VOLUNTARY and community groups had a chance to find new ways of funding their organisations activities when they attended a Funders’ Fair.

The event - held on Tuesday November 4 at the Beehive, Voluntary and Community Resource Centre in Grays - brought nine organisations which offer funding together with groups seeking money.

Workshops were held and each of the funders had information stalls at the event’s Market Place.

The mayor of Thurrock, Councillor John Everett, opened the fair and stayed to help staff the Thurrock Community Chest stand.

He said: “Thurrock Funders’ Fair is happening in Compact Week, a national opportunity to celebrate and promote national and local compacts between statutory and voluntary, community, and faith organisations.

“The process of funding is an ever changing environment. For this reason, we need to keep up to date with the latest funding techniques if we are to bring funds into Thurrock to support our organisations and charities so that they may continue to provide a wide range of activities and support for the local community.”

Among funding groups at the event were The Thurrock Community Chest, Thurrock Youth Cabinet, Veolia ES Cleanaway Mardyke Trust, the Essex Community Foundation, the Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation, the BIG lottery, Heritage Lottery, Playbuilder, and Thurrock Council.

For more information about seeking funding, contact Carol Spencer, Thurrock Council’s funding officer on 01375 413957, or email community@thurrock.gov.uk.