News

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

Today (27th June) is National PTSD Awareness Day

PTSD affects people from all walks of life โ€” veterans, survivors, emergency responders, and everyday people whoโ€™ve faced trauma.

On this important day, letโ€™s raise awareness, show support, and make sure help is easy to find.

๐Ÿ’ป At www.essexmap.co.uk, you can discover local mental health services, support groups, and community initiatives that offer a safe space for those affected by PTSD and other mental health challenges.

โœจ Are you part of a group or service that supports people with PTSD in Essex?

List it on the Essex Map to reach more people who need you.

Together, we can help break the stigma and build a stronger, more supportive community. ๐Ÿ’š

#PTSDawareness #MentalHealthMatters #EssexMap #CommunitySupport #YouAreNotAlone #PTSD

Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: Events, News

Join Chelmsford Star Co-op to help clean up Central Park in Chelmsford…

Chelmsford Star Co-op is calling on volunteers to participate in the Big Co-op Clean Up at Central Park, Chelmsford.ย This community-driven event aims to bring together residents, families, and local groups to help keep our cherished green spaces clean and vibrant.

  • Date & Time: Friday 27th June 2025: 2pm โ€“ 3.30pm

  • Location:ย Central Park, Chelmsfordย 

  • Meeting Point:ย Meet at the gazebo at Bell Meadow CM2 0PD

Please wear sturdy footwear.

Volunteers will be provided with all necessary equipment, including litter pickers, gloves, high-visibility vests, and bin bags. Please bring your own if you can.

Why volunteer?

  • Make a Visible Impact:ย Your efforts will contribute to a cleaner, more inviting park for everyone to enjoy.

  • Community Engagement:ย Meet like-minded individuals who are passionate about making a difference in Chelmsford.

Call 0800 254 0404 or email:ย Membership@chelmsfordstar.coop

Whether youโ€™re a seasoned volunteer or trying it for the first time, your contribution is valuable and appreciated.ย 

Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: Events, News

Take a Break with Dementia Adventure: Supported Holidays Across the UK

At Dementia Adventure, we believe that life doesnโ€™t stop with a diagnosis. Thatโ€™s why we offer 5-day supported breaks across the UKโ€”giving people living with dementia and their caregivers the chance to relax, reconnect, and recharge.

Whatโ€™s Included?

Our breaks are fully supported by a dedicated team of trained staff and volunteers. Hereโ€™s what you can expect:

  • All-Inclusive Care โ€“ All meals are freshly prepared for you.

  • Planned Day Trips โ€“ Explore beautiful locations and create lasting memories.

  • Time to Relax โ€“ Rest and recharge in a safe, welcoming environment.

The Benefits

Guests often experience:

  • Improved appetite

  • Better sleep

  • A brighter mood

Time away from routine in the right setting can make a big differenceโ€”for both the person living with dementia and their companion.

Need Help with Funding?

We understand that finances can be a concern. Talk to usโ€”weโ€™re here to help. Funding doesnโ€™t have to be a barrier to getting the break you need.


Learn more or book your break today:

๐Ÿ“ž Call us: 01245 237548
๐Ÿ“ง Email: adventures@dementiaadventure.org
๐ŸŒ Visit: dementiaadventure.org

Dementia Adventure is a registered charity (CIO) in England & Wales: 1163163.
Dementia Adventure is a registered trademark.

Download our poster here

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

Free counselling available for young people in Chelmsford, Basildon and Brentwood

Is a young person you work with struggling with eating disorders, disordered eating or body image concerns?

Renew Counselling and Training is now offeringย free specialist supportย for young people in Chelmsford, Basildon and Brentwood.

To find out more or make a referral, just mention โ€œYP Re-Edโ€ when you get in touch.

๐Ÿ“ Learn more at:ย https://renew.org.uk/free-counselling-available-for-young-people-struggling-with-eating-disorders-or-body-image/

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

Volunteer at our Community Allotment in Saffron Walden…

Mind in West Essex are looking for people to volunteer, both as individuals and in small groups, at our Community Allotment in the Saffron Walden area!

Our vision is for local people to be involved in aspects of running the allotment โ€“ from planning, building beds and planting, to watering and ongoing maintenance.

Getting outdoors, moving more and learning new skills all have a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing, which is why weโ€™re so passionate about this project.

Weโ€™ve cleared the space, replaced the fence so that itโ€™s a safe place to go and built a shed.ย Now, we need your help to get the allotment up and running โ€“ we have beds to build, prepare and sow; a shed to waterproof; a planting schedule to create; ongoing maintenance to do and more.

If you are interested or want to find out more, please contact Lisa on 07511 178438 or email community@mindinwestessex.org.ukย today!

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

Join Colchester Gateway Clubs as an Accounts & Admin Assistant

Colchester Gateway Clubs, a registered charity supporting people with learning disabilities, is hiring an Accounts & Admin Assistant to help ensure smooth operations behind the scenes.

Location: Colchester
Hours: 16 per week
Salary: ยฃ12,480 per annum (ยฃ15/hour)

Role Overview:
This position supports the charityโ€™s financial and administrative functions. Duties include bookkeeping, handling invoices, managing petty cash, assisting with budgets, and maintaining charity records. The role also supports compliance with GDPR, health & safety, and other operational policies.

Who Weโ€™re Looking For:
Candidates should have experience in bookkeeping, strong IT and communication skills, and the ability to manage deadlines independently or in a team. Familiarity with accounting software like Sage or Xero and knowledge of the charity sector are a plus.

Why Join Us?
Be part of a positive, flexible, and professional team committed to making a difference in the lives of people with learning disabilities.

Read the full Job Description here:ย https://www.essexalliance.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Colchester-Gateway-Clubs.-JD-re-accounts-and-admin-asst-1.pdf

Closing date:ย  ย  ย  30th June 2025

Interview date:ย  ย TBA

Initial application process: CV and covering letter by email to:ย mlemon@colchestergateway.org.uk

 

Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: News, Opportunities

Supporting Carers Webinars

As part of Carers Week, Essex County Council are working with carers organisations to host webinars to highlight the importance of carer identification and early support offers available to carers. Your team may play a vital role in this. These webinars are aimed at all front-line practitioners and services working across Essex.

Support for young carers: Monday 9th June 10:00 โ€“ 10:30am
Young carers often balance their school and social lives with their caring duties and that can have a huge impact.ย The Essex Young Carers Service work with partner organisations to provide support to young carers in Essex to navigate school, work and life.ย This webinar by the Youth Service will cover the support available to young carers and where you as a professional can signpost/refer young carers.
Support for adult carers: Tuesday 10th June 10:00 โ€“ 10:30am
The physical and mental health of carersย can be significantly impacted by the demands of their caring role, with many experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness, often leading to burnout and a decline in their overall well-being.ย This webinar by Action for Family Carers, Carers First, Essex Wellbeing Service and Adult Social Care Connects will give an overview of some of the organisations supporting carers across Essex so that you can be more confident in identifying carers and then signposting/referring to specialist support available.

Supporting carers of people with dementia: Wednesday 11th June 10:00-10:30am
Supporting dementia carers is crucial becauseย they often experience significant stress, isolation, and emotional strain.ย When carers are well-supported, they can provide better care, feel better in themselves, and are more likely to continue caring.ย This webinar by Alzheimer’s Society will raise awareness of some of the challenges carers supporting people with dementia experience, along with examples of some of the key places you can refer/signpost carers too for support.

Advocacy support for carers: Thursday 12th June 11:30am โ€“ 12:00pm
Carers may not know what help to ask for, how to ask, or indeed who to ask.ย Services are available to support carers to understand their options, make informed choices and decisions about their caring role and be heard when they face a challenge orย issue.ย This webinar by Voiceability will raise awareness of some of the challenges carers experience with themselves and/or those they care for not having their views heard, and provide information on how to access for carers you support who might need this service.

Employers support for carers: Friday 13th June 1 โ€“ 2pm
Supporting carers to continue providing care and to participate in everyday life through employment is in everyoneโ€™s best interest.ย Employers have a responsibility to develop an inclusive workplace where carers are enabled to work, recognised, respected and supported, which helps to retain valued members of staff.ย This webinar by Employers for Carers will cover things employers should consider to support carers in the workforce, including tools and resource templates available.

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

๐Ÿšจ Job Vacancy: Senior Fundraiser (Hybrid, Colchester) ๐Ÿšจ

Senior Fundraiser (Hybrid, Colchester)

๐Ÿ’ผ Full Time | ๐Ÿ’ท ยฃ30,900 | ๐Ÿ—“ Apply by: 13 June 2025

Our friends at Mid & North East Essex Mind are looking for a Senior Fundraiser to join their amazing team! ๐Ÿ™Œ

If youโ€™re passionate about mental health and building partnerships that make a real difference, this is your chance to help grow vital support services across our communities.

๐Ÿ”น Location: Colchester (Hybrid)
๐Ÿ”น Experience: 2+ years in fundraising
๐Ÿ”น Role: Develop partnerships with local businesses & supporters
๐Ÿ”น Perks: 36 days holiday, flexible working, wellbeing benefits & more

You’ll be helping drive support for their award-winning Mental Health Toolkit and ensure no one feels alone in their mental health journey. ๐Ÿง ๐Ÿ’™

๐Ÿ“… Apply by: 13 June 2025
๐Ÿ“ Letโ€™s work together to create a stronger, more supportive Essex.

๐Ÿ”— APPLY HERE

#EssexJobs #FundraisingJobs #CharityJobs #MentalHealthSupport #EssexAlliance #MidAndNorthEastEssexMind #NowHiring #ColchesterJobs #HybridWork

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

Affordable Food roles in Essex

Thanks to the diversity and passion of partners across the County, The Essex Affordable Food movement is really gaining momentum and if you’d like to be part of the developing network that is being led by the providers themselves, there are three new opportunities to get involved.

๐— ๐—ฎ๐—น๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐—ปย ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑย ๐——๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐˜ย ๐—–๐—ฉ๐—ฆย –ย ๐—”๐—ณ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐—ฏ๐—น๐—ฒย ๐—™๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ฑย ๐—ก๐—ฒ๐˜๐˜„๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ธย ๐—–๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฟย (Full Time)

The Affordable Food Network Coordinator will support and oversee the development of the Affordable Food Network (made up of social or community supermarkets and other affordable food initiatives in Essex), providing centralised support to social supermarkets and other affordable food initiatives. The coordinator will work as part of a countywide team to develop and embed a culture of peer support, peer learning, and network capability, ensuring the networkโ€™s sustainability and impact.
๐—–๐—น๐—ผ๐˜€๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ดย ๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ: 9am Monday 9th June /ย ๐—œ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜ƒ๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐˜„๐˜€ย 25th and 26th June

https://lnkd.in/eQ3uaDPT

 

๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒย ๐—”๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒย ๐—ช๐—ฒ๐—น๐—น๐—ฏ๐—ฒ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ดย ๐—ฆ๐—ผ๐—ฐ๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐˜๐˜†ย –ย ๐—™๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ฑย ๐—ฆ๐˜๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ด๐˜†ย ๐— ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฎ๐—ด๐—ฒ๐—ฟย (Full Time)

This is a strategic post that leads on delivery of the Essex Public Health ambitions for the Essex Affordable Food Network, (made up of social or community supermarkets and other affordable food initiatives in Essex). The role will maximise the opportunities for impact, sustainability and investment.

Website:ย https://lnkd.in/egeU8_D4ย /ย https://lnkd.in/evAH-wmZ

 

๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒย ๐—”๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒย ๐—ช๐—ฒ๐—น๐—น๐—ฏ๐—ฒ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ดย ๐—ฆ๐—ผ๐—ฐ๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐˜๐˜†ย –ย ๐—–๐—ผ๐—บ๐—บ๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ถ๐˜๐˜†ย ๐—ฆ๐˜‚๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—บ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ธ๐—ฒ๐˜ย ๐—–๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฟ

The Uttlesford Community Supermarket will increase the proportion of people able to live healthy lifestyles by giving convenient access to affordable, healthy food and ingredients close to where they live. Uttlesford is a large rural district with a low population density. We will therefore provide a Mobile Community Supermarket, delivered by a partnership of TAWS and UCAN, and including other local, public, voluntary and community sector stakeholders.
https://lnkd.in/egeU8_D4

Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: News, Opportunities

Join Us at the Rayleigh Trinity Fair โ€“ Sunday 8th June!

Our Charity Every Child Online & Everyone Digital CIC will be out in full force from 10amโ€“4pm on Rayleigh High Street, and you wonโ€™t want to miss us โ€“ look out for the bold orange and blue gazebo!
Weโ€™re bringing our brand-new setup, our amazing team, and a mission to make a real difference in the community.
Here’s why you should pop by:
๐Ÿ“ฑ Donate Your Old Tech
Have a spare mobile phone, laptop, or tablet gathering dust? Bring it along! Our professional refurbishment team will securely wipe your data, install updated software, and breathe new life into your device before itโ€™s donated to one of our digital inclusion projects. Your tech could change a life!
๐Ÿ’ป Learn more about our work: everychildonline.co.uk
๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ Get Smart About Online Safety
Weโ€™re also raising awareness about online safety. Learn how to protect your children and loved ones from online predators, scammers, and cybercrime โ€“ knowledge that could make all the difference.
โ™ป๏ธ Shop Our Upcycled Creations
Browse unique items made by our CRE8 team, who repurpose parts from donated tech into cool creations โ€“ plus grab a limited-edition t-shirt while youโ€™re at it!
๐Ÿ“ข This is just the beginningโ€ฆ
This is our first community event of many โ€“ come show your support, bring your questions, your old devices, and your friends!
โœ… Quick Tip Before You Donate:
Please sign out of your accounts and remove passwords from your devices โ€“ we can handle it if not, but it makes our job a lot smoother!
๐Ÿ“ See you at the orange and blue gazebo โ€“ you canโ€™t miss us!

Author: Emily Smith
Posted:
Categories: Events, News