Project funding

Disability Essex relies on grant funding to facilitate the extension of its services for disabled people throughout the County of Essex, and the Unitary Authorities of Thurrock and Southend on Sea. While primary grant funding is used for the setting up and initial running costs of a project, Disability Essex endeavours to identify further funding streams to ensure that valuable health and disability initiatives continue in the longer term.

Blood Pressure Monitoring and Stroke Awareness

A recent bequest has enabled Disability Essex to pilot its Blood Pressure Monitoring and Stroke Awareness project in Brentwood.

In partnership with the medical equipment charity ASET, with its links to Southend Hospital and equipment supplier Datascope, Disability Essex has obtained two sets of advanced diagnostic and measurement equipment. An adapted minibus (see picture below) has been fitted out as a mobile diagnostic vehicle and our project nurse/manager will be focusing on locations in the Brentwood district throughout the coming year.

Additional funding has allowed us to incorporate a number of visits to Basildon, Chelmsford and Rochford into the project timetable.

Disability East Data Sharing Project

Disability East is a partnership between charities of disabled people, to pool knowledge and share expertise. We have been part of this partnership since it was established in 2003. The survey 'Disability in the East of England' – an overview of structures and demands, published in September 2004 – identified the need for a regional information network.

Just over a year later the partnership launched a project aimed at creating an online regional disability database, to offer an efficient and high quality information service for the disabled community in the East of England. If you would like to know more about this project please follow the link to the Disability East website.

Intelligent Adaptive Keyboard Project

Some people have health conditions which make it difficult for them to use standard computer equipment, for example a keyboard. Disability Essex aims to develop a simple software program, which could significantly improve the use of standard computer applications by disabled people.

We work in partnership with the London Metropolitan University from whom we receive research and technical support. The project is sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry, through their Knowledge Transfer Partnership programme.

Our Software Developer is working with disabled volunteers to gain insight into the difficulties they experience when using standard computer equipment. If you are disabled, and would be interested in volunteering for this project, then please don’t hesitate to contact us.

For further information please contact the Disability Essex office and ask for Mariëlle Brouwer (Project Manager) or Jun Li (Software Developer).