ESSEX County Council has awarded £125,000 of funding to seven Essex-based businesses. Each one has received up to £25,000 to enable them to hire one or more people with learning disabilities and autism.

The funding is from the third round of the council’s Learning Disabilities and Autism business grants.

The grants support local businesses to create real and meaningful jobs for individuals with additional needs.

The funding will support salaries, business start-up costs or equipment and training.

The grants are being delivered in partnership. Chelmsford City Council will provide an additional £25,000 to boost the grant further, with Epping Forest District Council providing an additional £20,000. This extra funding will be used to directly support businesses in these local areas and comes from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

The seven Essex businesses receiving funding are:

· Baddow Hill Alpacas

· Sport for Confidence (SfC)

· Enterprise East Group CIC

· Achieve, Thrive, Flourish (ATF) Southend

· Underdog Crew Studios CIC

· RLR Civils Ltd

· Grant A Smile

Councillor Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Transformation and Economic Growth, said: ”I’m delighted to be able to award these grants and warmly congratulate each of the businesses on their successful application.

”This initiative is testament to our commitment to creating employment opportunities for everyone within our community. We know that there are individuals with additional needs who face real barriers to employment but are motivated and have a strong desire to work.

“The new grants will help provide financial and practical support for both employers and employees. We hope this will lead to long term, sustained employment, greater individual career aspirations and bring new perspectives to the workplace that are of benefit to all.”

Councillor Tony Ball, Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Life-Long Learning and Employability, said: “Economic growth in Essex isn’t just about infrastructure, it’s also about people. These new grants can help inspire people and make sure that everyone can knock on the door of opportunity.

“We hope the businesses receiving the funding can also go on to inspire and motivate other businesses to develop a more inclusive approach and create further meaningful jobs.”

One of the recipients of the business grant was Enterprise East in Saffron Walden. Group Founder and Managing Director Samantha McReynolds said: “Fundamental to our ethos is our belief in each individual’s unique potential. Our role as inclusive employers is to help people to realise this potential, while breaking down barriers and challenging societal stigma.

“This grant programme will enable us to recruit three new employees with learning disabilities and or autism. It will provide specialist support and training for each employee to become a productive, valued member of our diverse team.

“We are grateful to have received this grant funding and are excited for the outcomes we will be able to deliver through it over the coming months and years!”