As the temperatures rise across Essex, our team has been keeping busy!
Despite the hot weather, we’ve been out and about across the county this month, attending events, meeting local communities, and listening to the experiences that help shape our work.
Here’s a look at some of our highlights in June…
Our team has been busy attending events across Essex this month. We had a fantastic day at Essex Pride, where the sunshine helped create a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere. Our team spoke with lots of members of the public throughout the day, sharing information, advice, and guidance about our work and the support available across Essex. It was a brilliant opportunity to engage with the community, answer questions, and celebrate inclusion and diversity together.
At the Carers Conference, we were proud to showcase our new carers film, which highlights the lived experiences of unpaid carers across Essex. The film brings to life the challenges carers face, as well as the dedication and resilience they show every day. We had some really valuable conversations with attendees about how carers can be better supported and recognised for the vital role they play.
We were delighted to attend the Disabilities Festival, a lively and uplifting celebration of diversity, inclusion, and community. The event provided a fantastic space to connect with attendees, share information about our work, and hear directly from people with lived experience. It was a great opportunity to celebrate the achievements of people with disabilities and highlight the importance of accessible, inclusive services across Essex.
This month, we hosted our annual event at Hylands House, bringing together staff, partners, and stakeholders to reflect on a successful year of work. The event featured presentations from staff highlighting the vital impact of their work over the past 12 months, as well as a special singing performance from Nix, which added a real celebratory touch to the day. Throughout the event, we had the opportunity to meet with a range of partners and potential future collaborators, strengthening relationships and exploring new opportunities for working together. Alongside this, we showcased a series of stands highlighting key areas of our work, including the history of Healthwatch Essex through our archive project with the University of Essex, and the launch of our Armed Forces mobile community stands, which support members of the Armed Forces community and their families by signposting them to relevant services and support.
We also unveiled our new brand, which will officially launch in September 2026, marking an exciting step forward as we continue to evolve.
This month, we are also celebrating as we are proud to share that Healthwatch Essex has been shortlisted for a University of Essex Innovation Award in the Best Partnership – Third Sector category! This recognition celebrates our collaborative project with historians at the University of Essex and the Essex Record Office to create the Healthwatch Essex archive. The archive preserves the stories, experiences, and impact of our work, ensuring they are documented and accessible for future generations. We are delighted to see this partnership recognised and grateful to everyone involved in bringing this important project to life.
Additionally, our Fella’s Forums have been adventuring this month, with the Basildon Fellas Forum meeting at Basildon Festival Leisure on Tuesday 17th June for an evening of bowling followed by a trip to Nando’s. It was a fantastic night filled with plenty of strikes, laughter, and great company. The evening was also supported by Men’s Shed Pitsea and Heart of Pitsea, helping to create a really welcoming and sociable atmosphere for everyone involved. We welcomed 20 men to our Colchester Fella Forum this month for a fantastic day at YARRA Farm, where everyone got stuck in with weeding and feeding the animals. Afterwards, the group enjoyed some well-earned pizza before hearing an insightful talk from Break Even. The Braintree Fellas Forum went to Halstead Leisure Centre for an enjoyable game of pickleball. It was a great opportunity to get active, have a laugh, and spend time together. Our Young Fella Forum held their second monthly session at Urban Extreme, with 10 young men taking part. The evening was packed with fun, including axe throwing and retro gaming, giving everyone a chance to socialise and enjoy some friendly competition. Finally, we rounded off the month with 20 men attending our Harwich Fella Forum. The group enjoyed a fascinating tour of Beacon Hill Fort, followed by a BBQ at the Royal Oak, providing the perfect setting to relax and catch up.
For more information about our Fella’s Forums or Fellas’ Fairs, visit our Men’s Health page or contact our Engagement Manager, Scott Tatum on [email protected].
July Events
The Healthwatch Essex team will be heading out and about in June, 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:
2nd July 10am-1pm: Dementia Drop In Cream Tea at Braintree Baptist Church
9th July 10am-2pm: Stand at Colchester Hospital 
10th July 1-5.30pm: Lift Hamford Community Fayre in Walton-on-the-Naze
13th July 10am-2pm: Community Health Fair at Maldon town hall
13th July 5-8pm: Tendring Technology College Summer Wellbeing Fayre in Clacton
16th July 10am-2pm: Stand at Broomfield Hospital
17th July 10.30am-12.30pm: Parkinson’s UK Group at Moot House in Harlow
18th July 9am-5pm: Colchester Carnival in Lower Castle Park
23rd July 10am-2pm: Stand at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow
24th July 11am-3pm: Family Fun Day at Rayleigh Methodist Church
29th July 10am-2pm: Stand at Basildon Hospital
29th July 1-4pm: Broomfield Hospital Support Hub
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.