This Council makes a number donations to local causes, drawn from a figure decided in its annual budget. It also gives awards, in the form of Trophies.

Council Donations

Groups/individuals should apply in writing to the Town Clerk and those applications will go forward to Council Meetings for Members’ consideration.

The Council will normally want to see a copy of a group’s latest accounts.

Examples of groups supported are: The Art Trail, Bridge Taskforce, Dengie Project Trust, Rotary 10k run, The Big Draw, Burnham Music Group, Carnival etc., Essex Air Ambulance, Saint FM Community Radio.

Council Awards

The Town Mayor has two significant annual awards in his/her gift, which take the form of trophies to recognise an individual’s service.

  1. The Mayor’s Annual Award which is presented to someone who has made a significant contribution to the local community in the previous 12 months.
  2. The Mayor’s Lifetime Achievement Award is for someone who has made a significant contribution to the community over many years.

The Award trophies are engraved and then returned each year.

There are also a number of smaller awards for those who have also made a contribution but do not quite merit the larger awards. The recipients keep these awards.

Examples:

Jim Cousins received the lifetime award for his many years hard work as the local Poppy Appeal Co-ordinator.

Walter Jenkins received  the annual award for his fundraising efforts for a new lifeboat.

The awards normally go to volunteers but not always. For example, David McNeill  was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Awards last year for services as Town Clerk.

The awards are decided via close liaison between the Town Mayor and the Town Clerk, who keep a note of people involved in local projects, etc.