Don’t miss the Fundraising and Small Grants Workshop this Wednesday!
It’s vital training for Essex voluntary and community organisations on how to secure grants under £20k and write winning applications.
📆 Date: 24/11/2025
⏰ Time: 10:00 – 13:00
📍Location: Stanway Lakelands Centre, 2 Western Approach, Stanway, Colchester, C038DX
To find out more and secure your spot visit – https://lnkd.in/eh-6z9FT
Trauma isn’t always visible, but it can change how someone thinks, feels and acts. Understanding trauma can help us make sure people feel safe and supported.
If you work in a helping profession (like health care, mental health, emergency services, education or youth services), or you simply want to be more trauma-informed, don’t miss Mind in West Essex‘s upcoming workshop.
Trauma & Recovery Awareness helps you understand brain development and how this impacts behaviour and life chances. Topics include:
💙 The impact of trauma
💙 Toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences
💙 Neuroscience research in relation to trauma
💙 Working in a trauma-informed way
💙 How vicarious trauma affects us and those around us
💙 Practical resources for self care for ourselves and those we support.
📅 Tuesday 21st October, 9.30am-12.30pm
📍 Great Dunmow, CM6 1DQ
👉 Register today – only a few places left! https://mentalhealthtraining.org.uk/event/trauma-recovery-awareness211025/
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
We look forward to seeing you in a session soon — and to building stronger, more empowered communities across Essex.
Looking to save money, eat well, and meet new people? Join us for Batch Cooking on a Budget – a fun and relaxed series of cooking sessions designed to help you make delicious meals without breaking the bank.
This six-session programme is perfect for everyone – no experience needed! Each session is packed with friendly vibes, hands-on learning, and plenty of practical tips.
Here’s what you can expect:
✅ All ingredients and equipment provided – just bring yourself!
✅ Free Hygiene Level 1 course & certificate – a great addition to your CV.
✅ Take home your own slow cooker and utensils at the end of the course!
When: Every other week, starting 10th September, 12:15 PM – 2:00 PM
Where: The Hive URC, North Street, Southminster, CM0 7DF
Spaces are limited – book your place today!
📧 Email: nicky.plumb@moat.co.uk
📞 Call/Text: 07711 438 513
Come along, cook together, and leave with new skills, new friends, and tasty meals to enjoy!
Introducing the Mindful Impact Initiative…
Transpire Training is excited to share the Mindful Impact Initiative – a program designed to make mental health training more affordable and accessible for front-line volunteers and charity staff who support individuals and communities.
Through this initiative, Transpire Training provides:
✅ 50% funding towards any of our Mental Health training for volunteers
✅ 30% funding towards any of our Mental Health training for charity staff
✅ FREE monthly Mental Health Awareness webinars offering simple, effective ways to support mental health, build knowledge, and help break stigma
The goal of the initiative is to empower those working on the front lines with the skills and confidence to support others experiencing mental health challenges.
📧 courses@transpiretraining.com
📞 01277 801844
Mind in West Essex offers a range of training workshops help you to manage your mental health and provide support to others – at work, home or in the community.
Complex Mental Health and Personality Disorders
📆 3 October, 12.30pm-3.30pm
📍 Uttlesford Community Hub, Dunmow
Understand complex mental health conditions and self-harm, explore stigma and learn how you can support recovery.
Info and tickets
Equity and Inclusion
📆 14 October, 10am-1pm
📍 Uttlesford Community Hub, Dunmow
Build an understanding of the importance of fairness and inclusivity in the workplace and wider society.
Info and tickets
Trauma & Recovery Awareness
📆 21 October, 9.30am-12.30pm
📍 Uttlesford Community Hub, Dunmow
Learn about brain development and how this impacts behaviour and life chances. This session is ideal for people who work in helping professions.
Info and tickets
The Mental Health Toolkit: The Essentials
📆 11 November, 9.30am-1pm
📍 Wellbeing Hub, Bush Fair, Harlow
The foundation for workplace wellbeing, introducing you to the Mental Health Continuum and the Emotional Needs & Resources approach.
Info and tickets
Suicide First Aid Lite
📆 26 November, 9.30am-1pm
📍 Uttlesford Community Hub, Dunmow
Gain skills to have a conversation with someone who may be thinking about suicide and signpost them to appropriate help using a first-aid approach.
Info and tickets
Qualified MHFAider® (4-day course, half-day sessions)
📆 1, 3, 8 and 10 December, 9am-1pm
📍 Uttlesford Community Hub, Dunmow
Train as a Mental Health First Aider, certified for 3 years with access to ongoing benefits like resources, learning and 24/7 support.
Info and tickets
You can find out more about all of our face-to-face and online workshops, as well as our self-help and e-learning courses, on the Training Academy website.
Mid and North East Essex Mind is bringing a series of free mental health training sessions to Braintree, Halstead, Witham, and surrounding villages over the next eight months.
These community-based courses are designed to help individuals strengthen their mental wellbeing, but the charity is also encouraging businesses and community groups to get in touch to arrange bespoke sessions. This could be particularly valuable for employers supporting staff, local organisations, or anyone looking to improve wellbeing in their community.
The sessions form part of the pioneering Mental Health Toolkit, developed by Mid and North East Essex Mind to help people understand their emotions and strengthen resilience.
Natalie Britt, Mental Health Education Lead, explains:
“We all feel different from one day to the next. Our mental wellbeing can be affected by so many things – whether we’ve had enough sleep, eaten well, or are experiencing pressures from work, relationships, or stress.
Through the ‘Mental Health Continuum’, we help people become more aware of their own feelings, understand others, and learn practical ways to manage emotions. We’ve already seen great results, and we’re excited to reach more people in the Braintree area.”
The training has been fully funded by Braintree District Council through the HM Government UK Shared Prosperity Fund, making it free for all participants.
In-person sessions across Braintree District:
11th September – Braintree Town Hall, Braintree
16th September – Team Kinetix, Witham
9th October – Queens Hall, Halstead
23rd October – The Plaza, Great Notley, Braintree
11th November – Team Kinetix, Witham
27th November – I-construct, Braintree
6th January – Braintree Town Hall, Braintree
20th January – The Plaza, Great Notley, Braintree
29th January – Team Kinetix, Witham
5th February – Queens Hall, Halstead
24th February – Online session
10th March – Online session
12th March – Braintree Town Hall, Braintree
Workshops run 9.30am–11am (Sleep Well, Work Well) followed by 11.30am–12.30pm (Keeping Calm):
4th September – Online
18th November – Online
7th January – Online
4th March – Online
For more details and to book your place, visit 👉 mnessexmind.org/training
Download the flyers here:
We’re excited to introduce a powerful new digital tool for the voluntary and community sector in Essex: the E-Portal and its companion AI Chatbot. These resources are designed to streamline support, provide easier access to vital information, and empower local organisations with user-friendly self-assessment tools.
To help you get the most out of these tools, we’re hosting a series of free webinars. These interactive sessions will guide you through the key features of the E-Portal and demonstrate how the AI Chatbot can assist with queries and navigation. You’ll also get a preview of future developments and the opportunity to share your feedback.
Webinar Highlights:
Explore the E-Portal site and key topics
Demo of self-assessment tools
Live AI Chatbot walkthrough
Insights into planned updates
Q&A session
Upcoming Dates:
Thursday 24 July | 10:00 – 11:30
Friday 8 August | 10:00 – 11:30
Monday 18 August | 13:00 – 14:30
Reserve your spot today by visiting bit.ly/EPortalWebinar
Stay connected and explore more at:
🌐 e-portal-essex.co.uk
🌐 youressexcommunity.org
Join us to discover how digital tools can make a big difference in the way your organisation works and connects.