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West & Coe in the Community - Introduction | We are extremely proud to be able to trace our family records back in Dagenham to before 1800. Throughout this time, history has shown that the West family has continually played an active role in the local community. The earliest recorded instance being in 1840 when Mr Edward John West was appointed as overseer of law for Dagenham, a position he held for a considerable time. | | Since the formation of West & Coe, both founders and second generation Jack West have held many positions within the community including Parish Councillor and Church Warden of Dagenham Parish Church.
Today there are a number of activities we are involved with, not only in financial terms but by personal involvement as well. |
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West & Coe in the Community - Education | HOPE
West & Coe are the founders of the grief support programme HOPE. This unique six week programme is offered to any bereaved family regardless of whether we have carried out the funeral or not, at NO charge. It is designed to help support people and show that there is hope for the future. Since it was launched in 2006 over 400 people have benefitted from attending. Today, Saint Francis Hospice, Age Concern and a number of local Churches now run our programme within their organisations. To find out more, visit the HOPE page. | Bereavement Seminar
During the year we organise and host a number of seminars on different aspects of bereavement for anyone in the community to attend. Dr. Bill Webster from Canada, who is recognised to be one of the leading authorities on bereavement issues in the world today, has become a personal friend of our family and we are honoured that he now spends two weeks a year leading several of our seminars.
Recently Dr. Webster spoke on several important subjects including “Helping children cope with bereavement” & “Getting it together after life falls apart”. Many people have attended these seminars from church groups, care home workers, counselling groups and significantly school teachers. These seminars, which are hosted free of charge, have proved beneficial for many people and organisations who work in the community. | Care Home Support
With more and more care homes for the elderly being built within our community we have put together an educational programme for care home staff on, “What to do when a death occurs” and “How to help a grieving person”. This year we have given over fifty different educational talks free of charge issuing certificates to staff who are taking NVQ’s. Several of my staff have also become involved in supporting the homes further by regularly calling Bingo, hosting quizzes, helping raise money at garden fetes and even dressing up as Father Christmas for six homes as well as an Easter Bunny. |
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West & Coe in the Community - Local Sport | Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club
In 2006 when the club's current sponsorship came to an end, West & Coe had the opportunity to take it over. The fact that West & Coe is Dagenham's oldest business and the football club is community owned attracted us to this type of sponsorship. Remarkably, in the first year of our involvement, Dagenham and Redbridge were promoted to the football league for the first time in their history. Last season saw the threat of relegation, but thankfully they remain in Division 2 for at least another season. | | | To learn more about Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club, check out the Wikipedia entry or visit the official Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club Website | | Living the Dream | | The Borough of Barking & Dagenham has more talented athletes than other London boroughs and with the 2012 Olympics being held in Stratford, the local council wanted to set up a trust to help financially support the many local aspiring athletes. |  | | Jeremy West was approached to be Chairman of the Living the Dream Trust along with nine other trustee’s which are equally split between business people, local councillors and community workers. Their role is to raise money to support all local talented athletes to enable them to compete on equal terms. The launch of the Trust took place in July 2007 with over 150 attending, and West & Coe donating £5,000. There is a significant amount of work needed to enable the trust to achieve its aim. It is a great honour for Jeremy West to be asked to oversee such an excellent cause in helping young people, reach their goal. | | Indoor Bowling
There can be few more calming sights than a bowls match in progress. The quiet concentration required to excel in this ancient sport is intense yet very relaxing. West & Coe sponsor several local bowls clubs, which can provide an absorbing hobby, companionship and support when you may need it most. | | More recently, West & Coe has been offered the exclusive opportunity to be sole sponsors of all of the three indoor bowls clubs within the communities of Havering, Barking and Tilbury. We are extemely proud to be associated with these very fine and well supported clubs.For more information, visit www.bowlsclub.org. | | Cricket for All | | Jeremy West has been Chairman of Hornchurch Cricket Club for the last six years. During that time West & Coe have jointly sponsored and organised a coaching programme for young people entitled 'Cricket For All'. Realising that most schools are now unable to offer any form of cricket, links have been established with eighteen junior and eight senior schools within Havering informing them about the Cricket Coaching Programme. Four thousand leaflets and two hundred posters have been printed each year and during April personal visits to all school assemblies are made to promote the coaching programme. Throughout the cricket season several hundred different boys and girls attended with an average of two hundred attending the sessions each week. The coaching programme which was jointly sponsored by West & Coe is free and gives children from 7 years upwards the opportunity to learn to play cricket. Many now represent Hornchurch Cricket Club’s youth teams and several have graduated to the Essex youth team. Over twenty coaches are in attendance each session. |
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West & Coe in the Community - Charitable | School Support
For many years Jeremy West has been a Governor at Eastbrook School in Dagenham, having attended the school as a pupil many years ago.
West & Coe are regularly involved in a panel of professional people who go into schools to give mock interviews to students. This has been very rewarding for the members of staff who last year attended seven schools in the Barking and Dagenham Borough. We also offer work experience through Trident to students. | | Youth Worker | | Over the years we have formed a good friendship with the Pastors and members of the Bethel Church in Dagenham having admired the excellent work they carry out within the community. Supporting young people is so important and when hearing about their plans to engage a youth worker to attend schools and become actively involved within the Dagenham and Barking community we were pleased to offer our support. We help finance this work and have pledged to support a youth worker. | | Local Support for a Village in Gambia | | In 2003 the Manageress of one of the Dagenham Offices Heather Lighten who has worked for the Company for over twenty years, went to the Gambia for a holiday. During the two weeks she was there she visited several small villages where poverty was so evident – no water or electricity. On her return she pledged to help the cause. Over the last three years she has raised over £18,000 by organising a number of fund raising events locally. Most have been 60’s nights attended by well over 200 local people on each occasion. This has now enabled a village to have electricity and water as well as having shower and toilet facilities built. With her enthusiasm many local shop keepers and residents of Martins Corner, Dagenham contribute money, toys and items of clothing on a regular basis. Every November she personally takes these to the Gambian Village. Her determination to help those villages has meant so much to them and it has also generated great support from local people of Dagenham. |
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