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Free Bid Writing Workshop in Uttlesford

Charities and voluntary groups are invited to join us for an interactive session on mastering the art of bid writing.

Delivered by the Active Essex Foundation and hosted by UCAN, charities and voluntary groups are invited to join us for an interactive session on mastering the art of bid writing. Learn tips and tricks, and strategies to help you stand out from the competition.

Fundraising has never been more challenging for community and voluntary organisations across Essex. There is huge demand on grant givers like National Lottery Community Fund and Sport England. There are less grants available from local authorities and NHS. Your fundraising plan needs to think of different ways to bring in income, know where to look for available and relevant grants, and make sure your bids and grant applications stand out.

This in-person workshop is aimed at organisations who want to improve their fundraising and bid writing knowledge and confidence to strengthen income generation.

Tuesday 25th November 2025

9.30am – 12.30pm

Foakes Hall, Great Dunmow

To book your free tickets visit:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/introduction-to-fundraising-and-small-grants-bid-writing-workshop-tickets-1933039466079

Sell out for Town Mayor’s Fundraising Quiz!

The Saffron Walden Town Mayor’s Quiz Night last Friday 17 October at Jubilee Hub was a huge success! It was a sell out evening with 74 people attending, making up 13 teams. The event was held to raise vital funds for Cllr Ahmed’s chosen charity, Uttlesford Community Action Network (UCAN).

The evening was full of fun and laughter with a touch of competitiveness! And after eight rounds of brain-teasing questions, the winners were announced – congratulations to ‘The Golden Moons’ who won eight bottles of wine to share. In second place came ‘The Pacemaker’ and ‘The team with no name’ came a respectable third – a team member said, “The quiz was a fantastic evening of fun, laughter and (friendly) competition – we thoroughly enjoyed it. A huge thank you and well done to the organisers for making it happen!”

Complementary Indian snacks were kindly provided by the Mayor and a wonderful selection of donated raffle prizes aided the fundraising efforts. Town Mayor, Cllr Ahmed said, “Thank you to everyone who came for the Quiz night – what a fantastic evening of fun and community spirit! Together we raised vital funds for UCAN, your support means so much.” Clive Emmett, UCAN Chief Officer, added “The feedback has been positive – thank you to everyone for supporting this event and the work we do in the community. I would also like to extend our thanks to volunteers on the day; UCAN staff, Town Council Officers, Cllr Jeanette Curtis, and family of Cllr Ahmed.”

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 – Hospital Car Service Driver

Are you looking for a rewarding way to give back to your community? Consider becoming a hospital car driver with Uttlesford Community Travel. Their hospital car service plays a crucial role in ensuring that individuals who are unable to access regular transport can still attend their medical appointments with ease.

Are you looking for a rewarding way to give back to your community? Consider becoming a hospital car driver with Uttlesford Community Travel. Their hospital car service plays a crucial role in ensuring that individuals who are unable to access regular transport can still attend their medical appointments with ease.

As a hospital car driver, you’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others by providing essential transport to medical facilities. Whether it’s driving patients to routine check-ups, treatments, or surgeries, your support can alleviate the stress and uncertainty often associated with accessing healthcare services.

Flexible volunteering hours to suit.

Skills needed:

  • Driver with a clean licence
  • Caring and compassionate
  • Friendly and helpful

For further information:

Contact us on:

T: 01371 404525

E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

Volunteer Opportunity: Foodshare volunteers needed

Could you be part of a community foodshare volunteer team?

Various volunteering roles for TouchPoint Community Foodshare:

  • An extra pairs of hands needed to help at the Foodshare on Friday afternoons. Between 12.30 and 2.30pm at Crafton Green, Stansted
  • Evening volunteers to monitor what donations are available from the supermarkets using an App. They then notify our drivers when there is a collection to be had. This is done most evenings about 7pm.
  • Volunteer Drivers – collect from Supermarkets in Harlow, Bishops Stortford, Dunmow and Saffron Walden typically in the evening around 7.30- 9.30pm.

For further information:

Contact us on:

T: 01371 404525

E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk

🌐 Your Essex Community – E-Portal Awareness Training 🌐

We’re excited to share an opportunity to learn more about the Your Essex Community E-Portal – a valuable online space for connecting and engaging with local community resources.

📅 Next Session: Monday 16th September at 1:00pm

✅ Free to attend

🔗 Book your place here: Click to register

This awareness training will guide you through the features of the portal, showing how you can make the most of it for your organisation, group, or personal use.

https://mdcvs.aidecrm.co.uk/surveys/respond/deRLcxBQHy7nZk1oM1QZtTp0JlIcjoiGu5yoWL3Y

Don’t miss out – secure your spot today

Soul Showcase and The Fellarship Showcase

Singing for the Soul Showcase – Fridays 2pm – 3pm

Join the Enterprise East team for a free community singing session. The hub comes alive every Friday afternoon with song, laughter, and community spirit; a wide variety of well-loved tunes are sung, from Amy Winehouse to Frank Sinatra, and everything in between. Whether you’re a seasoned singer or just love a good tune, this group is for everyone. Give it a try – come along and enjoy the fun! Said EE’s Founder & CEO, Sam McReynolds, “We are thrilled to be running our ‘Singing for the Soul’ community choir from Jubilee Hub. It’s a wonderfully inclusive group, full of fun, connection and joy.”

The Fellarship Showcase – Wednesdays 2pm – 4pm

The Fellarship launched in 2023 as an afternoon drop-in session. It is run by Howie Fiddy and Dave Hook, and along with other volunteers Steve and Joe, they have created a safe space. It is a well-attended group and is now established as a happy place for men to have tea / coffee and biscuits, play board games – and most importantly to have ‘fellarship’ with other men from all walks of life.
Cross generational fellarship! Over the summer months, nonagenarian, Ray, has been playing chess with teenager, Max. With Ray heading towards receiving that special letter from the King and over eighty years between the two gentlemen, this illustrates the true meaning of ‘fellarship’, whatever your age! They are incredibly well-matched at the game, and whilst playing chess, Max is also gaining valuable volunteer experience for his Duke of Edinburgh Award. Said UCAN volunteer, Howie Fiddy, “We are so happy to provide this vital service for the menfolk in our town who simply need that essential human interaction with others. As well as being a fun couple of hours a week, it also allows them to feel safe to share and open up to others, if they choose to. And the drinks and biscuits never fail to put a smile on their faces!”

#SWTC #EE

Images are the property of Walden Local

Domestic Abuse Campaign Survey

Essex County Council invites you as a stakeholder to give feedback on shaping a new domestic abuse support campaign for victims aged 70 and over.

This campaign aims to:

Equip professionals and caregivers with information to recognise signs of abuse and access resources from SETDAB.

Raise awareness of domestic abuse in older people and encourage them, their family and friends to seek support from COMPASS.

We’ve developed two versions of the campaign design and would value your feedback to ensure the look and feel aligns with the campaign’s objectives.

Please complete our short survey, which includes visuals of both designs. Your input will help influence the final creative direction of this important campaign.

Thank you for your support.

Working with Forest Homecare

Through our work to reduce loneliness and isolation in the Uttlesford district, and our hospital discharge work supporting Uttlesford residents home from hospital, we are often helping the same people as some of the local care providers. As such, it only makes sense that we should work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for local people.

Forest Homecare supports independence at home. The organisation provides trusted care that suits residents, and their loved ones, and their unique needs. They offer a wide range of services and customised care plans, making sure everyone gets the right support to live comfortably.

Local carers looking after local people

Whether it’s assistance with dressing, managing medications, or keeping things tidy, the Forest Homecare team ensures the right support at the right time. Their caring services compliment our own UCAN Home Solutions service, which provides domestic support for residents, enabling them to continue to live independently in their own homes. Help available includes:

  • Cleaning in the home
  • Shopping
  • Collection of prescriptions
  • Laundry
  • Change of bedding
  • Pet care
  • Putting away shopping/food deliveries,
  • Gardening and handyman tasks such as installing smoke alarms, locks, home security devices and small repairs.

There are no contracts, but a minimum obligation is one hour per week and number of hours can be reviewed and adjusted as needs change.  For example you may have one job that needs to be done once a month, or perhaps seasonally like changing the curtains or cleaning the blinds.  We can add an extra hour on when those jobs need to be done.

For further information on UCAN Home Solutions practical help at home please email home.solutions@ucan.org.uk or call us on 01371 404474 to discuss your needs.

For help with truly personalised care to help a loved one live safely in their own home, consider the support available from Forest Homecare.

Volunteer Opportunity: Volunteer Driver for Uttlesford Food Bank

The Uttlesford Foodbank is looking for people to become volunteer drivers.

Do you have your own car?

Do you have a couple of hours (or more) free during the day on weekdays?

Would you like to volunteer with the food bank, making a real difference to people in Uttlesford?

If so, we would love to hear from you! We are looking for volunteers to deliver food parcels to our clients in and around the Stansted, Takeley and Dunmow areas.

For further information:

Contact us on:

T: 01371 404525

E: volunteer@ucan.org.uk