28 Dec Grants flow into local community
Seven voluntary organisations will get an early Christmas gift as they receive news of a funding boost from the Essex & Suffolk Water Community Fund.
A charity founded and managed by women, working with ethnic minority women and their families is among the voluntary organisations to receive support.
In the latest round of allocations from the fund, which is managed by Essex Community Foundation, a total of £7,403 has been awarded to charities and voluntary organisations in Essex, Suffolk and East London.
One of the charities to receive support from the fund is the Somali Women’s Association, which provides free information, advice and support and user led wellness café for all women and their families from communities who live, work or study in the Boroughs of Barking & Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge. Over the last 20 years more than 7,000 women have received support, help, training and advice from the Association.
Zahra Ibrahim from the Barking & Dagenham Somali Women’s Association said, “We have been given funding of £1,363, to purchase three PCs and software for an ICT hub within our Community Wellness Café supporting women in East London.
“This is a fantastic boost for our facility and will help us to help others make informed choices, maintain good health and achieve their potential, regardless of their health, education and social circumstance.”
The North East Suffolk Citizens Advice Bureau which has been supporting the community in Lowestoft for the last 50 years has been awarded a grant of £1,395.
Janet John from North East Suffolk Citizens Advice Bureau said, “We are very pleased and thankful for the contribution towards the development of a Training Suite and Financial Capability Training for volunteers at the Bureau.’’
Fresh Start New Beginnings which began in 2013 to provide a therapeutic service to child victims of sexual abuse, that is tailored to their unique individual needs, was awarded a grant of £1,000.
Diana Porter from Fresh Start said, “Our charity aims to help such children and young people overcome their trauma and confusion by helping them understand what has happened to them, giving them tools to overcome difficulties and teaching them to identify their strengths and potential.’’
The grant will help provide therapeutic items like new anatomical dolls, play sand, modelling clay, and other materials that are suitable for small children to express their feelings and to help them tell staff about their traumas during support sessions in Suffolk.
Other organisations to benefit from grants are:
• Hullbridge Senior Citizens Welfare Council – £500 towards work required to improve the water supply at a community centre
• 3rd Chalkwell Bay Sea Scout Group – £2,500 towards the purchase of a new sailing boat .
•Eye Opportunity Group – £245 towards summer holiday activities for families with pre-school children who have additional needs
•Dial Lowestoft & Waveney – £400 to fund the equipment of a charity supporting disabled people in Lowestoft & Waveney
Essex & Suffolk Water established their Community Fund with Essex Community Foundation in 2003 to give support to a wide range of local projects and organisations now and in the future.
Grant applications are considered by an employee committee and projects given support must be related to either the environment, health and well-being or community support.
Sarah Pinkerton, Head of External Communications at Essex & Suffolk Water said, “Water is one of the most important commodities in our lives and we are very aware of the essential service we offer to our customers.
“Working and serving our communities on a daily basis, we strive to make a positive contribution and our long standing partnership with Essex Community Foundation is one of the ways we endeavour to this. The grants are supporting seven amazing organisations in our region and I hope that this funding will give them a real boost to help them continue their fantastic and much needed work.”
