TWO worthy causes have been given cash boosts after a charity donated £2,000 to help children in need in Clacton.

Roy Kemp, of Colchester Children’s Charity is donating £1,000 to Shorefields School, to boost funds to build a sensory garden, and another £1,000 to Essex Hands, a charity set up by Marion Knight, from Clacton.

Roy decided to donate the cash as the charity tries to help as many people as possible in the Clacton area.

“The £1,000 will help them get what they need and we always want to help local people – we don’t want it go anywhere else,” he said.

“It’s amazing what Marion has done.

“We’ve given money to a sensory garden project before and it was great – you help a lot of children at once.

Shorefields parent teacher association head Dawn Bryan is overwhelmed by the money.

“Roy is sending a cheque and I just want to tell him a massive thank you,” she said.

“I’m very overwhelmed – I’ve already invited him to the grand opening. When you do fundraisers, you really are taken aback every time someone comes forward and donates.

“But when you don’t know the person and they are a total stranger, it’s overwhelming.”

Marion Knight, who founded Essex Hands, also received £1,000 which will be invested in fundraising events over the next 12 months.

The cash will help making memories for Iyla Harvey, from Little Clacton, who has a rare condition called Wolf Hirschhorn Syndrome.

Marion is holding a weekend fundraiser for Isla in June and the cash will help make it princess-themed, complete with unicorns and real-life princesses.

Marion said: “The money is great – it means we can do bigger and better things and “We can get more people involved to fundraise.

“We try and keep everything in the Clacton area and that’s what this is about.

“Little people like Iyla are missed by big charities, but they’re the ones that I pick up.

“It’s all about the community to me.

“There are a lot of good people around here.”