The Essex and Southend Sports Trust (EASST) provides charitable grants in support of sport and in particular football and cricket. The geographical area in which it operates is strictly limited to Southend-on-sea and the county of Essex .
Grants must be in accordance with the objectives of the charity.
See more detailed guidelines to our activities here.
View the press releases here
2010/11 Events
Our major news for 2010/11 is that Cory Environmental trust in Southend-on-Sea has agreed in principle to grant £75,000 towards a new project to expand activities at the Garon Park Centre of Excellence for Cricket. The plan is to build a new function room adjacent to the Garon Park pavilion which will operate as a Community Centre and can be used all the year round by local clubs and community organisations. The new building will include a meeting and instruction room which will double as a restaurant on local match days, a fully equipped kitchen, a scorers' area and a toilet for the disabled.
EASST has also agreed to make a grant of £25,000 and has re-launched its public appeal so that the Community Centre can be built. Gift aid donations are urgently required for this exciting project and all donations received will be held in our Restricted Funds account which is reserved exclusively for the Garon Park Centre of Excellence for Cricket project. EASST will double all amounts raised from this public appeal by transfer from its general funds. Individuals are invited to become Garon Park Patrons by donating £25 per month or £300 per annum.
The standing order form is here and view a list of Garon Park Patrons here. Alternatively gift aid donations of any amount are welcomed in support of this project. The gift aid form is here.
The centre will be operated by the Essex County Cricket Board and has the support of landlord Norman Garon Trust, Essex County Cricket Club and Southend Borough Council. EASST is taking responsibility for fund raising for the project and needs overall to raise £300,000 towards capital and operating costs of the Cricket Centre over the next few years. See further details here.
For any further information please call Joe Sims on 01245 321004 jwh_sims@hotmail.co.uk.
Other highlights include:-
·
EASST has been making grants to Southend United Community and Educational Trust (SUCET) since 2002 and their outstanding work was recognised at the 2010 Football League Awards dinner when they won the Football Foundation Community Club of the Year award to which all 72 Football League Clubs were entitled to apply. Many congratulations to Steve Godsell and his team
·
SUCET - Little Shrimpers Activity Programme - call Steve Goodsell on 01702 314351
·
SUCET - Senior Shrimpers Social Club Programme - call Steve Goodsell on 01702 314351
·
EASST supports two school programmes - Old Southendian & Southchurch CC 'Chance to Shine' initiative and Southend Rugby Club schools programme - and provides a grant towards new cricket facilities at Thorpe Hall School.
·
Southend-on-Sea and EMT Cricket Club opened their refurbished cricket pavilion at Southchurch Park with the help of a grant from EASST.
·
Rochford based Sophie Cole took part in the Homerus World Blind Sailing Racing Championships in Italy in June 2010 after receiving a grant from EASST.
· Free community tickets will again be available for the Essex Autogroup Southend Cricket Festival at Garon Park in 2011 - If you belong to a community group, school or charity and you would like to take advantage of this offer please contact Southend-on-Sea Borough Council on 01702 534853 or 01702 215175, or email southendcricketfestival@southend.gov.uk
Cumulative grants made since inception now exceed £500,000.
GB Start Rower William King receiving a cheque from Joe Sims, EASST Trustee, in support of his campaign to become an Olympic champion. (September 2010)
|
The new electronic scoreboard at Garon Park was officially opened by the Mayor of Southend Cllr Brian Smith, the Mayoress, Essex' Graham Gooch, Phillip Tolhurst, trustee of the Norman Garon Trust, together with all the trustees of the Essex & Southend Sports Trust (EASST) and the Norman Garon Trust who helped to provide funding for this community project. They are watched by local MP David Amess, various local dignitaries and many of the contributors to EASST's public appeal to improve facilities at Garon Park. The scoreboard is attached to a magnificent wooden framed storage barn, in keeping with the sites farming history and provides Southend with a structure which is unique on the county circuit.(August 2009) |
Southend United Community and Educational Trust were presented with a cheque for £20,000 at Roots Hall in November 2010. This funding will support the SUCET's work in the community, in particular helping to provide essential services to older supporters via the Senior Shrimpers Club, Blues Bodycare, and Tots and Blues Breakfast Club for infant and primary school children. Pictured left to right: Geoffrey King, Peter Butler, Joe Sims and Steve Godsell. |
The Worshipful the Mayor of Southend, Councillor Gwen Horrigan and former England and Essex captain Graham Gooch formally opened the new outdoor cricket nets funded by EASST at Garon Park on Friday 1 August 2008. The trustees authorised a grant of £30,828 for this project in addition to the continuing financial support for a full time resident groundsman at the Park. |
|
