News

Friends Against Scams

Fraudsters continue to use social media to target people. Don’t get caught out online. Be Scam Aware

Fraudsters continue to use social media to target people. Don’t get caught out online. Be Scam Aware

Fraudsters are using fake accounts on Instagram to make recommendations or ask for help, which are made to look like they have come from one of your friends or followers.

You are asked to click on or share a link via the message function, which essentially will allow the fraudster to take over your account.

Your account will then be used to promote more scams, in an attempt to get your friends and family to hand over their money as they believe it has come from a trusted source – YOU!

Remember:

If something seems too good to be true or not quite right to you, always check. Especially if it appears to be from someone you know.

Give them a quick call before clicking on any links to make sure the offer or ask is genuine.

For advice about what to do visit if think you have been a victim of a scam visit www.essex.police.uk/CP

Humanitarian Hub operation helping Ukrainian refugees has been extended for a further period at Stansted Airport

Since the start of May, UCAN Staff and Volunteers have been providing help and support for refugees arriving at Stansted Airport after fleeing the conflict in the Ukraine. We operate a ‘Humanitarian Hub’ eighteen hours a day, seven days a week

Since the start of May, UCAN Staff and Volunteers have been providing help and support for refugees arriving at Stansted Airport after fleeing the conflict in the Ukraine. We operate a ‘Humanitarian Hub’ eighteen hours a day, seven days a week

This month alone we have helped over 2,000 refugee adults and children arriving in the UK from Europe, many who have had to flee their home country with nothing but the clothes they stand up in, a few possessions and the hope of a safe place to stay in England, Scotland or Wales.

Stansted Airport is one of the busiest hubs in the country, and is operated by a dedicated team of staff and volunteers who work from 9.00 a.m. through to 12.30 a.m. each day of the week, in shifts of 4 to 8 hours. They are local people who want to “do our part” for no recognition or reward, and offer a warm welcome to distressed people who may have been travelling non-stop for two or three days.

On arrival at Stansted, the Ukraine Support Team give a warm welcome and assess the immediate needs of the travellers. This can be a smile of encouragement, a cup of coffee and a bite to eat, or might be more complex with assistance needed in finding a place to live. Thanks to the kindness of the Vodafone Foundation, we are able to provide UK mobile sim cards with calls and data, to help the refugees during their onward journey to their final destination. For those staying in the airport for a little while, we have blankets, pillows and food vouchers, toys and games for the children and can make sure everyone feels safe, welcome and wanted.

The Ukraine Support Hub has been made possible thanks to the commitment of local people, and UCAN and Volunteer Uttlesford working closely together once again to respond to a crisis situation. We would like to acknowledge the generosity of the food vendors at the airport, the MAG Staff Team, National Express and the Rail Companies who have donated subsidised meals, bottled water, food vouchers, toys, games and toiletries. Small gifts make a huge difference.

Thank you everyone.

VVU Community Grants open for applications from 15th August

The 2022-2024 VVCS grant round is for local not for profit voluntary or community clubs or organisations based in (and therefore delivering in) Essex, Southend and Thurrock only, and ECVYS are looking to fund projects that meet their stated aims and can run from April 2023- 31st March 2024.

Essex Council for Voluntary Youth Services – ECVYS – is the umbrella charity for youth organisations operating across Essex – whether small voluntary groups or larger charities. They have just announced details of the VVU Community Grants for 2022-2024, with applications being considered from 15th August

The 2022-2024 VVCS grant round is for local not for profit voluntary or community clubs or organisations based in (and therefore delivering in) Essex, Southend and Thurrock only, and ECVYS are looking to fund projects that meet their stated aims and can run from April 2023- 31st March 2024.

Groups can apply for up to £20,000 to deliver support and interventions for children, young people, young adults and families (families must include children and young people, and ‘young person’ is defined as up to the age of 25). Projects must demonstrate how they have a positive impact on issues relating to crime and anti-social behaviour and violence and vulnerability. This may include early intervention work, gang & ‘county lines’, and child criminal exploitation projects.

For further information on eligibility and grant criteria, please visit the ECVYS website:

https://ecvys.org.uk/funding-news/

A Healthy Start for Mums to be and families with children under 4 years

If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.

Do you receive Universal Credit? You may be eligible for the NHS Healthy Start Scheme that will help with the cost of buying food and milk

If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.

If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops. We’ll add your benefit onto this card every 4 weeks.

You can use your card to buy:

  • plain liquid cow’s milk
  • fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables
  • fresh, dried, and tinned pulses
  • infant formula milk based on cow’s milk

You can also use your card to collect:

  • Healthy Start vitamins – these support you during pregnancy and breastfeeding
  • vitamin drops for babies and young children – these are suitable from birth to 4 years old

Find our more and apply online here: www.healthystart.nhs.uk

Community Responders help residents retain their independence

It’s almost a year since we secured funding to enable the Community Response Hub to employ two dedicated Community Responders. The role of a responder is to help isolated and vulnerable Uttlesford residents to retain their independence and access help, support and services they might otherwise not be able benefit from

It’s almost a year since we secured funding to enable the Community Response Hub to employ two dedicated Community Responders. The role of a responder is to help isolated and vulnerable Uttlesford residents to retain their independence and access help, support and services they might otherwise not be able benefit from

The range of support requests we have received from local people has been diverse to say the least – from arranging dog walking for people in hospital, to rehoming beloved animals when their owners could no longer care for them, through to getting residents out and about and feeling safe again through walking buddies activities and recovery groups post-COVID.

This week we had another unusual request, and one that Community Responder Andy came up with an inventive solution for! An elderly lady has been experiencing some problems with her vision recently, and while she still lives independently in her own home, she was growing increasingly worried about venturing outside and tripping over on the steps from her door, or the pavement outside. Andy assessed the walkways and while they were clear of removeable obstacles, there were some clear trip hazards. Discussing what would work best for the lady, he came up with the solution of popping off to buy a large can of white lining paint, and set about marking out all the edges on the property. He also created a long line along the edge of the garden path, so she could follow this and anticipate where the bend and steps up would be. The resident is delighted with the improvements and is feeling more confident about being out and about again.

If you have an unusual problem, or need some practical help and support around the home, give the Community Responders a call on 03333 408218 or email connect@ucan.org.uk

Fowler Smith and Jones accepting grant applications for consideration

Fowler, Smith and Jones, the charitable trust that supports charities in Essex is accepting applications for funding, to be considered at their next trustee meeting in September 2022.

The Essex-based charitable trust that supports charities in our county, is now accepting applications for funding to be considered at their next meeting in September

FSJ incorporates three Trusts established at different times by the Fowler Family, Albert & Florence Smith and Edward Cecil Jones. They were all very much ‘Essex people’ and lived in the South-East of the county. The Trust now makes awards throughout the county.

The Trust distributes, on average, £400-500,000 annually to between 120-150 organisations principally for projects within the county. As with many funds, the recent economic climate has reduced the value of the fund, but judicious investment has enabled the Trust to maintain its income.

Applications for core funding, project-based initiatives, refurbishment of premises and also equipment costs may all be considered for awards.

For further information on what can be funded and how to apply visit https://fsjtrust.org.uk/

Our new Mobile Community Hub is on the road!

Earlier this year UCAN was awarded a grant to improve access to services across the district. We’re ready to hit the road with our new mobile hub!

Earlier this year UCAN was awarded a grant to improve access to services across the district. We’re ready to hit the road with our new mobile hub!

CVS organisations across Essex were provided with funding to help communities recover from COVID, and improve the ways that residents are able access help and support in their area. Uttlesford is unique in Essex, in that it covers a large geographic area (some 200 square miles) and we have an older population who are scattered in rural locations across the district. Travel links between these outlying villages and the main centres of Saffron Walden and Great Dunmow are not ideal, and make getting to locations where they can seek advise and support problematic.

Our solution is to bring those services to residents, through the deployment of a new Mobile Community Hub. We have used our grant funding to purchase a former Police mobile office, and fit it out as a small community centre. Our team will be touring the district throughout the Autumn and Winter, with regular stops each week so that residents can come over for tea, coffee and chat, but also talk to someone face-to-face about any issues or problems they may be experiencing where they live. UCAN Community Responders can help with a range of challenges, including access to food and medicines, befriending (by telephone and in person), installation of key safes and video doorbells, minor home improvements, garden maintenance and more! In collaboration with our Social Prescribers and Home from Hospital team, we can also provide wrap-around support before and after hospitalisation, and arrange delivery of hot meals, food parcels and collection and delivery of equipment. One of our most requested services is the installation of key safes for carer and emergency service access.

We will be publishing our “schedule” of locations and dates on Facebook community pages, our website and shared through partner organisations. You don’t have to have a problem to come and say hello – we’re always up for a chat over coffee and cake – and we’ll even provide it!

For more information on UCAN community services email connect@ucan.org.uk or telephone 03333 408218.

Meet the Team at Leading Roding on 26th July 2022

Our Community Response Team will be joining colleagues from Uttlesford District Council, Essex Fire and Rescue, Essex Police and a host of other voluntary agencies in Leading Roding on 26th July 2022.

Local residents can come along for free tea, coffee and biscuits served from our mobile cafe – a converted horse trailer fully equipped to provide a host of hot and cold drinks! Jake and Lindsay will also be on hand to help with your challenges and concerns, ranging from needing a key safe installed to how to get online.

The Multi-agency event is on Tuesday 26 July from 11am – Holloway Crescent, Leaden Roding, Dunmow, Essex CM6 1QD. We look forward to seeing you then!

Drop In for coffee at Pam’s Place Thaxted

Pam’s Place in Thaxted is open every Friday morning for a relaxing cuppa, some cake and a good chat!

News from our friends at Pam’s Place – the recently relaunched Thaxted venue for the community

“We were very excited last Friday when we were presented with a brand new sign for our “Drop In” coffee mornings. We would like to thank Leigh and Pro-Laminates of Sawbridgeworth for creating and donating the sign.”

Mike one of our Trustees, seen below, will be busy this week finding the perfect place to hang it ready for this weeks Drop In.

Don’t forget the Drop In coffee mornings run every Friday from 10am – 1pm. We serve coffee and tea with delicious freshly made cakes and scones. We do not charge but ask for a small donation. Next week we will be serving savoury options too!

Pam’s Place is at Vicarage Close, Thaxted, CM6 2QW (accessed via the Margaret Street Public Car Park).

Directory of Social Change: Funds Online service

Funds Online makes finding the right funder simple, efficient and puts all the information you need at your fingertips.

The Directory of Social Change offers a great service for finding grants, which organisations can access on a flexible subscription basis. Funds Online makes finding the right funder simple, efficient and puts all the information you need at your fingertips. The service lists over 8000 sources of funding, including private and statutory grants, and enables you to track grant applications and the success of your team in securing funding.

Find out more information here.