The Essex and Southend Sports Trust (EASST) provides charitable grants in support of sport and in particular football and cricket. The geographical area in which it operates is strictly limited to the County of Essex (including the unitary authorities of Southend-on-sea and Thurrock and the London boroughs of Havering, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, Newham and Waltham Forest) .

Grants must be in accordance with the objectives of the charity.

See more detailed guidelines to our activities.

View the press releases

2020/2021 Events Update

EASST supports Essex Sport in difficult times

In spite of all the lockdown problems EASST was able to increase its grant allocations to Essex sport to £184,825 in the financial year to 30 June 2020, a small increase on the previous year. It is also pleasing to report that our investment income has not been as badly hit as we had originally feared and we are continuing to support grant applications in the normal way in the current 2020/21 financial year.

Our joint ventures with Essex Community Foundation and Essex Cricket in the Community continued to thrive and support clubs, organisations and individuals including many that were facing severe financial hardship because of the pandemic restrictions.

From inception in 2002 to June 2020 the Trust has made 224 grants with a total value of £1.74 million and jointly approved with ECF 128 grants with a value of c£262,000.
In addition again to June 2020 a further 41 grants with a total value of £55,000 have been made to 41 different local cricket clubs and other cricket organisations in Essex and East London through our joint venture with Essex Cricket in the Community which started in January 2018.

It is also pleasing to note that the various planned developments at Garon Park, Southend, involving the spending of some £1.2m (which was raised from a range of foundations, individuals and charities including EASST), were all completed before the pandemic lockdowns were introduced. Use of the facilities has of course been severely restricted but more grants have been obtained and further capital spending on the wellness trail around the outer area of the cricket bowl is now underway. Garon Park is being transformed into a magnificent community sports park with the emphasis on cricket, football and community exercise.

The Trust made a further grant of £38,000 to Southend United Community and Educational Trust (SUCET ) in the year and has now contributed c£373,000 since 2002. The EASST grant was matched by an additional £30,000 of funding from the Premier League for the Premier League Kicks Project. This provides football sessions, judo and workshops aimed at young people (12-19) and covers sexual health, drugs and alcohol abuse. The trustees are in the early stages of discussion with Dale Spiby the Chief Executive of SUCET about establishing a joint EASST/SUCET facility at Blues planned new Fossetts Farm stadium to accommodate disabled supporters at home matches and for the general use of SUCET on a daily basis.

Further details about grants in 2019/20 can be found on our grants pages.

Details of how to apply for grants can be found on our Activities page. Applicants are reminded that the EASST Trustees are not prepared to make grants for more than 50% of the cost of any project. The remainder must be raised by grants from other parties or be available from the applicants own resources. Grants can only be made towards projects and individuals based in Essex and East London.

As always our thanks to the Patrons and Garon Park Supporters who have contributed to the public appeal.

The standing order form is here and view a list of Garon Park Patrons here. Alternatively gift aid donations of any amount are welcomed in support of this project. The gift aid form is here.

For any further information please call Joe Sims on 01245 956680 or email Joe.