poem

Photo: C. Jones

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Royalty

The Essential Living Fund has replaced both Crisis Loans and Community Care Grants. The Essential Living Fund may be able to provide you with essential items in an emergency such as: • Furniture and furnishings • White goods • Household equipment • Fuel costs for pay as you go meters • Clothing and footwear • General living expenses • The Essential Living Fund is operated as a grant system and if awarded, it will be paid by goods or vouchers. To be considered for support you must be: Aged 16 or over, in receipt of state benefits or on a low income and permanently live in Essex. The Essential Living Fund is run by Essex County Council and individual applications are administered by Southend-On-Sea Borough Council for the whole of Essex.— www.southend.gov.uk/extra-financial-help/essential-livingfund For General Living expenses (e.g. groceries, nappies, toiletries, and fuel) apply by calling 0300 7900124 between 8:45am Such a sad time we’ve had, as the UK as a whole, – 5:15pm. With the sad passing of our Queen affecting so many and leaving it’s toll. Her 70 year reign, being a constant in so many of our lives, The likes of which has been an example to how a monarchy should thrive. Will that continue with the new King, that’s been ordained, Or will status of the royal family now never be quite the same? For me, I’ve grown up reading and watching people ridicule Price Charles, as he was known, Now all of a sudden, I’m supposed to revere this man,, as he takes the thrown. There once was a time when a King would command respect and the loyalties of his charge without exception, Surely now that’s so far in the past, what role will he have in a time when so many have a different perception? Can the royals ever recapture the hearts of a nation that’s changing so fast, Will that instant air of respect be claimed that was so dominant in the past? I guess time will tell, though I’m sure it can never be quite the same, Sadly people have simply moved on and now see the royals as just as someone with fame. A dysfunctional family that’s let far too many secrets slip, Now wallowing in it’s own scandals as the poison pens drip. Maybe I am wrong and if so I will shout it out loud, As when we were under Queen Elizabeth, I used to always feel proud.

Source: Andy—resident poet

Sessions are run by Voluntary Action Epping Forest (VAEF) and MIND in West Essex with the aim of helping local people improve their digital skills so they can access online banking, email friends and family, make health appointments and much more. The sessions take place every Thursday between 9.30 and 12.30 at the Community Hub located at Epping Forest District Council Civic Offices in Epping. Already the team has helped many people with issues such as how to apply for a blue badge and one man who as a street musician needed to apply for a busker’s licence but had no computer. Chris Seaman, one of the tutors helped an elderly woman on a fixed income to reduce her energy bills. He said: “She came in quite distraught following her latest quarterly energy bill, as it was considerably higher than ever before.” With the help of Citizens Advice who are located in the Epping Hub he was able to contact the energy company’s customer service team and discovered the bill had been estimated. Although the lady is not computer literate and does not have a bank account, she had impeccable records and I was able to sit with her and act as a mediator to help resolve this issue on her behalf. Afterwards the grateful lady praised the support she had received, saying she was surprised at the quality of the support available, and was incredibly grateful that such a service was there for people like herself without any digital skills. Drop in sessions are held weekly every Thursday at the Epping Forest District Council Civic offices where people can come along and request help with no appointment needed. Being in the Community Hub benefits the numerous organisations present, as many of their clients/customers require assistance filling out digital applications as well as other digital support needs. The types of digital support available includes:

• Completing online forms. • Online shopping. • Social media and communications (Email & videocalling applications). • Managing health appointments. • Account creating and password recovery • Teaching how to use new/unfamiliar devices. (Phones, tablets & laptops). • Disabled parking (Blue badge) applications. • Financial budgeting tools. • Banking and financial applications. • Reducing energy Bills & Financial/budgeting tools.

For more information contact: Chris at Email Communityhub@vaef.org.uk or Call 07529 222655 Phoenix Boreham at Email pboreham@mindinwestessex.org.uk or Call 07549 034142