With the new year officially begun, the Healthwatch Essex team have been making a great start, wrapping up warm and heading out and about across Essex. As we look forward to what this new year has to offer, January has been a month filled with community engagement and meaningful conversations. So here are the January 2026 highlights.
Throughout January, our team visited hospitals, community groups, and local events across Essex, ensuring people had the opportunity to share their experiences of health and care services. As winter continues, the team also focuses on supporting local communities by distributing woolly items and slippers at events, helping people stay warm and well during the colder months of the new year.
This month, members of the team also attended the MSE ICB Research Engagement Network Learning Event in Basildon. The team were delighted to share more about Healthwatch Essex, our research team, and how we work with communities to make sure people’s voices are at the heart of health and care research. The team also spoke about our inclusive research approaches, creative methods, current projects, and how we focus on turning lived experience into meaningful insight that can influence real change.
Our Fella’s Forums have been out and about this month, with our Colchester Fella’s Forum attending the No Name Bar to play darts and pool and enjoy some food. The Braintree Fella Forum went bowling and enjoyed some food, discussing what they would like to do for their next meet-up. This month we also saw our newly launched The Harwich Fella Forum, attend The Royal Oak, enjoying some pool and darts and some home-cooked food.
For more information about our Fella’s Forums, visit our Men’s Health page or contact our Engagement Manager, Scott Tatum on [email protected].
February Events
The Healthwatch Essex team will be heading out and about in February, so make sure to mark your calendar. Also look out for the Healthwatch Essex van and take a look at the various events where you will be able to find our team:
4th February 10am-2pm, Stand at Broomfield Hospital 
4th February 10am-midday, Wednesday Club at Tillingham Cricket Pavilion
10th February 10am-2pm, Stand at Colchester Hospital
19th February 10am -2pm, Stand at Harlow Princess Alexandra Hospital
24th February 10am-2pm, Stand at Basildon Hospital
Our Information and Guidance team have been trained and accredited as partners of the Essex Sexual Health Service Umbrella Project and at each of the events marked by an umbrella, we will be able to supply care packages to anyone who advises us that they are involved in sex work, along with any information and guidance which may be required.