THE Echo’s parent company is offering as much as £10,000 to Essex charities and organisations looking to carry out community projects.

The cash is the latest in a long line of grants offered by the Gannett Foundation, part of the parent company of Newsquest Media Group, one of the UK’s largest publishers.

Past beneficiaries have included the Westcliff-based Trust Links gardening project for people with mental health problems in Westcliff which was awarded a £10,557 grant. The charity used the money to build a log cabin and workshop for arts and crafts activities.

The foundation funds registered charities’ projects in the areas of education, neighbourhood and environmental conservation, disability and cultural enrichment.

Projects which bring lasting benefits to the communities served by Gannett’s local newspapers and websites are given priority. However, in the past, it has also made awards to individual events or shorter-term projects.

Funding applications are invited from organisations of any size, although, typically, grants are given to substantial projects needing between £5,000 and £10,000.

As well as proving projects will benefit the community, applications should show good planning, oversight and financial responsibility.

Judges also need to see copies of a charity’s most recent statement of accounts and supporting material which demonstrates the overall aims of the charity.

Applications must be submitted on the approved application form, which can be downloaded here http://www.echo-news.co.uk/gannett/ Only the application form on the website above can be used to make your request.

The completed form and supporting documents should be sent via e-mail to michele.newman @nqe.com by 5pm on September 16.