June is Great Outdoors Month — the perfect time to get outside, get active, and discover the amazing outdoor spaces, activities, and community groups across Essex.
The Essex Map helps people find local opportunities to improve wellbeing, connect with others, and enjoy the outdoors. From walking groups and community gardens to outdoor fitness, family activities, nature projects, and wellbeing services, the map makes it easier to discover what’s happening near you.
Whether you’re:
🚶 Looking for local walking or cycling groups 🌳 Searching for outdoor wellbeing activities 🌼 Wanting to connect with nature and your community 👨👩👧 Looking for family-friendly outdoor activities 🤝 Or part of an organisation offering outdoor services or events
…the Essex Map can help you connect with local opportunities.
Do you run an outdoor group, activity, or community service?
Add your organisation or event to the map for free and help more people across Essex discover ways to enjoy the outdoors and support their wellbeing.
This Pride Month, let’s celebrate visibility, connection, and community by highlighting the amazing LGBTQ+ organisations, support groups, and inclusive services across Essex.
The Essex Map is a free community directory designed to help people find local support, activities, wellbeing services, charities, and community groups all in one place. It includes dedicated LGBTQ+ listings featuring organisations such as The OutHouse, Basildon Pride, MindOut, LGBTQ+ youth groups, and more.
Whether you’re:
🏳️🌈 Looking for support 🏳️⚧️ Searching for inclusive local services 💬 Wanting to connect with community groups 🤝 Or promoting an organisation that supports LGBTQ+ people
…the Essex Map is here to help.
Are you an organisation supporting the LGBTQ+ community?
You can add your service or group to the map for free, helping more people across Essex discover the support, spaces, and communities available to them.
Sunday 31st May marks World No Tobacco Day, a global campaign highlighting the importance of reducing tobacco use and supporting people to quit smoking.
Quitting smoking is one of the most positive steps someone can take for their health, but it can also be challenging. The good news is that support is available across Essex, with a wide range of organisations offering advice, guidance, and practical help to those looking to quit.
Find help near you with Essex MAP
The Essex Map (Mapping Essex’s Community Assets) is a free online directory designed to connect residents with local services and support. Whether you’re looking for stop smoking services, wellbeing support, or community groups, Essex MAP makes it easy to find help in your area.
By bringing together services in one place, Essex Map helps individuals take that first step towards a healthier lifestyle—whether that’s quitting smoking or accessing wider wellbeing support.
Supporting organisations across Essex
World No Tobacco Day is also an opportunity for organisations to ensure their services are visible and accessible to those who need them.
If your organisation provides:
Stop smoking support
Health and wellbeing services
Community or peer support
we encourage you to list your service on Essex Map. It’s a simple way to reach more people and make a real difference in your community.
Take the first step
If you’re thinking about quitting smoking, you don’t have to do it alone. Local support is available, and Essex MAP is here to help you find it.
This World No Tobacco Day, take the first step towards a healthier future.
This role is an opportunity to make a real difference and impact to people’s lives locally in the community by providing practical support to empower individuals to facilitate recovery and overcome barriers preventing them from doing the meaningful activities that matter to them.
The Essex Alliance is sharing this information on behalf of Parents 1st.
Pregnancy in Mind (PiM) is a free mental health support group for parents-to-be to find space for whatever they’re feeling. It is designed for parents experiencing or at risk of mild anxiety or depression, who are between 12 and 26 weeks pregnant.
Our PiM online groups are safe spaces where we support you with whatever emotions you’re feeling during pregnancy. PiM typically meets once a week for eight weeks. Sessions are for either parent. You can come on your own or bring a support person.
We’ll explore:
– Coping strategies
– How to understand your mental health
– Mindfulness and ways to boost your mood
– Relaxation
– Connecting with your baby
DATES
Tuesdays 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th June & 7th, 14th, 21st July (you will need to be able to attend all the sessions) TIME
6:30-8:00pm LOCATION
Online via Zoom COST
FREE
For more information and to register your interest in joining a group, please visit the Parents 1st website: Pregnancy in Mind – Parents 1st
The Essex Alliance is sharing this opportunity on behalf of Parents 1st.
Could you volunteer to make a difference of a lifetime? Help us to support parents through pregnancy, birth & beyond….
Join us for our Community Support volunteer training courses this June and July!
Having a baby should be an exciting life changing event for any parent. However, this is not the case for all parents – at the moment, we are experiencing a huge demand for emotional support pre- and post-birth from mothers, fathers and birthing people.
Peer support can be a lifeline for parents who are feeling vulnerable, anxious or isolated. Some friendly, informal and free peer support can make the difference of a lifetime. We are looking for kind, friendly individuals who have a listening ear, who are non-judgemental and who have experience and an understanding of the pressure of having a baby.
To help meet the demand for support for families across Essex, we’re looking for volunteers to help support new and expectant parents at our outreach events. We currently run regular outdoor walk and talk sessions, antenatal information sessions, coffee mornings, fitness and first aid courses and need volunteers to assist our friendly team at these events. Volunteers will help our peer supporters run the events – you might be welcoming parents, making tea, chatting and connecting with parents or holding a baby whilst mum has a drink!
DATES
Wednesdays 17th & 24th June and 8th & 15th July 2026 TIME
10:00am-1:00pm LOCATION
Corringham Fire Station, 37 Fobbing Rd, Corringham, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex SS17 9BG COST
FREE
Volunteer Opportunity – Day Centre Support Volunteer
Days: Wednesday and Friday Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm Location: Crossroads Day Centre, Braintree
We are looking for friendly, caring volunteers to join our Day Centre team, supporting adults living with Dementia, Parkinson’s, cognitive delay, and age‑related memory challenges. Our Day Centre provides a safe, welcoming space where people can enjoy activities, social interaction, and a sense of community.
What the role involves
As a Volunteer, you will help create a warm, enjoyable environment by supporting with light, meaningful activities such as:
• Crafts and creative sessions
• Bingo, quizzes and games
• Music, entertainment and group activities
• Chatting with service users and offering companionship
• Making and serving tea, coffee and refreshments
• Fetching and serving lunch prepared by our volunteer cook
• Helping staff set up and tidy away activity materials
What you won’t be asked to do
• No toileting or personal care
• No lifting or physical handling
• No lone working — you will always be alongside 3–4 paid staff and other volunteers
Who we’re looking for
• Friendly, patient and compassionate
• Comfortable chatting with older adults
• Reliable and able to commit to regular sessions
• Happy to follow staff guidance and safeguarding procedures
• Enjoys being part of a supportive team
What you’ll gain
• A rewarding role supporting local families and unpaid carers
• Experience working with people with dementia and similar conditions
• Training, support and a warm welcome from our team
• The chance to make a real difference to someone’s day
For more information or to apply, call 01376 529985 or email crossroads1974@outlook.com
Friday 15th May marks International Day of Families, a global awareness day led by the United Nations to recognise the importance of families and the role communities play in supporting them.
Families come in all shapes and sizes, and at different times, everyone may need a little extra support—whether that’s finding activities to enjoy together, accessing advice, or connecting with local services.
Discover support with Essex Map
Across Essex, there is a wide range of support available for families, from community groups and children’s activities to wellbeing services and practical advice. Essex Map brings these services together in one place, making it easier to find help close to home.
Essex Map can help you explore what’s available in your area and connect with the right support.
Supporting families through community
Strong communities play a vital role in supporting families to thrive. By improving access to local services and opportunities, Essex Map helps strengthen those connections and ensures support is visible and accessible to all.
For organisations supporting families
If your organisation offers services that support families, International Day of Families is a great opportunity to increase your visibility.
By listing your service on Essex Map, you can:
Reach more people in your local community
Help families find the support they need
Be part of a connected network of organisations across Essex
Find what your family needs
This International Day of Families, take a moment to explore what’s available near you. Whether you’re looking for support, connection, or something new to do together, Essex Map is here to help.
