Take the first step towards a rewarding career in counselling with Renew’s DiplomaHE in Counselling (Child and Young Person), delivered in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University.
This course offers specialised clinical training to prepare you for impactful work with children and young people.
Course Details:
Part-time course: Study and train part-time at a pace that suits your lifestyle.
Student finance: You may be eligible for a loan to cover the costs of your tuition.
Chelmsford Star Co-op host bi-weekly coffee mornings for their members at the Braintree & Chelmsford Quadrant Stores, bringing people together for a warm drink, great company, and inspiring talks.
They are on the lookout for guest speakers to share their knowledge, experiences, or passions with our friendly community. Whether you have an interesting story to tell, expert advice to share, or an engaging topic to present, they’d love to hear from you!
The Chelmsford Group takes place every other Monday and the Braintree Group takes place every other Thursday (10.15am for a 10.30am start. Lasts up to 1 hour.)
If you’re interested in speaking at one of the sessions, please get in touch.
Looking for mental health training that helps you both at work and at home? The Mental Health Toolkit: The Essentials is for you.
Brought to you by Mind in West Essex, This half-day workshop introduces you to the Mental Health Continuum and the Emotional Needs & Resources approach.
It helps you to better support yourself and those around you – in your personal and professional life.
On Wednesday 5 February, the UK government confirmed that Essex County Council, Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Council have had their request to be part of the Devolution Priority Programme accepted. This follows the councils writing to the UK government on Friday 10 January requesting inclusion on the programme and committing to Local Government Re-organisation.
We are hosting a webinar on Devolution for Voluntary Sector, Community and Faith based groups across Essex, on Tuesday 25 March at 6pm. We want to start the conversation and share what we know about devolution.
Devolution
What is devolution? Devolution is the transfer of powers and funding from UK government to local authority level. It is important because decisions are made closer to local people, communities and businesses they affect. Devolution would provide greater freedoms and flexibilities for councils to work more effectively. This would improve public services and outcomes for residents and businesses.
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Essex County Council is hosting a webinar on Devolution for Voluntary Sector, Community and Faith based groups across Essex, on Tuesday 25 March at 6pm. They want to start the conversation and share what we know about devolution.
Have your say on the Greater Essex devolution consultation
The UK government has launched the Greater Essex devolution consultation.
The consultation seeks your views on the proposal to form a Mayoral Combined County Authority for the local government areas in Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock.
The consultation invites those who live and work across Greater Essex to share their views on:
the proposed geography
the effect of establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority in Greater Essex
how the Mayoral Combined County Authority will make decisions
Ace Music Therapy CIC’s FREE group for Adult Carers, Beat Retreat, a drumming music therapy group exclusively for carers, will be starting soon in Maldon thanks to funding from Essex County Council’s Carers Community Fund.
The group will meet on Wednesday’s for 9 weeks, between the 5th of March 2025 & 21st of May 2025 (Every Wednesday except from – 9th April, 16th April & 30th April)
📆 Dates & Time: Wednesday’s, 5th March – 21st May, 12–1 PM
📍 Location: West Maldon Community Centre, Sunbury Way, Maldon CM9 6YH (Directions here)
This is a fantastic opportunity for carers to take time for themselves, connect with others, and experience the therapeutic power of drumming.
We are delighted to be supporting for the fourth consecutive year, the Eden Project Communities “Month of Community” in June. As part of this initiative, we are holding our Unpaid Carers Raceday on Thursday 12th June at Chelmsford City Racecourse.
At this raceday, we will once again be offering unpaid carers the opportunity to apply for 2 free general admission tickets. We have attached the application form for applying for the tickets. Please be aware that this is for carers to attend without their dependants, to provide them with some respite enjoying an evening at the races.
Also, this year, as part of our 10th Anniversary celebrations, we are pledging to raise £100K for 10 charities and to provide activities and events alongside this. These charities are across a diverse sector, and the cause they represent will have an impact on most people or someone they know during their lives. I have attached more information for your reference.
One of the charities we will be supporting is Dementia UK and their specialist Admiral Nurses by inviting members of the local community and their loved ones who are living with this condition to a cuppa and piece of cake
Join us in a safe space with Dementia UK on hand for advice and support, meet a horse and join in an activity.
At just £5 per person, all profit will be donated to Dementia UK.
DATE: Thursday 20th March 2025 (pre-booking essential)
VENUE: Chelmsford City Racecourse, Great Leighs, CM3 1QP
Little Wings of Hope, a dedicated baby loss charity, is launching a specialised workplace training program in partnership with esteemed psychotherapist and training facilitator, Paula Abramson. With extensive experience in bereavement support for families and professional training, Paula will lead this vital session designed to help businesses better support employees affected by baby loss.
Why This Training Matters:
Baby loss is a deeply sensitive issue that can have a significant emotional and professional impact on individuals in the workplace. This training will equip attendees with essential skills and knowledge to:
✅ Offer compassionate support to employees experiencing loss
✅ Create a more understanding and inclusive workplace culture
✅ Navigate difficult conversations with confidence
We welcome HR professionals, managers, leaders, and anyone responsible for staff well-being to join us. By attending, you’ll gain invaluable insights that you can take back to your workplace to foster a more supportive and empathetic environment.
📍 Location: Rivenhall Oaks Golf Club, Forest Rd, Evans Way, Witham CM8 2FX
📅 Date & Time: Friday 10th October | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
💷 Cost: £60 per person
Citizens Advice Essex is offering a focused 90-minute session to raise awareness about pensioner poverty and equip attendees with practical tools to support older adults facing financial and energy-related challenges.
Pensioner poverty is a growing issue, affecting the health, wellbeing, and independence of older people. Many struggle to afford essentials, miss out on financial support like Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance, or face tough choices as living costs rise. This session will explore the causes of pensioner poverty, practical steps to reduce fuel bills and improve income, and ways to identify and support those in need.
Whether you’re a frontline worker or work behind the scenes, this session will provide actionable insights to make a difference in your community. Delivered by experts from Citizens Advice Essex, it will include real-world examples, referral tips, and practical strategies to ensure the most vulnerable get the help they need.
Ace Music Therapy have received funding from Essex County Council, meaning they are able to offer FREE drumming music therapy sessions for Carers in the local community!
Drumming is a powerful tool with physical and emotional benefits such as:
