Budgeting skills and healthy eating workshops for families, summer holiday activities for people with learning disabilities and equipment to support field events for an athletics club are some of the projects that are to receive grants from the Brentwood Community Fund.
Brentwood Borough Council, in partnership with Axis and Seven Arches Investments Ltd, has awarded 11 groups a total of £80,000 to undertake projects that benefit our local community.
In total, 23 not-for-profit organisations applied for grants up to £10,000, for a share of the 2024 Brentwood Community Fund. The Council received a significant contribution for the fund from Axis and Seven Arches Investments Ltd.
Projects for the Community Fund needed to consider environmental impact, demonstrate volunteer or community involvement, show a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and be sustainable whilst meeting community-based priorities under the key themes of, growing our economy, protecting our environment and developing our communities.
Amongst the recipients are Brentwood Beagles Athletics Club who applied for funding to purchase an Electronic Distance Measuring device to enable precise measurements for field events, and Breast Friends Brentwood, who have received a grant to develop breastfeeding support groups.
Also among the grant recipients are Frontline Partnership who will offer a series of Summer holiday activities for people with learning disabilities, and the Daily Bread Café at St Peter’s Church, who will be delivering budgeting skills and healthy eating workshops for families using the outreach food hub.
Cllr Dr Tim Barrett, Brentwood Borough Council’s Chair of Housing, Health and Community Committee said, “The Brentwood Community Fund continues to support projects that are right at the heart of our communities. It is an initiative that we are very proud of, and we thank Axis and SAIL for their ongoing contributions that enable us to support such worthy causes. Congratulations to all the successful grant recipients, we look forward to seeing the projects flourish.’”
Chris Houlihan, Divisional Manager from Axis said, “Axis has a core value of supporting the communities for whom we serve and the community fund is just one way we get to honour this whilst working alongside Brentwood Borough Council. It is great to see the local initiatives and projects receive the funding they need to expand their much-needed impact and support on the residents and communities within Brentwood".
SAIL’s Director, Greg Campbell said, “SAIL is pleased to have the opportunity to support the community through its financial contributions to the Brentwood Community Fund. We are impressed by the calibre of awarded projects, and we know that these grants will make a big difference to local people.”
Recipients of the Brentwood Community Fund 2024, are:
| Organisation | Description |
| Brentwood Beagles Athletics Club | To purchase an Electronic Distance Measuring device to enable precise, computer-generated measurements for field events. |
| Home-Start Essex | To fund the delivery of a weekly Family Support Group in Hutton, supporting families with a range of multi-faceted issues. |
| Daily Bread Café | To fund budgeting skills and healthy eating workshops for families using the outreach food hub. |
| Special Needs and Parents Ltd | To help fund weekly pre-school sessions for children with a variety of disabilities. |
| Essex Cultural Diversity Project | To continue the work around the Indian Princess buried in Doddinghurst by delivering a series of culturally diverse events and a final sharing event in November 2024. |
| Breast Friends Brentwood | To develop the current drop-in breastfeeding support offer at Chicken and Frog bookshop, to include antenatal peer support groups and parent and child focused groups in a larger premises to incorporate play sessions. |
| Frontline Partnership COO | For a summer engagement programme for people with learning disabilities |
| Brentwood Cricket Club | To part fund the extension of the existing two lane cricket nets to four. This is an outdoor facility with artificial grass and protection steel security fence. |
| Brentwood Access Group | To part-fund a Poolpod and aqua tilt wheelchair to replace the sling hoist at the Brentwood Centre, which will enable more people with physical disabilities to access swimming. |
| Trailnet CIC | To fund a heavily discounted bike scheme for all ages for people in receipt of benefits and long-term health conditions. Applicants to the scheme will also receive a helmet, lock and lights and need to participate in 3 off road groups rides and/or training sessions before being able to take the bike for their own use. |
| The Anchorage Association | To fund inclusive equipment to support pupils at The Endeavour Co-operative, creating an immersive learning environment that promotes education through physical activity. |