Training available with Essex Safeguarding Children Board
If you work in a public facing role, where you may encounter or work alongside children who have been victims of exploitation, then this session is for you.
You will be able to expand your knowledge about spotting the signs of exploitation and understand how to respond.
There are two sessions coming up in March – find out more and book a place 
The draft strategy has been jointly developed by all councils in Essex, Southend and Thurrock through the Essex Air Quality Consortium.
It sets out a shared vision and planned actions to reduce air pollution and its impacts on our health.
Share your views through the public consultation by Sunday 2 March 2025.
To find out more and have your say, please visit: https://orlo.uk/09XVs
We were all shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Clive’s beloved wife Bev, who died in January.
The family have planned a celebration of Bev’s life, which will take place at Old Park Natural Burial Ground, Coppice Lane, North End, Great Dunmow on Thursday 27th February starting at 12.30 p.m. Everyone is welcome. After the service attendees are invited to stay on and share memories of Bev. Light refreshments will be provided.
The family has requested no flowers. If you would like to make a donation in Bev’s memory, they have chosen an animal charity – The Cinnamon Trust – to benefit. An online giving page can be found at: http://beverlyemmett.muchloved.com/
Our thoughts are with Clive and family at this most difficult of times. Bev was not only a friend, but an energetic volunteer and before moving into the veterinary world caring for her beloved animals, was a much-valued Social Prescriber serving the residents of Uttlesford.
We were delighted to host The Gentlemen of iO on Friday 29th November for our very first fundraising barn dance, which took place at Foakes Hall in Great Dunmow.
We were delighted to host The Gentlemen of iO on Friday 29th November for our very first fundraising barn dance, which took place at Foakes Hall in Great Dunmow.
Thank you to everyone who came and supported us and danced the night away. Much gratitude also to the UCAN fundraising team of volunteers who provided a splendid Ploughman’s meal for over 120, and the lovely people who operated the cash bar for us. In total we raised £1,800 on the night – much needed funding that will support our work with lonely and isolated people in Uttlesford.
If you were unable to join us this time, but would like to support the work of UCAN, please consider making a donation by clicking here.
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!
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:
For further information and to apply please visit:
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
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.
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.
The UCAN Charity Mobile Community Hub was out and about in Uttlesford again yesterday, this time setting up in Hatfield Broad Oak.
We’re delighted to announce details of our fundraising barn dance!
