We’re all a bit worn down with everything going on in our world, it can seem beyond our help, beyond our understanding even. Well, here’s something you can really get behind and make a difference.
The story so far…
East Marsh United (EMU) is a community group from the East Marsh of Grimsby, dedicated to transforming our neighbourhood. As a Community Benefit Society, we’re now the proud owners of three houses on the East Marsh – we bought them with the help of the council, our friends at not-for-profit East Marsh Construction did the houses up to a high standard, and here’s the best news of all, three families have made welcoming, secure and comfortable homes in our neighbourhood.
East Marsh United stands proud as their ethical community landlord, alongside our tenants in the face of the inevitable financial, social or personal winds that blow in life from time to time – we’re there for them before we’re there for their rent. This short BBC Look North video offers you a look round one of our houses and talks with Sian and Terry who have become valuable members of our community –
Introducing our Community Share Offer
We’re committed to changing our neighbourhood one house at a time. That’s why we’ve launched a Community Share Offer – our goal is to the raise the investment needed to buy 10 more houses on the East Marsh.
Thanks to the help of several generous investors, we’ve already managed to raise over £100,000 so far! With around seven weeks left until the investment opportunity closes, we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has contributed to transforming the East Marsh so far. What’s more, Jason Stockwood – chairman of our Grimsby Town football club – has pledged to invest £10,000 for every £100,000 invested.
If you would like to stand with us and invest, head over to our Ethex page.
Looking to the future
But, we won’t stop there, because what we REALLY want to do is to buy 100 houses, this will give us a regular revenue stream of around £150,000 per year at current rates and finally make our community group independent and resilient for generations to come. Our current community share offer for £500,000 will get us 10 houses as a start towards our 100 and we want to grow this as quickly as possible.
So, that’s the 100 houses, but what of the 100 years? Instead of 1, 2, 3 even five or ten years, how about we be guided by the philosophy of the indigenous American Iroquois people and plan for a sustainable and caring community infrastructure that lasts many generations – 100 years in fact. Wouldn’t it be great to know that our children’s children’s children can play a full part in a self-sustaining, independent and dignified community that manages its own pathways to human flourishing?
So, make a difference, contribute and stand with us in solidarity!
How you can help us reach our goal
East Marsh Community (EMC – a trading name of East Marsh United) are using Ethex as our platform for raising investment and administering community share purchases. If you want to invest £250 or more (or know someone who does) please visit our Ethex page.
However, EMC also wants to grow its membership and investor base locally so we have therefore set up a “hyper-local” offer in parallel. If you are based in Grimsby (or very close by) you can become a shareholder by investing £10 or more (and up to £249) direct with us.
So, make a difference, contribute and stand with us in solidarity!
