Groundwork South Essex Launch
Groundwork gets on its bike and arrives in South
Essex
Thames Gateway Chief Executive, Judith Armitt was the guest of
honour at Prittlewell Priory in Southend on Friday (2 March) when
she launched a new Groundwork Trust in South Essex.
The creation of the Trust will maximise environmental benefits
in Thames Gateway. Groundwork South Essex will work with the
most deprived communities focusing on youthwork, education,
volunteering, training and Greenspace creation and
maintenance.
Groundwork South Essex is supported by funding from the
Government’s Department for Communities and Local Government,
Essex County Council, Basildon, Castle Point, Rochford and Thurrock
Councils, Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership and from Vertex
Ltd.
Groundwork South Essex has been established to help communities
make the most of environmental improvements in the Thames Gateway.
Evidence of an early success arrived at the Priory in the shape of
students from local Thorpe Bay School who had been learning cycling
proficiency and maintenance on Groundwork’s Easy Rider
project. The students showed off their cycle skills and
reported that the project had helped them work together as a team.
One of the students, Julian Hill said “I think having a
bike is great, everyone should have one and that will help save the
environment"
The new Groundwork South Essex Trust Executive Director John
Meehan said, “ We have now met with all the major partners in
South Essex and we are delighted with the positive response we are
receiving, numerous projects have been identified where Groundwork
South Essex could play a pivotal role in regeneration of the most
deprived communities in the area”.
Judith Armitt, the Chief Executive of Thames Gateway outlined
the impact Groundwork had already made in South Essex and said,
“We look forward to seeing the Groundwork South Essex Trust
grow to become a major partnership organisation that will achieve
substantial change in Thames Gateway in South Essex.
Groundwork can have a substantial role in pulling partners together
and to allow the wide variety of differing skills to create a sum
that is greater than the sum of its parts”.
Mary Spence, the Chief Executive of Thames Gateway South Essex also
expressed her enthusiasm for the new Trust, saying, “The
Partnership has been funding some early projects to get the Trust
established, so it is already making a difference. It really
is the result of partners’ commitment to the Greengrid and
our vision of a high-quality environment.”
Groundwork South Essex
Groundwork South Essex
Council Offices, Kiln Road
Thundersley, Benfleet
Essex SS7 1TF
