Charlie Watkins Foundation – Christmas Concert
26th October 2023
“Our young people need support with their mental health. We have always said that if we could help just one person, it was all worth it, and I know we have exceeded that.” Tim Watkins
Charlie Watkins was just 22 when he took his own life in 2017. Outwardly, he was a confident and happy young man who studied criminology at the University of York. However, the loss of his mother to cancer when Charlie was nine years old had a huge impact and from then on, he struggled with his mental health.
Following Charlie’s tragic death, his father Tim and twin brother, Harry, were determined to keep Charlie’s memory alive and make a real difference to the increasing number of young people across the country facing mental health challenges.
They decided to set up the Charlie Watkins Foundation (CWF) and started working with us 2017.
Since then, Tim and Harry have worked tirelessly to raise money for CWF. Thanks to the generous support they have already received they have been able to support projects for pupils and students in schools and universities, as well as developing informative video guides for parents seeking support for their children.
Their latest fundraising event is a Christmas Concert being held at St Peter & St Paul’s Church, Lavenham, Suffolk, on 7 December at 7pm.
The event features John Rutter CBE, The National Youth Chamber Choir, Grace Davidson, Ben Perry, Toby Coles and Paul Bateman.
Book tickets or make a donation here
A fond farewell and a lasting legacy
It is with great sadness that we recently learned of the death of Major Iain Grahame, Founder of the Daws Hall Trust.
The Trust manages the Daws Hall Nature Reserve, a 25-acre site, together with a field study centre established by Major Grahame in 1985 and supported by local people with a common interest in the environment.
Located in the village of Lamarsh, the Reserve offers environmental education to school children from Essex and Suffolk and is open to the public on selected days in the Summer. Conservation on the land and waters around Daws Hall in the Stour Valley is also undertaken and the site welcomes some 3,000 visitors each year.
Daws Hall was Major Grahame’s passion and over the years, its conservation and educational work has received support from some of the funds we manage.
Our most recent grants were:
- £1,325 from the Stour Valley Environment Fund to launch a series of projects for young people, aged under 18, looking to start careers in conservation.
- £2,500 jointly given from the Stour Valley Environment Fund and the Essex Fund. This helped to buy materials to renew the existing wooden access platforms to the River Stour, as they had deteriorated.
Will Dover, General Manager at Daws Hall said, “Visiting school groups, colleges, conservation volunteers and the local fishing group all need access to the river and the existing wooden platforms were beyond repair.
“For greater sustainability and structural strength, we replaced the wooden components with recycled plastic beams which are more environmentally friendly and will not be as susceptible to damage or weathering.”
Jo Macaulay, Head of Communications at ECF said, “Major Grahame was always looking for the next project that would enhance the nature reserve and make it more accessible, so that everyone could benefit from what it had to offer.
“Education was so important to him and seeing children visit the site and get involved in learning about conversation and nature, pond dipping or helping with general maintenance and repairs, gave him the greatest joy and was what motivated him.
“Major Grahame was an inspirational man. He will be missed by all who knew him, but his legacy is an amazing natural space which will continue to grow and flourish, bringing joy and happiness to people of all ages in the future.”
You can read the Major Grahame’s tribute here https://www.dawshallnature.co.uk/iain-grahame
Why is Gift Aid important to charities?
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.