WECAN – West Essex Community Action Network is a charitable consortium developed and managed by two of the leading voluntary sector organisations serving West Essex.
Our well-established relationship with our local communities as well as with local public sector and statutory organisations provides us with a sound platform upon which to build and strengthen not only the capacity but the reputation of the whole of the voluntary and community sector across West Essex.
Our Background
In 2013, an independently funded feasibility study looked at the potential for a better and more coordinated collaboration between the three West Essex infrastructure agencies – Rainbow Services (Harlow), Voluntary Action Epping Forest and the then CVS Uttlesford. The final report came up with a range of scenarios and recommendations to facilitate their inter-operability, including establishing a consortium, which informed the founding of WECAN.
In June 2016, the chief officers and chairs of the three organisations met to initially discuss the current situation with regard to Essex County Council’s likely restructuring and their financial support for infrastructure and development work. These discussions resulted in a commitment to move forward and create a formal West Essex company providing bigger and better opportunities for shared delivery across the three districts.
Today founding organisations Rainbow Services and Voluntary Action Epping Forest continue to lead WECAN.
Formed in 1999, originally as a service delivery organisation but acquired the support and development (infrastructure) function as part of its core business in 2006.
Unlike other CVSs, Rainbow Services (Harlow) is not a membership organisation but has initiated the local Voluntary Sector Forum to fulfil this aspect of the role.
Rainbow serves the population of Harlow which has large areas of deprivation, low levels of educational attainment and many health and mortality challenges which are similar to those experienced by some inner-city areas. Harlow is on the East Herts district border and, consequently, has many links into Hertfordshire, not least via patient flow into the local district general hospital.
Voluntary Action Epping Forest
The Epping Forest CVS was formed in 1993 and became VAEF in 2004. The organisation serves the Epping Forest district which is largely rural with 5 urban areas; Waltham Abbey, Epping, Chipping Ongar, Loughton and Buckhurst Hill. While relatively affluent, the district does have pockets of high deprivation. On the western edge of Essex, the district adjoins Harlow and Uttlesford to the north, Chelmsford and Brentwood boroughs to the east and the London boroughs of Redbridge and Havering to the south.