Have a heart this Christmas

21st November 2024

Being prepared for serious and unexpected incidents was a way of life for George Cook as he rose through the ranks and became chief officer with the Essex Police Special Constabulary.

During his 47 years of distinguished service, he attended many incidents ranging from a highjacked aircraft at Stansted Airport, murders and serious and fatal road accidents, but suffering a heart attack in June was something he was not expecting.

George, 79, who lives in Southend, where he was born and bred, was so delighted with the treatment he received that he has pledged his support for the Essex Heart Fund, to help other patients in the county.

“My heart attack, which happened at home, was completely unexpected,” said George. “Although I have had other health issues, I didn’t have any history of heart problems. I called an ambulance when I realised that what I was experiencing was more than just indigestion.

“Following excellent treatment from the ambulance service I was taken on ‘blues and twos’ to Basildon Hospital’s heart unit. I was amazed by the speed with which I was assessed and treated.

“I was lucky that a major artery was not involved, but it was still a heart attack, which was treated by the insertion of a balloon. From arrival at the heart unit to being back on the ward after successful treatment, was approximately three hours and I was able to go home two days later.

“My attitude is that you have to get on with life and I am doing my best to stay fit and active, with an exercise regime every day, including a two-to-three-mile walk.

“The treatment I had from Dr Thomas Keeble and his team at the heart unit at Basildon Hospital was world class, which is why I am supporting the Essex Heart Fund. I want the people of Essex to be more aware of the fund and how it can help heart patients and their families.”

George combined a career in merchant banking, shipping, charity work and the public sector at executive level, with the outstanding service he gave to the Special Constabulary in Essex.

“Having a full-time paid job and also a demanding role within the Special Constabulary often meant that my social life suffered,” he said.

“I was fortunate to have understanding girlfriends and to have employers who allowed me time off to carry out police work. When I reached the age of 60 in 2005, I decided to take early retirement from my paid job to devote my time to the increasing demands of directing the Special Constabulary in Essex, whose numbers at that time were approaching 600. I also founded the Association of Special Constabulary Chief Officers and in the last two years of my service I spent the majority of my time on national issues.”

George was made an MBE in 2002 for services to the police and charity. He now wants to spread the word about the Essex Heart Fund and, as well as giving his personal support to the cause, says he is willing to give talks to local groups about his experience following his heart attack.

The Essex Heart Fund, which is managed by the independent charitable trust, Essex Community Foundation, was launched in 2020 by renowned consultant cardiologists, Dr Gerald Clesham and Dr Thomas Keeble, along with charity specialist Fred Heddell.

Dr Clesham and Dr Keeble both work at hospitals in Essex, including Basildon Hospital and Fred has wide experience of the charity sector in the county.

They developed the idea for a new charity in Essex with the aim of meeting the needs of Essex heart patients and their families and bringing major improvements to their lives.

Dr Clesham said: “Heart conditions are still the commonest causes of premature death and are a major cause of disability. Our cardiac services here in Essex serve a population of about 1.8 million people and we are fortunate to have the internationally-recognised Essex Cardiothoracic Centre in Basildon, along with some great work going on in our other hospitals the county.

“Money donated to the Essex Heart Fund is spent solely in the county, on community services and support groups for patients and their families, the development of new hospital-based clinical services and to support local cardiovascular education and research.”

The Fund has already awarded grants totalling nearly £15,000. The latest grant of £3,580 has enabled the purchase of a bedside lung function assessment device to monitor a patient’s vital signs while they are undergoing a TAVI (Trans Catheter Aortic Valve Implantation) procedure. This is particularly helpful for patients experiencing aortic stenosis which is when the aortic value in the heart has become narrowed. This is usually caused by a build-up of calcium deposits on the valve over the course of a lifetime.

The assessment device will help improve efficiency and decrease waiting list times at the Cardiothoracic Centre in Basildon.

Other grants from the Essex Heart Fund include support for:

the Tickers Cardiac Support Group to help provide cardiac fitness training for heart attack survivors at a venue in Chelmsford.
a training defibrillator for Essex Community First Aid, whose volunteers give first aid cover at community events across Essex.
the installation of defibrillators at Essex locations, in former telephone kiosks in Terling, Fairstead and Audley End and a bowling club in Thurrock.
a heated defibrillator cabinet for the three villages of Little Yeldham, Tilbury-Juxta-Clare and Ovington Parish Council.
the Saffron Walden Community Shed to buy a defibrillator for use by them and the local area.
to provide counselling for individuals impacted by Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS) in Colchester, Southend-on-Sea and Basildon

Did you know?

Heart conditions are still the commonest causes of premature death
7,500 heart procedures are performed every year at the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre
In Essex someone dies of heart disease every two hours
20,000 people in Essex have heart failure

Support the Essex Heart Fund

It is easy to make a donation and lots of ways that you can give support:

Donate online via essexheartfund.org.uk
Include EHF in your will
Choose EHF as your charity to support if you take part in a fundraising event or nominate EHF as your corporate charity of the year.
Organise an event in aid of EHF

Main photo: The Seniors section at Burnham on Crouch golf Club was pleased to raise money for the Essex Heart Fund during the club’s centenary year with Bryan Lorimer, Seniors captain (left) and James Smyth, vice captain (right) holding the banner, alongside members of the club.

Turning Proceeds of Crime into something good

Since 2014 we have been managing the Essex Police Proceeds of Crime Matched Funding Scheme (POCA). Under the Scheme, all donations into the High Sheriff’s Fund or to set up individual charitable funds, can be matched with 50% from the monies we receive from Essex Police Proceeds of Crime. The only restriction is that the grantmaking from these Funds must support projects or organisations whose work is contributing to community safety in the county.

To date, the value of the endowed funds set up with support from the matched funding scheme is £1.5 million.

B-J Harrington, Chief Constable at Essex Police said, “It is amazing to see the difference that the Scheme has made and because the funds set up with ECF are invested, they will grow and continue to give money away in the future.

“By confiscating the proceeds of criminal activity, we are making it harder than ever to profit from crime.

“Overall, crime is falling in Essex, but we can’t work alone, and we rely on the support of all our communities to keep that trend going.

“Whether it’s supporting victims, getting children and young people into sport, or giving families a safe place to stay, I’ve seen the extraordinary work of local charities. Together, we are making our county an even safer place to live and work.”

Below are examples of local charities that have received support from the Funds set up with matched funding from the POCA Scheme:

Coach Core Foundation is a charity that aims to improve the life-chances of 16–24-year-olds in Essex and across the UK, who traditionally may experience barriers, discrimination and lack of opportunities. They work with young people from a diverse range of backgrounds and through a sports apprenticeship programme, help them to access the skills, confidence and knowledge to unlock meaningful education and employment opportunities.

By training the young people as community activator sports coaches, they will become role-models delivering thousands of inclusive sports coaching sessions in Essex. They estimate this will help around 220,000 people to get and stay active.

Employers that are working with Coach Core to deliver the apprenticeships in Essex include, Volleyball England, Southend Leisure and Tennis Court, Prestige Sports, Hadleigh Park, Colchester United Football Club, Chelmsford Sport and Athletics Centre, Brentwood Leisure Trust, Basildon Sporting Village, Red Balloon, Essex Professional Coaching and Canvey Island Youth Project. They provide a range of sports to people in their community such as football, trampolining, gymnastics, rugby, cricket, tennis and dance.

One third of Coach Core’s applicants live in the top 20% most deprived areas of the UK, many are also from BAME (Black and Minority Ethnic) communities or have disabilities which may make it harder to obtain apprenticeships through more common channels.

80% of the apprentices taken on by previous programmes have gone on to secure employment or a place in further education. Even those who did not, benefitted from the programme by being shown positive life role models and by getting active. These benefits combine to prevent young people from falling through the cracks and into dangerous peer groups, risking exploitation.

The Jack Elliott Fund gave £823 to support the latest round of apprenticeships, ensuring that even more young people are given a greater chance in life, and that they can, in turn, help to coach people in Essex to get active.

Kids Inspire is a Chelmsford-based charity set up in 2007 that provides recovery support to children, adolescents and their families who have experienced trauma, helping them to become healthy adults who lead complete and fulfilling lives.

The charity supports children from across Essex that are struggling with a wide range of issues, including mental health due to abuse, neglect, bullying and other trauma. At the heart of the therapies, are the children themselves, because Kids Inspire tailor the sessions and their approach to the individual’s needs.

Support is given on a one-to-one basis, in groups, in school or wherever there is a safe space for the individual. This early intervention helps to prevent issues from escalating, and where young people can be vulnerable to the influence of crime and gangs.

Kids Inspire provide the children and adolescents with practical tools to help them manage their behaviours and emotions when they feel overwhelmed. This enables them to build positive relationships and overcome barriers to learning, helping them to stay in education and pursue their full potential.

Support for these intervention services came from the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service Charitable Fund, FW Charitable Fund and the Police Property Act Fund. In the sessions, young people were taught how to regulate their emotions by using different methods including breathing exercises and arts and crafts sessions.

Statistics: April 2023 – April 2024

4,532 children and their families received support
11,163 is the total people Kids Inspire reached through their work
In the past six years, 2,944 people received trauma informed practice training

The anti-knife crime charity, The Ben Kinsella Trust, was formed in 2008 to tackle the rising instances of knife crime occurring in the UK, especially affecting young people.

With over fifty thousand “sharp instrument” incidents reported to the police across England and Wales in a 12-month period, there is a clear need for community safety initiatives.

The Trust runs workshops across the country to educate young people about the consequences and impact of carrying knives. The Trust has been partnering with Essex Police since 2021 to target and engage those who are most vulnerable to knife crime, in their local programmes and workshops.

Thanks to grants awarded from the Leeze Charitable Fund and the Police Property Act Fund, we were able to give £3,600 to enable the Trust to deliver workshops in Colchester, Basildon and Southend. As a result of this and other similar knife crime prevention workshops delivered in schools, 86% of the young people involved pledged to never carry a knife.

To support their workshops, the Trust uses a purpose-built exhibition and trained actors. In conjunction with theatrical presentations, feature films and interactive displays, they provide online resources, national campaigns, and programmes to reach thousands of young people, helping to highlight the dangers of knife crime.

King recognises local charities

14th November 2024

Eight Essex Voluntary Groups receive The King’s Award for Voluntary Service 2024

Eight voluntary groups from across the county have been honoured with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS), the highest national award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

Created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and previously known as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), the Award has been shining a light on the fantastic work of voluntary groups from across the UK for many years.

The award is considered as an MBE for voluntary groups, given only to those who provide exceptional service within their communities. Recipients of the KAVS are announced at the anniversary of the King’s birthday on 14 November each year.

The winning Essex groups this year become the joint third largest number of winners for any non-metropolitan county in the UK, a huge achievement for all involved.

The eight groups are:

The London Bus Theatre Company: Changing lives and raising questions for young people, increasing self-esteem, employability and life skills.

UTurn4Support (UTurn): Supporting young people through mentorship into achieving more positive future outcomes.

Essex Asian Women’s Association: Empowering women, promoting wellbeing, reducing isolation and championing cultural harmony in Essex.

The Music Man Project Ambassadors: Transforming perceptions of learning-disabled people through music.

PACE Manningtree: Working with local communities on positive actions to address changing climate and biodiversity loss.

Cool To Be Kind: Supporting the homeless and vulnerable in Chelmsford with community outreach and online signposting to resources.

3Food4U: Providing food and other essentials, health, wellbeing and educational services at four Essex centres.

Avenue Child Contact Centre: Providing safe, neutral, welcoming space for children to spend time with their parents.

These groups are amongst 281 charities, local enterprises and volunteer-led groups to receive the prestigious award this year. Indicating a strong voluntary landscape, full of innovative ideas.

Jennifer Tolhurst, Lord Lieutenant of Essex said:
“The announcement of eight winners of the prestigious King’s Award for Voluntary Service of Essex, is a wonderful tribute to the outstanding work of the voluntary sector.

“The number of awards won across Essex is the third highest number for any non-metropolitan county in the country. This achievement speaks volumes for the excellence of volunteering in our county and the increasing importance of volunteers for community wellbeing. It also highlights the hard work of the Essex King’s Award for Voluntary Service Panel, who are responsible for assessing the groups nominated for the award, they take their work seriously to help promote and reward excellence in volunteering across Essex.

“I look forward to presenting the King’s Award for Voluntary Service to each of the winning groups in the months ahead and to celebrate their achievements with their volunteers and many who receive their services.”

Two representatives of each winning group across the UK are invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace next summer, however the Essex winners will receive their Award from the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, at their own ceremony in the new year.

High Sheriffs’ Fund opens for applications

5th November 2024

The High Sheriff of Essex, David Hurst, is encouraging charities and voluntary groups to apply for funding to support their work tackling crime and community safety.

The funding comes from the High Sheriffs’ Fund and other community safety funds managed by the independent charitable trust, Essex Community Foundation (ECF).

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 include a mobile youth club in South Essex, help for adults and young people who are homeless in Chelmsford and Colchester, a programme working with perpetrators and survivors of domestic abuse and knife crime prevention workshops.

ECF has managed the High Sheriffs’ Fund since 1997 and since then, grants totalling £745,000 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 to the Proceeds of Crime Matched Funding Scheme, have helped to grow the endowed High Sheriffs’ Fund which provides for an annual programme of grants.

David 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: “I have been inspired and humbled by the work that I have seen being undertaken in local communities across Essex, both by paid staff and volunteers. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to highlight and recognise their important work that is making such a difference to the lives of people of all ages, helping to keep them safe from crime and the fear of crime.

“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.”

Caroline Taylor, CEO at ECF, said: “We are delighted to work with successive High Sheriffs to ensure the money they raise helps to tackle important issues at a local level. As well as the High Sheriffs’ Fund, we manage other funds established with the support of the Proceeds of Crime Matched Funding Scheme set up by Essex Police in 2013. All these funds enable us to support a wide range of community safety initiatives so please call our friendly grants team who will pleased to have a conversation and help you make an application.”

The deadline for applications is 1 December. The panel will meet to consider applications in February 2025. Click here to apply or call the grants team on 01245 355947.

Apply now for Community Cares Fund

4th November 2024

The region’s largest independent retailer, East of England Co-op, is inviting applications for grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 from charities and organisations that support people in its trading areas across Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.

The Community Cares Fund gives financial support to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations, charities and parish councils that are creating or adapting services or activities that will have a positive impact in their communities.

The theme for this round is Community Cohesion and Integration, supporting people to play an active part in our communities to reduce barriers and inequalities and improve social contact and experiences.

Theme Outcomes –

      1) Improved access to social activities for all

2) Reduction in feelings of isolation and improved wellbeing

      3) Supported people into education or employment

      4) Provided Information, advice or guidance to maximise income

      5) Evidence of partnership working or alliance formation

Your application should fit one or more of the five theme outcomes.

This fund is to support organisations in Colchester, Braintree, Maldon, Tendring. Near to their shops: Store finder – East of England Co-op

The deadline to apply is 5pm on Monday 2 December. We encourage you to start your application as soon as possible; you can save it and return to it later within the funding window. If you’ve not completed and submitted your application before the funding window closes, you will receive a notification from us.

Grant decisions will be made in January 2025.

How to apply:

To apply, please fill out our online application form here.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your work in advance of applying, please call the ECF grants team on 01245 355947.

Join Us for a transformative day at our Symposium and AGM

29th October 2024

Join Us for a transformative day at our Symposium and AGM

When: Wednesday 20 November 2024

Where: Hatfield Place, The Street, Hatfield Peverel, Chelmsford, CM3 2ET

At Essex Community Foundation we are delighted to host our second Symposium, once again held at the lovely Hatfield Place with kind permission from Ian and Alison Twinley. The Charity Symposium is an opportunity to explore innovative strategies, foster greater stability and together champion a thriving civic society through the theme “Empowering Communities, Shaping the Future”.

Starting at noon and through to 5:30pm, peers will be engaging in these thought-provoking discussions. Also we will hear insights on how we can progress towards these goals from our pioneering speakers:

Immy Kuar (CIVIC SQUARE)
David Scurr (CAST)
Sebastian Rocca (Micro Rainbow)
Keisha Swaby (Centre for Public Impact Europe)

We will focus on addressing two critical questions to guide the future of the voluntary and community sector:

What innovative approaches can grassroots organisations adopt to empower communities and foster greater participation, inclusivity, and resilience in the face of increasing societal challenges.

How can the community sector build stronger collaborations with public and private sectors to ensure lasting social impact, while maintaining its independence and grassroots influence?

From 6:00pm we will share highlights from the Symposium at our Annual General Meeting. There will be networking opportunities with drinks provided, with discussion on how to strengthen our impact through innovation and collaboration.

Join us to shape the future of our communities together.

Parking: Ample space available | Nearest Train Station: Chelmsford or Hatfield Peverel

For more information about the events and to register, click here. If you have any questions, please email Jo Macaulay or call 01245 355947.

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