Partnering with ECF to rethink corporate giving

Investing in Essex: Essex Community Foundation

Essex Community Foundation (ECF) connects people and businesses to the local causes they care about, managing many charitable funds and providing grants that strengthen communities across Essex. So, when Beresfords set out to give back to the community it serves, partnering with ECF felt like a natural choice.

Nicki Treffers, Group Marketing and New Business Director at Beresfords, shares how the company’s charitable fund is already making a lasting difference across Essex, and explains why seeing that impact first hand has been so rewarding.

In conversation with Nicki

How important is it to Beresfords to give something back to the community, and how do you integrate this into your company’s culture and values?

Giving back is absolutely paramount to Beresfords, which is why we created the Beresford Foundation with ECF. As an Essex-based business, we are deeply rooted in the community, and it’s a massive part of our responsibility to give back and make as much of a difference as we can. We are proud to have been shortlisted at the Negotiators Awards for ‘Champion of the Year’ for our work.

What drew Beresfords Foundation to work with ECF rather than having a fund on its own?

As a third-generation, family-owned business, our legacy is built not only on what we have achieved, but on how we give back. We see philanthropy as a way to cultivate our legacy; to carry forward the values of care, commitment and community that have defined our business for generations.

By establishing a charitable fund with ECF, we were supported in identifying charities and initiatives that align with our values and objectives, ensuring our contributions create a meaningful and lasting impact for years to come.

The Beresfords Foundation has supported a range of local charities and community groups. Could you give us some examples of the organisations you have funded and the impact this support has made?

Absolutely, we are proud of the variety of projects and groups we have been able to support. What is great is that our team gets involved in deciding which charities to fund, often choosing causes that are close to them or that have a real local impact. For example, we have helped the Braintree District Stroke Support Group, which brings stroke survivors and their carers together for social activities and practical support; Billericay Baby Basics, which helps new mothers and families access essential items; and Renew Counselling, which produces helpful booklets for parents of children who have anxiety. Seeing the difference these grants make in people’s everyday lives, and knowing our staff helped choose and support them, makes it even more rewarding for everyone at Beresfords.

You have personally taken part in some exciting challenge events. How do you get your colleagues involved in raising funds?

Getting colleagues involved in fundraising has been a real learning curve. I have discovered that our staff have an incredible appetite for volunteering and getting stuck in. It used to be just the marketing team taking part, but now we involve the wider group, giving everyone the chance to support causes that matter to them.

Leading from the front is key. If I want to motivate and inspire the team, I have to show commitment and get involved myself. While giving large sums of money is great, I frequently get feedback from the team about how much they enjoy getting involved and seeing firsthand the impact we are making in our community. For me, that is where the biggest reward really comes from.

In what ways have you collaborated with ECF, and what plans do you have to develop the relationship for the benefit of local charities?

Our role is not only as funders but as advocates and thought leaders. One example of this is CommuniTEA, an event hosted by Beresfords and ECF. The event brings together local businesses and charities for open conversations over tea, creating space to listen, learn and understand what support charities really need.

The aim is to move beyond one-off acts of volunteering, and instead explore creative, skills-based ways businesses can help. By fostering these genuine connections and encouraging collaboration, we can create a more resilient and impactful charitable ecosystem across our community.

What does 2026 look like for Beresfords Foundation?

Our primary focus will be on consistency and impact. We would like to work on joint initiatives with other funds or businesses to take on more ambitious applications; those which can have a wider reach and impact. We will be giving our efforts a meaningful push and working with partners like ECF to further develop and expand initiatives to support Essex.