News

This is where we’ll post third sector news and important updates that are useful for your organisation.

Vacancy: Sanctuary Support Worker (Part-Time)

Mind in West Essex is looking for a Sanctuary Support Worker (Part-Time) to join our team supporting the mental wellbeing of people experiencing emotional crisis.
📍 Based in Harlow, with ability to travel across West Essex
⏰ 14–28 hours per week on a 4-week rota (7-hour shifts 4pm-11pm across 7 days a week including weekends and bank holidays)
💷 £12.56 per hour (time and a half on public holidays)

👉 Find out more and apply here: https://www.mindinwestessex.org.uk/vacancies/

🗓️ Closing date: 15 October 2025

Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: Events, News, Opportunities, Third Sector Jobs

Equity and Inclusion training workshop

Are you passionate about creating spaces where everyone feels valued, respected, and heard?
Join Mind in West Essex’s upcoming Equity & Inclusion workshop!
This 3-hour session builds an understanding of the importance of fairness and inclusivity in the workplace and wider society.
  •  Understand the difference between equality and equity
  •  Explore intersectionality, privilege, unconscious bias and discrimination
  •  Discuss microaggressions and how they can escalate without intervention
  •  Consider how collective trauma, cultural trauma and racial trauma can impact wellbeing and good mental health
  •  Reflect on how we can create a more inclusive workplace and society
Whether you’re a team leader, HR professional, educator, or simply someone committed to positive change, this training will help you foster fairness in your community or workplace.
Tuesday 14 October, 10am-1pm
Uttlesford Community Hub, Great Dunmow CM6 1DQ

Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: Events, News, Opportunities, Training

10th October is World Mental Health Day!

Looking for mental health support in Essex?

Or do you run a group that helps others?

Check out The Essex Map – a free resource where you can find local services, support groups, and activities that promote mental wellbeing.

💡 Support available:

✅ Mental health charities
✅ Peer support groups
✅ Wellbeing activities
✅ Crisis help

📢 Do you offer mental health support in Essex? Add your group to the map so more people can find you!

📧 Contact us: communications@essexalliance.org.uk

Let’s work together to make mental health support accessible to everyone in Essex. 💛

#WorldMentalHealthDay #MentalHealthMatters #EssexMap #Wellbeing #CommunitySupport

Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: Events, News

Join our friends at Renew: World Mental Health Day event in Chelmsford

This World Mental Health Day (Friday 10 October), our friends at Renew Counselling, in partnership with Chelmsford City Council, will be creating a calm and welcoming space on Chelmsford High Street (outside Barclays) from 10am–4pm.

Everyone is invited to take a moment for their wellbeing and enjoy:

✨ Mindfulness and self-care activities, including mini massages from The Beauty Room
✨ Opportunities to chat about counselling and mental health support
Fundraising to help keep counselling affordable and accessible for all

Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: Events, News, Opportunities

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Every year, around 55,000 women and 400 men in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer. Early detection, support, and access to the right services make a life-changing difference.

📍 If you or someone you know in Essex needs support — from local support groups to wellbeing services — visit Essex Map to find help near you.

Are you a charity, group, or organisation supporting people affected by breast cancer?
✨ Make sure your service is visible to those who need it most.
✉️ Email communications@essexalliance.org.uk to get listed.

Together, we can raise awareness, provide support, and help communities across Essex stay connected.

#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth #Essex #CommunitySupport #EarlyDetection

Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: Events, News

Common Ground Award – Prospectus Now Published

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has launched the Common Ground Award (CGA) — a new funding opportunity for voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations that bring people together from different backgrounds.

The Common Ground Award supports organisations that are helping to build stronger, more connected communities through shared spaces and activities. Funding can be used for the construction or renovation of facilities, or to purchase essential equipment that enables community engagement and service delivery.

Key details

  • Total funding available: Up to £1.7 million (2025/26)

  • Grant size: Up to £10,000 per successful applicant

  • Eligible applicants: VCSE organisations based and operating in England with charitable, benevolent, or philanthropic purposes

  • Application window: Opens 14 October and closes 21 November 2025

  • Funding awarded: January 2026

  • Spending deadline: 31 March 2026

Aims of the Common Ground Award

The programme seeks to:

  • Identify and reward good practice in building bridging social capital

  • Invest in physical spaces and equipment that support inclusive community activity

  • Foster a community of practice, encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing between the VCSE sector and government

Eligible expenditure

Capital grants can fund:

  • New builds, refurbishments, or expansions of facilities that help connect communities

  • Essential equipment such as laptops, furniture, or other items necessary for running inclusive activities

For full details and guidance on how to apply, please read the Common Ground Award Prospectus:
👉 Common Ground Award Prospectus (gov.uk)

Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: News, Opportunities

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Domestic abuse is more common than many realise.

In Essex alone, tens of thousands of incidents are reported each year—and many more remain hidden.

🗺️ If you or someone you know needs support, visit Essex Map to find local services, charities, and groups offering help.

🏷️ Are you a group, charity, or service offering support in this area? Don’t stay unseen—get listed so those in need can find you.
✉️ Email communications@essexalliance.org.uk to request addition.

Together, we can strengthen safety nets across Essex and ensure every community member knows help is out there. 💜

#DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth #Essex #SupportSurvivors #CommunityMapping

Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: News

Healthier Habits Hubs Fund 2025-26

Following the 2024-25 Healthier Habits Hubs that took place across the County, Essex County Council (ECC) have changed the structure based on feedback from both residents and providers.
From 3rd November 2025, this is your opportunity to get creative.
Do you have an idea for a project? Does your hub have the creativity to run a successful health related project?
If your hub has what it takes, now is your chance. Applications open from 3rd November 2025 for hubs to apply for up to £2,500 (£5,000 if partnering with another) to run a project that aligns to one or more of the outcomes in our Essex County Council Wellbeing, Public Health and Communities Business Plan 2025-2028 (Wellbeing, public health and communities business plan):
  • Healthy Weight
  • Smokefree 2030
  • Children and Young People
  • Housing and Health
  • Physical Activity
  • Inclusive Growth, work and health
  • NHS 10 Year plan
  • Healthy Communities
  • Vulnerable groups
ECC recognise the importance of communities being able to organise events of health importance as well as events that promote community cohesion and integration. Therefore, funding has been made available for communities in Essex to lead and organise events. These can be Health promotion, events that raise awareness of issues that affect the community and or events that bring communities together for collective reflection.
The Healthier Habits Fund will offer financial support to organisations to help deliver new events/projects in the County of Essex.
The fund can be used to book a space or pay for other associated event costs. For each event, a maximum of £2,500 will be made available, or for collaboration between organisations, grants of up to £5,000 will be made available.
ECC are keen to develop an interesting and successful year-round events calendar and would like to encourage new community leaders and groups to come forward. As part of this ambition, we are keen to see new events that will complement existing offers.
Applicants must agree that if my application is successful the money received will be used ONLY towards the project set out in this application and that I will supply evidence as required to the HHH project team in the form of photos and/or feedback from users of the project to demonstrate our impact and appropriate use of ECC funds.
Who can apply? 
  • Registered charities and CICs with sound governance and accountability structures
  • Individuals affiliated to a registered group that supports Essex can apply where no other registered charity of CIC can be found
  • Profit companies, constituted groups or religious organisations
How to apply.
Applications for the Healthier Habits Hubs fund 2025/26 will open on Monday 3rd November 2025 and close on Sunday 30th November 2025.
*Please be aware we reserve the right to close the application form early on the basis the funds have been allocated to projects on a first come first served basis ahead of the closing date*
Please complete the following form: HHH funding application form – rev any additional documents will need to be sent by email to HealthierHabitsHubs@essex.gov.uk using your project name as the reference.
Your application will be reviewed by the Healthier Habits Hubs projects team within 1 week (7 working days) of receiving your application and a response will be sent to you within 14 days of receiving your application.
If you have any questions regarding the Healthier Habits Hubs Fund please email us on HealthierHabitsHubs@essex.gov.uk.
Please note, all successful projects will be required to submit feedback and evidence of their project before 31st October 2026.

Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: News, Opportunities

Help Shape the Future of Essex Community Foundation – Become a Trustee

Essex Community Foundation (ECF) is seeking passionate and committed individuals to join our Board of Trustees and help guide our mission to support communities across Essex.

As some of our valued trustees step down after completing their terms, we are looking to strengthen and diversify our Board so that it truly reflects the communities and voluntary sector we serve. This is a unique opportunity to play a key role in shaping the future of local philanthropy and making a lasting difference across Essex.

We’re Looking For:

We welcome applications from anyone with a passion for supporting communities, and we are particularly interested in hearing from people with experience or expertise in:

  • Charity and the Voluntary Sector

  • Finance and Investment

  • Grantmaking

  • Marketing and Communications

  • Philanthropy

If you know someone who would be a great fit, please encourage them to apply and share this opportunity within your networks.

🔗 Find full details and apply here:
Become a Trustee – Make a Difference in Essex

💬 Help us spread the word by re-sharing our post on LinkedIn:
ECF Trustee Recruitment Post


Join Our Finance & Investment Committee

Alongside our trustee recruitment, we are also seeking a Co-opted Member for our Finance and Investment Committee. This focused role offers an excellent opportunity for someone with investment expertise to make a meaningful contribution to our work.

🔗 Learn more about the role here:
Could You Contribute to Our Finance & Investment Committee?

💬 You can also help by resharing our LinkedIn post:
Finance & Investment Committee Recruitment Post

Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: News, Opportunities

Introducing the ‘Your Essex Community’ Learning Series

We’re excited to launch the Your Essex Community Learning Series, brought to you by Active Essex in partnership with Essex communities and organisations. Through this series of free webinars and online seminars, we aim to support, equip and inspire community groups, voluntary organisations, local leaders and grassroots networks across Essex.

What is the Learning Series?

As part of the Your Essex Community place-based offer, these sessions are designed based on insights gathered directly from local communities. They focus on the issues, skills, and challenges that matter most — whether that’s funding, community engagement, impact evaluation, leadership, or inclusive communication.

Each session is hosted online, making it accessible across the county. You can join live, ask questions, engage with facilitators and peers — all with zero travel required.

Upcoming Sessions & What You’ll Learn

Here’s a rundown of the forthcoming Learning Series webinars (all free to attend):

Date / Time Title What You’ll Gain
23 October, 2-3pm Securing Grant Funding Successfully Tips, strategies, and real examples of how to write compelling proposals — from both small and large grant perspectives.
11 November, 10-11am Utilising Marketing to Promote Your Offer Practical marketing methods, language, campaign ideas, social media approaches — delivered by the Active Essex Marketing team.
11 November, 11am-12pm Engaging Local Communities Effectively Approaches to community leadership, resident-led initiatives, building belonging, and creating system change through local engagement.
3 December, 10.30-11.30am Effective Leadership for VCS During Change Navigating uncertainty in times of reform, funding shifts, and organisational pressures — resilience, courage and adaptive leadership.
21 January 2026, 12-1pm Inclusive Language and Communication Gain tools to foster equity, accessibility, and amplify community voice; explore the Social Model of Disability and inclusive communication.
5 February 2026, 4-5pm How to Demonstrate Your Impact Learn the fundamentals of impact measurement: planning, data collection, analysis, reporting — and making your case with confidence.

Whether you’re fairly new to running a community project or a seasoned lead, these sessions are built to add value — practical tools, peer learning, and insight to help your organisation grow stronger.

Why It Matters

In Essex, we see a wealth of voluntary organisations, resident groups, and community networks doing vital work. Yet many face shared challenges: limited funding, competing priorities, evolving local structures, and navigating change. The Learning Series is part of our commitment to help meet those challenges head on — not by prescribing solutions, but by building skills, sharing best practice, and growing collective capacity.

As we roll out more sessions, the Learning Series will evolve — shaped by your feedback and the emerging needs across the county.

Join Us

Sign up now to access the webinars and be part of a growing community of practice across Essex. You’ll be able to attend live and revisit recordings (where available).

For full details and registration links, visit the Your Essex Community — Learning Series page on the Active Essex website. 

We look forward to seeing you in a session soon — and to building stronger, more empowered communities across Essex.

Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: Events, News, Opportunities, Training