News

Volunteer Opportunity: Chairman needed

The Saffron Walden Stroke Club is looking for a new Chairperson.

Saffron Walden Stroke Club is looking for a new Chairperson.

The Club meet for lunch every Monday at Cornell Café, Saffron Walden. The Club offers help to local stroke survivors with their rehabilitation and reintroduction into the community. The Stroke Club is open to anyone who has suffered a stroke, their families and carers.

Tasks include:
  • Chairing and leading quarterly meetings to discuss the running of the group and making sure decisions are made collectively.
  • Making sure the group reflects our values and is open to anyone.
  • Help to coordinate the activities of the club.
  • This isn’t an onerous task and can mostly be completed from home.

For further information:

Contact us on T: 01371 404525

E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

Volunteer Opportunity: Lunch Club Volunteer

We are looking for volunteers to help run our twice weekly light lunch Clubs at The Jubilee Hub Saffron Walden.

We are looking for volunteers to help run our light lunch Club at The Jubilee Hub Saffron Walden. If you are passionate about cooking and supporting the community, this could be the perfect role for you!

Our Lunch Clubs provide a warm, welcoming space where people can enjoy good food and great company. Volunteers help with preparing lunches, setting up, chatting with guests, and creating a positive atmosphere for everyone who attends.

Whether you’re an experienced cook or simply enjoy helping others, we would love to hear from you.

Tasks include:

  • Preparing and cooking light lunches such as jacket potatoes, soup and beans on toast etc.
  • Ensuring food hygiene standards are adhered to.
  • Socialising with service users.
  • Help clearing up.

We will be serve basic hot lunches on:
Monday – 12.15pm to 1.45pm
Wednesday – 12.15pm to 1.45pm

Skills needed:

Volunteers will need a food hygiene certificate (which we will provide if needed)

For further information:

Contact us on T: 01371 404525

E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

Volunteer Opportunity – Ticket Home 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 patients who have recently been discharged from hospital 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

Volunteer Opportunity: Children’s Book Club Volunteer

Volunteers needed to support a children’s book club one Saturday afternoon per month at Saffron Walden Library

Saffron Walden Library are looking for a volunteer to support a children’s book club once a month on a Saturday afternoon.

What will it involve?

  • Volunteers will work with a staff member to run the book club, initiating conversation with the children about the books they have read and helping with bookish activities.
  • The book club will be aimed at primary aged children roughly aged 8-12.
  • Most of the time the book club will be run by both the volunteer and the staff member, but sometimes the volunteer may run it by themselves.

Skills:

  • Preferable experience being around children but not essential
  • Warmth and friendliness with the ability to interact enthusiastically and inclusively with children of all backgrounds
  • Able to work with other staff members and children
  • Adaptable to changing circumstances
  • An enthusiasm for libraries, reading, and literature
For Further information:

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

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

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: 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