Maldon and District CVS are looking for a dynamic Project Lead to oversee the development and operation of the Universal Standard Support Offer (USSO) online portal. This exciting initiative will empower the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) across Essex by providing access to information and tools for governance, financial management, and resilience. The post holder will lead the collaborative creation of a user-friendly, inclusive, and AI-enabled platform that makes a real difference. If you’re a strategic thinker with a flair for project management and stakeholder engagement, we want to hear from you!
Further to a previous market engagement event Essex County Council would like to invite prospective providers to engage in a soft market test. This test has been designed to establish the potential level of interest from organisations to deliver a Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) – Resource and Funding Maximisation service and to invite feedback on the proposed structure of this service to inform the Council’s commissioning intentions.
Active Essex Foundation are excited to announce that they have been funded by Essex County Council Public Health Team to deliver a Transition Age Mental Health & Physical Activity Project over the next 3 years. A webinar to launch this work was held on Monday 2nd December 2024. Click Here to watch the webinar recording.
If you are a voluntary or community-based organisation, using or keen to start using movement, physical activity and sport to support young adults (17-25 years) with low levels of emotional wellbeing in your local area, there are funding opportunities (up to £10,000 grants) to partner with us and be involved in the delivery across the 12 Essex County Council districts. Visit our project page on Active Essex Foundation website for further information on the funding criteria and how to apply – Click Here
Closing date for applications is 31st January 2025 with a view to commence delivery from April 2025 onwards.
Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions regarding this exciting new project.
Are you a current or former member of the Armed Forces?
On behalf of Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board, we are launching a project on the Armed Forces Community and their experiences of accessing and using NHS services in West Essex.
We want to hear from:
Veterans, service leavers or non-mobilised reservists
Serving personnel and reservists
Partners, parents, children and carers of those in the Armed Forces
We want to learn about:
Any experiences of using GP practices, dentists, pharmacies, opticians, mental health services, hospitals and community services.
How can the NHS better engage with the Armed Forces Community?
What are the key issues with existing NHS services?
What ideas and suggestions do you have?
Conversations will be in person or via email/telephone/video call.
Any information you provide is anonymous and strictly confidential.
This survey is being carried out by Essex County Council as part of a wider partnership of organisations planning for future pharmaceutical services.
Summary
We are inviting you to take part in a survey about pharmaceutical services (provided by pharmacies, dispensing doctors, internet pharmacies and dispensing appliance contractors) in the Essex area. The results from this survey will help us to understand how local people use the services, how they rate their experience, and what they would like in the future. These views will contribute towards the production of a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment for Essex and assist in determining what services are required to meet the needs of the local population.
The current Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment covering the Essex area is available on Essex Open Data.
If you would like more information about the survey, alternative formats (such as a paper copy, translation or an easy read copy) or have questions on how to complete the questionnaire, you can contact [email protected]
Why your views matter
Completion of the survey is voluntary and if you choose not to take part it will not affect the care you receive from the NHS or your pharmacy/GP in any way.
Your answers will be kept completely confidential and won’t be collated with any information that makes you identifiable. It is voluntary to disclose this information. If you choose not to answer the ‘About you’ questions, it will not affect your participation.
Your answers will only be used to tell us about your experience of pharmaceutical services, and to help us to improve these services.
Your views are important to us so please spare a few minutes to complete the survey, it should take no longer than 5-7 minutes to complete.
The results of this survey will be available on Essex Open Data where the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment will be published in October 2025.
Essex County Council fully complies with information legislation. If you would like the full details of how we use personal data, and the rights you have about its use, please go to www.essex.gov.uk/privacy-community (Research & Citizen Insight) or call 03457 43043.
Each year, our local NHS and Social Care Services face increasing costs due to unreturned community equipment. Many items, such as adjustable walking sticks, crutches, chair raisers and perching stools, can be cleaned, refurbished and reused, helping more people in need.
Returning unused equipment not only reduces waste but also ensures vital equipment is available to those who need it most.
How you can help:
1. Spread the word: Share Medequip’s flyer within your network or with individuals who may benefit from this information.
2. Check equipment that has been donated to you: If your charity shops have received donated items, look out for equipment labelled with “Medequip” or “ECL”. These belong to the NHS and Essex County Council and should be returned to support our community.
3. Request a free collection: To arrange a collection, simply email [email protected] or call the Medequip Customer Services Team on 0333 034 2048.
Your help can make a real difference in improving availability and supporting a sustainable future.
The Community Dementia Support Service by the Alzheimer’s Society across Essex are now hosting new community groups. These community groups are for people with dementia or memory issues and their carers and friends. All groups are free of charge to attend, in accessible venues, have availability for new attendees and are warm and safe for everyone who attends.
Essex County Council has reviewed how the Voluntary and Community Sector is best supported to continue its vital work.
Two organisations have been announced as the successful providers of new support services for the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) in Essex. Maldon and District CVS (MDCVS) will deliver a universal standard support offer. This will be available to all VCS organisations in the county. They will be supported by Uttlesford Community Action Network and Pipe Media.
The support will include a digital repository of information, advice, guidance and training. VCS organisations can use this to help with their business compliance, sustainability and to improve efficiency. The Active Wellbeing Society (TAWS) will focus on increasing community participation and volunteering. This will include working with partners to break down barriers to participation. They will be supported by Achieve, Thrive, Flourish (ATF).
Essex County Council ran two procurements to select the new providers. The contracts will start on 1 December 2024. The services will be fully live from April 2025 following a mobilisation period.
Councillor Louise McKinlay, the council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Economic Growth and Prosperity, said: “Voluntary and community sector organisations play a vital role in connecting and empowering local people and groups. They also make an invaluable contribution to the health and wellbeing of our residents. It’s therefore important that they have the right support to continue this positive work.
“This latest announcement reiterates our commitment to helping the VCS. We are pleased to have such strong providers in place and I look forward to sharing the positive outcomes from this work in the future.” The announcement of the new providers comes after the council has reviewed the support offered to the VCS over the past few years. This highlighted variation across Essex and the need for better collaboration. It also demonstrated the need to ensure there is the right support in place to sustain the VCS in the long-term. Since then, the council has worked to understand the needs of the sector. It has also engaged with partners to understand local priorities and ambitions.
Sarah Troop, Director at Maldon and District CVS, said: “We are delighted to be invited to develop this innovative new resource for the voluntary sector in Essex. This builds on the decades of charity expertise that we have as an established voluntary sector infrastructure provider, but utilising AI and digital innovation promises to be a forward looking tool for organisations of all sizes.”
Sylvia Gentleman, Funding and New Partnerships Manager at The Active Wellbeing Society, said: “The invitation to support voluntary and community sector organisations across Essex is a tremendous honour and both TAWS and ATF are excited to be part of this development journey. We have extensive experience in connecting communities to local organisations in order to improve health and wellbeing for all. We are confident that we will complement and add value to the Universal Support Offer providing valuable services to local organisations.”
These two new services are part of the council’s wider efforts to transform support for the VCS. The overall programme is made up of four elements. These will come under a shared identity and include:
the digital universal support offer provided by MDCVS
increasing participation in volunteering provided by the AWS
helping organisations to maximise their resources and funding opportunities
a local offer that will help organisations remain sustainable, strengthen networks and increase collaboration
A further procurement will take place to select a provider for the resource and funding element.
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