30 Years of Generosity in Essex
30th October 2025
Nick Alston, CBE DL, has been at the helm of several of the county’s most valued services. He was the first ever Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex, has been a key figure in local health provision and is also involved in the education sector.
Nick has steered ECF from strength to strength and has launched its landmark 30th anniversary year with an ambitious new strategy to be the voice of the voluntary sector. In November, he will step down as Chair of ECF and hand over chairmanship of the organisation to his fellow trustee, Atul Manek who joined ECF as a Trustee in 2022.
Nick has been hailed as an exceptional leader and is proud that ECF now manages more than 200 funds and has given grants totalling £60 million to voluntary and community groups in Essex.
“When I was asked to chair the board of trustees for ECF it was a daunting prospect, but it has been an absolutely joyous time,” said Nick. “We have been through challenging times, but throughout it all I’ve had the pleasure of dealing with wonderful people, the fundholders, our passionate board members, the staff at ECF and the groups we have supported.
“We have been able to build up an investment of £55 million, so that we can continue to give support to those who need it. This has involved some very grown up, serious and deeply responsible work, but all the time it comes round to why we are doing this, why we are seeking more funds, to help communities across the county, because the need is still so great.
“It has been a humbling experience to visit many of the charities ECF has supported, especially in the year when I was also High Sheriff of Essex, and I was able to visit 120 charities and see the whole thing in the round. It is remarkable to spend time with these organisations and see the work they do in economically deprived areas where people are struggling. I am also privileged to see things from the fundholders’ point of view, as my wife Pippa and I have our own named family fund with ECF.
“I am pleased to have broadened the horizons of ECF’s board, which has been modernised with open recruitment, reflecting a wider diversity and gaining the insights of different age groups. The blend is right and I am delighted that Atul is taking over.
“He is a man of vision, integrity and deep social purpose. His generosity, through his own family fund and his leadership as an ECF trustee, has helped shape where we are today. I know he will guide the Foundation with purpose and care and, with great rigour, will make sure that we have everything in place to take ECF forward.
“It’s remarkable to think it was 30 years ago that our visionary founders, Ian and Angela Marks, began rallying people to help bring to life what was, at the time, an ambitious new idea, the creation of Essex Community Foundation.
“That’s three decades of families creating legacies, of businesses stepping up, of communities placing their trust in the Foundation. Trustees, past and present, have asked big questions, listened to those closest to the issues and responded with care.
“If the last six years have been about building momentum, the next will be about bold expansion. I am excited to see the beginning of a year-long anniversary celebration for ECF. Our 30th anniversary won’t be a retrospective, it will be a key milestone in this important journey that started three decades ago. Our theme is simple – 30 Years of Generosity.
“It has been a great honour to serve the Foundation, to work alongside such passionate trustees, talented staff, inspiring partners and committed supporters. I am an Essex boy through and through and I am looking forward to spending more free time in the county I love, with more walking and sailing. I am also looking forward to being an ambassador for ECF and spreading the word about its work.
“ECF has achieved so much and, in the words of our founder, Ian Marks, ‘There is still much more to do.’ As I hand over to Atul Manek I truly believe the best is yet to come.
Jenny Tolhurst, Lord Lieutenant of Essex and Patron of Essex Community Foundation paid tribute to Nick’s work at an event held at Braxted Park to launch the Foundation’s 30th anniversary year. She said: “As chair of ECF’s trustees Nick has left a lasting and deeply positive legacy, both for the Foundation and for the wider community it serves.
“His passion for Essex, generosity of spirit and unwavering commitment have shaped the Foundation’s development and enabled it to respond with strength and agility during times of real challenge.
“He has helped guide the organisation through change, championed innovation and always kept people and community at the heart of everything. Nick has shown integrity, compassion and a profound belief in the power of community.
“On behalf of Essex Community Foundation, the people of Essex and personally, as His Majesty’s representative in the county, I offer him deepest thanks and heartfelt gratitude for the part he has played.”
Southend Community Fund Hits a Milestone!
27th October 2025
The Southend Community Fund (SCF), one of Essex Community Foundation’s (ECF) longest-standing charitable funds, has reached an exciting milestone. In September, the SCF panel awarded £536,386 in grants, meaning the Fund has now given out more than its endowment of £522,842 since it began. This achievement highlights the Fund’s lasting commitment to supporting Southend’s communities.
Founded in 2001 by then-Mayor Howard Briggs, the Fund was set up to provide ongoing support for voluntary and community groups across the borough. Howard, with lifelong friend Peter Croysdill and a small team of local volunteers, kickstarted the Fund and helped it grow through donations, events, and community engagement. Since then, ECF has proudly managed SCF, ensuring vital funding reaches the groups that need it most.
Examples of grants awarded this year:
- Southend Christian Fellowship: awarded £4,131 to run a Community Café in the Kursaal Ward.
- Little Heroes ASD Support Group: awarded £3,500 to support families with children on the autism spectrum.
- Big Purple Pants: awarded £2,000 to deliver peer support groups for individuals living with secondary breast cancer.
- Just Ride Southend: awarded £4,000 to buy a specialist electric wheelchair bike, making cycling accessible for all.
We congratulate SCF on the remarkable difference it continues to make across the borough. Reaching the milestone of awarding more than its endowment demonstrates the power of long-term giving, and we look forward to continuing to work with SCF to empower communities, spark new ideas, and transform lives across Southend for many years to come.
How to Support the Fund
If you live in Southend-on-Sea and want to support your local charities, you can make a one-off donation to the Southend Community Fund or you can give regularly.
Donations can be made to the Southend Community Fund by contacting ECF on 01245 355947.
You can also choose to leave a legacy with your own specific wishes. If interested, please contact us.
Funding available for Southend community groups and charities
9th February 2022
Charities and community groups working in Southend-on-Sea are encouraged to apply to the Southend Community Fund for grants to support their work.
The Fund, is just one of 170 charitable funds that are managed by Essex Community Foundation. Since it was set up 20 years ago, grants totalling over £400,000 have been awarded to a wide range of voluntary and community organisations that are providing vital help to people living in Southend-on-Sea.
Applications are assessed by ECF who then works with a panel of local people to help make decisions about which requests to support.
Among the recipients from previous years is Friends of Dolphin Court (Livability) who received £2,250 to buy a beach accessible wheelchair to help members of their residential care home to enjoy as much freedom as possible at the seaside.
Brenda Verrall, the retired Chair of Dolphin Court, said: “Having an all-terrain wheelchair is a brilliant addition to what we can offer our clients, and the Southend Fund’s generous contribution has meant we were able to buy it far sooner than would otherwise have been possible.”
She added, “Previously those who are wheelchair bound would have had to stay at the home and miss out on the beach fun. We are so grateful”.
Trust Links received £7,000 to set up a community shed project in Shoeburyness to help alleviate isolation and improve the mental health of residents.
Southend Foodbank were awarded £7,700 towards the salary of a project manager who has assisted with their expansion due to increased need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Andy Payne Worpole, Head of Programmes at ECF, said: “We welcome applications for any charitable work that is improving the lives of local people in Southend-on-Sea and are particularly keen to hear from local organisations that have not applied to us before.
“We manage over 170 charitable funds that can give a wide range of support including core costs, project funding and community activities. Our grants team are on hand to discuss your work, answer any questions you may have and help you to access the funds we have available”.
The deadline for this Fund was 5pm on Tuesday 15 March. Decisions will be made in May.
If you are a local voluntary or community organisation in need of financial support, please call us on 01245 356018.
Donations can be made to the Southend Community Fund by contacting ECF on 01245 355947.