OPERATORS of an energy recovery plant currently under construction on Grays riverfront have announced support for a borough-based dance company as part of its commitment to the local community.

Viridor's new site in Grays, though it sits within the curtilage of the Port of Tilbury, will recover energy from residual waste – the waste left over after recycling.

During construction, Viridor has been actively supporting local communities, groups, charities and initiatives – and is looking forward to building on this support as the site moves into operation.

The proposed new plant which is currently under construction

The company has announced support for support CoDa Dance Company through its WeShare Community Fund.

This donation has contributed towards projects such as 'Avoidance and Other Act of Love' and 'Beyond the Darkness'.

The WeShare Fund is one of the channels through which Viridor provides community funding. Eligible local organisations can submit an application, and funding is awarded based on a set of criteria based around sustainability, local need, community involvement, value for money and education.

CoDa Dance Company has been awarded £2,400 through WeShare.

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Commenting on the donation, Leigh-Anne Dodds, Deputy Project Manager at Viridor Thameside said: "When we received the application from CoDa and looked at their work with people with profound neuro-disabilities and their use of disabled and non-disabled performers, we were immediately touched by the difference they are making in the community and knew that we wanted to provide financial support for their upcoming projects."

CoDa is a disability-led dance company creating critically-acclaimed productions.

Their latest project, Avoidance and Other Act of Love, is CoDa's most ambitious project to date. It is a bold, inclusive dance production about family dynamics and the complexity of communication.

It was developed from choreographer and Artistic Director Nikki Watson's, personal experience of caring for a parent with a degenerative illness and living with the fear of ending up in the same position.

At the One Dance UK Awards in February, CoDa's Beyond the Darkness project is a series of interactive digital explorations and short digital dance episodes that explore how dance and movement can bring light to even the darkest moments, raising awareness of how neurodisability can be experienced.

This project won the 2026 Bob Lockyer Award for Digital or Content Creation.

In response to Viridor's application, Nikki said: "Donations from local businesses such as Viridor, make a real difference to our ability to create these productions. These are important stories to tell and help give light to the voices of people living with brain injury.

"Dance has the power to amplify stories that need to be heard and this support from Viridor Thameside is very gratefully received."

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Last year, Viridor Thameside ERF supported its first project through the WeShare Fund, which was the regeneration of the Seabrooke Rise Community House garden.

The community garden prior to work beginning.

The centre has been important in supporting the local community for many years. Works took place to clear and upgrade the garden to improve the outdoor space for those using the Community House. Viridor will be staying in touch with the Community House to keep the garden maintained.

The community garden after works were completed.

In addition to its WeShare donations, Viridor Thameside ERF and its main construction partner, Kanadevia Inova have been supporting various local charities with a joint £1,000 donation to recognise each incident-free month of construction.

Donations so far have included the Essex Air Ambulance, Friends of Essex Homeless, Thurrock Foodbank and Thurrock & Brentwood Mind.

The WeShare Community Fund remains open for applications and funding is awarded each quarter. For more information about Viridor and the Thameside Energy Recovery Facility, visit https://viridor.co.uk/energy/energy-recovery-facilities/thameside-erf/.