A NEW £75,000 community cashpot has been launched to support grass roots projects in Harwich and riverside areas of Suffolk.

The Harwich Haven Authority - the largest trust port in the East of England - has unveiled its new community fund, which will be managed by both the Essex and Suffolk Community Foundations.

Each year the authority will make £50,000 available to support educational, environmental, maritime and community initiatives in and around Harwich, Dovercourt and Suffolk locations along the Rivers Stour and Orwell.

In addition it will also invest £25,000 yearly into an Essex-based endowment fund.

Established by act of Parliament in 1863, Harwich Haven Authority is a not for profit organisation, with no shareholders.

It's income is generated from pilotage and conservancy services that it delivers to ships visiting the Haven ports.

Neil Glendinning, chief executive officer, said: “As one of Harwich’s major employers we are very much at the heart of the community.

“Many of our employees live in and around the Haven and the Rivers Stour and Orwell - and we already support many great grass roots initiatives.

“We were, however, very keen to make our community giving strategy more cohesive to benefit as many groups and initiatives as we could in and around our area of jurisdiction.

"Drawing on the knowledge and experience of the Essex and Suffolk Community Foundations will enable us to maximise our giving programme to our stakeholders in the Haven.”

Caroline Taylor, chief executive of Essex Community Foundation, said: “We are delighted to be working with Harwich Haven Authority, a locally-based company which is taking the lead through its community giving strategy.

"Working with us in this way will enable them to not only meet the needs of communities today, but provide a long-term financial resource to support the work of voluntary organisations tackling local issues the future.”

For more information and how to apply to the new Harwich Haven Authority community fund visit hha.co.uk/about/community-fund