VAEF runs a number of projects in the Epping Forest district and surrounding areas. Click on the tabs below to read about each service.
VAEF Services
Ace Activities – Day Activities for people with Learning Disabilities
Activities and Training for Adults with Learning Disabilities.
ASDAN Accreditation
About the project:
Ace Activities is a multi-activity project for people with Learning Disabilities. We have a range of opportunities to choose from to suit your needs.
Day opportunities that Ace Activities currently run:
- Cooking with Confidence
- Multi Sports
- Upcycling/Carpentry
- Gardening
- Singing and Signing Fun Sessions
- Art
Ace Activities – Project of VAEF has it’s own website – for full details click here or visit www.aceactivities.org.uk
“The Battle for Grange Farm Centre” by Gwendoline Templeton £14.99
Ray Harris, Ace Activities Session Worker for Voluntary Action Epping Forest has researched and funded the publishing of a book “The Battle for Grange Farm Centre” written by his mother Gwendoline Templeton on the history of Grange Farm with proceeds supporting VAEF’s Ace Activities. The book itself took over 5 years to complete following extensive research of Chigwell and Grange Farm from libraries and also older local residents who have fond memories of Grange Farm through the years.
250 books have been published and 10% of the profits raised from sales will be donated to Voluntary Action Epping Forest’s Ace Activities service which provides day activities for people with Learning Disabilities.
To purchase of copy of “The Battle for Grange Farm Centre” by Gwendoline Templeton for £14.99, please telehone or email Ray Harris 07881 421562 / rayharris06@yahoo.co.uk
Copies can also be purchased directly from The Loughton Book Shop and Waltham Abbey Tourist Information Centre.
Loughton Book Shop, 150 High Road, Loughton IG10 4BE
Waltham Abbey Tourist Information Centre, 6 Highbridge Street, Waltham Abbey EN9 1DG
The Community Clubs Service funded by The Big Lottery and The Joseph & Lilian Sully Foundation aims to provide support and friendship for those living on their own or in isolation.
This project was developed to address the need of the socially isolated by providing a befriending service across the Epping Forest District to the elderly aged 65 years or over and their carers and includes short respite for carers whilst social clubs operate.
Currently clubs are run three times a week:
| Tuesday | North Weald – Leonard Davis House, Kiln Rd, North Weald Bassett, Epping CM16 6BS |
| Wednesday | Loughton – St John the Baptist Church, Church Lane, Loughton, IG10 1PD |
| Friday | Waltham Abbey – Jubilee Court, Ninefields, Waltham Abbey, EN9 3JB |
As well as offering weekly social clubs, Voluntary Action Epping Forest Befriending offers fortnightly day trips out which include visits to the theatre, boat rides and much more. These outings provide much needed stimulation to many whilst reducing their social/rural isolation improving quality of life and if required, we can provide transport to these clubs.
In addition to the weekly social clubs and day trips we offer a volunteer home visit befriending service which provides a ‘friend’ who will be able to offer companionship by forming a trusting and supportive relationship offering a smile, a listening ear, links to other services and regular visits to the client’s home.
All project volunteers are carefully screened and trained. Personal information is kept strictly confidential.
For further information about these clubs or volunteering for them please contact
Voluntary Action Epping Forest Befriending on
07708 171 116
Quotes from Befriending Service Users
‘As you know Peter passed away recently and I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know what being a member of the club meant and brought to his life. He was suffering from a number of health conditions which led him to become isolated and de-motivated. Once at the club his whole persona changed. His face lit up and the twinkle returned to his eyes. Significantly his memory improved too. Sincere gratitude to you and your team for all your hard work’
‘I just want to thank you for introducing my father to the Befriending club. Since being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s earlier this year he started to get depressed. The service you are providing, collecting my father from the house, taking him to the club, entertaining him for the afternoon and bringing him safely home has made such a difference to his week. He really looks forward to his Wednesdays now.’
‘Just a quick note to say thank you to you and everyone at the club. Mum really enjoys it, has made some good friends and it has given her, her confidence back. Thank you again for all the care and understanding that you give to Mum (I don’t know what she would be like without the clubs to look forward to).’
‘I am extremely grateful for your help in introducing me to Josie (volunteer) who is a lovely, kind person and a super befriender. I would also like to say that your work for Voluntary Action is a wonderful achievement’
Hear what VAEF
Community Club Members think
VAEF Community Clubs
Canal Boat Trip
VAEF Community Clubs
Seated exercise with Sweat Harlow
Benefits
The benefits advice and information project is available to those whose personal circumstances make it difficult for them to access services in their area or outside of the home. A home visit can be made and information provided on benefits available to the individual along with assistance to complete application forms.
VAEF Benefits also provide advice, information and assistance to complete applications to unpaid/informal carers who are housebound due to their caring role. It can be very hard to access services when providing care to a loved one but the service we provide allows access to essential benefits.
The service is available to those who live in the Epping Forest District.
Assistance can be given to apply for:
- Attendance Allowance
- Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
- Employment Support Allowance (Capability for work assessments)
- Disability Living Allowance
- Council Tax Discount
- Housing Benefits
- Carers Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Blue Badge
This is predominantly a home visiting service however, assistance and application support can also be provided over the telephone for all applications.
From April 2015 to End March 2025 VAEF Benefits Advice has advised and supported 2656 Epping Forest housebound residents and £3,983,558.76 has been awarded in annual benefits following assistance from VAEF Benefits Advice in addition to Council Tax reductions, Blue Badge applications, Pension Credit and Housing benefits.
For further information please contact 07835 310 550
Community Response Hub
The VAEF Community Response Hub was set up during the Covid-19 pandemic to provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ of voluntary service support for residents, most impacted by public health restrictions and personal circumstances.
Subsequently, the Hub has run a number of short-term projects and services, designed in response, to address specific, identified local community needs.
This has included: winter warmth support:
- covid response / health pathway community interventions
- refugee and asylum seeker support
- social spaces
- digital support
The VAEF Community Response Hub looks to work with wider VCS, health, DWP and local authority partners to provide support to local residents and solutions to local community challenges.
We also look to provide help, advice and signposting information to local residents seeking support from community services.
For help enquiries or more information contact: communityhub@vaef.org.uk / 0796772 6851
Digital Support – Epping Forest Power UP! Project
VAEF Community Response Hub are currently running a digital support service, available to residents in Epping Forest.
The Power UP! project provides drop-in digital support surgeries across the Epping Forest district, as well as prescribed digital hardware, data and tech-care. The service can provide digital home support in some circumstances and also runs programmes of peer-support digital learning workshops.
More information can be found on the project website: www.powerupepping.co.uk
Social Space / Winter warm space
VAEF Community Response Hub and our volunteers run a friendly drop-in social space at Epping Civic Hub, (inside EFDC Civic Offices, 323 Epping High St) every Monday from 1-4pm.
The space is free to attend and hot drinks and refreshments are provided. Informal games and social chit-chat regularly take place and community services help / advice can be provided – including finding our more information about local volunteering opportunities, through our volunteering coordinator:
YOUR ODD JOBS COMPLETED BY VAEF’S TRUSTED HANDY PERSON
Do you have jobs at home you are unable to manage?
Are you over 60, disabled or in receipt of benefits?
VAEF can help!
Fitting grab rails and key safes, door chains and extra locks, securing carpets, changing light bulbs,
hanging pictures, curtains, fitting toilet seats, building flatpack furniture and much more!
If you are in doubt, give us a call and ask if we are able to assist you.
As a charity we can provide Reasonable and Competitive Rates
Our friendly team are experienced and police checked.
Call 01992 910 701 or 07529 222862
email admin@vaef.org.uk
for a quote
Foodbank Benefits Guidance
Launched in November 2023, VAEF are working alongside Epping Forest Foodbank – offering benefits guidance and impartial, confidential advice to those accessing Epping Forest Foodbanks (part of the Trussell Trust network).
What we do:
We can assist with benefit advice/application forms and are able to refer and signpost on issues relating to improving your personal circumstances. Clients can visit one of our centres on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday, here they will receive not only 3 days of food but also signposting and benefits support.
Statistics:
Between launch in November 2023 and March 2025, VAEF/Foodbank Benefits Advice service has advised and supported 367 Epping Forest Foodbank support users whereby £396,090 has been awarded [in annual benefits including Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, energy support, along with other utility caps, housing, consumer supplies via charities etc] following the assistance from VAEF/Foodbank Benefits Advice.
In addition debt referrals, amounting to £390,816, have been referred for management and in some cases have included ceasing court orders and subsequent evictions.
(These figures are not yet a complete picture of monies as some cases are ongoing plus figures of avoiding homelessness and the potential long-term cost to a service user long-term is unknown and is not included).
These benefits would have remained unclaimed and debts not dealt with, without our assistance.
Epping Forest Foodbank Centres where Benefits Guidance takes place:
TUESDAY
10am-12pm
Epping Community Hub, Civic offices, 323 High St, Epping CM16 4BZ
WEDNESDAY
10am – 12pm
St Mary’s Church, The Hope Centre, 201 High Road, Loughton IG10 1BB
THURSDAY
2pm – 3:30pm
Hazelwood Children’s Centre, Hillhouse Primary School, Waltham Abbey EN9 3EL
SATURDAY
10am – 12pm
Trinity Methodist Church, Mannock Drive, Loughton IG10 2JD
Working in Partnership
Volunteer Essex Epping Forest a project of Voluntary Action Epping Forest
For Epping Forest District contact VAEF’s Volunteer Coordinator
Telephone: 07443 264422
Email: volunteering@vaef.org.uk
Facebook: @vaef01
The Volunteer Centre Epping operates: 9:30am – 5 pm Monday to Tuesday
Please note the Harlow Volunteer Centre is unable to assist you at present due to closing on 31 March 2025. It is very much hoped we will be able to resume services again soon.
Thinking about Volunteering?
Volunteer Centre Harlow is a local voluntary project existing to promote and support volunteering. The Volunteer Centre actively recruits potential volunteers from all sections of the community and places them with local voluntary organisations who are seeking volunteers to help with their work.
We are an equal opportunities project and believe that everyone has the right to volunteer without discrimination. We have information on a great deal of voluntary opportunities available in Harlow and new opportunities arrive daily. Volunteers are needed for a wide range of roles, go to the ‘I want to Volunteer’ tab to find out what opportunities are currently available.
Volunteer Centre Harlow offers support and information to voluntary groups working with or thinking of involving volunteers. This support also enables us to help promote good practice in working with volunteers and advocate the rights and responsibilities of volunteers.