The East of England Cancer Alliances Patient Participation Group is looking for new members.
The next meeting will be held on 1 March 2023 6.30 to 8.30 pm.
If you, or someone you care about has had recent experiences of cancer services in this area and you are keen to have your say on how services could be changed for the better, then we are the group for you.
We meet monthly, online, for two hours. The meetings consist of interesting talks from experts in their fields, and the opportunity to use your experiences and views to influence how cancer services can be improved in our region. We are also involved in a number of change projects, including looking at quality of life following cancer treatment, methods for new testing and diagnosis, developing patient information, and many more. Often these projects are suggested by members of our PPG then our teams will help to set-up a task group to take the project forward.
If you would like to talk to someone about our Patient Participation Group then please call Ayse Casey on 07702436696 or Jane Parker-Coulson on 07718130493 or email [email protected].
Social Prescriber – Triage (Full-time – Job Share considered)
(Engagement Officers Band 1) – Colchester
£22,700-24,981 per annum
Why would you want to work as a social prescriber? Here’s why….
To truly make a difference to people’s lives
To use your listening skills and empathetic nature to unpick complex issues
To feel like you belong to a forward thinking company with passion
C360 pioneered social prescribing in Essex so you are joining an established team with a great reputation
You want a job with real purpose
To use excellent administration and IT skills
This role is based in Colchester, working together as part of the Social Prescribing Team. The main duties include data processing, monitoring inboxes and triaging, updating, and providing monitoring from our bespoke AideCRM database, super user for clinical systems (System1 and EMIS), general administration, updating Asset Mapping, overseeing Social Prescribing referrals (this list is not exhaustive).
You will bring:
A passion for helping people to self-care and self-manage their health and wellbeing whilst having our values at the heart of what you do
Experience of working with people with complex needs (we would welcome candidates with a mental health working background)
Strong communication skills
Empathy and emotional resilience
Ability to work in a team environment
Flexibility with working hours and location
Excellent administration and IT skills
What you can expect:
A base in Colchester but there needs to be flexibility with working location (GP surgeries, hospital etc)
28 days holiday (including bank holidays)
An extra day’s holiday for your birthday (after passing probation)
Five extra days holiday (pro-rata) after five years’ service
Up to three days volunteering per year (after passing probation)
A group of leisure centres is offering a free hot shower to people to help them through the rising cost of living.
People living in parts of mid and south Essex can use the facilities if they go to reception and and ask for “Tommy.”
The initiative is being run by the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System alongside local authorities and more than 25 people have already used the scheme.
Managers said more leisure centres would join the scheme in the coming weeks and say there is no criteria or judgement required to access “ask for Tommy”.
Shaun Beagle, area manager at Everyone Active, said: “It is a great initiative for those in the local community that are struggling in the current economic climate and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.
“We have had over 25 members of the local community use our facilities for a shower through the scheme so far, which is fantastic.
“Please share this service with someone that you know is struggling at the moment.”
Tiffany Hemming from the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board said the scheme was a great way to help the local community in the winter.
“We realise the challenges that our residents are currently facing in this economic climate and it is vital that we do what we can to help them keep up good levels of health and hygiene. Access to hot showers will allow people to do this,” she said.
“The benefits of a shower also don’t stop at getting clean – showering has many benefits for mental wellbeing also.
“I look forward to seeing more leisure centres join in the coming days and weeks.”
The leisure centres taking part include:
Basildon:
Basildon Sporting Village (SS14 3GR)
Eversley Leisure Centre (SS13 2EF)
Wickford Swim and Fitness Centre (SS12 0AG)
Brentwood:
The Brentwood Centre (CM15 9NN)
The Hartswood Pavilion at King George’s Playing Fields (CM13 2FD)
The Young Essex Assembly is the elected youth council where it gives young people across Essex the opportunity to have their voices heard, represent the voices of other young people and influence decisions that affect them and their local district. As well as being representatives for their district, young people will have the opportunity to plan, develop and deliver projects that will have a positive impact in their local community and across Essex.
The Young Essex Assembly is organising a cultural day in partnership with the Chelmsford Star Cooperative to celebrate and explore the different cultures that enrich our communities. As members of the Young Essex Assembly, we are running this event where external providers from cultural organisations are invited to represent their cultures. We aim to have a range of diverse and different cultures from the around the world to attend this event to make it as inclusive as possible.
We are pleased to invite you to attend to our Cultural Day where you can represent your cultural heritage by running their own stands, activities, and workshops for the local community to participate and engage in.
The set date for the Cultural Day will be on the Saturday 1st of July 2023 from 10-2pm. The venue will be at Galleywood Centre, Watchouse Rd, Chelmsford CM2 8PT.
If you’re attending this event, please contact the Young Essex Assembly youth support worker Laloona Amjad to ensure you are put on the invitee list. Please email – [email protected]
From services such as Essex ARC and Futures in Mind there are many job vacancies at Phoenix Futures based in the Essex area from, Alcohol recovery practitioner, administrator, service manager and more.
For more information on available job vacancies visit their website.
Small charities doing vital work to support local communities are facing untenable challenges because of the cost of living crisis. Because of increasing costs, workforce challenges and significant rises in demand from beneficiaries, almost half of those we surveyed are fighting for survival. Urgent government intervention is required to ensure they can keep supporting their communities.
The Connection Coalition was formed by The Jo Cox Foundation in April 2020 as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic, anticipating that the nation was at risk of a crisis of disconnection and a worsening epidemic of loneliness and isolation. Over 800 organisations have joined the Coalition and we support them as they work to build and maintain relationships and connections in their communities.
As the pandemic rolls into a third winter and the impacts of the cost of living crisis start to be felt, the ongoing crisis of disconnection is only set to worsen. Across the UK, communities are supported by over 166,000 voluntary organisations, the majority of them small, with a turnover of less than £1 million. Many of these organisations stepped up in the face of the pandemic, providing vital services at the most difficult of times. It is essential to listen to, value and give practical support to these organisations who are keeping our communities safe and connected.
We conducted an online survey of Connection Coalition members for two weeks in September – October 2022. 23 members responded, giving us a snapshot of the experiences and concerns of small charities right now.
Su Moore, CEO of The Jo Cox Foundation, said:
“This report makes sobering but important reading. Members of the Connection Coalition are doing vital work on the ground to support their communities. With so many of these charities at risk it is clear that, without urgent government intervention, we will be facing a crisis of increased loneliness and disconnection as well as a cost of living crisis.”
Interested members of the public need to live near the Essex Coast so this includes the districts of: Southend, Thurrock, Castle Point, Rochford, Maldon, Colchester, Tendring.
Ten years ago, we launched AmazonSmile to make it easier for customers to support their favourite charities. However, since launch, the programme has not grown to create the impact that we had originally hoped.
AmazonSmile represents a very small portion of the total charitable contributions made through our other programmes, which we estimate at more than £100 million in 2021.
We are writing to let you know that we plan to wind down AmazonSmile by February 20, 2023. We will continue to pursue and invest in other programmes that we know will have more impact—from providing support to families in need, to using our logistics infrastructure and technology to assist communities impacted by natural disasters.
We recognise that these are difficult times for everyone, including charities, so we are providing an additional one-time donation to participating charities equivalent to six months of what they earned through the programme in 2022, and they will also be able to accrue additional donations until the program officially closes in February. Once AmazonSmile closes, charities will still be able to seek support from Amazon customers by creating their own wish lists.
As a company, we will continue supporting a wide range of partnerships that help thousands of charities and communities across the UK. For example:
We recently announced a new partnership with Comic Relief that began with our support for the Comic Relief Cost of Living Appeal, which supports families across the UK and alleviates pressures caused by rising costs.
Our product donation programmes continue to help people and families in need, providing more than 15 million essential goods in the last year alone. These include In Kind Direct, a partnership that supports more than 2,000 charities with donations that help more than 250,000 people every single week.
We have also launched a new Amazon for Charities store which allows charities to raise money by selling products on Amazon and collecting 100% of profits. Today the store features Macmillan Cancer Support, Royal British Legion, the Natural History Museum, Marie Curie and we are adding more charities all of the time.
On top of this work, we will continue to invest in our capabilities to support communities in the UK and abroad every day and in times of crisis. So far, for example, we’ve partnered with Magic Breakfast to deliver more than 6.6 million free breakfasts to thousands of children across the country, and we delivered more than 7 million COVID-19 test kits across the UK during the pandemic. We have also been using our logistics capabilities to help people affected by the war in Ukraine. Globally, we’ve provided more than $75 million in support including millions of critical relief items – from medical supplies to blankets, food, books and devices for refugees, working closely with charities such as Save The Children.
We’ll continue working to making a difference in many ways, but our long-term commitment to our communities remains the same: we are determined to help create a better world for our customers, our employees, and the communities we serve across the country.
Following the Age Well Funding event on 16th January 2023 we are now welcoming applications and ideas generated since the event. Please find attached herewith the application form for the Fund, the slide presentation from the event and the funding criteria.
One Colchester, the local strategic partnership for the Borough, is holding £122,000 for distribution in Colchester over the next two years. £127,000 is being held by Tendring Together. C360 and CVS Tendring are providing administrative support for managing the fund and supporting development of applications. There will be the potential to explore awarding funds to groups working across North East Essex through the collaborative management of the funding.
If you would like to ask any further questions or require any support please contact us at [email protected] or call 01206 505250 and ask for Todorina or Emma.
Please send completed applications to: [email protected] or by post to Community360, Winsley’s House, High Street, Colchester, CO1 1UG. Phone 01206 505250
The deadline for initial applications is 17th February 2023
Colchester has been awarded a full allocation of £1.362 million of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF), following the approval of the Investment Plan by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
The Shared Prosperity Fund is a new three-year fund, running from 2022/23. The Shared Prosperity Fund replaces the European Structural and Investment Funds. This new Shared Prosperity Fund will fund 17 projects, provided by a range of partners that contribute to the SPF themes of business support, community and health.
The projects supported are wide-reaching and include:
Community Supermarket: a scheme based in Greenstead run by Essex County Council that builds on the work of food banks, by offering subsidised groceries, providing choice and dignity for those moving away from crisis support. The Community Supermarket supports those facing ongoing or temporary hardship and puts money back in residents’ pockets – freeing up disposable income to boost the local economy.
The Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Programme: a scheme delivered by The Change Portfolio that will increase the safety of victims experiencing domestic abuse as well as working with perpetrators to rehabilitate them and give them the tools to stop their abusive behaviour.
Construction Innovation Network: Colchester Institute will develop and deliver bespoke digital information events, helping small- and medium-sized construction companies to navigate sophisticated software for tender and contracts as well as on site, helping them to future-proof themselves.
A Place to Grow: run by Abberton Rural Training, this scheme builds and extends on the existing programme. A Place to Grow provides basic skills courses and interventions to help those furthest from education and employment, including vulnerable and isolated people and Wounded and Injured Service personnel and Veterans. This allows them to bridge the gap in their skills. Providing a safe space for activities including gardening and crafts, alongside immediate access to mental health counselling and learning coping mechanisms, the scheme allows participants to bridge the gap in their skills and eventually seek new employment opportunities.