An ELFT ‘Anchor Strategic Summit’ took place on 11 November. 62 staff and service users came together in person to celebrate success and shape the development and strategic direction of ELFT’s Anchor programme.

As a large employer with millions of pounds of annual expenditure, ELFT recognises its significant role and responsibility as an ‘anchor organisation’ (i.e. a large, public sector organisation that is ‘anchored’ in local communities and unlikely to relocate), to support the health and wealth of the communities it serves in Bedfordshire, Luton, and East London.  

The event took place at the charitable institution Toynbee Hall which has been working to support local people experiencing poverty for over a hundred years.

The conference was structured around the four key ‘pillars’ of our Anchor programme:

• Widening access to employment for local people and those facing barriers to the labour market;
• Embedding social values in procurement so that we purchase more goods and services from local businesses and those that promote social, economic and environmental wellbeing in local communities; 
• Improving environmental sustainability in our operations and in the wider community; 
• Using our land and buildings to benefit local communities. 

Attendees contributed to thought-provoking and ambitious discussions during workshops about the strategic direction for each pillar.

 Feedback from the workshops will inform the development of an Anchor Plan for ELFT for 2023-26.  

If you would like to know more about ELFT’s Anchor Plan please email: elft.communications@nhs.net