TILBURY'S Riverside Project charity has expressed its gratitude to local company EMR for a donation backing the project's planned 'Picnic in the Park' later this year.

The event will take place on Wednesday, 10 August and EMR, a scrap metal recycling company based at 13-18 Berth at the Port of Tilbury, has donated £2,000 to help make it happen.

The Tilbury Riverside Project was founded by Peter Hewitt in 1992 to promote economic, social and cultural regeneration in Tilbury and the surrounding area.

Since then, the charity, which is based at the Tilbury Riverside Arts and Activity Centre on Ferry Road, has been hugely successful winning numerous Thurrock Business and Civic Awards. And n 2007, the charity was awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.

Project manager Annie O'Brien said: "'Thank you so much to EMR for supporting this event for Tilbury."