MORE than a dozen Halstead-based charities and organisations attended the town council’s annual meeting.

The council held its annual town meeting at the Queens Hall, in Chipping Hill, last Wednesday.

The meeting is an opportunity for the council to listen to residents' needs.

For this year’s meeting, it was decided to invite local charities to talk about what they do and how the council can help them.

The attending 15 charities included the likes of Halstead Rotary Club, the Royal British Legion, Travel Aid for parents of sick children, Halstead Community Choir and the Dementia-Friendly Choir.

Courtaulds Homes of Rest, Halstead and District Local History Society, Halstead Community Shed, Sunnydays Baby and Toddler Group, Halstead 21st Century Group, the river clean group, and Halstead in Bloom also attended the meeting.

All charities were handed forms to apply for the council’s next round of grants this year.

Halstead charities can apply for a grant up to £500 and applications must be returned to the town clerk by June 30.

Halstead Town Council is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year after being founded in 1974. Its first ever meeting was held on September 13 that year.

As a way of celebrating the huge milestone, the council has revealed some photos from the town’s past.

The minutes for the meeting can be found here.