Half Term ‘ActivAte’ & Other News

ActivAte, Broadband, Bowls, Police, COVID, Voting & Toasty

As Half-Term looms Active Essex are organising ActivAte sessions for youngsters. In other news we also have:

• Broadband – ECC are running a survey, make sure you have your say,
• Bowls’ Big Weekend,
• Colchester Policing Update,
• COVID-19 Update,
• Election 2021 – have pen or pencil to hand,
• Warm & Toasty Newsletter.

ActivAte

ActiveEssex is organising ActivAte clubs over the Easter holidays. They are completely free for young people who are:

• eligible for benefits-based free schools meals, or
• working families who need additional support.

Activate clubs will include fun activities, including sports and arts & crafts, for 4 hours a day over 8 days of the holidays. Plus every child will get a healthy, tasty lunch! There are specialist clubs for SEND pupils and mental wellbeing hubs as well.

For Easter club booking links please check out the Active Essex website: https://www.activeessex.org/activateeasterbooking/.

Online Resilience/Mental health course

Also over half-term, there are courses to support children manage low level challenges preventing them from accessing their education or negatively impacting their progress. Children must be between the ages of 7 – 16 and sessions will be delivered/adapted for all abilities.

The sessions are not designed to support those with significant mental health
challenges/difficulties. The course covers:

• Strategies to help build resilience,
• Online quizzes,
• Talk around teh transition back to school,
• Self-esteem work, &
• Group discussions.

To book a place email [email protected].

Broadband Survey

The Essex County Council Broadband Survey  is now underway & they want as many people as possible to have their say. The survey is running until 19th April.

To date, the Superfast Essex programme has reached 140,000 homes and businesses across the county with superfast and ultrafast broadband connectivity, but ECC knows there are still some areas that suffer with poor broadband speeds (including parts of West Bergholt of course).

You can find the survey and further information here: www.superfastessex.org/broadbandsurvey.

Bowls’ Big Weekend

Woods Bowls Club are inviting you to join them with Bowls’ Big Weekend event. Organised by Bowls England, Woods has chosen the weekend for their open day n Saturday 29th May from 12pm. There is no charge, just bring yourself and some flat shoes.

COVID-19 Update

Talking About Vaccination

Leading voices from faith communities across Essex have come together to share their faith position on getting vaccinated against COVID-19 in a series of short videos. By doing so they are helping to answer questions about the vaccines and encourage as many people as possible to get vaccinated when it is offered to them.

You can view and share the videos as a playlist on Essex County Council’s YouTube channel: Faith leaders say get vaccinated. 

COVID 19 – How Do We Heal?

Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System are leading this campaign. COVID-19 has affected each of the one million people living in Suffolk and North East Essex in very different ways. So, for us all to move forward we need more than just a plan – we need to think about how each of us feel and how we can build on our experiences of the past year. We all need to think about ‘How do we heal?’. 

Further information can be found here:Covid 19 – HOW DO WE HEAL? – Suffolk & North East Essex Integrated Care System (sneeics.org.uk) and Equalities Film Competition – Suffolk & North East Essex Integrated Care System (sneeics.org.uk)

Election 2021

Still several weeks away, on Thursday 6th May, this election timetable has already kicked off with nominations now being sought for candidates for:

• Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner for the Essex Police Area;
• One County Councillor to represent the Constable Division; and
• One Borough Councillor to represent the Lexden & Braiswick ward.

Nomination for these positions close at 4 pm on Thursday 8th April. If you are not currently registered to vote, you have until midnight on Monday 18th April to do so – register online here.

You can vote in a few ways:

In Person

Unusually, this will be in the main Orpen Hall to facilitate social distancing between 7 am to 10 pm. You will need to:

• Wear a face covering unless you have a valid exemption,
• Bring your own pen or pencil,
• Follow the signs and guidance from staff at teh station to adhere to social distancing.

By Post

If you want to apply for, or change or cancel, a postal vote, you have until 5 pm on Thursday 27th April to do so. Contact the Electoral Registration Officer at Rowan House, 33 Sheepen Road, CO3 3WG.

By Proxy

You can apply for somebody else to vote on your behalf – also before 5 pm on Thurday 27th April as above.

Emergency Proxy

If you become incapacitated after 5 pm on 27th April such that you are no longer physically capable (or allowed if isolating), of voting in person, provision exist for an Emergency Proxy to be granted. This can be applied for

Policing Update

Below is Issue 7 of the Colchester District update. It includes update on what they have been, and will be, doing; this includes a ‘Street Meet’ at the Co-op on 21st April between 5 pm – 6 pm. Also updates on dealing with Anti-Social Behaviour & the COVID-19 Roadmap .

Warm & Toasty Newsletter

Once again, this erstwhile physical club continues in electronic form. This issue includes memories (wartime kids, school milk, when smoking was ‘cool’), jokes, quizzes and photos to keep people uplifted and entertained during this continued difficult time.