Free workshops for parents and older adults:

The parents workshop is aimed at helping parents to better understand what is meant by mis and disinformation and where you might encounter them, recognise hate online and give them some ways to talk to their children about what they are seeing online. The older adults sessions are there to help them to learn about the common tricks used in misleading posts, viral rumours and emotionally charged content as well as how scams, fraud, and misinformation often overlap – and of course how to keep themselves safe

The Chelmsford Jewish Community and Chelmsford City Council invite everyone to attend our Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration on

Thursday 29th January 2026

at 7.00 pm in the Council Chamber at Chelmsford City Council, Civic Centre, Duke Street, Chelmsford, CM1 1JE.

The Holocaust Memorial Day is the International Day of Remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust and other genocides.

The official date each year is the 27th January, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

This year’s theme is ‘Bridging Generations’

Our Special guest will be:

Lu Lawrence

Lu Lawrence is the daughter of Zigi Shipper, BEM who was born on 18th January 1930 in Lodz, Poland.

Lu regularly gives talks through The Holocaust Educational Trust and The 45 Aid Society and is a leader on March of the Living.

Zigi Shipper came from an orthodox Jewish family and was an only child brought up by his paternal grandparents. Before the German invasion in 1939, his father fled Poland thinking that his son and his parents would be safe in Lodz.

This thought proved to be so wrong as life became increasingly hard for the little boy and his grandparents who were rounded up in early 1940 as all Jews were forced to move to the Lodz ghetto in the north-east of the city.

Zigi remained in the ghetto for four and a half years until its liquidation in 1944. He survived Auschwitz, Stutthof and two more concentration camps as well as a Death March.

In Chelmsford, Holocaust Memorial Day provides an opportunity to look at all forms of discrimination whether by race, religion, colour or gender.

Light refreshments will be available from 7.00pm

👉 Share your views now by completing the online survey

The consultation closes on 3 February 2026, so please take a few minutes today to make your voice heard.

Why Your Voice Matters

This strategy will shape how we work together across Essex to tackle health inequalities and improve outcomes for residents. Your insights are essential to ensure the strategy reflects the real needs and priorities of our communities.

What We’re Asking You

We want your views on the four key areas of the strategy, which will guide the Health and Wellbeing Board’s focus over the next three years, along with the priorities within each. Your feedback will help us confirm whether these are the right areas or highlight other pressing challenges we may have overlooked.

What’s in the Strategy

Our vision: All residents are enabled to achieve good health, in safe and thriving communities, with access to support when they need it.

To achieve this, the strategy focuses on four key areas:

1. Improving life chances for children and young people
2. Helping more people into and stay in work
3. Building healthy, resilient, and connected communities
4. Creating opportunities to improve health and reduce the impact of poor health

There are three emerging priorities against each of these, including improving mental health, reducing poverty, helping more people into work, creating healthy places, and promoting healthy lifestyles.

Need Help?

If you have any questions or need assistance completing the survey, please email us at healthandwellbeingstrategyconsultation@essex.gov.uk, or call 0345 743 0430.

Small grants programme offering grants to support creative, cultural and community-led activities across the city. Rolling applications closing 31^st January.

You are invited to join the Community Family on Christmas Day and Boxing Day for lunch - 10.30am - 2pm

No need to book

If you're local and will be on your own on Christmas Day, please come and join us for a Christmas meal with all the trimmings!

The terrible events in Bondi at Hanukkah over the weekend have shaken us all. What should have been a time of peace and community was instead marked by violence that tore through a joyous celebration.

Our thoughts are with those who were killed or injured, and with the families, friends and communities now facing unimaginable grief. The pain is felt far beyond Bondi, reaching every person who values safety, dignity and the freedom to worship without fear.

As leaders of Essex’s faith and community networks, we stand together in rejecting hatred in all its forms. Acts of terror seek to divide us, but they will never succeed.

We affirm that compassion, respect and solidarity are stronger than violence. By working side by side, across traditions and communities, we show that unity is not just a response to tragedy, it is the foundation of our shared existence.

The Essex Faith Covenant embodies this commitment. With more than forty faith communities and public services joined in partnership, we continue to build bridges of trust and understanding.

Let this moment remind us that resilience is born from togetherness, and that the values we hold - of peace, justice and mutual understanding - will always endure.

Hannah Kelly
Chair of the Essex Faith Covenant

The British Muslim Trust (BMT) has launched a new helpline service to support victims of anti-Muslim hate in the UK. This initiative follows a rise in incidents and aims to provide a safe and confidential way for victims to report their experiences.

About the Helpline

Victims can report incidents through multiple channels:

• Phone: Free of charge, available 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

• Online form: Simple, three-step process with minimal required fields

• Email, SMS, WhatsApp, and live chat: Available anytime, with follow-up the next day

All calls are handled by Muslim staff to ensure cultural and religious understanding.

Why This Matters

BMT was selected as part of the government’s Combatting Hate Against Muslims Fund to address the rise in anti-Muslim hatred. This service will help capture both online and offline incidents, provide direct support to victims, and raise awareness of what constitutes a hate crime.

Come and join Southend Salvation Army for a Community Carol Service with refreshments to follow!

1pm Friday 19th December

42 Clarence Street

Southend on Sea

SS1 1BD

***APPLICATIONS FOR WEST CENTRAL NOW OPEN - CLOSING 3RD DECEMBER***

The Big Sparks Fund will provide grants to residents, businesses and community groups who want to make a positive change within their communities.

A total of £40,000 is available in each of the four neighbourhoods across the city, the fund will be designed and delivered by those that live, work and support residents across the city.

The West Central Locality includes the following wards:

• Blenheim Park
• Chalkwell
• Milton
• Prittlewell
• St Laurence
• Westborough

For more information and how to apply - see the Big Sparks pages on Your Say Southend:

Big Sparks | Your say Southend