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Who we ARE?

Active Braintree Foundation (ABF) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and was established in 2018. It was primarily set up to promote sport and physical activity for the benefit of health and well-being and to engage and support communities across Braintree District.

Registered Charity Number 1176734

ABF Strategy 2024-2027.

OUR VISION.

Everyone in the Braintree District has the opportunity to engage in sport and/or physical activity in order to improve their health and wellbeing, compete and have fun.

OUR AIMS.

To achieve our vision, the Active Braintree
Foundation will:

  • Work collaboratively with relevant local
    organisations to tackle inequalities and
    promote inclusion.
  • Be a voice for the sector and
    advocate behaviour change amongst
    the community.
  • Increase capacity by developing
    people and promote innovation to
    increase participation in sport and
    physical activity.
  • Promote and support active
    environments by championing active
    travel and the creation of well-designed
    spaces for activity.
  • Work with commissioners and grant
    funders to increase resources and
    develop capacity in the district.
  • Allocate grant funding and support
    new opportunities that increase
    participation.
  • Provide advocacy, advice and guidance
    to sports clubs, voluntary groups and
    residents.

PROJECTS.

Since our inception we have supported and funded various projects throughout Braintree, below are a few examples of a projects we have worked with:

Halstead Day Centre

We funded an instructor to run a chair based exercise programme for 4 days per week and catering for many different people each day. The sessions have proved immensely popular and participants have improved their hand eye co-ordination and mobility as well as offering social interaction in a fun environment.

Braintree Walking Netball

The Braintree Walking Netball club has been running for only a few years and has seen its membership go from 8 people to over 40. With this growing demand they required funding for new equipment and marking out a new court. This will allow the club to recruit even more members and provide the opportunity for anyone regardless of age, experience or fitness ability to play this popular sport.

Essex Pickleball Club

Pickleball is a growing sport and can be played by people of all ages. The Essex club were growing in numbers and required new equipment to cater for their new members and those they were about to recruit.

Club Forums

ABF have organised a number of Club Forums covering for example Funding, Safeguarding, Social Media etc. These have proved popular with local clubs and organisations, not only for the training but also for the opportunity to network with other similar groups.

Move It or Lose It

Move It or Lose It are community classes that offer strength and balance exercises along with opportunities to socialise. They are ideal for older people especially those who may be lonely, isolated or frail. The group classes offer a non-medicalised solution to benefit residents. These include better quality of life, improved strength and mobility, mental and emotional wellbeing and reduced levels of loneliness. Classes take place at:

  • Great Yeldham Reading Rooms on Tuesdays at 11am
  • Sible Hedingham Baptist Church on Tuesdays at 12.30pm
  • Maldon United Reformed Church with the Maldon Pioneers on Thursdays at 10.30am. This is for adults with learning disabilities and has to be booked through the Pioneers but they have spaces.
  • Hatfield Peverel Saint Andrews Church Hall on Thursdays at 1pm
  • Great Yeldham Reading Rooms on Fridays at 11am. This is an Otago class it is for falls prevention and focuses on strength and balance. 

Contact: georgina.burr@moveitorloseit.co.uk

Carers Connect

Carers Connect is a voluntary carer-led support group. Its primary aim is to support the health and wellbeing of unpaid carers in the Braintree District. Sessions include a gentle pilates and meditation class, time to relax and form friendships to reduce social isolation and share information/signposting and experiences. By providing an opportunity for carers to keep active and socialise their mental and emotional health is also improved.

Classes take place at:
St. Peter’s Church Hall, Braintree on the first Friday of the month
Bradwell Village Hall on the third Tuesday of the month

Contact: l-chao@live.com

Active Rewards

People are referred to Fusion Lifestyle, who operate Braintree District’s leisure centres, to increase their activity levels to benefit their health and wellbeing. People can be referred by health professionals, social prescribers and such organisations as First Stop and Essex Child & Wellbeing Service. Those referred are given a card loaded with £27.25 to spend on activities they wish to undertake and enjoy.

Outdoor Gym Hatfield Peverel

Hatfield Peverel Parish Council installed an outdoor gym in the Strutt Memorial Recreation Ground, Maldon Road and set up weekly training sessions for the community who were unfamiliar with the equipment. The sessions enabled residents to become confident to use the equipment at anytime to improve their health and wellbeing.

https://www.hatfieldpeverelpc.com

Parkplay Halstead

This project is jointly funded by Active Essex, Braintree District Council and Active Braintree Foundation and offers free activity sessions for all the family on every Saturday morning, at the same time, throughout the year. Sessions take place at the King George Playing Fields, Kings Road, Halstead and start at 9.30am.

https://park-play.com/parks/halstead/

Finding Your Feet and The Big Walk

This project offers around 40 walks per month across the Braintree District and is targeted at those wishing to start or return to walking. Walks vary from 1 to 2 hours and are at a gentle pace – no one gets left behind!

The Big Walk is an annual event which normally takes place around October and is a chance for walkers to meet new people and enjoy the surroundings of a new venue.

https://www.community360.org.uk/what-we-do/finding-your-feet/

Kinetix Academy

Kinetix Academy is a parkour centre in Moss Road, Witham and ran a project called ‘Stand by You’ that addressed the mental health and wellbeing of secondary age students who were classed as ‘anxious school refusers’. The project offered sessions to encourage the young people to attend a new place, outside of the school, to build confidence and gain new skills whilst offering a sports provision, which helped with increasing activity and tackling obesity.

https://www.teamkinetix.co.uk

Gosfield Pickleball

Active Braintree Foundation funded the purchase of 4 portable pickleball nets so that the club could offer more session to encourage people of all ages, who don’t play sport, to get active with Pickleball, an easy game to pick up and is lots of fun, sociable and very addictive!

https://nextdoor.co.uk/pages/gosfield-pickleball-club-halstead-gb-eng/

Halstead Road Runners

Halstead Road Runners is an established running club based at Courtaulds Sports Ground, Halstead and following the success of their two ‘Couch 2 5k’ programmes they aim to provide another programme in January 2025 targeted at residents of the local community. The previous projects have helped participants reduce health inequalities, become fitter, meet new people, improve mental health and wellbeing and improve active and healthy lifestyle behaviours.

https://halsteadroadrunners.org.uk

TRUSTEES.

Joby Humm

Trustee

Amy Jackson, Trustee

Amy Jackson

Trustee

Francesco Ricci

Trustee

Hollie Wood

Trustee

Jake Turner

Trustee

John Wood

Chairman

Simon King

Trustee




Tristan Easey

Trustee

Awards.

Braintree District Volunteer and Active Braintree Awards 2024 – Results

With thanks to our sponsor


Award: Going The Extra Mile

Winner:

Sally Welsh

Highly Commended:

John Steadman

 

Martin Smith

 

Jonathan Wicks


Award: Inspirational Role Model

Winner:

Mark Weale

Highly Commended:

Daryl Clark

 

Carol Parker


Award: Long Service

Winner:

Paul Eldridge

Highly Commended:

Margaret Surrey

 

Terry Surrey


Award: Outstanding New Volunteer

Winner:

Kevin Pryke

Highly Commended:

Lucy Harrison

 

Arnaud Mouttoucoumarane

 


Award: Volunteer Group

Winner:

Empire Theatre Trust

Highly Commended:

Friends of the Flitch Way

 

Gosfield Shop


Award: Volunteer of the Year

Winner:

Paul Eldridge

 


Award: Health and Wellbeing

Winner:

Valley Green Walking Football

Highly Commended:

Boxing Inspire

 

Diana Brown


Award: Sports Personality (Adult)

Winner:

Hayley Lamkin

Highly Commended:

Andrew Wilmot

 


Award: Sports Personality (Young Person)

Winner:

Freia Challis

Highly Commended:

Hari Shukla

 

Evie Mills

 

Mayzie Lake

 


Award: Sports or Physical Activity Club

Joint Winners:

Gosfield Pickleball Club

 

The Martial Arts Centre

Highly Commended:

Braintree BMX Club

 

Yong Gi Do Martial Arts


Award: Sports Coach

Winner:

Reefe Ellis

Highly Commended:

David Blaylock

 

Paul Macarthur

 

Funding.

Active Braintree Foundation offers funding, up to £1,000, for projects that support new opportunities that benefit people’s health and wellbeing and increase participation in a wide range of activities. Funding of over £1,000 may be available in certain circumstances – please contact us to discuss.

CONTACT Us.

We are always happy to hear from people who support our work or use our services, so don’t be shy.

Active Braintree Foundation is keen to work with partners across the district to support and develop projects and ideas which will use sport and physical activity to engage communities.

So if you are interested in working with us, have an idea that you need support in developing however big or small, or want to work with a wider network of grass roots organisations then please get in touch!



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