Author: Richard Corby

Workshop: Marketing Techniques for Voluntary Sector Groups in Rural Settings

Building on the success of our Funding and Bid Writing Workshop with Active Essex we are pleased to announce details of the next #YourEssexCommunity workshop for the voluntary sector.

Marketing Techniques for Voluntary Sector Groups in Rural Settings

Wednesday 17th December 2025

9.30 am to 12.30pm

Foakes Hall, Great Dunmow

Free attendance, parking and refreshments.

Marketing charity services in rural settings is often difficult because of a combination of structural, social, and resource challenges. Learn with us and marketing specialist Rachel Topps as we look at how to get your message to the people it will benefit the most.

To book your free tickets please visit:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/marketing-techniques-for-voluntary-sector-groups-working-in-rural-settings-tickets-1976714574504

Free Bid Writing Workshop in Uttlesford

Charities and voluntary groups are invited to join us for an interactive session on mastering the art of bid writing.

Delivered by the Active Essex Foundation and hosted by UCAN, charities and voluntary groups are invited to join us for an interactive session on mastering the art of bid writing. Learn tips and tricks, and strategies to help you stand out from the competition.

Fundraising has never been more challenging for community and voluntary organisations across Essex. There is huge demand on grant givers like National Lottery Community Fund and Sport England. There are less grants available from local authorities and NHS. Your fundraising plan needs to think of different ways to bring in income, know where to look for available and relevant grants, and make sure your bids and grant applications stand out.

This in-person workshop is aimed at organisations who want to improve their fundraising and bid writing knowledge and confidence to strengthen income generation.

Tuesday 25th November 2025

9.30am – 12.30pm

Foakes Hall, Great Dunmow

To book your free tickets visit:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/introduction-to-fundraising-and-small-grants-bid-writing-workshop-tickets-1933039466079

Sell out for Town Mayor’s Fundraising Quiz!

The Saffron Walden Town Mayor’s Quiz Night last Friday 17 October at Jubilee Hub was a huge success! It was a sell out evening with 74 people attending, making up 13 teams. The event was held to raise vital funds for Cllr Ahmed’s chosen charity, Uttlesford Community Action Network (UCAN).

The evening was full of fun and laughter with a touch of competitiveness! And after eight rounds of brain-teasing questions, the winners were announced – congratulations to ‘The Golden Moons’ who won eight bottles of wine to share. In second place came ‘The Pacemaker’ and ‘The team with no name’ came a respectable third – a team member said, “The quiz was a fantastic evening of fun, laughter and (friendly) competition – we thoroughly enjoyed it. A huge thank you and well done to the organisers for making it happen!”

Complementary Indian snacks were kindly provided by the Mayor and a wonderful selection of donated raffle prizes aided the fundraising efforts. Town Mayor, Cllr Ahmed said, “Thank you to everyone who came for the Quiz night – what a fantastic evening of fun and community spirit! Together we raised vital funds for UCAN, your support means so much.” Clive Emmett, UCAN Chief Officer, added “The feedback has been positive – thank you to everyone for supporting this event and the work we do in the community. I would also like to extend our thanks to volunteers on the day; UCAN staff, Town Council Officers, Cllr Jeanette Curtis, and family of Cllr Ahmed.”

Working with Forest Homecare

Through our work to reduce loneliness and isolation in the Uttlesford district, and our hospital discharge work supporting Uttlesford residents home from hospital, we are often helping the same people as some of the local care providers. As such, it only makes sense that we should work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for local people.

Forest Homecare supports independence at home. The organisation provides trusted care that suits residents, and their loved ones, and their unique needs. They offer a wide range of services and customised care plans, making sure everyone gets the right support to live comfortably.

Local carers looking after local people

Whether it’s assistance with dressing, managing medications, or keeping things tidy, the Forest Homecare team ensures the right support at the right time. Their caring services compliment our own UCAN Home Solutions service, which provides domestic support for residents, enabling them to continue to live independently in their own homes. Help available includes:

  • Cleaning in the home
  • Shopping
  • Collection of prescriptions
  • Laundry
  • Change of bedding
  • Pet care
  • Putting away shopping/food deliveries,
  • Gardening and handyman tasks such as installing smoke alarms, locks, home security devices and small repairs.

There are no contracts, but a minimum obligation is one hour per week and number of hours can be reviewed and adjusted as needs change.  For example you may have one job that needs to be done once a month, or perhaps seasonally like changing the curtains or cleaning the blinds.  We can add an extra hour on when those jobs need to be done.

For further information on UCAN Home Solutions practical help at home please email home.solutions@ucan.org.uk or call us on 01371 404474 to discuss your needs.

For help with truly personalised care to help a loved one live safely in their own home, consider the support available from Forest Homecare.

Jubilee Hub Consultation 2025

Have your say! on the services and facilities at Jubilee Hub

Saffron Walden Town Council (SWTC), Enterprise East and UCAN are seeking the views and opinions of Saffron Walden residents. We are particularly keen to hear from residents who currently attend the activities at Jubilee Hub, to understand what elements of the service are most important. We are also keen to hear from those that do not currently use the services to understand why.

Responses from this consultation will help to inform the future direction, improve the offering and services delivered from Jubilee Hub. The data gathered will be used to deliver an enhanced community service and make further improvements to the building and infrastructure.  By illustrating a strong community voice, it will also support a substantial bid to The National Lottery.

Have your say by completing the short survey;

  • Online here
  • Or by collecting a paper copy from the Tourist Information Centre or the Jubilee Hub in Hill Street.

The consultation closes at 12 noon on Friday 19 September 2025

Summer Concert supports UCAN

We are extremely grateful to Great Dunmow Town Band who held their Summer Concert on 12th July 2025 in support of UCAN

Our Lead Officer, Clive Emmett, was please to attend and share with the audience details of our impactful work in the community, addressing loneliness and isolation.

A total of £1,175.15 was raised for UCAN which will support our work in the community.

Thank you to everyone who attended, and most especially the Band for a wonderful evening of musical entertainment. It was an amazing concert.

To find out more about Great Dunmow Town Band please visit:

https://www.facebook.com/GreatDunmowTownBand

Bandstand Season 2025; Every Saturday from 21 June – 06 September 2025

It’s not long now until Saffron Walden Town Council’s (SWTC) Bandstand Season.  It starts on 21 June and will run weekly every Saturday until 06 September, between 12 noon and 2pm from the bandstand in Jubilee Garden, CB10 1EH. 

A selection of music genres will entertain over the season; from pop / rock to folk and brass bands to contemporary choirs.  The bandstand will be alive for 12 consecutive Saturdays -and it is FREE to attend – just drop in, sit back and enjoy the music.

Said a SWTC spokesperson, “ following on from last year’s success, we are pleased to be offering the bandstand season again, throughout the summer – and are thrilled that Arkwright & Co are backing the Bandstand Season for its third year”, Tom Arkwright added, “Arkwright and Co are delighted to continue to support our local community and look forward to working with SWTC with the upcoming Bandstand Season. We look forward to seeing everyone there over the coming weeks.”

SWTC welcome the financial support from local businesses (Arkwright & Co and De Rosa Music Academy) and Uttlesford District Council (UDC).  Their sponsorship contributes to the well-being of arts and culture in Saffron Walden.  Arkwright & Co are backing the Bandstand Season for its third year.  Said Managing Director, Tom Arkwright, “Arkwright and Co are delighted to continue to support our local community and look forward to working with SWTC with the upcoming Bandstand Season. We look forward to seeing everyone there over the coming weeks.”  De Rosa Music’s Managing Director, Casey Dawkins added,
De Rosa Music Saffron Walden are proud sponsors of the bandstand season. Whilst offering high quality musical tuition, instruments & repairs, playing a wider role within supporting the musical community within Saffron Walden is imperative for us”.  And UDC’s Cllr Richard Freeman added, “I am delighted to make a donation from my Ward Members Initiative Grant – which supports the arts and makes music accessible to all in Saffron Walden over the summer months”.

The Jubilee Hub will be open throughout the Bandstand Season, every Saturday 12 noon – 2pm – with Uttlesford Community Action Network (UCAN) volunteers serving tea, coffee and cake / biscuits.  Said UCAN’s Lead Officer, Clive Emmett, “UCAN are excited to be able to support Saffron Walden Town Council’s Bandstand Season with the help of our local Volunteers. Our Volunteers are so critical to so many projects and events we are involved in and bring the added value element to us as a charity and the community as a whole”.  A SWTC spokesperson added, “as the Mayor Cllr Ahmed’s chosen charity, all funds raised will support the vital work UCAN do, of reducing loneliness and isolation within the community”.

Great support for Volunteer Fair

Thank you to everyone who attended the Volunteer Fair at Saffron Walden Town Hall on Tuesday 3rd June 2025.

Particular thanks to the team at Saffron Walden Town Council who were instrumental in bringing the community together for this dual event celebrating the value of volunteering this #VolunteersWeek2025 and supporting local voluntary sector organisations to increase awareness of volunteer opportunities currently on offer.

Amongst organisations in attendance were: 8 Day Weekend, Action for Family Carers, Audley End House, Citizens Advice Uttlesford, CraftAbility, EACH, Home Start, Mind in West Essex, Saffron Hall, Saffron Cricket Club, Saffron Walden Museum and Uttlesford Community Travel.

For information on current volunteering opportunites with UCAN and other charities in Uttlesford, take a look at the Volunteer Essex website.

This event was our first collaboration with the new Mayor of Saffron Walden, Cllr Ahmed, who has chosen UCAN as his Charity of the Year 2025-2026, and we are looking forward to working with the Mayor’s team across the next twelve months.

Pictured above (L to R) are Richard Boyce, Chair of UCAN Trustees, the Mayor Cllr Ahmed, Deputy Mayor Cllr Jeanette Curtis and Clive Emmett, Lead Officer of UCAN.

Future of UCAN Walking Buddies scheme secured with National Lottery Funding

A new grant of £20,000 will help our community to thrive over the next two years.

Walking Buddies pairs up volunteers with beneficiaries who have lost the confidence to go out of their home for a walk by themselves. This pairing enables beneficiaries to get out walking whilst building new connections and friendships, thereby contributing to both improved mental and physical health and reducing social isolation in what is a very rural area of Essex.

We have had 175% increase in referrals in the last year and this demand is still growing. With funding for the voluntary sector in decline, it has been a difficult few months and we weren’t sure how much longer we could keep this programme running, but now thanks to The National Lottery grant, we will be able to dedicate a team member to managing Walking Buddies, we can recruit and train more volunteers, and increase awareness of the service and its health benefits.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer walker, please email volunteer@ucan.org.uk for more information.

People interested in being matched with a volunteer can call us on 01371 404525, apply through Uttlesford Frontline or email connect@ucan.org.uk

Volunteers Week 2025

UCAN will be promoting and celebrating #VolunteersWeek2025 in our role as the Volunteer Centre for Uttlesford

Volunteers’ Week is an annual UK-wide campaign held from the first Monday in June to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers. This year’s celebration runs from Monday 2nd – Sunday 8th June.

Launched in 1984, this initiative has been running for over 40 years, providing organisations and communities a platform to thank current and past volunteers for their invaluable efforts.

The campaign highlights the diversity and unity of volunteer work across the UK. In its 40th year, the campaign underwent a rebrand, introducing a vibrant identity to inspire continued engagement.

Our main event this year will the the Volunteer Recruitment Fair in Saffron Walden on Tuesday 3rd June, organised and hosted in connect with the fabulous team from Saffron Walden Town Council. Pop in to the Town Hall on Market Day to find out about volunteering roles available in the district with a host of voluntary sector partners available to meet and discuss the needs of their charity/organisation.