Suffolk charity’s acts of kindness raise community spirit during coronavirus crisis

Woodbridge-based charity, The Seckford Foundation, may have been affected like many others by the implications of Covid-19, but their first priority has been to help their local community.

The foundation has pooled together teams of volunteers from Seckford Education Trust’s schools to help those in the local community, as there has been a lack of PPE for key workers and many have found themselves isolated during this crisis.

The Seckford Foundation encompasses several organisations including Seckford Care, which provides residential and sheltered care for older people, Woodbridge School, Seckford Education Trust, and Seckford Springboard, which provides a mentoring and grants programme for young people.

Graham Watson, Director of The Seckford Foundation, said that the foundation was “determined to respond positively” and to “continue the legacy of strengthening communities” imprinted by benefactor Thomas Seckford. 

“One of our key values is to ensure that no-one suffers through rural isolation and many are feeling more isolated than ever right now,” he said.

This has resulted in staff from Seckford Education Trust schools in Beccles, Ixworth and Saxmundham joining forces to make face masks for NHS workers in their Design Technology laboratories, while Woodbridge School teacher Anna Nyberg, has been working with BT in the Design Technology Department to make and supply face visors using their laser cutting machine.

Another teacher at the school, Emily Turner, has been sewing colourful headbands to ease the strain on ears when wearing face masks, and is also making scrubs for local NHS staff.

Ipswich Hospital has since been in touch to ask for more headbands.

The foundation is proud of its history, but trustees are keen not to live in the past and that has meant going digital.

Mr Watson added: “Seckford Springboard’s mentoring of young people has moved to virtual meetings. We felt it important that young people have someone impartial and positive they can talk to for wellbeing during this confusing time.

“We are also helping them to understand how important it is to use the lockdown constructively, so they can continue to achieve their potential and be productive, for example by offering their time to the community.”

Staff across the entire Foundation are being pooled to where the need is greatest.

School minibus drivers have been volunteering their time to make vital deliveries to food banks, and the foundation has also loaned a large fridge and 600 disposable gloves to newly set up Woodbridge Town Teapot Food Bank.

You can learn more about the great work of the The Seckford Foundation here.

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