News

Volunteer Opportunity: Walking Buddies

UCAN is looking for volunteers who would be happy to walk with Beneficiaries in one of two roles:

1) Become a Walking Buddy – involves walking on a one-to-one basis with a Beneficiary. The walking time, length of walk and route is up to the Volunteer and Beneficiary to arrange together.  Some Beneficiaries simply wish for a gentle walk around their block, whilst others may like a longer route. 

2) Lead a Walking Group – involves meeting at a particular point and time with a group of residents who would like to walk in a group for a set time (around an hour).  This may be a weekly or fortnightly activity.

Beneficiaries may be:
 vulnerable people;
 people who feel anxious about going out alone; 
 people who are new to the area who would like to be shown where to walk.

If you would like to join us walking on either of these roles, please let us know!

Email: volunteer@ucan.org.uk Tel: 01371 404525

Guide and Brownie Group Leaders needed for Saffron Walden

Be part of Girlguiding and help run meetings for our young members.

Be part of Girlguiding and help run meetings for our young members.

We are looking for volunteer leaders, for our Guide and Brownie Groups in Saffron Walden.
Girlguiding offers opportunities for learning many transferable skills; organisation and planning, completing risk assessments and first aid to name a few.
It also gives the opportunity for exploration and magical moments as you share the fun that our young members have.

Skills needed:

  • Enthusiasm to inspire
  • A desire to learn and experience new things
  • Time – evenings once a week during term time.

We also offer flexible Guiding where any time is valued and can contribute to role sharing.

For further information

Contact us on:

Telephone: 01371 404525

Email: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

Volunteer Opportunity: Event Helper for Talliston House and Gardens

We are looking for volunteers to help out at Talliston House and Gardens on their private group days and events in Great Dunmow.

We are looking for volunteers to help out at Talliston House and Gardens on their private group days and events in Great Dunmow.

Tasks would include:

  • Welcoming and directing guests.
  • Setting up food and equipment for events.
  • Decorating and setting up the house and gardens.
  • Helping to tidy up after events.

Skills needed:

  • Problem solving skills.
  • Good attention to detail.
  • Customer service skills.
  • Basic computer skills.

For further information:

Contact us on T: 01371 404525 E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

Volunteer Opportunity: Adult Friendship Volunteer

Adult Friendship Volunteers support adults who have a range of disabilities in a variety of social and leisure activities and settings.

Adult Friendship Volunteers support adults who have a range of disabilities in a variety of social and leisure activities and settings.

The role of volunteers within this project is to befriend and support participants to access activities which will promote their self-confidence, independence, social and life skills. This can include accessing the local community in small groups and participating in activities that are of interest to the adults using this service. Regular social meetings are held in Uttlesford on a Tuesday evening where many members meet and participate in activities as a larger group.

Skills needed:

  • Supporting adults to participate in a range of social and leisure opportunities of mutual interest.
  • Using initiative to help in a situation where another member of the group, either member, staff or volunteer, may need support.
  • Becoming a member of a friendly, committed team.
  • Expressing ideas for new/different activities.
  • Attending volunteer meetings & training sessions relevant to the role.
  • To follow the guidelines and policies, including those designed to protect well-being of vulnerable adults.

For Further information:

Contact us on T: 01371 404525  E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

To register your interest: Click Here

Volunteer Opportunity: Caretaker/Maintenance Volunteer at Saffron Walden Museum

Saffron Walden Museum is one of the oldest purpose-built museums in the country. 

Saffron Walden Museum is one of the oldest purpose-built museums in the country. We are looking for volunteers to help staff at Saffron Walden Museum with keeping the museum in a good condition so that it is tidy, organised and welcoming for visitors.

Tasks would include:

  • Helping to paint walls and exhibition display equipment
  • Helping to fix fixtures, fittings, furniture and other equipment
  • Helping out with practical and technical tasks
  • Carrying out tasks as directed by Museum staff
  • Referring to Museum staff when uncertain of a situation
  • Notifying Museum staff of any potential health and safety issues

Skills needed:

  • Good customer service skills – you need to be friendly, outgoing and have good communication skills
  • Enjoy working as a team
  • DIY practical skills e.g. carrying out basic repairs, painting and decorating, using tools
  • Good Attention to detail
  • Ability to work to set guidelines
  • Enjoy working independently
  • Security and health and safety conscious
  • Good physical health – the role would include activities such as lifting materials and equipment and using ladders

For further information:

Contact us on T: 01371 404525

E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

Volunteer Opportunity: Tour Guide for Talliston House and Gardens

We are looking for volunteers to help out at Talliston House and Gardens as tour guides for small groups. Talliston is a house and gardens in Great Dunmow

We are looking for volunteers to help out at Talliston House and Gardens as tour guides for small groups.

Volunteers would be needed for a few hours on the last weekend of every month, and occasionally to guide private groups on the weekdays.

Skills needed:

  • Communication skills
  • Customer service skills
  • Basic computer skills
  • Interest and knowledge of history
  • Sensitivity and understanding

For further information:

Contact us on T: 01371 404525 E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

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.