Essex County Council & Connect Futures is promoting a series of free online workshops designed to help people feel safer, more confident, and better informed when navigating online information.
We’re asking partners to help spread the word through newsletters, networks and community channels – and please do encourage onward sharing.
👨👩👧 Workshops for Parents
Misinformation, Community and Online Safety
These sessions support parents to better understand:
What misinformation and disinformation are, and where they’re most commonly encountered
How to recognise symbols of hate and misleading online narratives
What is legal and illegal online in relation to hate and harmful content
Practical ways to talk to children about what they’re seeing online
The workshops are welcoming, interactive and delivered by trained facilitators, with plenty of opportunity to ask questions and share concerns. 📅 Multiple dates available | ⏱ 90 minutes | 💻 Online | Free to attend
Spot common tricks used in misleading posts, viral rumours and emotionally charged content
Understand how images, headlines and algorithms influence reactions
Recognise how scams, fraud and misinformation often overlap
Use simple tools to check whether information is trustworthy before sharing
No technical skills are needed – just curiosity. Sessions are friendly, jargon-free and focused on staying safe online. 📅 Multiple dates available | ⏱ 90 minutes | 💻 Online | Free to attend
There will also be train-the-trainer sessions (one for each workshop). If you know practitioners or community leaders who may be interested, please get in touch to receive full details. They are also very welcome to attend a standard session first to see how it’s delivered.
Essex Family Forum has launched its 2025 Family Impact Surveyand is inviting SEND parents and carers across Essex to take part. The survey takes around 10 minutes to complete and covers key areas including Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), mental health, social care, therapies and diagnosis.
Feedback from families is vital in helping shape and influence positive changes to SEND services in Essex. SEND parents and carers are encouraged to complete the survey, and professionals are asked to share the link across their networks to reach as many families as possible.
Mind in West Essex has moved to a new base in Harlow. After more than 14 years at the Bush Fair hub, all Harlow services and staff are now based at the new site, Mind Sanctuary (the former Osler House GP surgery), located at Prentice Place, Potter Street, Harlow, CM17 9BG.
The move marks an exciting new chapter for the charity, providing a refreshed and welcoming space for their services, staff, and the local community. While the offices remain closed to the public over the Christmas and New Year period, the crisis alternatives continue to operate as usual during the evenings to ensure ongoing support.
Later in 2026, they will be celebrating the new Harlow home with a community open day for local residents and businesses, followed by a formal opening event.
To stay up to date with these plans and other news from Mind in West Essex,
Key dates for the move to the new site and our Christmas opening hours:
Christmas Eve (Wednesday): At 1pm, we close our doors at Bush Fair for the last time.
Christmas Day (Thursday) to Sunday, December 28: Our offices are closed to the public (however our crisis alternatives will remain open every evening as usual).
From Monday, December 29: All Harlow services and staff based at Mind Sanctuary.
Thursday, January 1: Offices closed for New Years Day bank holiday (except crisis alternatives).
From Monday, January 5: We welcome back our community activity groups, based at Mind Sanctuary for the first time.
Looking for a calm and culture-filled way to spend your Saturday afternoons? Screentime Free Film Club invites you to step away from everyday distractions and enjoy a thoughtfully curated film screening each week at Harlow Central Library.
Taking place every Saturday from 2.00 – 4.00 pm, the club offers free film screenings in a welcoming, friendly environment. There’s no need to book—just turn up, take a seat, and enjoy. Refreshments are available at a small charge, making it the perfect excuse to settle in and unwind.
The programme showcases a diverse range of classic, international, and independent films, offering something a little different from mainstream cinema and a great opportunity to discover hidden gems from around the world. Whether you’re a seasoned film lover or simply curious to try something new, you’ll find a relaxed and inclusive atmosphere.
So why not make it part of your weekend routine? Drop in, switch off your screens, and let the film take you somewhere new.
The Essex Alliance is pleased to support Mind in West Essex with the recruitment of two paid positions.
Mind in West Essex is a local, independent mental health charity, affiliated to Mind, (the National Association for Mental Health) a charity with which we share common values and principles.
Our vision is for West Essex to be a place where people talk openly and positively about mental health, and where everyone gets the support and respect needed to live well. Mind in West Essex welcomes applications from people with their own personal experience of mental ill health.
• Volunteer Support Officer
Reporting to: Volunteer Coordinator
Location: Based in Uttlesford with occasional travel across the district and to Harlow
Hours: 12 Hours
Pay: £12.21 per hour
• Cleaner
Reporting to: Premises Coordinator
Normal Place of Work: The Mind Sanctuary, Potter Street, Harlow
Hours: 6 Hours Per Week
Term: Permanent
Pay: £12.21 per hour
These roles play an important part in supporting mental health services across West Essex.
On behalf of Rocket Science, Essex Alliance members are being invited to contribute to research commissioned by Travel Essex, on behalf of Essex County Council, alongside Integrated Transport Planning. The research will work with older people and people with disabilities to understand why bus use is currently lower and what could be done to improve it.
Due to short project timescales, a planning session will take place on 8 January 2026, from 1.30–3.30pm, at Essex County Council, and representation from the Essex Alliance would be greatly valued. Ideally, this would be someone with knowledge of organisations supporting older people and/or people with disabilities.
The session will focus on:
The most effective ways to engage older people and people with disabilities in the research
Insights into potential barriers to, and opportunities for, bus use that could help shape the survey
Why this work matters
Improving bus use among older people and people with disabilities is important for several reasons:
Buses help people stay connected to friends and family. Lower use can increase the risk of social isolation, negatively affecting mental health and wellbeing, and placing additional pressure on adult social care services as people become less mobile.
Buses enable access to health and care services. Reduced mobility can lead to higher costs for health and social care providers needing to reach people in their homes.
Buses support access to high streets and retail centres, with lower patronage potentially impacting local economic development.
Funding from concessionary bus passes is vital for the commercial viability of bus services. A reduction in trips risks the sustainability of routes across the network, affecting communities across Essex.
Now the Government has launched the public consultation on proposals for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Greater Essex we wanted to share some additional information and support that might prove useful in your thinking and forming your own response. The Government is keen to receive feedback from organisations like yours from across Essex and your input is vital to ensure public services remain effective and efficient.
You are able to have your say on all four proposals under consideration. You can review them here: https://www.essexlgrhub.org/stronger-greater-essex. The consultation asks eight questions for each proposal.
To support you in responding to the Essex County Council three new unitary councils proposal please see the following documents:
Our summary ‘Response to the Consultation’ in respect of the Essex County Council proposal for three new unitary councils.
The annex to the ECC Consultation Response on Neighbourhoods and Localism which might be of particular interest.
Alongside the annex on Neighbourhoods and Localism there are also the following annexes which can be found on the full response here LGR consultation response.docx, which might also be helpful when developing your response to the three new unitary councils proposal.
Finances
Social care and education
Economy and housing growth
Deprivation
If you prefer, you can also email your views directly to LGRconsultationresponse@communities.gov.uk, but MHCLG has also asked that you please complete the online form as well to help with data collection.
Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: Events, News
Parents 1st are pleased to offer parents and caregivers the unique opportunity to join our friendly and informal group running in Basildon in January 2026 to create a personal lullaby for their babies with the help of professional musicians.
You do not need to be able to sing or to write music! A skilled, professional musician will work with you to help you create your lullaby from start to finish. The lullabies will be recorded, giving you and your family something to treasure for years to come.
Where: Northlands Park Family Hub, Davenants, Basildon, Essex SS13 1QX
When: Fridays 9th January – 6th March 2026, 10:30am-12pm (some sessions will be held online, please see flyer for more details)
Cost: Free
For more information and to register your interest in joining the group, please visit the Parents 1st website:
This winter, people living with dementia or memory issues – along with their carers, friends and family – are warmly invited to join a wide range of free, friendly community groups taking place across Essex. These groups offer a welcoming space to get information, make new connections and enjoy meaningful activities together.
Across Mid, North, North West, South and West Essex, there is something for everyone. Popular Singing for the Brain® sessions use music to stimulate memory, lift mood and encourage social interaction, while Memory Cafés provide relaxed, supportive environments to chat and share experiences. For those who enjoy being active, there are Walk and Talk groups, seated movement and relaxation sessions, walking football, and other gentle activity groups designed to support wellbeing.
This winter programme also includes carers’ peer support and relaxation groups, offering carers valuable time to connect with others who understand their experiences, as well as local Winter Cafés and Hubs, providing warmth, companionship and practical support during the colder months.
All groups are free to attend, and no prior booking is required unless stated. Sessions take place regularly at accessible community venues including libraries, village halls, churches and leisure facilities throughout Essex.
If you or someone you support would benefit from joining a group, or if you would like more information about what’s available in your area, please get in touch:
