Essex County Council

Marley Karazimba has been on an incredible journey since beginning the Extraordinary Essex Art Commission last year 🌾 Explore the land based, food focused growing projects across Essex, from regenerative agriculture at Bennison Farm to innovative psychotherapy practices at Together We Grow CIC. Marley's blog delves into the rich history and modern practices of Essex's farming communities 📖 Read the blog to celebrate the incredible work being done to promote sustainability and community wellbeing 💚 #PeopleMakeUs

Last week, Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Cabinet Office Parliamentary Secretary Minister Georgia Gould MP, visited County Hall to see the impactful work being done across the county. They were welcomed by Leader Cllr Kevin Bentley, Cllr John Spence, Executive Director Tom Walker, and other council officers and partners. The visit highlighted how government funding is benefiting Essex residents through national programmes like 'Test, Learn and Grow' and 'Changing Futures'. Essex was recently chosen as one of four areas for the early wave of this work, in collaboration with the Local Government Association (LGA). Updates were shared on the Test, Learn and Grow programme on Temporary Accommodation, with partners including Colchester City Council, Colchester Borough Homes, and the University of Essex. The Changing Futures programme, which received £2.8 million in 2021, aims to improve outcomes for adults facing multiple disadvantages such as homelessness, substance misuse, mental health issues, and more. Partners like Phoenix Futures, Open Road Employment Service, and The East of England Probation Service spoke about the positive impact these programmes have had on individuals in need.

Exciting news for businesses! Our Targeted Employment Team is launching something big! The Bridge is a free matching service designed to connect your business with Education 🌟 You’ll be able to: build talent pipelines with Workplace Experiences ✅ explore Accessible Apprenticeships ✅ create inclusive opportunities for all ✅ To find out more, visit: https://lnkd.in/enCEXXyK

A huge congratulations to our newly accredited colleagues 🎉 Last November, fourteen of our wonderful colleagues had the opportunity to complete the Carbon Literacy “Train-the-Trainer” course. The course will enable colleagues to become qualified facilitators and deliver Carbon Literacy training to other colleagues across the organisation. Designed by the Carbon Literacy Trust, the Carbon Literacy training course enables colleagues to broaden their knowledge on climate change and how we can take action to reduce it whilst at home or at work 🌎 Ariel, one of our first employees to have achieved the Train-the-Trainer professional accreditation, said “There is a really strong momentum around Carbon Literacy at Essex County Council, and I feel proud to be part of that movement. “Reducing carbon is critical to slow the impacts of climate change, and raising awareness of actions which we can all take plays a vital role. I look forward to feeling a strong sense of accomplishment in helping other colleagues to further develop their knowledge of climate action and how we can best support our communities as we transition to a net zero county.” We look forward to sharing with you further updates from our new trainers over the next year!

Multiply offers free maths courses for adults aged 19 and over. The courses have been designed to align with real-world business needs. Through Multiply, local businesses can access free training so your employees can gain the skills they need to perform their best at work. To find a free course, visit the Essex Opportunities website.

Don’t forget to have your say on the new Essex Air Quality Strategy. Councils in Essex, Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Council have developed the new joint strategy to help reduce our exposure to air pollution and its impacts on our health. Share your views before the public consultation closes on Sunday 2 March 2025. To find out more and have your say, please visit: https://lnkd.in/eUd-3F3q

Happy Lunar New Year! 🎉 As we welcome the Year of the Snake, let’s embrace the qualities of wisdom, intuition, and transformation 🐍 Wishing all our employees and their families a prosperous and joyful Lunar New Year! 💫

Mark your calendars 📆 We're delighted that at Hylands House on Thursday 13 March we'll be hosting the first ever Essex Build event 🛠 The event will bring together Tier 1 and 2 contractors, specialist sub-contractors, Contech developers, suppliers and more. It'll showcase the exciting innovation happening in the construction sector in Essex 💪 Don’t miss this opportunity to make connections, meet potential new clients and connect with like minded business people in Essex. Sign up to join the event now, visit: https://lnkd.in/ejJKggTh

Power Your Business with Solar Together! ☀️ Small businesses, it's time to take control of your energy costs! Join the Solar Together group-buying initiative to get high-quality solar panels, battery storage, and EV charging points at competitive prices. Generate your own clean energy and store unused power for later use 🔋 Register today for free and receive a personal recommendation with no obligation to proceed. Register today, at: https://lnkd.in/dgTYj7a6 #SolarTogetherEssex

Sponsor the Essex Teaching Awards and receive a year of promotion for your business 👨💼 Are you looking to elevate your brand’s visibility and make a meaningful impact in the education sector? The Essex Teaching Awards offer a unique chance to do just that! 👍 We're excited to announce five exclusive sponsorship opportunities that will provide advertising for your business over the course of a year to Essex residents. To find out more, visit: https://lnkd.in/dcJqVxg9