Category: UCAN News

Closure of our Dunmow Office

It is with great sadness that we tell you of our decision to close our Dunmow office at the end of March 2026. We have been very happy in our Dunmow home, serving the local community and welcoming people into UCAN.

We will continue to serve the people of Uttlesford from our Saffron Walden offices, with our main base being the Jubilee Hub in Saffron Walden.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us at Dunmow, particularly the volunteers who have manned the phones and been a cheery face to welcome visitors.

The Dunmow Community Fridge will transfer to the Rowena Davey Centre in Chequers lane (date TBC) and will be hosted by our charity partner Wholesome. We are grateful to the Wholesome team and trustees for enabling this vital food support for the people of Dunmow to continue. Thanks also to our volunteers who collect the food donations and make the whole scheme work five days a week, fifty-two weeks a year.

You can continue to contact us by telephone on 01371 404474 or email connect@ucan.org.uk

Thank you

Fab Science half-term fun

If you are looking for a fun activity to support kids during half term, Fab Science sessions should fit the bill. The two-hour family activity is taking place on Monday and Thursday and includes lunch.

Fab Science aims to inspire a new generation of scientists, bringing practical workshops to children aged 5-11. A two-course lunch will follow the amazing ‘experiments’.

The two sessions are arranged by Wholesome Charity.

  • Monday 16th February, 11.00am – 1.00pm at Carver Barracks Community Centre, 1 Rowney Avenue, Elder Street, CB10 23YB
  • Thursday 19th February, 11.00am – 1.00pm at Takeley Silver Jubilee Hall, 4 Dunmow Road, Takeley CM22 6QX

Please note – booking is essential to take part. To book, contact enquiries@wholesome.charity / Amanda on 07933 623 762

Image by Syeda Saira from Pixabay

Mental Health and Suicide Awareness Training

We’ve teamed up with John Ryan from Happy 2 Health You, Uttlesford District Council and Maldon & District CVS to offer free mental health and suicide awareness training. It’s aimed primarily at those in farming and rural communities. 🚜 🚜

Please join us for a supportive day explaining the mental health challenges faced by farmers, how to recognise early signs and much more.

When: Wednesday 28th January, 9am-4pm

Where: Saffron Walden Building Society Community Link, Market Square, Saffron Walden

Book your place now and learn how to help a friend, colleague or family member

Christmas and New Year Opening Times

We will be closing for Christmas on Tuesday 23rd December 2025 and will
re-open on Monday 5 January 2026. A Community Responder will be available for urgent prescriptions on the mornings of Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 December.

Please call 01371 404474 for help on those days.

Thank you for all your support this year. We wish you a very Merry Christmas!

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 ÂŁ1,175.15 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, â€œArkwright 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, â€œArkwright 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, â€œI 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.