the community and hearing some of the stories is really moving.”
Providing home safety fire visits, fitting smoke alarms in the homes of people who may be at risk, is another important aspect of the community work carried out by staff from the Essex County Fire and Rescue service.
Fire station open days also help to educate people about staying safe and the events are well-attended across the county, providing fun for families and also highlighting recruitment opportunities for potential fire fighters of the future.
With extreme weather conditions bringing increased risks of fire and floods, plus social issues having an impact on community safety, the fire service will continue to be extremely busy in Essex.
“We are determined that, as an organisation, we make sure that we have the skills and equipment to meet any future challenges,” said Neil.
“Also, anything we can do to engage with the wider community and help improve the safety of people in Essex is a very positive thing.”
Andy Payne Worpole, Director of Policy and Programmes at ECF said, “We are pleased to work with Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, and other public agencies, helping them to direct funding to where it is most needed and have the greatest impact. The Essex County Fire and Rescue Service charitable fund has reached a significant milestone in its grantmaking. We look forward to continuing to work with them and help more local charities and voluntary groups to benefit from support.”
Facts about ECFRS:
- Attended over 16,000 incidents in 2024
- Covers a service area of 1,417 square miles
- Employs 1,500 people across the county, including wholetime and on-call fire fighters, plus support staff.
- Teams operate from 50 Fire Stations around the county
- Runs 66 fire engines
For advice or to check and install fire alarms, book a free Home Safety Visit: https://www.essex-fire.gov.uk/book-home-safety-visit or phone: 0300 303 0088 (9.30am – 4pm) or email: home.safety@essex-fire.gov.uk
To find out how we can help you support your local community, call Perry Norton on 01245 355947 or email perry@essexcf.org.uk
Grants available for Harlow charities keeping people active
23rd July 2025
Voluntary and community organisations in Harlow are being encouraged to apply for grants from the Harlow Recreation Trust.
Grants of between £500 and £7,500 are available for projects and activities that support recreational activities, knowledge and talent for the benefit of people living in Harlow.
The Trust has been managed by us since 2010 and has awarded grants totalling nearly £570,000 to support local charities and voluntary groups. We assess all applications to the Trust and work with a panel of local people who share their knowledge and expertise to help make decisions on which applications to support.
Andy Payne Worpole, Director of Policy and Programmes at ECF, said: “The grants available from this fund are helping to keep people active through sports and social projects.
“We know there are many charities and voluntary groups in Harlow that are providing a range of activities and we encourage them to get in touch with our grants team who are always happy to discuss ideas and funding needs. Grants are generally awarded for one year, but for exceptional projects the panel may consider projects over multiple years.”
Previous organisations that have received support include Plant Pots and Wellies, a Harlow based project providing safe opportunities for horticultural and outdoor therapy. They received £4,000 from the Trust to support the cost of employing a part-time member of staff to deliver a range of outdoor activity sessions for children, young adults and adults with additional needs.
The Griffin Bowls Club also received funding from the Trust and £4,786 helped to pay for equipment and the fees to maintain the greens of the community bowls club.
The deadline to submit an application is 1 September 2025.
Charities, voluntary and community groups in Harlow are also encouraged to join us online on Wednesday 6 August where they can learn about the fund in more detail and ask questions. To join, sign up using this link.
To apply for a grant or to read more about who we support, click here.
The Rob George Foundation secures its long-term future
2nd July 2025
After more than a decade of supporting young people across the UK, the Rob George Foundation (RGF) has announced a strategic step to secure its long-term future by transferring its operations to us.
RGF was founded in January 2014 in memory of Rob George, an accomplished sportsman and Colchester Royal Grammar School student who died aged just 21 following a courageous battle with acute myeloid leukaemia. Since then, the Foundation has provided over £1 million in grants and supported more than 1,700 young people facing life-threatening illnesses or pursuing excellence in sport and the performing arts.
Philip George, Rob’s dad and chair of the RGF Trustees, said, “We knew that the time had come for us to think about succession and sustainability. Partnering with ECF allows us to preserve the spirit and purpose of the Foundation, while placing it in experienced and trusted hands. We’re excited about the future and comforted by the knowledge that the fund created in Rob’s name is now safeguarded for generations to come.
“Rob would’ve been proud of everything we’ve achieved, and proud that we’ve found a way to ensure the work carries on.”
We bring almost 30 years of expertise in managing charitable funds and shares RGF’s commitment to maximising impact, while keeping overheads low. We have previously collaborated on several jointly funded awards, building a relationship founded on shared values and transparency.
For supporters, the transition will feel largely seamless. Donations and fundraising efforts will continue as before, with all contributions going directly to the RGF endowment managed by us. Grants will be awarded monthly within a framework that ensures sustainability.
Caroline Taylor, CEO of Essex Community Foundation, said, “It is a real privilege for us to take on the management of the Rob George Foundation and help carry forward the incredible legacy that Philip and Lorraine have built in their son’s memory.
“Since 2014, the Foundation has made a profound difference to the lives of young people with life-threatening illnesses or who are pursuing excellence in sport and the performing arts, and their families. We are proud to continue this important work and ensure Rob’s memory lives on through every grant made in his name. The partnership reflects our shared ethos of creating lasting change and supporting people in need”.
Applications will continue to be welcomed under the Foundation’s original aims – supporting young people with life-threatening conditions and helping those with exceptional talent in sport of the arts. Eligible applicants must be based in Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire or any London Borough.
For more information about the Rob George Foundation and its new partnership with us, please visit www.therobgeorgefoundation.co.uk
Donations can be made at any time via our Enthuse page.
More Than a Store: How Chelmsford Star Co-op is investing in the heart of Essex.
27th June 2025
As Chelmsford Star Co-op celebrates nearly 160 years in the community, we reflect on this most recognised of retailers and its unshakeable charitable spirit.
The Co-op logo is a familiar and welcome sight in many Essex towns and villages. More than just places to pick up essentials, the shops are the cornerstone of communities across the county. Nowhere is this more evident than in the work of the Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society.
With roots stretching back 158 years, Chelmsford Star is not just a local branch of a national institution, it is a community-owned business that still operates on the values it was founded upon, honesty, openness, solidarity and caring for others.
These values came to the fore when the COVID pandemic struck in 2020. The Co-op’s response was swift, with a donation of £20,000 to the independent charitable trust, Essex Community Foundation (ECF) to support their Essex Coronavirus Response and Recovery Fund.
But the crisis revealed a deeper need for ongoing, strategic support and in 2021 the Co-op formalised its giving by establishing a charitable fund with ECF.
The fund is an enduring commitment, an endowed source of support that will grow year by year, helping charities and voluntary groups working in areas where the Chelmsford Star has stores in mid and South Essex.
Alongside this, money raised by staff and shoppers, from in-store raffles to carrier bag donations, ensures immediate help reaches those who need it most.
The impact the Co-op makes in Essex is tangible. For every £1 spent in a Co-op store in the county, an estimated 30p is reinvested into the local economy.
However, their commitment doesn’t stop at the tills. Chelmsford Star Co-op has a long history of supporting local charities, including giving food and drinks to support community events, running its Community Card Scheme where points gained from spending in stores can be turned into cash and having a Charity of the Year.
Tony Price, President of Chelmsford Star Co-op, said: “We are owned by our members, the people using our shops and services, so we are the very definition of a community business. Our colleagues are all local people, we reinvest our profits back into local neighbourhoods and we are committed to supporting local charities and community groups.”
A Membership Commitee made up of independent members works with ECF to agree which charities and voluntary groups will benefit from support.
Pauline Dodd, Chair of the panel, said, “Working with ECF has helped us to have a greater understanding of issues that local charities are tackling in our communities. They share detailed assessments of applications they have received, and which might be eligible for support from the Co-op’s Fund. We review the requests, ensuring that a group’s work aligns with Co-op values and, together with ECF, we discuss which ones to support.
“We try to balance our giving in the areas where we have stores, supporting groups that are tackling a wide range of issues. We are also pleased to fund core costs of charities as we know that without this, many groups would cease to exist or would be unable to deliver their vital services.”
So far, the fund has given over £87,000 to around 40 organisations. The most recent recipient, Chelmsford Counselling Foundation, received nearly £4,000 to help expand its vital mental health services.
“We are incredibly grateful,” said Cathy Platt, one of the Foundation’s counsellors. “This grant will enable us to reach more people in need, offering them affordable, expert care to help them navigate life’s challenges.”
Chelmsford Star Co-op may be a place where you buy your bread and milk, but it’s also a place where community roots run deep and every purchase contributes to a greater purpose. In a world of faceless corporations, it’s refreshing to find a business that remembers what community truly means.
A Co-operative business is owned by and operated for the benefit of the people using it. It can sell any type of product or offer any type of service. These can include pubs, banks, schools and even football teams.
Charities and community groups that have received support from the Chelmsford Star Co-op Community Fund include:
Braintree Rethink was established in 2008 to support those living with mental illness. Bringing people together, where they can focus on writing, drawing and painting, can help them refocus and manage their anxieties is a safe environment. Funding of £700 is helping the group to keep operating and continue supporting those in need.
Hearing Help Essex received a grant of £2,000 helping them to deliver a pilot project that provides a safe environment for those living with hearing loss. In this space they can meet, socialise and receive further support, helping to alleviate social isolation and loneliness that hearing loss can bring.
The Country Trust is a leading education charity connecting children from areas of economic disadvantage with the land. A grant of £1,000 has ensured they can deliver their Food Discovery Programme, where primary school aged children can learn about where food comes from and how it is made, along with practical outdoor education which includes a farm visit and hands-on experience.
Rayleigh Vineyard (Growbaby) received £1,500 enabling them to support families experiencing financial hardship, providing them with essential items including, nappies, and milk, for their children.
SNAP (Special Needs and Parents) received £1,000 towards the costs of running holiday clubs for children with additional needs and disabilities in Brentwood, Basildon and other parts of Essex.
Support for Sight received £896 to expand the social and wellbeing activities on offer to individuals with sight loss or visual impairment at a base in Chelmsford.
Families in Focus received £1,500 to support a weekly activity club in Chelmsford for children with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) and their families.
History of Chelmsford Star Co-operative
In 1866, Thomas Chapman met with friends at the London Road Iron Works in Chelmsford, where he was then employed, to discuss ways of improving the lives of their families.
Life was hard in this time, with severe economic issues affecting the whole country. Cost of goods and produce was at an all-time high, leaving families struggling to survive and feed their children.
Fed up with inflated prices and some businesses extorting prices even higher, a group of Chelmsford workers, including Thomas Chapman, decided to open their own ‘honest and reliable’ shop where prices would be lower and accessible for all.
A year later, ‘The Chelmsford Star Industrial Society’ was officially launched and started trading.
You can watch a short video about the history of the Co-op here.
Funding available for charities in Braintree District
A fund which has provided more than £1 million to support Braintree district residents and communities is now open for applications.
Established by Braintree District Council and Eastlight Community Homes, and managed by us, the Braintree District and Eastlight Community Fund has supported dozens of good causes which have helped thousands of Braintree District residents.
The fund supports causes which tackle the big issues affecting residents the most, including the cost-of-living, loneliness and isolation, emotional health and wellbeing and the lack of opportunities for young people.
Applications are welcomed from charities, residents’ groups, social enterprises and other non-profit organisations.
Grants of between £500 and £2,500 are available for smaller scale grassroots projects, alongside larger awards of up to £30,000 over three years.
Eastlight resident and fund panel member, Craig Clackett, said: “We’re so proud that many fantastic local charities and organisations are changing lives through this fund, including Halstead Community Shed, Action for Family Carers and Rethink Mental Illness.
“Whether it’s a new or existing project, we want to hear from you if you need a grant to continue making such a difference to those in your community.”
Cllr Mary Cunningham, Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities at Braintree District Council, said: “It is always so inspiring to see the brilliant work done by local charities and community groups with this funding. I look forward to reviewing the latest round of applications and seeing the positive influence they bring to the district.”
Zoe Brampton, Grants Manager at Essex Community Foundation said, “This is a great opportunity for eligible groups in and around the Braintree District. Whether it’s support towards running costs or to develop specific projects, we encourage people to reach out to us and discuss their ideas.”
Organisations supported by last year’s fund include CARA (Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse), who received £20,000 to continue to provide specialist sexual violence counselling, Dance Network Association, who received £10,000 to continue holding dance classes for those with dementia, and Popcorn, who received £2,500 to help continue to support young people to build their confidence and connect with their peers.
The deadline to apply is Monday, 18 August 2025. Apply here.
If you would like to discuss your funding needs or ideas with us before submitting an application, we would be happy to have a conversation. Please contact the Grants team on 01245 355947 or book a time slot to talk to one of our Grants Officers.
For more detailed guidelines about available funding and who is eligible, click here.
‘Fundbuilding’ the future
Our Trustee, Sandra Hollis, who is also chair of our Fund Development Committee, welcomed over 70 local professionals to our 12th Private Client Advisers event, held at Rivenhall Oaks Golf Centre on 13 June.
The event was generously sponsored by Chartered Accountant & Business Advisory firm, Larking Gowen. Their Tax Director, Gillian McGill, spoke about the importance of charity and community to their business to the attentive audience.
Dawn Lay-Flurrie, Partner at Larking Gowen said, “We were proud to sponsor the Essex Community Foundation’s Private Client event as part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the local community and charitable initiatives.
“These events offer a valuable opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals, share insights, and strengthen relationships across the region. It was a pleasure to engage in meaningful conversations and showcase how our firm’s values align with the Foundation’s mission. The relaxed networking format, combined with the chance to highlight our charitable activities, made it a truly rewarding experience.”
Sandra gave an overview of our work supporting voluntary and community groups in Essex and establishing charitable funds on behalf of individuals, families, businesses and public agencies. Each year we give away around £3.5 million in grants, but with over £7 million in funding requests, the need continues to outpace resources with the majority of supported organisations being small, local charities. She stressed the long-term impact of endowment-based giving, a key benefit of our model and the goal to secure £30 million in new donations by 2030, which we outlined in our strategic plan.
Sandra then introduced Gail Cunningham, also a Trustee, and a consultant who works with foundations and charities on investment practice and governance as well as impact investing. Gail talked about trends in philanthropic engagement and her family’s experience of joining our “Fundbuilder” initiative, a flexible model allowing donors to build charitable funds over time. Gail highlighted its relevance for next generation giving and intergenerational wealth transfer, with some family funds now being managed by younger generations.
After listening to our speakers, attendees had time to network with like-minded business professionals, exchanging ideas and experiences, whilst enjoying delicious canapes and catering provided by Rivenhall.
Perry Norton, head of development at ECF, said, “These events provide an opportunity for private client professionals to ask questions and gain insights from within the charitable and voluntary sector, so they can talk to their clients when appropriate about local giving. The Fundbuilder initiative is a simple way to start growing a charitable fund whilst also benefitting our amazing local charities.”