During these unprecedented times local groups and charities are finding it harder than ever to stay afloat and keep their services safe. A number of local organisations have had to close charity shops, community cafes and cencel fundraising events – all of these have a huge impact on their funding and could mean that they have to close.

Some organisations have put calls out for funding support on social media. Please see some below, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter to see when we share updates.

Essex Community Foundation (ECF), a leading and independent supporter of local charities and voluntary groups, has launched a funding programme to help organisations during the coronavirus pandemic.

The purpose of the Essex Coronavirus Response and Recovery Programme is to get help quickly to voluntary and community organisations that are in crisis and need emergency funding to keep their vital services running.

Coronavirus is making life even harder for the families that Families InFocus support. Many of these families fall within the most vulnerable categories within society and some of the children and young people they support are particularly susceptible to catching viruses, due to their complex health issues.

If you can help support a small local charity, then please click the button below.

Hearing Help Essex are a local Chelmsford based charity who need your help. Hearing Help Essex made the difficult decision to halt their face-to-face services potentially affecting over 7,000 of their service users.

Helen Rollason need your help. Their income for the next 12 weeks is budgeted at £160,000, and with the high streets and their shops potentially shutting and fundraising events cancelled they will really struggle to meet this target.

But they won’t go down without a fight! They have launched a new online campaign to try and recoup financial losses over the next few months; please click the button below. If you cannot donate at this time then please do share with your friends/families – together you can help Helen Rollason to continue enabling quality of life while living with cancer #HRCCFamily 💙

If Chelmsford Community Radio cannot raise emergency funding, they will be closing down their community service.

Their Coffee Shop is now closed, and they have no clear income.