Stay safe this Winter

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service are urging people to take simple steps to protect themselves from accidental fires and carbon monoxide poisoning while keeping warm and cutting energy use this winter. The call comes following concerns from the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) that the cost of living rise will mean people could turn to alternative ways of heating and lighting their homes. For people most at risk of fire or with concerns about fire safety in their home, we offer a free home fire safety visit. You can book a visit for yourself or for someone you know at: www.essex-fire.gov.uk/book or by calling 0300 303 0088. To help keep you safe: • Check any heating appliances are in good working order and not subject to a product recall by checking the Office for Product Safety and Standards website for any alerts or recalls: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-for-productsafety-and-standards • Place flammable items like furniture and drying clothes well away from heaters and fires • Use the correct fuel for woodburning stoves and open fires – to reduce the risk of toxic fumes, chimney fires and carbon monoxide poisoning • Check your escape routes are clear from clutter and items like portable heaters are not blocking them • If possible, don’t skip servicing of boilers and gas appliances by a Gas Safe engineer to prevent gas leaks and CO poisoning. Landlords must arrange for an annual gas safety check in rented accommodation.

Crucial Crew 2022

More than 900 pupils from 21 schools across Epping Forest District took part in this year’s virtual Crucial Crew. Now in its 18th year the event aims to educate Year 6 children on child exploitation in its many forms before they take the big step into secondary school. The format involves watching a thoughtprovoking film followed by an interactive workshop looking at how young peoples’ decisions could change the outcome of the film’s story. Themes such as gang crime, grooming and County Lines drug activity were discussed to raise awareness of the wrong decisions being made in the film and highlighting the warning signs and how to stay safe. Cllr Aniket Patel, Cabinet Member for Wellbeing and Community Partnerships said: The Council is committed to supporting local children and young people to stay safe and well by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to make positive choices in life. It’s particularly encouraging that we have been able to continue Crucial Crew, albeit in a different format, for all this time, helping equip thousands of our young people for the challenges they face.

More than 160 local people turned out to support St Clare Hospice on Sunday 16th October 2022 to take part in the charity’s fourth annual Walking in Memory event – a 5k sponsored walk through the local, Essex countryside. The event has raised round £15,500 so far, with sponsorship money still coming in. Starting from the Hospice at 11am, the 5k walk wound through the local Hastingwood countryside, taking hundreds of people on a thoughtful journey as they gathered to remember lost loved ones. (from Bishop’s Stortford) who was walking in memory of his sonin-law Michael Deer, who was one of the first patients to be cared for on the Hospice’s Inpatient Unit not long after it was established in 2000. Mr Bliss completed the entire 5k course in just under 2 hours 30 minutes.

Mr Bliss commented, “It was a real challenge for me, as the furthest I had walked in the last 9 months before today was just 500 yards! I had been sponsored by my family and friends so was determined to take part. I aimed to do 2 miles, but ended up doing the whole walk with everyone’s support. I particularly want to thank Terry and James, the St Clare volunteers who walked the route with me – they were brilliant and I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Clare Morris, St Clare’s Challenges and Events Fundraiser, organised the event and said: “Seeing so many people gather to remember and celebrate the lives of family members, friends and loved ones was beautiful and touching. It really brought home the importance of community, and supporting each other when facing loss and bereavement – and what an honour it is to be able to host an event like Walking in Memory for the people of West Essex and East Herts.”

One of the highlights of the day was seeing “the sea of people in blue St Clare supporter t-shirts winding across the fields”, remarks Clare. “Walking in Memory was a pleasure to organise, and we’ll continue to host the event annually as part of our mission to support local people facing death, dying and bereavement, in any way we can.” The oldest participant on the day was 89 year old Hugh Bliss Walking in Memory meant so much more than the event itself –with participants’ tickets and sponsorship money totalling around £15,500 in vital funding for the Hospice. That is enough to fund more than 800 counselling sessions for bereaved family members or friends, delivered by a qualified counsellor.