WELL deserving charities have had a cash boost thanks to the Echo’s Cash for Charities competition.
Our parent company’s charitable arm, the Gannett Foundation, provided £16,000 to support charities across the south east.
Echo readers decided where the money should be spent by nominating charities in their thousands.
Once there was a shortlist of finalists, readers were invited to collect tokens from our newspapers, with each token used to allocate a percentage of cash to the nominated charity.
St Vincent De Paul Society in Southend received £3,714.76, the biggest percentage of the prize cash giveaway in the south east.
Centre manager Daniel Cauchi is thrilled with the win and said that it will make a huge impact on the charity and the people they support.
“Every week we get hundreds of people coming in needing help, in one month we had 2,200 people come to us for council tax support, help with utility bills and for food parcels,” said Daniel.
“The competition money will contribute to all of that to make the light at the end of the tunnel, that is very small for some people at the moment, that little bit bigger.”
The team packed 350 Christmas hampers for families struggling within the city.
A charity which helps support people with breast cancer has been awarded hundreds of pounds by Echo readers.
Lady McAdden Breast Cancer Trust in Leigh received £1,618.57 from the Echo’s Cash for Charities competition. The organisation supports the early detection of breast cancer through education, advice and awareness.
They have decided to use the money to invest in new display equipment for when they visit centres across the county.
“We are so thrilled to have received this money as it has allowed us to invest in something we have needed for a while,” said Liz Storey, director of operations at Lady McAdden.
“We are putting the money to a new display stand and banners to take to venues. The ones we have are hard to put up and dilapidated.
“It is hard to feel proud of them when they do not reflect our organisation and what we do. “The new display equipment will mean we will be visiting more venues in Essex and highlighting the importance of breast health.
“We are so grateful and happy, thank you all the people who voted for us and collected tokens on our behalf.”
Lady McAdden started in 1976 and was the first to offer routine breast screening until the NHS service opened in 1988. The Lady McAdden Centre is located at 203 Elmsleigh Drive, Leigh. To find out more and to book an appointment at a venue or via secure video call visit www.ladymcadden.org or call 01702 343288.
Southend's Welcome to the UK works to support refugees in the area,helping themto overcome challenges newcomers face when they move to a new country.
They are putting the £344.94 they received towards buying textbooks for their students.
“We have put the money to buy textbooks so that our students get to have one each and see the work in colour and better quality,” said Elsa Nathan, who is Southend hub coordinator at Welcome to the UK.
“It will make a big difference to their learning to have these better resources.”
The charity helps families and individuals from overseas settle in and positively engage in their community.
Based in the Victoria Shopping Centre, in Southend, the charity runs English classes and a friendship groups as well as drop in services for help and advice, one to one support and professional workshops.
They are based in two units, one for the regular classes and a separate space where the team can speak to people confidentially and during the friendship group, they offer a free creche.
The charity has had a busy year helping people in the community, including Ukrainian refugees who have settled in the UK. They held a special Christmas event on Thursday December 14, where families got to enjoy themselves.
“We have really connected to the Ukrainiancommunity since they arrived in March and the weekly drop-in sessions on a Tuesday with the council has meant they have formed connections with other refugees from the Ukraine,” said Elsa.
“It was so lovely to see the children smile the whole time and having fun.” For full details visit www.welcome2theuk.com for details.
“The money we won through the Echo’s cash giveaway has helped ensure as many families as possible are able to have a lovely Christmas dinner and treats on the day as well as food parcels that will get them through the school holidays,” said Daniel.
St Vincent De Paul Society provides food parcels, clothes, utility bill support, free mobile phones, mental health services and weekly low cost food.
It also puts on markets, as well as a safe place to come and have a sandwich, a hot drink and a chat with friendly staff, volunteers and other guests, not to mention Kindness Soup Kitchens most evenings of the week.
St Vincent’s Centre is based at Unit 9, Victoria Business Park, Short Street, Southend. Call 01702 592980 or visit www.svp.org.uk/st-vincentssouthe
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