Epping Forest District Partners

Accuro is a small, vibrant, charity rooted in the values of respect, integrity, empathy and compassion.

Our vision is to eliminate the social isolation of people with disabilities within their local communities by enhancing their confidence to cross bridges into a wider world.

Our mission is:
To provide fun, inclusive, services that support and build the confidence and life skills of children, young people and adults with a disability in the West Essex community.
To create safe and secure environments that ensure the Clubs and Shortbreaks we offer enable a true sense of belonging that assist everyone we support to contribute and thrive.
To provide respite to families and carers.

Aching Arms is a national charity based in Brentwood that provides comfort and support for bereaved families after the loss of their baby during pregnancy, at birth or soon after.  We work directly with midwives and nurses at over 170 hospitals nationwide, who, on our behalf, offer an Aching Arms Bear to parents in their care. We also donate comfort bears to other organisations who support families after baby loss at any stage of pregnancy and send them to families who contact us themselves via our website.

The bear provides a sensitive conduit for health professionals to support and discuss the emotional and well-being needs of parents, particularly in the turbulent days following their baby’s death.

Each Aching Arms bear is given as a gift from one bereaved family to another, to let the parents know that they are not alone, and each beautiful bear wears a personalised, handwritten label with the name of the baby in whose memory the bear was dedicated. The label also signposts parents to our website, where they will find support and information.

Our support is not limited to the giving of our comfort bears, we have several ways in which we help parents and families, including:

SUPPORTING ARMS SERVICE

Run by bereaved parents, our Supporting Arms service offers parents the opportunity to talk to someone who has an understanding of what they’re going through. Families can access support by telephone, text or email on 07464 508994 or support@achingarms.co.uk

SUPPORTING ARMS FOR DADS

We host a monthly online group specifically for Dads to share and discuss their particular experiences. Please see our website for full details.

VIRTUAL CARE SERVICE

Our Virtual Care service gives parents the chance to book a video support call with our Bereavement Care Manager. Booking is available on the link on our website.

BE TOGETHER PROGRAMME

The Be Together Programme is a range of community events that bring bereaved parents, siblings and families together. Please see our website for full details.

BOSP supports children and young adults with complex disabilities or life-limiting conditions, and their families, by providing high-quality, fun, educational activities, respite, peer support and counselling.

Brave Parents provides self care opportunities to parents who have children with complex medical needs*.

We recognise that many of these parents forget to care for themselves. They work so hard to keep their child well that their own needs always come second.

However, over time this can have an affect on the mental health of the caregivers and whole family unit.

We create opportunities for Parent Carers to have some well needed ‘you’ time to support their mental health and well-being.

From pamper ‘… for you’ and Hospital Boxes to in person events and local meets, we hope to encourage self care and highlight that it is essential, especially through hard times.

*’Complex medical needs’ refers to children who have been diagnosed by a medical professional, with an illness, disability or sensory impairment (sight and/or hearing impairment) that requires substantial daily support from a Parent Carer.

Brave Parents - Registered Charity No. 1204544

The loss of a baby is a devastating experience and one that can bring a range of thoughts, feelings, and responses that can feel confusing, bewildering, and isolating. By Your Side is a maternal mental health service provided by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, in collaboration with midwifery colleagues, which offers therapeutic care and grief therapy for people who were pregnant and have experienced a perinatal loss. Our team aims to help people with their loss, being by your side during a devastating time.

Service Information

By Your Side works with people who were pregnant and are experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties as a result of perinatal loss, including;
Miscarriage (including recurrent/multiple miscarriages)
Stillbirth
Termination
Neonatal death

Unfortunately, we do not currently accept self-referrals so please ask a health or social care professional (such as your GP) to submit a referral on your behalf. You must be over the age of 18, registered with a GP in Essex, and your loss must have occurred within the last year.

Carers FIRST has been commissioned by Essex County Council to deliver carer support across Essex to unpaid carers ages 18 plus and we have a Carer Support Advisor specifically for the Brentwood area.

At Carers FIRST, we understand that caring can be hard, but believe getting the right help ahouldn't be. We work directly with and for unpaid carers to provide personalised information, advice and support; making it easier for them to continue living their lives to the fullest. We currently run online carer wellbeing groups and activities, but look forward getting back to community based events too.

One carer's recent comment "The fact that I am listened to helps boost my confidence - Carer's FIRST has given me a voice for which i am grateful".

We offer free, impartial, confidential advice on a wide range of subjects and issues that help you find a way forward to live life well.

The advice we offer is accredited under the Advice Quality Standard, which means we are a service you can rely on and trust to help you solve the big and the small issues that affect your day to day life.

We know how hard it can be to take the first step and ask for advice and support. Our advisers are trained to the highest standards and have the knowledge and skills to help you.

We are here to listen and to help you find a way through your problems.

Take the first step by visiting our website.

Domestic abuse support

COMPASS are here to make sure you get the right support at the right time and this single point of access is designed to increase accessibility to domestic abuse services already provided in Essex by Safe Steps, Changing Pathways and The Next Chapter with whom we work in partnership.

If you are experiencing, or at risk of domestic abuse and need information advice and guidance please contact us.

You will speak with a trained practitioner who will complete an assessment and ensure contact is made with the most appropriate service.

If you are in immediate danger, please call 999

Essex ActivAte is a exciting holiday programme for young people aged 4-16, run by Active Essex. Each holiday club provides a fantastic array of activities for children to keep them active, engaged, and entertained during the holiday season.

Our programme is free for children eligible for benefits-based free school meals. Additionally, we have paid spaces available for all children who wish to join in the fun!

To book a place at a local club, income based free school meal families use Holiday Activities booking platform and their voucher code emailed to them before each holiday. For paid spaces please contact the clubs directly. See full listings information in the link below.

You can stay connected with @EssexActivate on social media. Follow us to stay updated on the latest activities, events, and news!

Follow @EssexActivate

Facebook: facebook.com/EssexActivate
Twitter/X & Instagram: @essexactivate
YouTube: youtube.com/EssexActivate

By following us on these platforms, you'll get the latest updates and join a community dedicated to promoting active lifestyles in Essex.

We provide support, advice and information around alcohol use.

If you are finding that alcohol is causing problems in your life, we can help. 

Whether you want to reduce the amount you drink, or how often you drink, or abstain completely, we provide a range of support that is designed around your personal needs and aspirations.

We know it’s not easy to address problems with alcohol but our experienced team will guide you through the support on offer. We use tried and tested methods to help you to work towards your personal goals.

You can benefit from support on a one to one basis, including counselling and group support, where you can share experiences with other people with similar experiences.

We also support family or friends affected by a loved one’s drinking.