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 £1,800 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

Become UCAN’s next Honorary Treasurer

UCAN has a vacancy among its trustee board for an Honorary Treasurer

UCAN has a vacancy among its trustee board for an Honorary Treasurer

Uttlesford Community Action Network is the charity at the heart of our community.    Working with VCFSE colleagues, statutory services and volunteers, we deliver a range of services to improve the quality of life for the residents of Uttlesford.   Our primary mission is to reduce loneliness and isolation amongst our population and enable people to live independent but supported and connected lives.

The UCAN board of trustees are volunteers who hold the operational management team to account, set strategy and develop policy and support the charity with compliance and governance matters.   We are now seeking to appoint a new Honorary Treasurer, as the previous post-holder has retired.

The role of the Honorary Treasurer (who is both a trustee and director of the charity) in addition to their regular responsibilities as a trustee of UCAN, is to have oversight of the financial administration of the charity.

Day to day responsibility for the financial management and administration of the charity is devolved to the Chief Finance Officer (CFO), supported by the Financial Administrator. The financial management and administration of the charity is governed by the Financial Regulations policy.

The Treasurer, in addition to attending regular trustee meetings, will also Chair Finance Sub Group meetings where they will work with the Chief Finance Officer to set and review budgets and budget performance, review the fundraising activities and funding pipeline and support the CFO with matters relating to the good financial governance of the charity. The sub group will make recommendations to the board on routine financial matters and issues arising.

  •  The Treasurer will provide support and advice to the Chief Executive Officer and CFO and through them the Financial Administrator.
  • The CFO will consult the Treasurer before committing to any non-budgeted expenditure or entering into any financial liabilities/agreements.
  • The Treasurer may be required to meet the external accountants and respond to questions from them.
  • The Treasurer will approve the annual accounts and present the examined/audited accounts to the board and at the Annual General Meeting.

 

PERSON SPECIFICATION FOR THE HONORARY TREASURER

Requirement Essential or Desirable
Financial qualification such as chartered accountant D
Financial management at a senior level E
Charity finance, fundraising and pension schemes D
Ability to analyse proposals and consider their consequences E
Willingness to be available to the SMT and trustees for advice and guidance on an ad-hoc basis E
Be eligible to serve as a trustee E

 

Your commitment as a trustee is to attend as many schedule board meetings as possible within the year.  These alternate between in-person main meetings and virtual (Zoom) online update meetings approximately every six weeks, plus participation in the finance sub group which meets two weeks before each trustee meeting.  Board meetings usually take place on a Friday morning in

If you match the eligibility criteria and are interested in taking an active role within UCAN and our community, please email your CV outlining relevant experience, and a covering letter to connect@ucan.org.uk   the Dunmow area, with virtual meetings taking place on Wednesday evenings.   This is a voluntar role, but expenses for attending meetings can be claimed.

Thank you for your interest.

UCAN Mobile Hub brings our services to you!

The UCAN Charity Mobile Community Hub was out and about in Uttlesford again yesterday, this time setting up in Hatfield Broad Oak.

The UCAN Charity Mobile Community Hub was out and about in Uttlesford again yesterday, this time setting up in Hatfield Broad Oak.
Our mobile hub brings access to information, services and support for people in our more isolated rural communities, and those who are separated by lack of infrastructure, access to online services and shortage of local amenities. We can provide help and support on a range of public health and wellbeing issues and signpost and refer to hundreds of voluntary groups active across our district.
If you would like the mobile hub to visit your community, please contact carol.butterworth@ucan.org.uk

Crisis Response Volunteers Induction Event

We are pleased to announce that we are holding an induction event to introduce an exciting new Volunteering Opportunity with UCAN covering the Uttlesford District.

We are pleased to announce that we are holding an induction event to introduce an exciting new Volunteering Opportunity with UCAN covering the Uttlesford District.

Saturday 4th May

10am to 12pm

Talbot Rooms, Foakes Hall, Stortford Road, Great Dunmow, CM 6 1DG

 

This opportunity has come about due to the success we have had over recent year in responding to and delivering the Ukrainian Welcome Hub and the Sudanese Humanitarian Assistance Centre at Stansted Airport. Together with all the learning and experience we have acquired through these Volunteer led operations, we now wish to capitalise and expand upon them to create a Crisis Response Team.

We are seeking Volunteers who are interested in being trained in Crisis Response and are able at short notice able to mobilise and respond to crisis and incidents in the Uttlesford District.

This induction event will provide you with an overview of the role, its expectations and the training programme.

If you are interested in joining or finding out more about this team and exciting opportunity, please attend this event to learn more or contact us to register your interest at: volunteer@ucan.org.uk or call us on 01371 404474.

 

Jacks of Dunmow supports UCAN’s winter warmth campaign

Jack’s has been part of the fabric of Dunmow since 1952, and business owner Darren Cox and his wife Jude are very much part of the local community.   UCAN was delighted to be supported by the store once again this winter, receiving a donation of assorted sizes of men’s and women’s base layer garments that can be distributed to residents struggling with the cold at this time of year

Jack’s has been part of the fabric of Dunmow since 1952, and business owner Darren Cox and his wife Jude are very much part of the local community.   UCAN was delighted to be supported by the store once again this winter, receiving a donation of assorted sizes of men’s and women’s base layer garments that can be distributed to residents struggling with the cold at this time of year

Each winter UCAN distributes clothing, blankets, bedding and appliances to people in need, to help them to stay warm and well through the colder months of the year.   We are grateful to Darren and Jude for helping the community once again, and the clothing they have been providing over the past two years has been incredibly useful in our work.

You can find out more about Jack’s and their range of clothing and outdoor items by visiting their website https://www.jacks1952.co.uk/jacks-dunmow or why not call in to 19-21 High Street, Dunmow between 09:00 and 17:00 Monday to Saturday.

If you or someone you know would benefit from our support this winter, please call the UCAN Community Response Hub on 03333 408218 or email connect@ucan.org.uk and one of the team will be in touch to help.

Ukraine Welcome Hub operation draws to a close

Since May 2022 we have supported over 20,000 people fleeing the war – mostly women and children – and made them welcome in the UK

Yesterday marked our last shift at Stansted Airport welcoming refugees from the Ukraine Conflict

Since May 2022 we have supported over 20,000 people fleeing the war – mostly women and children – and made them welcome in the UK. Help given has ranged from addressing immediate needs for food and water, to seeing travellers safely onto trains and coaches to other areas of the UK, as well as booking and providing overnight hotel accommodation for those unable to continue their journey. We have distributed thousands of sim cards with six months of data kindly provided by Vodafone, and express our gratitude to the food retailers in the airport – Burger King, Costa Coffee, M&S and others who have issued food vouchers and additional kept our volunteers fed and watered.
We are especially indebted to these many, many volunteers – who have manned our help desk 18 hours a day, 7 days a week during this period, for their thousands of hours given freely to help people in need. There are not sufficient words to express our gratitude.
Although our welcome desk operation has been stood down, we continue to support the many Ukrainians who have settled in Uttlesford, as well as host families and the local authority to process housing applications.
We stand with Ukraine.
A formal thank-you event for UCAN staff and volunteers, and other supporters of the Ukraine Welcome Hub in Uttlesford is being hosted by Essex County Council on 11th January 2023, and we are grateful to all the aid and assistance ECC has provided during both the Ukraine and Sudanese crisis.

Luxury Hamper Winner

We were delighted to present Pamela Phillips with our luxury hamper raffle prize

We were delighted to present Pamela Phillips with our luxury hamper raffle prize, following a very successful funding campaign run over eight weeks during operation of the Covid Vaccine Centre in the Lord Butler Leisure Centre Saffron Walden.

All funds raised will support UCAN’s ongoing work supporting isolated and vulnerable people in Uttlesford.

Thank you to everyone who participated.