A HOMELESS charity in Westcliff is celebrating a £2,000 grant from a health trust.

Harp, the Homeless Action Resource Project, beat four other shortlisted groups to win mental health trust South Essex Partnership Trust’s Pitch Your Project scheme.

It is run in conjunction with the charity Timebank which encourages volunteering within health and well-being organisations. Charities and voluntary organisations that made a difference to their communities by involving volunteers were asked to pitch their project to a panel of experts at the trust’s headquarters in Runwell.

Harp will use the money to help recruit some permanent volunteers and extend existing projects.

The other shortlisted groups were Basildon District Volunteer Careers, Healthy Life Essex, Relate – South Essex and Gateway FM. Stephen Colyer, from Harp, said: “We feel privileged to have won Pitch Your Project, especially as we were pitching against a number of other worthy organisations.

“The money will help make an even bigger difference to the wider community we serve and hopefully improve the lives of many others who have not been so fortunate in life and help us to continue our work.”

Dr Patrick Geoghegan, trust chief executive, said “All the projects that were pitched are to be commended for their excellent work in the community and how they try to connect with the individual communities they serve. I congratulate Harp as the winner and have every confidence its excellent work will continue to make a difference.”