Author: Richard Corby

E-Portal-Essex is now live!

E-Portal-Essex is your online hub for supporting Essex’s voluntary sector. From starting out to refining policies, we offer expert guidance and resources tailored to your needs

This new service will be a one stop shop for organisations of all sizes to find information on a range of topics relevant to the voluntary and community sector. From initial start up advice to health checking your policies and processes.

The E-Portal has been commissioned by Essex County Council as part of their new approach to voluntary and community sector infrastructure support. The project is being delivered by a partnership of Maldon and District CVS, UCAN, Pipe Media and Touch Point Change Consulting.

The E-Portal will be a continuous evolving platform with the aim of becoming the one stop shop for organisations of all sizes to find information on a range of topics relevant to the voluntary and community sector.

Visit E-Portal-Essex

New VR Wellbeing sessions at the Jubilee Hub Saffron Walden

Starting at Jubilee Hub Saffron Walden on Monday 24th March – Free VR Wellbeing sessions

Drop in between 2pm and 4pm at the 3 Hill Street, Saffron Walden and try out our virtual reality headsets and seated exercise. Rob will be on hand to guide you through the experiences – choose from visiting anywhere in the world, to doing under the sea or even into outer space. You can also try out our pedals so you can paddle a canoe or ride a bike – without having to leave the chair.

Light refreshments provided. Do come and see us!

Thanks to Active Essex for supporting us.

Are you the missing piece of the jigsaw?

Training available with Essex Safeguarding Children Board

If you work in a public facing role, where you may encounter or work alongside children who have been victims of exploitation, then this session is for you.

You will be able to expand your knowledge about spotting the signs of exploitation and understand how to respond.

There are two sessions coming up in March – find out more and book a place 👇

https://www.escb.co.uk/learning-and…/every-contact-counts

Celebrating the life of Bev Emmett

We were all shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Clive’s beloved wife Bev, who died in January.

The family have planned a celebration of Bev’s life, which will take place at Old Park Natural Burial Ground, Coppice Lane, North End, Great Dunmow on Thursday 27th February starting at 12.30 p.m. Everyone is welcome. After the service attendees are invited to stay on and share memories of Bev. Light refreshments will be provided.

The family has requested no flowers. If you would like to make a donation in Bev’s memory, they have chosen an animal charity – The Cinnamon Trust – to benefit. An online giving page can be found at: http://beverlyemmett.muchloved.com/

Our thoughts are with Clive and family at this most difficult of times. Bev was not only a friend, but an energetic volunteer and before moving into the veterinary world caring for her beloved animals, was a much-valued Social Prescriber serving the residents of Uttlesford.

Inaugural UCAN Barn Dance is a load of fundraising fun!

We were delighted to host The Gentlemen of iO on Friday 29th November for our very first fundraising barn dance, which took place at Foakes Hall in Great Dunmow.

We were delighted to host The Gentlemen of iO on Friday 29th November for our very first fundraising barn dance, which took place at Foakes Hall in Great Dunmow.

Thank you to everyone who came and supported us and danced the night away. Much gratitude also to the UCAN fundraising team of volunteers who provided a splendid Ploughman’s meal for over 120, and the lovely people who operated the cash bar for us. In total we raised ÂŁ1,800 on the night – much needed funding that will support our work with lonely and isolated people in Uttlesford.

If you were unable to join us this time, but would like to support the work of UCAN, please consider making a donation by clicking here.

Reaching Communities with our mobile hub

On Wednesday our community outreach team were in Newport with the UCAN Charity Mobile Community Hub. Across the week we are out and about visiting rural communities in Uttlesford, bringing to them services and support they might not otherwise be able to access. Our team includes Community Responders, Advisors and Social Workers and we carry with us a raft of information on help that is available to residents – most of it free!

Thank you to the people of Newport for being so welcoming and responsive – especially local resident Susan Vance who helped us make the arrangements and raise awareness of our visit. We had a bumper day with our highest engagement numbers so far.

If you’d like our mobile community hub to come to you, drop an email to connect@ucan.org.uk and we’ll arrange a visit.

Thanks also to our UCAN Volunteer Centre team who recruited a great bank of volunteer supporters to help us deploy the mobile hub and support members of the public.

Next week we are in Great Dunmow outside the Coop, with thanks to Dunmow Town Council for the invitation.

See you soon!

Vacancy: Acute Social Prescribing Link Worker North Uttlesford

North Uttlesford PCN has an exciting opportunity for an acute social prescribing link worker to join our neighbourhood team, on a full-time or part-time basis, for up to 37.5 hours per week.

This innovative post will operate within the Cambridge Hospitals Foundation Trust (Addenbrooke’s Hospital) as part of the complex discharge team to facilitate and expedite hospital discharges.  Hosted by the local voluntary sector, this exciting role is intended to work with individual patients and their families to support effective discharge planning.  This is role intended to act as an expert in voluntary care and in leveraging community voluntary services in support of post-acute hospital care.

The main responsibilities of the role include:

  • Receiving and proactively identify patients in Addenbrooke’s Hospital who require additional support in order to facilitate a successful and long standing discharge.
  • Providing personalised support to vulnerable individuals.
  • Working in partnership with the GP practice teams, and PCN colleagues to support patients & promote positive lifestyle changes, with the aim of preventing ill-health by means of behavioural change techniques.
  • Completing holistic-care planning assessments, analysing how needs can be met by local services and other opportunities available in the community.
  • Providing information/advice about a wide range of services in order to promote health & well-being in order to support independence within communities.
  • Forging strong links with local VCSE organisations, community & neighbourhood level group.
  • Contributing to reducing demand on statutory services, hospital re-admissions and to combat unnecessary GP appointments.
  • Working with patients in their own homes, to provide personalised person-centred support following discharge from hospital.

For further information and to apply please visit:

https://vacancies.eoeprimarycarecareers.nhs.uk/vacancies/8004/acute-social-prescribing-link-worker.html

Ticket Home – Evaluation of a hospital discharge service

A new report has been co-produced by staff from Uttlesford Community Action Network (UCAN) and social scientists at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) as part of a consultancy evaluation of the Ticket Home hospital discharge service provided by UCAN.

The report presents a summary analysis of the academic and policy literature relating to the challenges involved in the safe and timely discharge of patients from hospital, as well as an evaluation of the achievements and challenges entailed by UCAN in supporting safe and timely discharge of patients from Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH), Harlow, to their homes across West Essex, from December 2022 to November 2023. Detailed information is provided on actions undertaken to support patients who were discharged by UCAN’s Ticket Home initiative.

A copy of the evaluation can be downloaded here.

Acknowledgements

UCAN would like to acknowledge and thank the Hertfordshire & West Essex Integrated Care System and the specific Commissioners involved, Michelle Bullman and Sara Chaudhry, in agreeing to fund this initiative across the West Essex area, along with the ongoing support in its development provided by Sara Chaudhry and Amy Jackson. We would also like to thank the Transfer of Care Team at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, for their support and partnership working. Specifically, Kay Cobbold, the TOC Matron, who played a distinct role in the successful integration of this initiative within the hospital as a whole

Changing faces at UCAN

As part of our strategic review and establishing our plan of action for the next three years, we identified additional staffing posts that we required in order to ensure our sustainability and ability to deliver an ongoing quality service for our community

As part of our strategic review and establishing our plan of action for the next three years, we identified additional staffing posts that we required in order to ensure our sustainability and ability to deliver an ongoing quality service for our community

From next week (3rd April 2023) we will start to transition to our new team structure, and will welcome some new faces to the team, while existing team members move to new roles and locations.

  • After five years leading our service delivery, Richard Corby, our Operations Manager, will be moving to the post of Chief Finance Officer. Richard will also be handling our comms and leading on special projects. As part of his phased retirement plans, Richard will be reducing his working hours but still staying very much a part of our Senior Leadership Team.
  • Barry Chandler joins us as Deputy Operations Manager, working alongside Sophie Davis who continues in this role. Between them, Barry and Sophie manage our daily service delivery, with Barry’s portfolio including Volunteering and the Essex Shed Network. Sophie leads our Community Hub team and the Ticket Home programme.
  • We recently welcomed Gill Barker as a Community Responder, working alongside Andy Mitson who continues in this role. They are very much a dynamic duo!
  • Linda Riley has joined us as Financial Administrator. She will be supporting Richard with all things financial, with particular focus on the Ticket Home and also delivers our community book keeping service for small voluntary groups in the Uttlesford district.
  • Jacqui Davis continues as our Business Manager, leading on HR and resources, and rounds out the senior leadership team.
  • Clive Emmett continues as Chief Executive Officer, leading strategy and growth of the organisation. Clive had a particular interest in digital engagement and technology enabled care, and works alongside statutory and voluntary sector partners to shape health and care provision not only in Uttlesford but also across the wider county of Essex.

Vacancies

We are currently engaged in recruitment for a new Operations Manager who will succeed Richard and join the senior management team. A further new recruitment is for the new post of Mobile Hub Coordinator. This position will oversee and manage deployment of our mobile community vehicles which will be operating across the district throughout the year, bringing vital support and access to services to our most-rural communities.

For further information and to request an application pack, please email connect@ucan.org.uk

We offer a competitive salary and benefits, and are an equal opportunities employer.