Basildon Borough Council, Active Essex and Basildon, Billericay and Wickford CVS are working in partnership to deliver funding clinics for not-for-profit organisations based in the Basildon Borough. These clinics are designed to provide support with writing funding applications.
The first Funding Clinic will be held in the Gloucester Park Room, Floor 1 at The Basildon Centre, St. Martin’s Square on Tuesday 30th May. To register your attendance, please complete the form below and select a timeslot.
We also offer a feedback box so we can gather quantitative and qualitative
feedback.” It has not all been plain sailing though for the café. The Abbey Field dementia café used to run at Foxburrow Grange care home pre-covid, which is opposite the Abbey Field medical centre. After the pandemic, the care home unfortunately could not house the café, so the surgery had to find another venue, the C3 Centre, just next to the surgery. When it reopened though, numbers were poor.
Helen explained: “Whilst on a Dementia Friendly Community (DFC) call, Lisa Russell, one of the assistant practice managers at Abbey Field medical centre, was sharing this experience, when another DFC member organisation, Ambrose Avenue surgery, represented by Tara Jones and she said that they wanted to start a café. So, the two decided that it made more sense to run a joint café and that’s how it all started! Tara, Lisa and I met and thought about activities that we could run at the café – we started reaching out to organisations to ask if they would come along and run their activities for free. Then Ellie Gibbons from Ardleigh surgery got involved too as Ambrose and Ardleigh are in the same Primary Care Network (PCN). This was fantastic as we now had three medical centres behind the project.
Tara Jones, Lisa Russell and Ellie Gibbons are the driving force behind the café. They reached out directly to people on their dementia registers to let them know about the café. When it relaunched in October we had over 30 people walk through the door, now we are up to 56, which is an amazing achievement. Participants love coming to the café, it’s a relaxed atmosphere and the three surgeries are working well together.” “When I started in my role at Ambrose Avenue Group Practice as the Care Coordinator it was clear from the start that something was needed to support our dementia patients.” Said Tara Jones. “I looked at possible venues and tried to get things off the ground on my own, but this was very difficult if not bordering on the
impossible. When I started representing the practice at the DFC meetings it was raised that Abbey fields Medical Centre were having trouble restarting their dementia café post covid.
A new care coordinator Ellie Gibbons had just started at Ardleigh Surgery, and she was also very motivated to offer a dementia café for her dementia patients. The DFC brought us together through Helen Clegg at Community360 and we agreed to try a collaboration. It didn’t matter that we were surgeries from different PCNs we were all just wanting the same thing.” She added: “The café works so well as a collaboration; we all have different skills sets and this also spreads the load of the work needed to keep it running. It has gone from strength to strength through the continued communication between us all. We see patients, carers and family return month after month and can see them starting to build relationships and friendships with others.
This also means that they are supporting each other. Those that attend comment that they no longer feel alone that they know they have support and that they can come to the dementia café for fun, support, laughter, tea and biscuits, games, activities and access to two care coordinators, an assistant practice manager and the dementia lead from community360.
There is also usually someone else on hand from a carer’s organisation or The Alzheimer’s Society. I believe that the collaboration has been the key to the success of the dementia café, and I very much hope that it will continue to support those who are vulnerable and learning to live with dementia.” Ellie Gibbons is Care Coordinator at Ardleigh Surgery and has also been
instrumental is the success of the café. “When I joined Ardleigh Surgery it was one of our main objectives to raise awareness of dementia. We began this by developing the surgery to become dementia friendly with the support of the DFC & Alzheimer’s Society. It was clear that our patients needed further support outside of appointments and within the community. Ardleigh Surgery then joined working in collaboration with Ambrose Avenue Group Practice, Abbey Field Medical Centre and Community360 at the dementia café to provide this much need service for our patients. We are thankful for the enthusiasm and kind feedback we receive from those that attend, and it is lovely to be able to see so many people come together to offer support, receive the help they may need and to see so many smiles.”
Lisa Russell, Assistant Practice Manager at Abbey Field Medical Centre, said: “The staff at Abbey Field Medical Centre have been working towards being a dementia friendly practice for many years now and were always keen to continue and improve.
Working together with Tara, Eloise and Helen has enabled us to utilise all of our contacts and resources and bring so much more to the café. The passion that we all have in bringing people living with dementia together in a safe and understanding environment is shared by us all. I feel a real sense of fulfilment after each café and truly believe that we make a difference to people’s lives. Through general conversations and engagement, we are able to read between the lines and signpost to a multitude of different help and support services that they would have otherwise not realised were available. Ultimately the true benefit of the café is seeing the friendships and support groups that are made, people realising and understanding that they are not alone and that there are many others in their situation. Seeing someone walk in for their first time attending the café looking a little unsure, apprehensive and lost, and being brave enough to admit their concerns and fears with a stranger, to then seeing the same person a few months down the line, offering support and advice to others, often with a smile on their face, will always be
priceless.”
The café welcomes all (including caregivers, family & friends) and promotes that you’re able to live well with dementia. The Abbey Field dementia café takes place the second Thursday of each month at the C3 Centre, Ypres Road, Colchester CO2 7FD, next to the Abbey Field Medical Centre and runs from 10:30 am to 12 noon. Parking spaces available. For further information please contact Ardleigh Surgery – 01206-230224
Abbey Field Medical Centre – 01206-517100
Ambrose Avenue Group Practice – 01206-549444
Community360 – 01206-505250
Community360 will also be hosting a Health Day on Friday 19th May from 11am -2pm at the One Colchester Hub, Long Wyre Street, where the public can find out more about local dementia services.
The Screwfix Foundation has re-opened for applications from charities and not for profit organisations for projects that will fix, repair, maintain and improve the properties and community facilities of those in need by reason of financial hardship, sickness, disability, distress or other disadvantage throughout the UK.
Grants in the region of £5,000 are available for all kinds of projects, from repairing buildings and improving facilities in deprived areas, to decorating the homes of people living with sickness and disabilities.
If you’re a parent or carer with a child aged 6-11 who loves LEGO®, why not sign up for our free new LEGO® in libraries project? Your child will get the chance to improve their maths and English skills, while having fun playing with relatable LEGO® characters!
Using a combination of LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential kits and Lenovo Chromebooks, children will guide characters through compelling stories and use problem-solving, literacy and coding skills to complete each unit.
Book on to a session and come along to build, tinker and experiment!
Sign up to LEGO® in libraries!
You’ll find LEGO® in libraries in eight libraries across Essex, with launch sessions taking place from 30th May! These sessions are completely free to attend, but must be booked by visiting the links below.
Did you know your local library is a learning hub for the whole family? While your child is taking part in a LEGO® in libraries session, you could sign up for your own course to increase your confidence in maths and everyday numeracy! Find out more about the courses available through Multiply in Essex.
As part of Learning at Work Week, you are invited to join the FREE Nightingale webinars.
These informative session will explore what the Nightingale Care Bursary is, and how you can gain a national recognised qualification in Health and Social Care to start or progress your career.
You’ll also have the opportunity to ask our team any questions you may have!
• Interested in gaining a qualifications? Join the learner webinar: 17th May @ 6-7:30pm
• Are you a Health and Care organisation? Join the provider webinar: 19th May @ 11am-12.30pm
Renew Counselling and Training, a leading Essex charity dedicated to improving mental health and wellbeing, has marked Mental Health Awareness Week by announcing their new Empower Your Emotions programme.
Designed to help people from all walks of life develop their emotional literacy, the free programme will enable participants to talk about their feelings in a calm and productive way, while also providing them with tools to listen to and support others. The programme consists of three workshops, one held at each of the three Renew centres in Chelmsford, Brentwood and Basildon, and is open to all members of the community. The sessions will see participants learning how to be open about feelings, providing them with practical advice on how to communicate effectively with everyone from family members and
friends to colleagues and neighbours.
According to recent research, mental health continues to be a growing concern in the UK. Around 1 in 6 adults in the UK are experiencing depression (ONS), while 1 in 14 UK adults (7%) report feeling stressed every single day (CIPHR). But despite the growing demand for mental health services, there is less and less funding available for this important work, highlighting the need for increased support for mental health services.
With this in mind, Renew has developed the Empower Your Emotions programme, inspired by the observations of the charity’s counsellors in the wake of the pandemic and cost of living crisis. Empower Your Emotions is part of Renew Counselling and Training’s ongoing mission to improve mental wellbeing in the communities it serves. This year, the charity carried out 14%
more counselling sessions than it did in the previous year, highlighting the growing demand for mental health support in the local area.
“We believe that talking openly about your emotions should be as natural as commenting on the weather or mentioning that you have a headache,” says Nikki Schuster, Chief Executive at Renew Counselling and Training. “Sadly, not everyone can access counselling due to the rising cost of living and cuts in mental health services. But we know from experience that even just talking about how you’re feeling with a friend or colleague can improve your mental health exponentially. We hope that this programme will help members of our community to develop the skills they need to communicate effectively about their emotions, and to support others who may be struggling.”
The first session of the Empower Your Emotions programme will be held during the summer at Renew’s Chelmsford centre. To register your interest or for more information, please visit www.renew.org.uk, email [email protected] or call 01245 359353.
The cost of living crisis is affecting the mental health of millions
The uncertainty of watching as our costs spiral can be difficult to bear. The worry of how we’ll get by and support our families is piling on the pressure. But for so many of us, looking after our mental health is often last on our list.
As individuals, as families, as communities – we can’t afford to ignore the impact on our mental health.
Get involved this Mental Health Awareness Week
Whether we’re raising awareness or raising money, we can let each other know support is out there. Help those of us that need it find hope through Mind’s Infoline, website and online community, Side by Side. We can’t fix the cost of living crisis – but we can help each other cope.
If this speaks to you, or someone you know, support Mind this Mental Health Awareness Week.
Mind in West Essex are proud to announce that their Big Give match fund campaign will go live during Mental Health Awareness Week (15th – 22nd May). The local mental health organisation will be asking for donations towards their counselling bursary to raise £10,000 in just 1 week! These funds will be used to provide support to those in financial difficulty, giving them the access to the talking therapy they deserve.
Money worries are one of the top stressors for people in their day to day life, which can lead to anxiety and depression. At Mind in West Essex, they need your help so they are able to continue to support others to access vital counselling services. All donations made to their Big Give campaign will be generously matched by Kind2Mind, meaning your money can support twice as many individuals and families in need of talking therapies.
Mike Ellen, Manager Uttlesford CYP Mental Health Support Team at Mind in West Essex said, “Our counselling bursary project has come at the right time to provide much needed support to individuals and families. Given the current economic situation, finding the money is a struggle or not possible for the very people that would benefit most from counselling.”
Jade Bolton, Fundraising and Marketing Coordinator at Mind in West Essex said, “As a local Mind we heavily rely on the charitable donations we receive from the public and to ensure we are able to continue offering our services. With the cost of living, we have found that some people are unable to access services like talking therapies which would support their mental health during these times of stress and worry. Our counselling bursary has been created to support over 30 individuals with 6 free counselling sessions which will provide them with the tools they need to manage their stress and anxiety.”
The Big Give counselling bursary campaign will be live from midday on Monday 15th May and will run until midday on Monday 22nd May. You can use the link below too donate. All donations will be doubled! https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a056900002PowabAAB
Don’t forget to share your donation on social media and tag Mind in West Essex to receive a thank you shout out. One donation, twice the impact!
We support projects that help make communities fairer for everyone. You can apply if you’re a not-for profit group, wanting to fund a specific project that benefits your local community.
If your funding application is successful, we’ll work with you for 12 months. The more members that shop with Co-op and choose to support your project, the more funding you will receive.
To apply for funding, you need to send your application by 11 June 2023.
Check if you can apply for funding
The information in this section will help you to decide whether to apply for funding. We know that different people use different words for community work. For this application process,
the ‘group’ or ’cause’ means your organisation
the ‘project’ is the activity or specific work that you are applying to fund
You can apply if your project:
brings people together to access food
helps to improve people’s mental wellbeing
creates opportunities for young people to be heard and make a difference
helps people to save and restore nature or tackle climate change
Your project must also:
take place in the UK or Isle of Man
take place or still be running after November 2024
To apply, your group needs to be:
registered or based in the UK
have their own bank account
operating in your local community
not-for-profit
Groups that can apply include:
churches or chapels that are excepted charities (that means they do not need to register with the Charities Commission)
co-operative societies
community benefit societies
Community Interest Companies
credit unions
registered charities in the UK or Isle of Man
social enterprises
Scout, Guide or Woodcraft Folk groups
any other group that can prove that they are not-for-profit
We cannot fund projects that:
support individuals
support people or projects overseas
promote any political activities or religious beliefs – but we can consider projects led by religious groups that are for the benefit of the whole community
use all of the funds to cover staff salaries and running costs
give our funding to other people or groups
are the responsibility of local authorities
could, in our opinion, harm the reputation of Co-op
What you need to apply
You’ll need:
your group’s charity number or registration details
or
your group’s governing documents that show that you’re not-for-profit. For example, your group’s constitution, articles of association or any other official documents
You’ll also need:
your group’s bank details- we cannot pay funding into an account that is not in the name of your group
a bank statement from the last 3 months for your group
a description of your group and project
2 contacts including phone and email details
basic information about what your group does and annual income
a good photo (landscape, not portrait) that will help promote your project to Co-op members
What happens next
You must apply by midnight on 11 June 2023
You’ll find whether your application has been successful or not by email in October 2023
If you’re successful:
you’ll be part of the Local Community Fund for 12 months from 22 October 2023 to 19 October 2024
As part of Mental Health Awareness Week the Suffolk and North East Essex ICB are holding a series of webinars.
Community360’s Shawn Leek, Helen Clegg and Katie Parker will be speaking about reconnecting with nature, the role of social prescribing and dementia and mental health.
MONDAY 15 TH MAY And
The Topic of the Week: Anxiety and Mental Health
TUESDAY 16TH MAY
The Menopause and Mental Health: It Isn’t Just Hot Flushes
Mental Health: The Gardening In Mind Project
WEDNESDAY 17TH MAY
Physical Activity and Mental Health