Earlier this year UCAN was awarded a grant to improve access to services across the district. We’re ready to hit the road with our new mobile hub!
CVS organisations across Essex were provided with funding to help communities recover from COVID, and improve the ways that residents are able access help and support in their area. Uttlesford is unique in Essex, in that it covers a large geographic area (some 200 square miles) and we have an older population who are scattered in rural locations across the district. Travel links between these outlying villages and the main centres of Saffron Walden and Great Dunmow are not ideal, and make getting to locations where they can seek advise and support problematic.
Our solution is to bring those services to residents, through the deployment of a new Mobile Community Hub. We have used our grant funding to purchase a former Police mobile office, and fit it out as a small community centre. Our team will be touring the district throughout the Autumn and Winter, with regular stops each week so that residents can come over for tea, coffee and chat, but also talk to someone face-to-face about any issues or problems they may be experiencing where they live. UCAN Community Responders can help with a range of challenges, including access to food and medicines, befriending (by telephone and in person), installation of key safes and video doorbells, minor home improvements, garden maintenance and more! In collaboration with our Social Prescribers and Home from Hospital team, we can also provide wrap-around support before and after hospitalisation, and arrange delivery of hot meals, food parcels and collection and delivery of equipment. One of our most requested services is the installation of key safes for carer and emergency service access.
We will be publishing our “schedule” of locations and dates on Facebook community pages, our website and shared through partner organisations. You don’t have to have a problem to come and say hello – we’re always up for a chat over coffee and cake – and we’ll even provide it!
For more information on UCAN community services email connect@ucan.org.uk or telephone 03333 408218.