Jack Petchey Foundation recognises exceptional young person from Harlow during Covid-19 with award THE Jack Petchey Foundation launched Jack Petchey’s Community Awards, an award scheme to recognise young people from London and Essex who are helping their community during the coronavirus outbreak. Members of the…

Accuro’s Adult Friendship Scheme hold ‘Lockdown Bake Off’! WEST Essex based disability charity Accuro has been running virtual services for it’s members throughout the lockdown period. Throughout May, Accuro’s Adult Friendship Scheme put their baking skills to the test with a ‘virtual bake off’ challenge.…

ST Clare Hospice in Essex has partnered with local artists, illustrators and tattooists to launch two colouring-in and activity books aiming to ease people’s anxiety while the Covid-19 pandemic is ongoing. The Colour to Care books have puzzles, quizzes and artwork for both children and…

Harlow PAH rocks THE popular local Facebook group ‘Harlow Rocks’ have wanted to do something to give back to all of the fantastic workers within Princess Alexandra Hospital over this time by creating a collection of rocks especially for them! https://www.facebook.com/groups/233483727208287/ Rockers, of all ages,…

Look after the ones you love, and St Clare, this Wills Month WHEN it comes to looking after our family, there isn’t much we wouldn’t do to take care of them. It may come as a surprise then, that when it comes to stating our…

AT the end of National Volunteers Week, Roger says a huge thank to you everyone who volunteers across Essex, each one playing a key role in helping to keep the county safe not just during these times of COVID-19 but every day of the year.…

AS part of National Volunteers’ Week, Rainbow Services created a number of postcard snapshots showcasing the work of their volunteers. The volunteers have been carrying out tasks such as telephone befriending, regular shopping, delivering emergency food parcels and collecting urgent prescriptions The volunteers have helped…

Bidding for council houses restarts HARLOW Council has started advertising homes which are available to rent for those on the housing needs register. The homes can be bid for at www.harlowhomefinder.co.uk The council says that the availability of homes will be limited each week and…

Hospice marks Carers’ Week with online wellbeing classes ST Clare Hospice is marking the annual Carers’ Week (8th – 14th June 2020) awareness campaign with the release of a series of online self-care and wellbeing classes, created by the charity’s Day Therapy team. Led by…

CAMPAIGNERS have threatened to bring legal action against the government for not providing free school meal vouchers during the summer reports the BBC. Normally children only get free meals from school during term-time. But eligible pupils received food vouchers over Easter as the country coped…

CHARITIES offering a range of support to local residents through the Covid-19 pandemic, including mental health, domestic abuse and tackling social isolation are to benefit from a £50,000 donation by London Stansted Airport. Each year the Airport usually contributes the £50,000 sum into its Stansted…

IN these unprecedented times, St Elizabeth’s estimates that the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic could cost us over £1.2 million – both from lost fundraising revenue and from increased expenditure on staffing and protective equipment. St Elizabeth’s cares for and supports over 200 children and…

Support 4 Sight receives the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service Support 4 Sight have been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK. Support 4 Sight has been serving those in Essex with sight…

Phased reopening of libraries LIKE many other council services, Essex County Council is now preparing a phased approach to re-open libraries in line with government guidelines. From Monday 6 July 2020, sixteen sites will re-open; Basildon*, Billericay, Braintree, Brentwood, Chelmsford, Clacton, Colchester, Dunmow, Epping, Harlow,…