£30,000 boost for Harlow community projects thanks to Kao SEED Fund

Twenty Harlow-based community groups are celebrating new funding awards from the Kao SEED Fund Harlow, sharing a total of £30,000 to power community initiatives that create positive social and environmental change.

Run by advanced data centre operator Kao Data, the second Kao SEED Fund (Social Enterprise and Environment Development Fund) was launched in September as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to supporting the town where it operates its world-class AI data centre campus.

Developed in partnership with Harlow Council, the fund offered grants of between £500 and £2,500 to local community groups and not-for-profit organisations to help launch new programmes or create new pilot initiatives.

The wide-ranging projects includes funding to support: a fully sustainable theatre production of Alice in Wonderland; a women-only boxing programme, free tuition for disadvantaged pupils and a forest garden for a Scout group. 

Councillor Dan Swords, Leader of Harlow Council, said: “In Harlow, we are building a community where innovation, opportunity and local pride go hand in hand. The Kao SEED Fund is a fantastic example of how business and local government can work together to invest in the people and projects that make a real difference. The Harlow SEED Fund will help community groups across our town to roll out new projects or fund existing work, in order to reach more residents, and continue to make Harlow a great place to live.”

Lizzy McDowell, Director of Marketing at Kao Data, added, “We have been so impressed with the creativity and dedication behind the community projects across Harlow. It was incredibly difficult to narrow down the applications, but we’re thrilled to support a further 20 inspiring groups, through our Kao SEED Fund initiative, that make such a tangible difference, from environmental programmes, arts initiatives through to youth and wellbeing projects.”

The Kao SEED Fund for Harlow was launched in September 2025 for the first time, in order to recognise and invest in community-led projects that make the town a better place to live and work.

The 20 funded Harlow projects are: Butterfly Effect Wellbeing; Changing Lives Football; Epping and Harlow Community Transport; Harlow Arts Trust; Harlow Band Stand; Harlow Hospital Radio; Matipo Arts; Norman Booth Recreation Centre; Open Road Vision; PATACC; Plant pots and Wellies; Potter Street Health & Wellbeing Hub; Razed Roof; Rise Community; Roots to Wellbeing; The Frequency Machine; The Parent Hood of Harlow;The Scouts; The Victoria Hall Performing Arts Association and Yellow Brick Road.

1. Butterfly Effect Wellbeing - will use the funding to grow their community garden project to give more people the chance to get involved in growing vegetables, building connections, and enjoying the therapeutic benefits of gardening. 
2. Changing Lives Football - the Community Football Initiative will see weekly football sessions for children from low-income families and the Mental Health kick around will support a football team for migrants and asylum seekers to help bring communities together. 
3. Epping and Harlow Community Transport - will use the funding to recruit and retain more volunteer drivers to support Harlow residents unable to use public transport. 
4. Harlow Arts Trust - will use the funding to expand the Cycle Create & Move Initiative (CCM) by running a new training programme to recruit new artists and give more training to CCM artists.
5. Harlow Band Stand - will use funding to re-build the town’s band stand. 
6. Harlow Hospital Radio - replacement and upgrade of studio equipment and other equipment which will be used both in studio broadcasting and outside events in Harlow and the wider Essex and East Herts area.
7. Matipo Arts - creates productions, facilitates workshops, and holds events in pursuit of a world in which all people have equal access to, and ownership of, theatre and arts. The funding will evolve their creative wellbeing project “Walk, Talk, Do, Care” for unpaid carers, caregivers and socially isolated individuals.
8. Norman Booth Recreation Centre - The Men’s Kitchen project empowers men to come together to learn cooking skills, make food and connect while enjoying what they've made.
9. Open Road Vision - the funding will expand the Walled Garden Community Project, run by volunteers for Open Road’s clients in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
10. PATACC - funding will be used to recruit 14 volunteers, provide them with befriending, safeguarding and health and safety training to equip them with the skills that will empower them to provide effective befriending services to enhance the social lives of our community citizens who experience loneliness and isolation.
11. Plant pots and Wellies - will use the funding to install an off-grid solar energy and storage system in one of their cabins, transforming how their community uses and enjoys the shared space.
12. Potter Street Health & Wellbeing Hub - the funding will support a Community Garden set up to help and bring together the local community of South East Harlow, and to provide children with an area that is safe and environmentally friendly where they can learn about the importance of biodiversity, sustainable energy and also introduce them to gardening. 
13. Razed Roof - funding will support a devised production based on ideas and information gained through the 'Health Aware' project. The performers in Razed Roof are adults with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities who will use music, dance and drama to raise awareness, inform and entertain audiences in a performance on the Playhouse main stage.
14. Rise Community - funding will support RiSEBOX, a ladies-only, non-contact boxing programme designed to support those who may face barriers to traditional fitness environments due to cultural, social, or economic factors.
15. Roots to Wellbeing - funding will support the Skate and Elevate project, which is a trauma-informed, all-inclusive community initiative that transforms roller skating into a tool for healing, joy, and connection.
16. The Frequency Machine - will use the funding to offer local DJ workshops for adults, children and young people to learn a new skill. This is to empower people and help them gain confidence.
17. The Parent Hood of Harlow - funding will create secure buggy storage which will sit outside their new premises to support parents.
18. The Scouts - will transform a neglected outdoor area next to the Scout Hut into an inspiring forest school-style learning space with an adjoining allotment garden.
19. The Victoria Hall Performing Arts Association - A Wonderland Christmas is an annual community-led Christmas production that unites around 80 local volunteers aged 12–80 in creating, performing and managing a professional-quality show.
20. Yellow Brick Road - The Closing the Education Gap project will use funding to provide free, high-quality maths and science tuition for disadvantaged Year 11 pupils.