News

Volunteer Opportunity – Audley End Explainer

Audley End has a large Volunteer team who look after the House and Grounds. The team are a wonderfully diverse and friendly group who help to give a warm welcome to all visitors at Audley End.

Audley End has a large Volunteer team who look after the House and Grounds. The team are a wonderfully diverse and friendly group who help to give a warm welcome to all visitors at Audley End.

We are looking for volunteers to become Explainers for visitors at Audley End House and Gardens. The role would include varying activities such as providing a warm welcome for all visitors, helping to tell the story of the house and collection, helping with family trails, helping to protect and preserve the collection and attending the relevant training courses and workshops to increase your knowledge of the site.  Full training on the role and health and safety will be provided as well as site and role induction with your dedicated Volunteer Manager.

Skills needed:

  • A friendly, enthusiastic manner and an enjoyment of dealing with people from all walks of life
  • Confidence in ability to communicate well with all age groups
  • Keenness to learn more about English Heritage sites
  • Confidence in being alone with members of the public

For further information:

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

Crisis Response Volunteers Induction Event

We are pleased to announce that we are holding an induction event to introduce an exciting new Volunteering Opportunity with UCAN covering the Uttlesford District.

We are pleased to announce that we are holding an induction event to introduce an exciting new Volunteering Opportunity with UCAN covering the Uttlesford District.

Saturday 4th May

10am to 12pm

Talbot Rooms, Foakes Hall, Stortford Road, Great Dunmow, CM 6 1DG

 

This opportunity has come about due to the success we have had over recent year in responding to and delivering the Ukrainian Welcome Hub and the Sudanese Humanitarian Assistance Centre at Stansted Airport. Together with all the learning and experience we have acquired through these Volunteer led operations, we now wish to capitalise and expand upon them to create a Crisis Response Team.

We are seeking Volunteers who are interested in being trained in Crisis Response and are able at short notice able to mobilise and respond to crisis and incidents in the Uttlesford District.

This induction event will provide you with an overview of the role, its expectations and the training programme.

If you are interested in joining or finding out more about this team and exciting opportunity, please attend this event to learn more or contact us to register your interest at: volunteer@ucan.org.uk or call us on 01371 404474.

 

Jacks of Dunmow supports UCAN’s winter warmth campaign

Jack’s has been part of the fabric of Dunmow since 1952, and business owner Darren Cox and his wife Jude are very much part of the local community.   UCAN was delighted to be supported by the store once again this winter, receiving a donation of assorted sizes of men’s and women’s base layer garments that can be distributed to residents struggling with the cold at this time of year

Jack’s has been part of the fabric of Dunmow since 1952, and business owner Darren Cox and his wife Jude are very much part of the local community.   UCAN was delighted to be supported by the store once again this winter, receiving a donation of assorted sizes of men’s and women’s base layer garments that can be distributed to residents struggling with the cold at this time of year

Each winter UCAN distributes clothing, blankets, bedding and appliances to people in need, to help them to stay warm and well through the colder months of the year.   We are grateful to Darren and Jude for helping the community once again, and the clothing they have been providing over the past two years has been incredibly useful in our work.

You can find out more about Jack’s and their range of clothing and outdoor items by visiting their website https://www.jacks1952.co.uk/jacks-dunmow or why not call in to 19-21 High Street, Dunmow between 09:00 and 17:00 Monday to Saturday.

If you or someone you know would benefit from our support this winter, please call the UCAN Community Response Hub on 03333 408218 or email connect@ucan.org.uk and one of the team will be in touch to help.

More cash to rescue community assets through expanded government fund

More community projects are set to benefit from funding to rescue prized local assets, such as sports clubs, music venues and historic buildings, as the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities launches the third round of its £150 million Community Ownership Fund.

More community projects are set to benefit from funding to rescue prized local assets, such as sports clubs, music venues and historic buildings, as the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities launches the third round of its £150 million Community Ownership Fund.

Changes to the fund will make it easier than ever for community groups to seize back control of prized local assets that are at risk of being lost forever – helping to strengthen and level up communities and restore optimism, hope, and pride in the UK.

The requirement for match-funding is also being reduced to as low as 10%, making it easier for communities to acquire assets without raising additional private funding. For the first time, parish councils will also be able to apply to the Fund, which has previously only been available to charities and community groups.

Further information

The UCAN Mobile Hub will be at Tesco Great Dunmow on Wednesday 10th January 2024 between 11am and 2pm.

Our team will be on hand to give practical help and advice about staying warm and well this winter, and there are some great free giveaways – so do come and see us!

Our team will be on hand to give practical help and advice about staying warm and well this winter, and there are some great free giveaways – so do come and see us!
Tesco Great Dunmow
Stortford Road
Great Dunmow
CM6 1SF
Everyone welcome!

Funding Opportunity for small orgs (less than £200k income)

The Leathersellers is currently seeking applications from small Charities and Charitable Incorporated Organisations that are providing vital services for vulnerable people in deprived communities across the UK.

The Leathersellers is currently seeking applications from small Charities and Charitable Incorporated Organisations that are providing vital services for vulnerable people in deprived communities across the UK

The Small Grants Programme will award grants of up to £5,000 to organisations with an annual income of less than £200,000. Partnerships are encouraged. The number of applications will be capped and accepted on a first-come, first-served basis e.g. the first 45 applications after each round opens will be able to be submitted.

The Committee will meet regularly to ensure charities receive a decision within a month of submitting their application.

There are 10 application windows throughout the year and each window will close when 45 applications have been received.

Click here to find out more about this funding

Ukraine Welcome Hub operation draws to a close

Since May 2022 we have supported over 20,000 people fleeing the war – mostly women and children – and made them welcome in the UK

Yesterday marked our last shift at Stansted Airport welcoming refugees from the Ukraine Conflict

Since May 2022 we have supported over 20,000 people fleeing the war – mostly women and children – and made them welcome in the UK. Help given has ranged from addressing immediate needs for food and water, to seeing travellers safely onto trains and coaches to other areas of the UK, as well as booking and providing overnight hotel accommodation for those unable to continue their journey. We have distributed thousands of sim cards with six months of data kindly provided by Vodafone, and express our gratitude to the food retailers in the airport – Burger King, Costa Coffee, M&S and others who have issued food vouchers and additional kept our volunteers fed and watered.
We are especially indebted to these many, many volunteers – who have manned our help desk 18 hours a day, 7 days a week during this period, for their thousands of hours given freely to help people in need. There are not sufficient words to express our gratitude.
Although our welcome desk operation has been stood down, we continue to support the many Ukrainians who have settled in Uttlesford, as well as host families and the local authority to process housing applications.
We stand with Ukraine.
A formal thank-you event for UCAN staff and volunteers, and other supporters of the Ukraine Welcome Hub in Uttlesford is being hosted by Essex County Council on 11th January 2023, and we are grateful to all the aid and assistance ECC has provided during both the Ukraine and Sudanese crisis.

Luxury Hamper Winner

We were delighted to present Pamela Phillips with our luxury hamper raffle prize

We were delighted to present Pamela Phillips with our luxury hamper raffle prize, following a very successful funding campaign run over eight weeks during operation of the Covid Vaccine Centre in the Lord Butler Leisure Centre Saffron Walden.

All funds raised will support UCAN’s ongoing work supporting isolated and vulnerable people in Uttlesford.

Thank you to everyone who participated.

The Hats have been donated!

At the Jubilee Hub Saffron Walden we distributed over 400 hats, scarves and hand warmers knitted by volunteers between four charities – thank you to all those knitters who donated.

At the Jubilee Hub Saffron Walden we distributed over 400 hats, scarves and hand warmers knitted by volunteers between four charities – thank you to all those knitters who donated.

This project was run by our enterprising UCAN Volunteering Ambassador, Ann Holloway with assistance from volunteer Pat.

Volunteers knitted and donated, some of whom had knitted in the past but had stopped for whatever reason and this project encouraged them to re-start, providing a new hobby, enjoyment and purpose, knowing that the items were needed by the charities involved. The project benefited both the volunteers who were knitting and of course the charities who were given the items. Over 400 items were knitted.

We will continue to donate any knitted items to these charities, so if people would like to continue knitting, please do so and drop them in to the Jubilee Hub (3 Hill Street) Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm.

Voluntary Sector Provider Grant scheme

Voluntary and charitable organisations in Uttlesford can apply for funding to help with the costs of providing essential services to local communities. Apply to UDC by 14th December.

Voluntary and charitable organisations in Uttlesford can apply for funding to help with the costs of providing essential services to local communities

You can apply for a Voluntary Sector Provider Grant if you are:

  • a registered charity
  • providing services to the local community
  • carrying out work that fits in with the UDC corporate plan priorities

The closing date for applications is midday on Thursday 14 December 2023.

Please note: The grant is for revenue expenditure only and cannot be used towards capital projects such as the refurbishment of buildings.

For further information and to apply visit https://www.uttlesford.gov.uk/voluntary-sector-provider-grant-scheme