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.

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.

We provide clients and their carers with support at home and in the community. Encouraging clients to develop life skills, engage in social activities and build their self esteem and confidence, allowing carers time to pursue their own interests or simply time to relax.

Our support is person centered, setting achievable goals with the person we support, working in partnership with local agencies to achieve the best outcomes.

We support clients with the following needs: mental health (depression & anxiety), dementia, social isolation, neurodiversity, brain injury and stroke survivors.

Essex Respite & Care Association (ERCA) provides support covering the following activities: 

• Prompt with self-care tasks.
• Support to achieve personal goals.
• Support to have your voice heard.
• Company and conversations.
• Stimulation of memory.
• Sitting service.
• Support with housework and laundry.
• Meal planning and preparation.
• Shopping.
• Attending appointments.
• Prescription collection.
• Visits to restaurants and cafes.
• Attending plays, cinema, concerts, social activities.
• Walking, yoga, swimming and cycling.

We provide Essex residents (excluding Southend-On-Sea and Thurrock) with access to health checks; stop smoking services; weight management courses; and emotional health and wellbeing support. All of our services are free.

First Stop is a charity helping those who are in need in the Braintree area and surrounding communities.

The aim is to help those who have/or are disadvantaged by: a history of poor mental health, carers, ex-offenders, homelessness, learning needs, senior citizens, single parents, socially isolated, substance misuse, those unemployed (whether on benefits or not) or anyone in hardship needing help.

The help they can get is by accessing:

• Affordable Counselling, 1:1 appointments
• Our Community Fridge (accessing good nutritional food and helping prevent food waste)
• CV Construction
• Education classes: Confidence courses (a choice of 4), Learn my Way (IT), Digital Confidence- using tablets and other devices (including internet safety), arts & crafts and basic skills, including budgeting and maths- all in a professional but informal way
• Accessing impartial Information, Advice & Guidance- to a range of services
• Safe c/o address 

And any other help that may be needed. Our expertise is that as a long established organisation, we can refer on to a range of services to meet an individual's needs.  

At Heads2Minds, our mission is to create a world where everyone facing mental health and wellbeing challenges feels safe, understood, and respected. We are experts in our field, driven by lived experience and a deep commitment to making mental health care accessible and inclusive for all.

Through our holistic, person-centred approach, we provide individuals with a comprehensive toolkit designed to strengthen their mindset, improve resilience, and empower them to take control of their mental health. Our focus on somatic practices ensures that both the body and mind are nurtured in the journey to recovery.

We are dedicated to providing early intervention services, helping individuals address challenges before they escalate, and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health. By focusing on prevention and education, we create opportunities for individuals to recognise the early signs of mental health struggles and take action for their wellbeing.

At Heads2Minds, we are passionate about amplifying stories of hope, resilience, and recovery. Our work is about more than just support; it's about creating inclusive communities where mental health conversations are welcomed and accessibility is a priority. We are committed to fostering a society that not only understands mental health but actively works to make it a safe, open, and accessible topic for everyone.

"We save lives."

By empowering individuals to speak openly about their mental health and providing the tools for lasting change, we are working towards a world where everyone has the support they need to live healthier, happier lives.

Our current projects and ways we can support people are:
- Empowered Wellbeing Programme for Primary Schools: We offer either a full-day of age-appropriate workshops or termly support for a whole school year
- Young Adults Projects (various):
- Calm the Chaos online workshops on undertanding anxiety and learning the tools necessary to grown and thrive.
- Rise Up! An initiative supported by the Essex Violence and Vunerability Unit
- One-to-One support offering holistic therapies working with experts within our trusted community of practitioners
- Pet Therapy within care homes, mental health units, and community spaces (within the Essex area)
- Mental Health First Aid Training workshops and courses
- Lived experience talks and events to build awareness

Join us in our mission to create a more inclusive space for people to talk about mental health, receive holistic support, and access the resources necessary to thrive.

Home-Start Essex aims to give families with at least one child aged under 5 the best possible start in life by supporting parents and caregivers to feel less isolated, to build their confidence in themselves and their parenting and to find ways to manage the challenges they face. We build trusting, helpful relationships with families and deliver a range of flexible support to meet their individual needs, including volunteer-led home visiting, family groups, wellbeing services, school-readiness, and behaviour support programmes.

We’re more than just a café; we’re a charity with a vision.

At Human Kind, we trust in the inherent kindness and generosity of people, allowing individuals to express the qualities in their own way, knowing the ripple effect of their actions can and will be far reaching.
The vision and purpose of our charity café is to create a world where all experience a lasting sense of belonging, providing safe, welcoming spaces where we support everyone in connecting, sharing, and experiencing kindness.

Our commitment to connecting the Billericay community extends beyond serving great, freshly sourced vegetarian and vegan food.
We offer:
Activities for all age groups, including Mum, baby & bump mornings, after school activities, crafting
sessions and supper clubs.
A “human library” of experts from local organisations, who are able to offer advice, from Mental Health issues, benefits advice, technology help.
Sessions run specifically for those living with long term health conditions such as living with dementia, and their carers.

Come and explore our space, meet new people, and share experience

Mind in West Essex vision is for West Essex to be a place where people talk openly and positively about mental health, and where everyone gets the support and respect needed to live well.

We provide a range of services in order to help us deliver on these aims, these include: counselling as part of the NHS psychological therapies service; a private counselling service; Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training; emotional resilience training; peer support; befriending to reduce isolation; bereavement work and community support.

In addition to the above services we also run Crisis Alternative Services including Sanctuary and Night Owls

Spark is a charity that provides counselling and mentoring services for young people in the Epping Forest and surrounding areas. We also run mental wellbeing workshops in schools, as well as parenting/nurture courses in the community. We believe in building relationships, coming alongside a young person and their family, and inspiring a sense of hope together.