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.
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.
Are you passionate about supporting people’s mental wellbeing and ready to make a real difference in your community? Join us at Mind in West Essex as a PCN Mental Health Coach in the North Uttlesford area (Saffron Walden / Uttlesford North).
The Role: You’ll be the go-to contact for patients on their mental health journey – helping them access services, overcome barriers, and connect with what they need to thrive.
You’ll liaise with multi-disciplinary teams, support patients from referral to engagement, and champion person-centred recovery.
We’re Looking For You If You Have: ✔ Excellent communication & organisational skills ✔ A positive, flexible, problem-solving mindset ✔ Experience of mental health (professional or personal) ✔ Ability to work independently & as part of a team ✔ Good IT skills & willingness to learn
Why Join Us? Working with Mind in West Essex means being part of a friendly, values-driven charity with a vision of open, positive conversations around mental health and full respect and support for everyone.
Mind in West Essex offers arange 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
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.
Looking for mental health training that helps you both at work and at home? The Mental Health Toolkit: The Essentials is for you.
Brought to you by Mind in West Essex, This half-day workshop introduces you to the Mental Health Continuum and the Emotional Needs & Resources approach.
It helps you to better support yourself and those around you – in your personal and professional life.
The University of Manchester, local Mind charities and Tend VR are conducting a study exploring an innovative way to deliver mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), an approach to helping people with depression and/or anxiety. We are recruiting adults who have experienced recent anxiety or depressive symptoms to test this innovative approach over a 10-12-week period. The delivery of this mental health innovation will be at Mind in West Essex, 45 Stortford Road, Dunmow and 10-11 Corner House, Bushfair, Harlow.
Get involved
If you would like to take part, we will be asking you to complete questionnaires and possibly an interview to provide feedback on your experience receiving this innovative approach to MBCT delivery. The programme and the VR equipment will be provided, free of charge but you will need to have access to a smart phone so that you can download a mobile app that accompanies the MBCT programme.
If you are interested in participating in this mental health study and advancing the progress of VR to improve mental health, please complete the Expression of Interest Form (EOI): https://form.jotform.com/250412035857352
Get in touch
If you have any questions after you have looked at the EOI then please email research@tend-vr.com. You can find a taster video of the immersive VR programme here:
