East Anglia charities receive over £49,000 to transform young lives
Cheshire Community Foundation is proud to announce that nearly £50,000 has been awarded to charities across East Anglia through EMR’s Building Brighter Futures Fund.
The fund, created by EMR, which operates six recycling facilities in East Anglia, is managed in partnership with Cheshire Community Foundation and is dedicated to giving young people the support and opportunities they need to thrive.
This year, £49,936 has been distributed to four organisations — SAFE Essex, Sunbeams Play, Sprowston Youth Engagement Project and Keep It 100 Youth CIC. Each project is tailored to meet the unique needs of young people aged 12–25, particularly those facing challenges such as neurodiversity, low confidence, social isolation or risk of exclusion.
Together, these initiatives will provide inclusive support, build life skills, improve wellbeing and help young people move closer to education, training and employment
The projects being supported
Boreham – SAFE Essex
Award: £5,454
SAFE Essex will launch a dedicated support group for autistic girls and young women, creating a safe and inclusive space to explore stress, anxiety, relationships and self-advocacy. Sessions will combine creative activities, wellbeing workshops and life skills training to help participants develop coping strategies and self-awareness, while also offering family support to strengthen networks around each young person.
Great Yarmouth – Sunbeams Play
Award: £17,080
Sunbeams Play will deliver art therapy, confidence building and life skills training for autistic young people aged 12–25. Sessions will include cooking, budgeting, vocational experience, creative expression and community outings — all designed to foster independence, build resilience and empower participants to shape their own futures.
Lenwade – Sprowston Youth Engagement Project
Award: £9,402
This initiative will provide free football coaching, combining sport, wellbeing and personal development for girls aged 12 and above. A holiday outreach programme will also reach up to 130 young people at risk of isolation, anti-social behaviour or substance misuse, helping to boost confidence, improve mental health and break down barriers to participation in sport.
Boreham– Keep It 100 Youth CIC
Award: £18,000
Keep It 100 Youth CIC will deliver a youth-led creative summer programme focused on empowerment and positive change. Through music, arts, photography, performance and entrepreneurship, participants will explore themes including youth violence and its impact. The project provides a safe and supportive space for young people to express themselves, build confidence and envision a brighter future.
The Building Brighter Futures Fund
The Building Brighter Futures Fund was launched in 2023 to create lasting impact in the communities where EMR operates. Since then, it has distributed more than £600,000 in grants nationwide. This year’s North East awards form part of the fund’s £200,000 national investment in youth-focused initiatives for 2025.
Ian Sheppard, Managing Director at EMR, said:
“Through our Building Brighter Futures Fund, we’re proud to support these transformative projects that work tirelessly to help disadvantaged young people across the North East fulfil their potential. Whether it’s through work experience, mental health support or practical skills development, these programmes will make a real and lasting difference in our communities.”
Mel Sproston, CEO of Cheshire Community Foundation, added:
“Collaborating with EMR on the Building Brighter Futures Fund is a privilege. The scale and impact of this year’s awarded projects demonstrate the fund’s strength and purpose — creating genuine pathways for young people across the region to grow, thrive and succeed.”
Building Brighter Futures is just one way in which EMR is helping communities tackle some of their toughest challenges. From helping ex-offenders, care leavers and veterans build vital skills and get back into work to educating young people through four Schools Programmes aimed at inspiring the sustainable innovators of the future, EMR believes that everyone deserves every chance to build a better, fairer life for themselves.