We believe local residents understand our communities better than anyone, and have the ideas, passion and talent to introduce the changes you know are needed.
Through All In, our community programme, we paid four teams of Essex residents to dedicate a year of their lives to one goal: To create a bold solution tackling a major social issue, and then make it happen.
From June 2022, our teams worked with thousands of local residents to create four truly community-led ideas that address everything from the cost-of-living crisis to mental wellbeing.
With funding and support from Eastlight, all four schemes will continue to improve lives in your communities. Please find out more about the ideas here – and contact the teams to get involved!
Trusted
“Never has there been a greater need for communities to come together and combine knowledge.”
Colchester’s All In Community Team are taking the stigma out of talking about money through Trusted, a weekly safe space where the experts in the room are residents who have spent years making ends meet
Grow with the Flow
“Period shouldn’t be a dirty word in 2023.”
The All In Community Team for Halstead are a group of local women who have created Grow with the Flow with secondary school pupils from the town, after discovering 85% of girls have tried to hide that they are on their period.
Popcorn
"Social isolation affects everybody – but it really impacts young people.”
The All In Community Team for Witham have created Popcorn: a programme where young people who are struggling to reconnect, after years stuck at home during the pandemic, can build friendships and connections.
Kinder Minds
“It’s scary to think that in Braintree, you need to reach a point of crisis to receive adequate support.”
The All In Community Team for Braintree have launched Kinder Minds: a community-led wellbeing service where local people can enjoy free or low-cost activities such as yoga and art therapy while building meaningful relationships with other residents.
Our All In Alliances in Braintree, Colchester, Halstead and Witham are your opportunity to roll up your sleeves and make a difference in your community.
Come along to a quarterly meeting where you’ll meet people like you, decide on the issues you and your community care about, agree how you’re going to tackle them and award funding to community-led ideas you think will make a difference locally.
This spring, alliance members voted to award £12,000 to a total of 12 local organisations and charities, including: Braintree Basketball Club, Edith Borthwick School, the Empire Theatre Trust and African Families in the UK. Your next All In Alliance meetings are taking place this summer.
We're pleased to have funded four fantastic organisations to help continue their work supporting our communities.
The Braintree District and Eastlight Community Fund is a joint fund between Eastlight and Braintree District Council which has awarded £1.1 million to local charities and causes.
