EAST of England Co-op is proud to announce that they will be supporting ten local projects in Essex through their Community Cares Fund. The £34,000 grant hopes to support over 6,200 local people.

The grants are part of the East of England Co-op’s ongoing commitment to strengthening local communities and addressing key social challenges. From supporting food banks and mental health programmes, to enabling environmental projects and youth services, the Community Cares Fund empowers groups that provide essential services and foster community spirit.

This year’s grants will go towards:

• Braintree District Mencap CIO, who will run weekly cooking classes for adults with a learning disability.
• Bridgeway Mission, who will use their grant to run its community hub for refugees and asylum seekers in Colchester, which looks to address the issue of loneliness and isolation.
• Colchester Bike Kitchen CIC, this project will support economically deprived people in Colchester, by offering residents access to tools and expertise needed to repair and keep their bikes safe, thereby ensuring people have a free way to access employment.
• Colchester Samaritans, to help develop the organisation’s outreach support working with partners across North Essex.
• Daws Hall Trust, to provide sponsored places for schools to visit the site and take part in environmental education sessions.
• Hearing Help Essex, will launch an in-person social support group for those who are deaf and hard of hearing in the Chelmsford area.
• Hourglass, funding across Suffolk, Essex and Cambridge will allow them to deliver their frontline service provision supporting older people, who have suffered abuse.
• Re-engage, to help to recruit volunteers to continue to offer their free-to-access services for older people which include Monthly Tea Parties and Call Companions.
• The Autumn Centre, this grant will enable them to continue their two weekly lunch clubs, which includes free transport to the venue for elderly and infirm residents in and around Arlesford and Brightlingsea.
• The Third Space Youth, to set up a ‘pop up’ youth club in Braintree, offering young people a safe place in the community to mix with their peers.

Sophie Ede, Chief Executive Officer for Hearing Help Essex said: “We are so grateful to the East of England Co-op for providing funding to Hearing Help Essex. This funding will enable us to launch an in-person support group for those who are deaf and hard of hearing in the Chelmsford area. This will provide a valuable opportunity for local people to share their experiences and challenges with their hearing loss, and benefit from peer-to-peer support, as well as expert advice and guidance from our volunteers and staff.

“We hope that in time this service will help individuals to rebuild their confidence in joining social activities after losing their hearing – a time when we often see people retreat from and avoid socialising. We are excited to share how this project goes over the coming months – thank you once again for your valued support of our work.”

Doug Field OBE, Chief Executive Officer for the East of England Co-op said: “We are thrilled to support such a wide variety of projects that are improving lives across Essex. At the East of England Co-op, we believe in the power of community and the positive impact that collective efforts can bring.

“Our Community Cares Fund is designed to support local organisations and initiatives that make a real difference in people’s lives. From supporting the vulnerable to fostering sustainable development, this fund represents our commitment to giving back and helping our communities thrive.

“In addition to our Community Cares Fund, our Local Giving initiative empowers our members and customers to directly contribute to local causes close to their hearts.”

East of England Co-op’s community programme Local Giving has just finished its inaugural round. Food stores, Funeral branches and Travel agents have been raising money for 193 different charities and organisations across East Anglia and have collectively raised over £33,000. This has been topped up with a central donation of £150 per charity, taking the total to more than £60,000.

The East of England Co-op is the largest independent retailer in East Anglia with over 200 Food stores, Travel branches and local Funeral Service branches across Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire.