The History of Voluntary Action Epping Forest

1993

Epping Forest Council for Voluntary Service was formed in April 1993 as a new independent local agency whose aim was to promote effective community service in Epping Forest and to provide an overall coordinating, information and advice service for local organisations within the voluntary sector.

Prior to the formation of Epping Forest CVS, the area had been served by the Voluntary Services Committee. For nearly two decades, VSC members have made noteworthy accomplishments within the voluntary sector. Striving to promote even more effective voluntary action, VSC members launched an 18 month feasibility study in October 1991 to seek ways of bringing the multi various parts of the Epping Forest voluntary sector even closer together and strengthening further its links with the statutory sector.

Epping Forest CVS was the result of the 18 month study. The April 1993 inaugural CVS meeting was called the ‘the most significant moment in the history of the voluntary sector in the Epping Forest District.’ That meeting marked the dissolution of the Voluntary Services Committee and the birth of Epping Forest Council for Voluntary Services.

Shara Clevenger Brice was appointed Development Officer and officially began her role in September 1993 at the offices of Homefield House, behind the Civic Centre in Epping.

 

1994

Open now 5 mornings a week, Epping Forest CVS has been involved in investigating local transport issues, exploring ways forward for mental health advocacy, testing the necessity for the instigation of a local stroke club and supporting the HASFAD initiative.  Epping Forest CVS has worked with a number of partner organisations this year and as a result, the Epping Forest Access group starts.

This year has seen an increase in staff at the CVS whilst also gaining disabled access to Homefield House following funding and construction from Epping Forest District Council for this.

 

 These are just a few examples taken from a busy year at the CVS. Next year we look forward to the introduction of a Volunteer Bureau – funding permitting – a much needed service with the voluntary sector and hopefully shortly to be achieved.

 

 

1995

Epping Forest Volunteer Bureau was launched, managed by Valerie Cummins and her assistant Jacqui Webb. The launch of the Bureau was a tremendous success and targets are being exceeded in leaps and bounds.

 

Network lunches have been formed enabling voluntary organisations the opportunity to mix with other groups and share ideas and information.

 

Shara, the Director has been very busy and efficient this year, she has now been appointed Vice-Chairperson on the Essex Association of CVS. This shows just how lucky we are to have such a dynamic Director.

 

Other CVS developments include the Citizen Advocacy project managed by Epping Forest and Harlow CVS. Eventually we hope this scheme will extend to promote Citizen Advocacy for mental health issues throughout the District.

 

1996

Valerie Cummins was appointed Director for Epping Forest CVS now a full time position which results in a full time CVS. Another achievement is the appointment of a Funding Development worker enabling and encouraging groups to access the wider areas of the funding available to them.

 

Management of the Citizen Advocacy Project is another step forward for the CVS. This year has also seen the CVS provide secretarial support to the Metropolitan Police and Community Liaison Group and the Lay Visitors Panel.

 

The CVS launched the Epping Forest Community Partnership with Epping Forest District Council, North Essex Health Authority and Essex County Council Social Services. The aim of this is to actively encourage community participation in order to accurately identify locality needs.

 

1997

The Volunteer Bureau faced closure due to shortage of funding, luckily Jacqui Webb’s hard work and dedication putting together a successful lottery bid which was announced just 4 days before it was due to close!

 

Negotiations with the Health Authority enabled us to refocus the work of the Citizen Advocacy project and to ultimately develop a Befriending Scheme.

 

It was envisaged that in the long term the Mental Health Project will become a charity in its own right. Both these new initiatives will meet needs identified by users / clients, carers, voluntary groups and professionals alike. The CVS believes that with consultation and collaboration we can really help to meet local needs and identify real issues.

 

Epping Forest CVS has actively participated in community meetings such as the Safer Communities Strategy Panel.

 

1998

Partnership work involving Essex County Council Social Services, Epping Forest District Council, North Essex Health Authority and the CVS have been working collaboratively to develop initiatives to meet local needs. Needs identified as a result of the consultation include Community Transport and services for the elderly, and two successful Joint Finance bids will enable the CVS to launch these projects in the coming year!

 

The Community Linking Scheme launched, bringing Business and the Voluntary Sector together for mutual benefit.

 

This year we also saw the launch of the Network News, our Bi-monthly newsletter.

 

1999

This year saw the launch of the Elderly Services Project. This post aims to facilitate the co-ordination and collaboration of services for the elderly by all sectors. As a result of our pro-active approach we secured funding to develop a similar initiative for Carers, and a Home Check Safety Scheme.

 

Following some successful fundraising, we began our research into the needs of local people and transport issues and published a very comprehensive report in March. The next phase will involve serious fundraising to help meet some of the needs identified in the report.

 

The Epping Forest Primary Care Group (PCG) was developed. EFCVS has been very involved in the development and support of the PCG. We were part of the initial board set-up making sure the voluntary sector has a strong voice and were represented at the beginning of new changes in health service delivery. The support and enthusiasm of the CVS has helped ensure the PCG will achieve Trust status (PCT) from April 1st. We will continue to represent the voluntary sector at this level in the coming financial year.

 

Again, this year we have had further additions to the staffing team, including Sally Hassan, Elderly Services Co-ordinator.

 

2000

Peter Baldwin became the Epping Forest CVS Director.

 

One of the CVS accomplished tasks was the administration and distribution of small grants totalling £7,000 to local groups on behalf of the Community Partnerships. The grants were from Essex County Council Social Services.

 

The growth and importance of the voluntary sectors is reflected by the expansion of the CVS from its initial occupancy of one room in Homefield House to that of the whole building!

 

The CVS is hosting and managing several projects, which provide services which fulfil unmet needs. The Community Transport scheme effect is now passing from the research and fundraising stage to the provision of services. Next year we will be reporting on how a long-term inadequate transport services is at last being improved.

 

The Elderly Services project continues to grow by setting up the Seated Exercise Programme and Free Fall project.

 

2001

Sally Hassan was appointed Acting Director of Epping Forest CVS. Throughout the year the CVS continued to represent the voice of the voluntary sector locally.

 

Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) will be bringing together a wide range of stakeholders to develop strategies for managing local services effectively.

 

The Elderly Services project continues to expand, and this year saw the launch of the Housing Relocation project, offering support and practical help to older people moving home.

 

2002

In the 10th anniversary year, much of the work has been with voluntary groups and organisations that are either establishing themselves or are groups who already exist and need support with a particular area of work.

 

Sally Hassan was appointed Director in August 2002 following her success as Acting Director.

 

This year saw the CVS start work on PQASSO (Practical Quality Assurance Systems for Small Organisations).

 

The CVS has been involved in representing the voluntary sector at a number of other partnership initiatives this year, including Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership (CYPSP), Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP), West Essex Vulnerable Adults Committee and much more.

 

This year the CVS led on the development of a Compact for Epping Forest, a written agreement between the statutory and the voluntary and community sector in the District.

 

2002 saw Community Transport go from strength to strength.

 

Throughout this year Hospital Advocacy for older people was launched as a further service for older people in the District.

 

Next year, the CVS will begin the discussion on the independence of the Volunteer Bureau.

 

2003

In July 2003 we began operating as a charitable company. Alongside this was the review of the VB, its place in the organisation and whether it should be independent. A small working party was formed to take forward the work on the preferred option by staff, volunteers and Trustees to develop a new organisation. This new structure would give equal status to all parts of the organisation, but particularly between the core functions of support for volunteers as well as for voluntary and community groups. During the later part of this year, work began on implementing the changes in a phased approach which will culminate early in 2004.

 

Funding was secured through the Epping Forest Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership to complete a mapping exercise of voluntary and community groups in the District.

 

We received the IIP (Investors in People) recognition following the assessment and, throughout the process, have had an opportunity to review our practises in terms of managing people and our training and learning.

 

The Epping Forest Partnership has made great stride to tackle the issues that can have a negative impact on the quality of life for local people. Through the Youth Volunteering Project and the application to fund the development of a community development initiative in Waltham Abbey we hope to contribute towards developing voluntary and a community action and offering solutions to these issues.

 

Community Transport worked with ECC to submit a Rural Bus Challenge Bid which brought £99,000 into the District for CT and enabled the purchase of two new vehicles, secured funding from Essex Community Foundation and Essex Rural Transport Partnership, to name just two!

 

Freefall continues to meet great need and contributes to the reduction of falls experienced by older people.

 

Marina Sherriff took up her position as the Community Strategy and Partnerships Manager this year. The management of this partnership was a first for the CVS.

 

The Carers and the Gardening Projects became stand alone projects recognising that their remit is much broader than just for older people.

 

An Outreach Worker, working on a one-to-one basis with carers has been funded by ECC and the PCT.

 

2004

Changed name to Voluntary Action Epping Forest, VAEF (The CVS and VB for Epping Forest). This year has been one of significant changes – not created by us but delivered to us by the development of ESTS the Essex, Southend and Thurrock Infrastructure Consortium and the Governments Change Up Agenda. Change Up is the Government’s strategy to create a more streamlined and sustainable VCS infrastructure.

 

VAEF has been at the heart of the Change Up work in Essex and see the real benefits gained by groups of such involvement to improving local services.

 

In conjunction with these developments we have been struggling to refund some parts of our existing work. The Community Fund Grant for our Volunteer Centre is coming to an end and we need to think creatively about how we can continue to deliver this service.

 

VAEF hope to rise and meet our challenges and consolidate the work of our organisation for this coming year and many more to come.

 

During this year we increased not only the number of voluntary organisations and community groups in membership of VAEF, but also the number of groups with which we worked with directly. Over the last 12 months we have provided support to over 65 groups on a variety of issues including: funding advice, legal structures, drafting policies and procedures and support for management committees and trustee boards.

 

This year, the training project run by VAEF came to an end after 3 years of directly delivering training to the District. To ensure that access to training and learning is still available VAEF became part of Voluntary Sector Training (VST) who deliver training and development support to groups in seven districts in Essex, including Epping Forest.

 

VAEF have helped groups with funding applications and with the support of EFDC, we have been able to purchase the Grantfinder Software package and Grantnet link. These are both linked to the VAEF website enabling groups to use the system to search for funding from the place most convenient to them. This has now given VAEF up-to-date information on over 250 potential funders.

 

The website which was newly developed this year contains information on all parts of the organisation, what we do and how to get in touch with us, plus lots more!

 

2005 / 2006

Jacqui Foile was appointed as VAEF Chief Officer.

 

After the worry of funding for the Volunteer Centre, we were successful in securing a grant from Volunteering England for the VCs work on the Year of the Volunteer Campaign.

 

We have worked hard to generate our own income by using skills and abilities of core staff to undertake consultancy work, research and consultation and representation roles, which have all provided income. One example of this is that on behalf of the Epping Forest Children and Young People Strategic Partnership (CYPSP) we undertook consulattion with children between 5-13. The results and recommendations have been used by CYPSP to inform their future work.

 

This year we have continued to work through our internal quality sub-group on our quality standards, ensuring VAEF continue to meet our IiP award and QSIS volunteering standard. Also continuing to work on PQASSO to move forward from level 1 to 2.

 

In February this year VAEF were asked to be represented at a reception to honour the work of the VCS in the UK. Prime Minister and Mrs Blair sought to thank both the people and their organisations for their work and commitment to the sector. This was a tremendous honour for VAEF and for the District. It is a reflection not only of the hard work and dedication and commitment of the volunteers, staff and Trustees but also of organisations such as EFDC, PCT who have supported the establishment for a CVS for the District.

 

2007 / 2008

VAEF's main aim has been to continue to act as an umbrella organisation to provide advice, information and development support services to the voluntary and community organisations and volunteers in the District. Through a survey that VAEF sent out to members, we are please to report that 92% of groups in our membership said that we met their needs.

 

This year the Mow and Grow Gardening Project has serviced a long list of people with the support and hard work of the staff and volunteers.

 

A one-off project this year using funding from the Local Network Fund enabled VAEF to bring together local pet charities and statutory agencies to plan and deliver the ‘Paws 4 Thought’ project.

 

VAEF has continued to participate through its staff in a number of Essex-wide strategic groups and is represented at many local networks, including Essex Association Council for Voluntary Service, Essex Association of Volunteer Centres, ESTIC, Joint Management Team for Older Peoples Services and West Essex Vulnerable Adults Protection Committee.

 

A new development for VAEF was the partnership formed between Rainbow Services Harlow and Uttlesford Council for Community Service, called WECAN, West Essex Community Action Network. The groups exists for the mutual benefit of the three west organisations, the communities they serve and the wider voluntary sector within Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford.

 

2008 / 2009

This year saw the exciting launch of FAIR, the Funding Advice and Information Resource project. IT has taken a long while to get to the recruitment stage after applying for funding amounting to £500,000 two years ago to develop this project. After successfully recruiting the project is now assisting many Epping Forest and Harlow groups with their funding needs.

 

The project is only one of three in Essex, Southend and Thurrock which is funded by The Big Lottery’s BASIS funding for infrastructure organisations and is also quite unique as its covering two districts thus enabling VAEF to work in partnership with Rainbow Services in Harlow.

 

This year VAEF recruited Patrick Arnold as temporary Assistant Chief Officer while Charlotte Coping started her maternity leave. Patrick has been working with a number of VAEF projects and particular areas of work.

 

Kay Ericson stood down as Chair at the November AGM and was thanked for her strong direction and hard work during her last six years of service as Chair, but has remained on the Board of Trustees as Vice Chair. It was particularly fitting that this year she was awarded the title ‘Citizen of the Year 2009’ by Epping Forest District Council for her work in the District with the British Red Cross and VAEF.

 

VAEF continued to participate in a number of Essex-wide partnerships to enhanced our services in Epping Forest. Most significantly we responded to a major piece of research facilitated by ESTIC looking at ways to identify gaps and duplication, with a view to identifying the best ways to deliver high quality services in an equitable way across the county to all front-line organisations that require them.

 

The Local Area Agreement 2 (LAA2), which comes from funding from Essex County Council to support work within the community through National Indicators 6 and 7. VAEF submitted a number of applications for funding and was successful with all of them. As a result of this funding VAEF will be starting two supported mental health projects in Epping Forest and Harlow, an Engagement in the Arts Learning Disabilities project and a Community Transport project supporting After School Clubs.

 

This year sadly the Just for Dads Project moved away from VAEF. Nevertheless, as one door closes another opens and this year we a starting a new Befriending Scheme through the Carers Project.

 

 

 

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