Essex County Council is developing a new All-Age Carers Strategy — and we want to hear from you.
As part of our commitment to supporting carers of all ages, this strategy will set out a shared vision and priorities for how carers are supported now and in the future. To make sure it truly reflects the real experiences and needs of carers, we’re inviting unpaid carers to share their views through a public consultation.
A carer is anyone who provides unpaid help, care, or support to a relative, friend, or neighbour who couldn’t manage everyday life without them. We know that caring can be deeply rewarding but also brings challenges — and your insight is vital to shaping how we move forward.
By taking part in the short online survey, carers can help us:
Shape services that reflect carers’ real needs
Improve support for carers across all ages
Raise awareness of the vital role carers play
Influence decisions on policy and funding
Ensure carers’ voices are heard
The consultation is open until 4th November, and every response will help build a more supportive and inclusive system for carers in Essex.
We’d be very grateful if you could share this consultation link across your networks — with staff, community groups, and carers you work with — as well as through newsletters, websites, and social media. The more carers we hear from, the more meaningful and representative the strategy will be.
Together, we can make sure carers’ experiences shape a better future for all.
Every October, Baby Loss Awareness Week brings families and communities together to remember lives lost too soon, raise awareness, and call for better support.
Why it Matters
Sadly, baby loss is more common than many realise:
1 in 5 pregnancies in the UK ends in miscarriage.
In 2023 there were 2,545 stillbirths and 1,933 neonatal deaths in the UK.
A 2023 survey found half of UK adults have been personally affected by pregnancy or baby loss.
In Essex, NHS data shows that families continue to experience losses every month across local maternity units. Behind each number is a grieving family who deserves compassion and support.
Support & Change
Grief from baby loss can have lasting effects, with around 1 in 5 parents experiencing PTSD or prolonged depression after their loss. Support networks, remembrance services, and counselling can make a real difference.
Progress is being made nationally—such as calls for bereavement leave after miscarriage—but community-based support remains vital.
How Essex Can Help
Find support: Families can use www.essexmap.co.uk to discover local groups and services.
Offer support: If your organisation provides help for bereaved families, please add your details to the map—it’s free and ensures no one has to search alone.
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)
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.
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
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.
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
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. 💜
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*
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.
