Read about some of the successful microgrants:

Gateway (8th January 2021)

Gateway 97.8 FM LDP applicants shared:  ‘Our first session has just been confirmed for next Wednesday 2 to 2:30pm on the radio and being video recorded  for our website. The session is for older people stuck at home! We have around two dozen sign-ups for the class. Our following session is for younger people scheduled for sat 23rd Jan.’ Collaborative Working-Sheltered Housing applicants, Cathy Pinchback, will be running next Wednesday afternoon at 2pm in our Covid secure premises’.

Basis south Essex/Visually impaired (27th November 2020)

CEO Michelle Thomson shared ‘Our keep fit group for the visually impaired which is funded by the ELDP has continued running throughout lockdown via Zoom. Our dedicated instructor Steve Moxley who has led the group has been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation as an Essex Activity Hero by Active Essex.

We are so pleased that he’s been recognised for all his hard work and dedication to keeping the group going throughout the year. He has taken the time to get to know the members and all of their individual needs. He has a great understanding of visual impairments and describes all of the exercises to help the group take part fully.’

T.I.M.E and Stroke association (25th September 2020):

 Marc and the team from T.I.M.E, have been delivering music sessions for carers since 15th September online. They have engaged 12 people for 1 hour which went really well. 

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This will be continued to be delivered online until the new year, then hoping to review for face to face delivery dependant on guidance. Taking this proposal online has meant they can deliver double the sessions because of 1-hour online recording and  saving on the venue costs. The savings means that they can now purchase instruments for all participates to use at home to ensure physical activity. Please see below feedback below from the session: 

Louise Harnigold of The Stroke Association: “Wow that was amazing thank you so much. Everyone had a great time, the music sounded fantastic and we have already had a few people contact us asking when we can do that again.”

Purple Genies (June 2020)

Purple Genies is a well-known group that support people with their mental health. During lockdown they are being flexible with the LDP funding,  bringing ‘Moods, Movement and Magic Moments’ to the residents of Basildon.

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This is to enjoy movement via dance and then having space to share what’s on their mind with others… Purple Genies have another 2 established groups that support men and women, the WOW and the WOLF  programmes which work with people who are in recovery from domestic violence and need support with their mental health. The WOW programme is for women, and the WOLF programme is for men.

Together we Grow (30th October 2020)

 A community led approach, working with adult social care, to deliver outdoor activities with people who have a learning disability and/ or ASD to test and learn the affects gardening has on the sensory needs of individuals. 

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Together we Grow have been successful in securing LDP funding to work specifically with young people not in mainstream education and suffering from a range of mental health issues. Participants will work throughout the growing year learning about food production and rural craft all within a few hundred metres of their school. Skills will be developed which will enhance life prospects, including horticulture and landscaping, construction, basic food preparation, and small scale commerce. 

Successfully launched last month, following the award of an LDP micro grant. All horticulture packs were allocated within the first two weeks for clients of Refugee Action, Sanctuary Housing, and families of key workers from North and Home Farm Primary School. Director Wayne Setford told us the group engaged in a lively Zoom chat after the showing of videos to inspire and educate them. There is also a WhatsApp group for those who wish to carry on these conversation and form new friendships. These sessions take place weekly on Friday mornings, and the plan is to host a face-to-face gathering for all participants once social distancing and group gathering guidelines allow, where spare produce will be prepared, cooked and shared by all

MS-UK (2nd October 2020)

The intention for this project was to deliver face to face exercise sessions in the community to those with MS. Due to the COVID outbreak they had to rethink how they delivered the exercise classes to their clients and established weekly sessions online. 

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This meant they were able to reach more clients, more regularly than initially intended. Feedback from the sessions revealed that those taking part were exercising more frequently than they would if they did not have the resource available. This was due to the increase in motivation to take part in a ‘group’ session and the accessibility of being able to perform exercises at home. Travel is a significant barrier for some of their clients and delivering online doubled the class size they had anticipated for the sessions. More than just the physical benefits the classes have provided to clients, it has been a means for them to stay connected, preventing isolation and the opportunity to get together with familiar faces that would otherwise be impossible. It has also been a great educational tool that has shown clients ways in which they can stay active and manage their symptoms at home, at any time, and independently, that will benefit the individual in the future. 

Bangladeshi Women Across Essex (BWAE)

After consulting with their participants, community group Bangladeshi Women Across Essex started their LDP-funded Zumba and Tai Chi sessions online via Zoom this week.

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They are planning to run weekly ladies only Zumba from Monday 22nd June 5pm-6pm and weekly Tai Chi from Tuesday 23rd June 5pm-6pm. The organiser arranged some home visits (whilst maintaining social distancing) to get some participants familiar with using Zoom in order that they can participate

Berts Belly Busters

Cheryl our LDP Coordinator for Tendring attended Berts Belly Busters first outdoor session on Sunday, they had 6 families attend, parent and child and all took part in a bounce session.  I spoke with some of the attendees afterwards who said they loved to be able to take part in an activity with their children, the children and young people said they are looking forward to the next one.  There were even spectators who wanted to join in but because of injury and being pregnant were not able to but they wanted to come along to see what it was like anyway.

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One of the recent approved micro grants, Berts Belly Busters organiser Roberta (Burt) has made some hats for her new Belly Busters when her sessions start. Burt is super excited to be able to start the sessions and help families get active in Walton.

Feel Good Drumming

The drumming circle which is now happening outdoors, Monday evening a Sisterhood drumming circle was held on the beach in Walton, one lady who attended has not been one since lockdown and although she struggles with crutches she was determined and took part walking down the slope to where the drumming circle was set up….and of course she had to walk back up again! The drumming was the most activity shes done in a long time.  Other feedback was that they felt totally safe despite being on the beach as the sun set.

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Feel Good Rhythm had 33 participants attend their first session with great feedback.“Hi Lisa, I just wanted to thank you for the drumming workshop. My daughter has had a particularly bad couple of days but she came out from this evenings session beaming and exclaimed “I loved that! I really enjoy drumming” (the girl is 12 and has mental health problems)

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