The Saffron Building Society has announced the latest local recipients of donations from its Community Fund.

This year over £4,750 has been allocated to local initiatives. In Uttlesford, the Buffy Bus was awarded £2,805 to offer regular food preparation activities on the playbus, while Dunmow First Responders was given £500 towards travel expenses for volunteers responding to emergency calls.

Other recipients were Bishop’s Stortford Mencap (£948) and Colchester Carers Centre (£500).

Established in 2010, the Saffron Building Society Community Fund aims to provide good causes across Essex with grants to help improve the lives of local people. A small panel of staff and members of the society met to agree which causes in the region would receive a donation.

Jon Hall, chief executive of Saffron Building Society, said: “This year we have been able to allocate over £4,750 to local initiatives. We have consulted with our members about the types of causes they want us to help and I am delighted with the final choices the panel has made.

“All the grant applications we received were for very deserving causes. After much discussion, we felt those we are supporting represented a variety of needs across the region and that the benefits would be valued greatly within our communities.”

The Saffron Building Society Community Fund is managed by Essex Community Foundation, which manages charitable funds on behalf of local people and companies. Any applications that were unsuccessful in securing a grant from the Saffron Building Society Community Fund will have the opportunity to be considered for funding from one of the other 100 charitable funds managed by the Foundation.