News

Free Marketing Workshop for the VCS

UCAN in partnership with the Active Essex Foundation and Your Essex Community are pleased to offer a free half-day marketing and communication workshop for voluntary groups based or working in Uttlesford.

Marketing Techniques for Voluntary Sector Groups working in Rural Settings

Foakes HallGreat Dunmow, England

Thursday, Mar 26 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm GMT

Marketing charity services in rural settings is often difficult because of a combination of structural, social, and resource challenges.

Limited internet access and fewer local media outlets reduce the effectiveness of digital and traditional advertising. Rural residents often rely on personal networks and may be cautious of outside organizations, meaning charities must build trust gradually. Cultural differences, privacy concerns, and limited resources further complicate communication, making it harder for charities to raise awareness and connect people with the services they offer.

Join UCAN and marketing specialist Rachel Topps and learn with us how to reach your audiences, develop marketing techniques and the methods that help to get your messaging to the people who will benefit from it the most.

How to Book

To book your free tickets please visit:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/marketing-techniques-for-voluntary-sector-groups-working-in-rural-settings-tickets-1982511751015

Volunteer Opportunity – Our Gardens Need You!

Volunteers needed to maintain, restore and enhance these Historic England Grade II registered gardens near Great Dunmow.

Would you like to join a happy and friendly group of volunteers who maintain, restore and enhance these Historic England Grade II registered gardens near Great Dunmow.

Our regular day volunteering in the Gardens is Thursday when we have volunteers helping across the Gardens on all aspects of gardening: from digging and planting, to weeding, cutting back, pruning, dead heading, composting and garden maintenance jobs.

Smaller groups also come in on Mondays, Wednesdays and some Saturdays.

For further information:


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

Volunteer Opportunity – Office Support Volunteer

Support the smooth running of our Dunmow office.

We are looking for an Admin volunteer to help at the Dunmow office Monday – Friday 9.00am to 12.30pm, days and hours to suit. This is a vital support role that helps the charity to operate and provide excellent service.

Tasks to include:

  • Answering the telephone.
  • Receiving visitors.
  • Helping members of the public.
  • Logging prescription requests on our database.
  • Updating the database.
  • Other admin tasks as needed.

Skills needed:

  • General Computer Skills.
  • Enjoy working with people.
  • Organisational skills.

For further information:


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

Volunteer Opportunity: Walking Buddies

We are looking for friendly faces and people who enjoy walking and talking to come and volunteer alongside our team on a new project called ‘Volunteer Walking Buddies’ to help individuals that are battling with loss of confidence and anxiety to get back outside.

This is an exciting opportunity to get involved within your local community and give a little something back and support people who are struggling. Lack of activity can have a big impact upon people’s welfare both their physical and mental health. So getting out walking can have a very positive effect, especially when someone else is with you to motivate and support you.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for friendly faces and people who enjoy walking and talking to come and volunteer alongside our team on a new project called ‘Volunteer Walking Buddies’ to help individuals that are battling with loss of confidence and anxiety to get back outside. Loneliness and isolation are a big issue for many people, as well as inactivity. Full training and appropriate equipment will be provided.

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.

For further information:

Contact us on T: 01371 404525

E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

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

Volunteer Opportunity: Meet and Greet – Audley End House and Gardens

Meet and Greet Volunteers  provide a friendly welcome for visitors. 

Meet and Greet Volunteers provide a friendly welcome for visitors. 

Meet and Greet volunteers provide a warm and friendly welcome to visitors, including coach parties and pre-booked groups. As the first point of contact, you’ll:

  • Provide a brief orientation to the site including information about any events or activities and park closing times

  • Provide welcome information to coach parties

  • Ensure group leaders know where to pay for admission

  • Advise people where to park

  • Ensure all those visiting check in at admissions

  • Advise people on where to find guidebooks etc.

  • Assist people with disabilities to access mobility scooters or golf cart

Sessions run from 10am to 4pm (5pm in the summer holidays) every day of the week from March to November with flexible sign-up to suit your availability; there is also the option to do a half-day.

Throughout the rest of the year, there are opportunities to volunteer at the weekends when the site is open to the public.

Skills needed:


  • Confident, effective communicators

  • A team player, who have a positive attitude to working with visitors to enhance their visit

  • Volunteers in this role will have to stand for long periods and will have to spend time outside in all weathers

For further information:

 Contact us on Tel: 01371 404525  Email: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

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!

Volunteer Opportunity: Café assistant -The Old School Community Café Takeley

The café is housed in the Takeley Community Hub – Providing a warm and welcoming venue serving food and drink at low prices.

The café is housed in the Takeley Community Hub – Providing a warm and welcoming venue serving food and drink at low prices.

Volunteers are needed to provide great service to our customers at the Community Café.  The role includes greeting customers, taking orders, preparing drinks and serving food. As with any café job, there will be table clearing and simple light cleaning tasks (wiping tables for example) and we all muck in with the washing up as and when that is needed too. You will not be asked to prepare food.

The café is open Thursday 11am until 2 pm, Friday 9.30 until 1.30pm

Skills:

We are looking for someone to give all our customers a friendly welcome. You need to enjoy working as part of team and be willing to help with all aspects of the role.

No formal qualifications are needed but we will give you some basic training in food safety and in the ‘front of house’ role.

Understanding the importance of hygiene is crucial and we are required to follow standard guidance as a food business. Most of this is common sense but we will go through the basics with you.

For further information:

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

To register your interest:  Click Here

Have you had your flu jab?

The flu season is upon us and the number of people infected is higher than we usually see at this time of the year. A strain of ‘Influenza A’ is the main type of flu people are catching and unfortunately it’s associated with more severe illness and higher death rates than other types, particularly among the elderly.

Flu is highly infectious and can lead to serious illness. Experts nationally are predicting that we are likely to see a worse flu season than we have experienced for many years. 

The flu vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and others around you.

People most at risk of serious illness can get a free vaccination – here’s how you can book your free flu vaccine today:

  • Speak to your GP practice
  • Online, search ‘NHS pharmacy vaccine’
  • NHS app
  • Call 119 (translator available)

If you are not eligible for a free vaccination, you can pay for a flu jab from a participating local pharmacy.

Let’s keep each other safe this winter.

To see who is eligible for a free vaccination, visit:  https://www.hertsandwestessex.ics.nhs.uk/your-health-and-care/vaccinations/flu-vaccines/

It takes about two weeks following the flu vaccination to build up immunity against the virus, so it’s important to book in as soon as possible and well ahead of the festive season.

Vaccination against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and COVID is also important for those eligible. Information here RSV vaccine – NHS and here COVID-19 vaccine – NHS

Volunteer Opportunity – Wellbeing Telephone Call Volunteer

Ticket Home is the UCAN home from hospital scheme helping patients to safely be discharged from hospital and return home.
Volunteers are needed to make post discharge wellbeing telephone calls.

Volunteers are needed to make post discharge wellbeing telephone calls to check in with the patient and ensure they have everything they need and feel connect and cared for.

This is an occasional role, for volunteers with computer confidence and access to a telephone. The purpose of the call is to make sure the patient has everything they need to safely be at home. Questions will provided and responses are logged directly into our patient management system – Ticket Home. You will be supported by our Ticket Home Coordinator and will be given training

Skills needed:

  • Good communication skills
  • Kind, patient and compassionate
  • Good people skills
  • Calm and adaptable
  • Basic IT skills
  • Ability to use own initiative

For further information:

Contact us on T: 01371 404525

E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk