Author: Richard Corby

ECC launches new £100k fund for warm and welcoming spaces this winter

Essex County Council are urging organisations across Essex to apply for their new Community Winter Warmth and Welcome Spaces Fund

Essex County Council are urging organisations across Essex to apply for their new Community Winter Warmth and Welcome Spaces Fund

Launched today, the £100,000 fund offers grants of up to £1,000 so organisations can create new spaces or activities, or extend their existing services.

The fund is open to charities, clubs or associations, community interest companies and town and parish councils.

Grants can be used for things like equipment to run new activities, venue or catering costs, operational costs including utilities, and staff or volunteer expenditure.

Cllr Louise McKinlay, ECC Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community, Equality, Partnerships and Performance, said: “We know people across the country are struggling at the moment and helping tackle the cost of living crisis is a key priority for Essex County Council.

“Our new Community Winter Warmth and Welcome Spaces Fund will provide funding to organisations, so they can better support those in need in their communities.

“This might be by opening up somewhere warm for people to go this winter or offering activities for them to enjoy inside a safe and welcoming space.

“We hope this fund will provide support for those most in need, but also bring communities closer together and help people feel connected with others in their area. I would urge groups across Essex to apply.”

The fund will be administered by the Essex Association of Local Councils (EALC) on their behalf.

Find out more or apply to the Community Winter Warmth and Welcome Spaces Fund at the EALC website – https://ealc.gov.uk/winter-warmth-and-welcome-spaces-fund/

Wellbeing Over 40 for World Menopause Day

SWTC is delighted to be hosting an event to raise awareness and promote a positive message around the menopause. A relaxed evening to include information and discussion on nutrition, exercise, sleep and mental wellbeing presented by guest speaker, Professor Joyce Harper.

An evening of discussion in Saffron Walden on Tuesday 18th October 2022

An informal talk from Professor Joyce Harper, professor of Women’s Health at University College London, who will be joined by a selection of local wellbeing practitioners.

When: Tuesday 18th October 2022 starting at 6.30 p.m.

Where: The Garden Room, Saffron Walden, CB10 1EH

Price: £5 each. Includes glass of bubbles on arrival

Tickets can be purchased from Saffron Walden Tourist Information Centre

For further details of this special event please visit: https://saffronwalden.gov.uk/news/swtc-menopause-awareness-evening/

Volunteer Opportunity: St Clare Hospice Shop Saffron Walden

St Clare in Saffron Walden now need extra help in their busy shop. Can you volunteer on a regular basis?

The St. Clare Hospice Shop in Saffron Walden is one of the town’s best-kept secrets, offering an eclectic mix of clothing, homeware and some furniture

The shop is known locally for stocking unusual jewellery, watches and other trinkets, and is a treasure-trove of goodies, all sold in support of the hospice.

St Clare in Saffron Walden now need extra help in their busy shop. If you are able to volunteer either for a few hours or a day or two a week, please contact UCAN Volunteer Coordinator Susan Dennison on 01799 510525 for further details, or email volunteer@ucan.org.uk with details of your availability and we will be in touch.

Please contact UCAN in the first instance, as we are helping to fill these volunteer opportunities.

Thank you for your interest.

The Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing Team, part of Essex County Council, are running another Men4MentalHealth course starting in November

The Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing Team, part of Essex County Council, are running another Men4MentalHealth course starting in November

It is for any man feeling low, experiencing a lack of motivation, loss of direction, struggling in their relationships or struggling in any other way with their mental health

The course is open to any man living in Essex (excluding Southend and Thurrock) aged between 18 and 65.

The course will be running on Tuesdays, between 5pm-7pm, held over 6 consecutive weeks. Start date yet to be confirmed.

Men can either attend in person or virtually. If wanting to join virtually, they can attend the session using their mobile/laptop/computer/tablet from the comfort of their own home and join with members at the in person session.

The location for the face to face sessions will be in Chelmsford near the train station.

We’ve already had some fantastic feedback from previous cohorts:

“the course gave me useful strategies for coping with mental health”

“it helped hearing other people’s stories and how even though we had different circumstances, we still helped and supported each other and had similar issues”

“I thought it was facilitated extremely well”

“I liked the fact that the group was online, because I was in the safety of my own environment, it was less anxiety provoking”

“it made me feel that I wasn’t alone. I now know that there are other people in the same boat”

“I was really in a bad place and now I’m out of that place, I’ve made friends and learnt a lot of things about my mental health, and learnt about other people’s mental health”

“I really can’t stress what a difference to my life you and Lucy have made… I can’t thank you enough.”

If you know of men who would like to attend, all we ask is for them to contact the team as soon as possible. The number is 0333 032 2958 and email is MH.wellbeingteam@essex.gov.uk.

If you have any questions please feel free in get in contact with them.

Essex Police Uttlesford drop in sessions in Great Dunmow

PCSO Natalie Smith will be at the Uttlesford Community Hub in Great Dunmow on 24th October 2022 between 6pm-8pm

PCSO Natalie Smith will be at the Uttlesford Community Hub in Great Dunmow on 24th October 2022 between 6pm-8pm

These drop-in sessions are an opportunity for the community to speak with the local community policing team about any concerns they may have.

Future dates:
17th November 2022- 10am-12pm
16th December 2022- 6pm-8pm

Uttlesford Community Hub, 45 Stortford Road, Great Dunmow. CM6 1DQ. We are an accessible venue and have disabled parking at the front of the building.

For more information visit:

https://www.facebook.com/events/808794600453712/808794613787044/

Little Easton Coffee Morning

You are invited to the first Little Easton Coffee Morning on 11th October 2022

You are invited to the first Little Easton Coffee Morning on 11th October 2022

What: Coffee Morning in Little Easton

When: Tuesday 11th October 2022 starting at 10.30 a.m.

Where: Little Easton Memorial Hall, Manor Rd, Little Easton. CM6 2JR

Everyone is welcome at the first Little Easton Coffee Morning being held on Tuesday 11th October. Do come along for coffee, snack and chat.

We hope you can make it!

Exhibition of work by Dunmow Art Group

Dunmow Art Group will be holding an autumn exhibition at St Mary’s Church, Great Dunmow, to “bring some colour” to the town

Dunmow Art Group will be holding an autumn exhibition at St Mary’s Church, Great Dunmow, to “bring some colour” to the town

The exhibition will be open to the public from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, October 15 and from midday to 3pm on Sunday, October 16.

There will be a range of artwork on sale in a broad range of styles – from original oil paintings, acrylics and watercolours to collages, mixed media, ceramics, prints and cards.

Entry to the exhibition is free, and there will refreshments available and a raffle.

Uttlesford Community Hub is open week days for you to enjoy

Did you know our community hub in Great Dunmow is open every Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm?

Did you know our community hub in Great Dunmow is open every Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm?

This cosy space is for all our community to relax and rest in the warm, read or share the books, play games and puzzles and flick on the kettle!

All ages, genders and abilities welcome 😊

We have lift access for those with additional access needs.

If you need help or support with things like foodbank, winter warmth advice or have need for a handyman then you can ask for a member of the UCAN team to come and have a chat with you. You can find out more about volunteering in the district, and we also host pop-up banks each week for TSB and Barclays customers.

Do drop in to see us and enjoy the space.

Gaming Bus Event

Do you attend HRS Senior School or attend another senior school but live in Great Dunmow? This exciting event could be for you!

Do you attend HRS Senior School or attend another senior school but live in Great Dunmow? This exciting event could be for you!

When: Wednesday 26th October 2022 1pm to 5pm

Where: Foakes Hall Car Park Great Dunmow

What: Gaming bus event for young people

Price: Free – but tickets must be booked in advance

Each bus has:

• 3 Xbox series X consoles• 3 Playstation 5’s• 2 Racing simulators• 2 Nintendo switches

Games available are the latest: Fifa 23, Fortnite, Gran Turismo, Forza Horizon 5, Call of Duty, Minecraft, Gang Beasts, Halo, Star Wars Battle Front, Mortal Kombat, Spiderman Miles Morales, Need for Speed, Apex Legends, Street Fighter and more…

Outside of the buses there are other games which can be played which are not controlled by specific booked times. These games include:Mario Kart, Just Dance, Karaoke and VR.

Inside Foakes Hall there will be two additional arcade machines, each two player.

Refreshments will be provided in the Talberd Room – free of charge.

In the hall we are also hosting other organisations. 1Life will be arranging games of ‘Tennis Volley Challenge’ and ‘Football Tennis’ with lots of similar games on offer.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/gaming-event-tickets-412292015517

Funding: ECC Arts and Cultural Fund

The Essex County Council Arts and Cultural fund has been designed to help organisations and practitioners to deliver a broad and exciting range of work and activity to engage with and bring communities together

The Essex County Council Arts and Cultural fund has been designed to help organisations and practitioners to deliver a broad and exciting range of work and activity to engage with and bring communities together

*Open for Expressions of Interest for 2023 from Saturday 1 October to Monday 31 October 2022*

The arts, cultural and creative projects, such as festivals and exhibitions, all contribute to helping communities recover from the pandemic and play an integral part in enabling the objectives of Essex County Council’s wider objectives as set out in Everyone’s Essex.

Creative and cultural sectors are at the forefront of economic and social regeneration in our region. One of the aims of the fund is to provide a boost for the creative and cultural sector which will enable organisations and practioners to develop long term and sustainable future for arts and culture in the county.

The ECC Arts and Cultural Fund will offer artists and cultural organisations grants from £2,500 to £30,000 to deliver projects to help support and rejuvenate the Essex arts and culture sector, as well as the county’s towns and city high streets.

The fund will support projects, which will contribute to ECC’s Everyone’s Essex: The Plan for Essex 2021-2025 within the music, theatre, dance, visual arts, literature, combined arts, including festivals and carnivals, museums and the wider creative sectors.

For further information and to apply visit: https://www.explore-essex.com/culture/arts-culture-fund