Food Banks

In order to get help from the food bank you will need to be referred with a voucher

How to get a food voucher?

Referral process

Each food bank works with different frontline professionals, such as doctors, health visitors, social workers and the Citizens Advice, who make the referrals to the food bank using a voucher.

The food bank and referral agency use the voucher to gather some basic information. This will help them to identify the cause of the crisis, offer practical guidance and prepare suitable emergency food.  

Using your voucher

Once you have been issued with a voucher, you can exchange this for a minimum of three days' emergency food at your nearest food bank centre.

Food Banks in the vicinity of great Wakering

Trussell Trust run 6 local food banks

Tel: 07456426203 who can advise you when they are open, their location and how to get ther.

Website https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/southend/ shows lots of information including full details of when they are open and maps 

How to apply for an allotment plot

The Parish Council Allotments can be found next to the Council Offices in Little Wakering Hall Lane. If you are interested in renting an allotment, please contact the Clerk to the Council Tel: 01702 219343, your name will be placed on the waiting list and you will be contacted when an allotment becomes free.

Information to aid local business 

Rochford District Council have a Business Network, details are on their website page http://www.rochford.gov.uk/business_and_licensing/business_support/rochford_business_network they issue a newsletter entitled Rochford District News about quarterly and issues can be accessed from the above page.

Business rates

Business rates are set by Government but there could be reliefs which might apply in certain circumstances. Businesses to refer to RDC. See Rochford District Matters Summer 2014 which are archived on Rochford’s website www.rochford.gov.uk.

How to cut your carbon Footprint

See http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Take-action/Reduce-your-carbon-footprint

Or http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z9rvvcw

Footpath Maps

Maps are available from the Parish Council Offices and the Village Library

RDC have arranged a Great Wakering Household Waste Collection Point

Three waste collection vehicles will be at Great Wakering Sports Centre Car Park, High Street, Great Wakering fortnightly on some Saturdays from 9am-12pm to collect non-recyclable, garden and bulky waste from Rochford District Residents.

The present (June 2015) arrangements are the 3rd Saturday of the month starting on 20th June 2015, however an end date is not known. Check our News items for more information. 

For details of items you can take see Household Waste Collection Leaflet_v3.pdf

Or news item 23/12/2014 on this web site.

Motor cycles on footpaths and green spaces, joy riders in recreation car park

Report to Police and obtain an incident number

To report excessive Outgrowth

To report Outgrowth which is obstructing views of traffic or blocking the footway report to  ECC Highways Tel: 0845 603 7631 http://www.essexhighways.org/Transport-and-Roads.aspx

To report Pot Holes in pavements or roads

Report to ECC Highways Tel: 0845 603 7631 http://www.essexhighways.org/Transport-and-Roads.aspx

Neighbourhood Watch

Call 01268 770519. 

If a group of people want to set up a new Neighbourhood Watch Scheme they should contact Neighbourhood Watch office at Essex Police Divisional Headquarters at Rayleigh to which all inquiries on this subject should be addressed. It is open Monday-Friday 10am-12 midday on 01268 770519. If they contact this number help is at hand.

All watch activities are now run principally by volunteers. There is a committee overseeing these activities.

NHS Direct

Telephone: 111

What does your Parish Council do?

For details see entry on the horizontal menu above entitled "Local Government"

“A council must do what the law requires it to do.

A council may do only what the law says it may do.

A council cannot do anything unless permitted by legislation.”

How to contact the Police

In emergency Telephone 999

Neighbourhood Policing

Steve JUDD - Police  Constable 917 - Hockley & Great Wakering NC Neighbourhood Policing Team Telephone: 101 (within Essex) Ext 490537
            0300 333 4444 outside of Essex) Ext 490537            Mob: 07710046161

email: steve.judd@essex.pnn.police.uk
email: HockleyNPT@essex.pnn.police.uk
email: WakeringNPT@essex.pnn.police.uk
Rayleigh Police Station, High Street, Rayleigh, Essex. SS67QB - open 0800-0000, every day.

You can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 .  

To find out what is happening in your neighbour-hood and all about your local neighbourhood policing team visit www.essex.police.uk/yourarea and enter your postcode.

In an emergency please dial 999, if your incident or crime has not happened recently and is not urgent please dial 101 or to speak with your local Neighbourhood Policing Team for advice (not to report crime) then please call our mobile phone 07710 046161 or email us at wakeringnpt@essex.pnn.police.uk

Police - New Initiatives – November 2014

The police will no longer be involved in the Neighbourhood Action Panel. They have introduced 2 new initiatives to ensure that the police keep in touch with the Community. 1st initiative is called ‘Local Community Meeting’ which it is intended to hold every 2 months. It will be chaired by a Police Officer. A member of the Neighbourhood Policing Team will be at the location to discuss any concerns or issues you may have. It will be short & to the point.

2^nd initiative is called ‘Street Meets’. The plan is these will happen weekly at various locations. They will be chaired by a PCSO. This format should ensure that a PCSO comes to the area regularly to liaise with the community. For  details see http://www.essex.police.uk/my_neighbourhood.aspx enter your postcode and you will be able to see on the events tab where and when the Police will be holding their meetings.

Periodically officers may get called away at short notice if an urgent operational need arises.

Police - Essex Community Messaging

Sign up for free to receive accurate and up-to-date community safety information and crime prevention advice to help keep your community safe.

Choose to receive these messages via email, text or voice-recording.

Select what information you would like to receive - based on where you live, work, go to school or socialise, or on issues in which you are interested.

Take an active role in helping to keep crime down in your community whilst keeping up to date with what's going on around you.

Visit www.essex.police.uk/ecm to sign up and to find out more. 

Wood burning

Some people find the emissions from some fossil fuels can irritate their lungs and cause other health problems.

A very useful leaflet has been produced by Environmental Protection UK entitled “Using Wood and Coal for Home Heating” at http://fs-drupal-rochford.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/environmental_coalfires.pdf.

It covers such topics as :

Solid Fuel Heating,

Types of Solid Fuel,

Solid Fuel Appliances,

Environmental Impact,

Smoke Control Areas, (Rochford District Council does not, at present, have any Smoke Control Areas).

How Can I Minimise Harmful Emissions When Burning Solid Fuel?

Carbon Monoxide,

Maintaining Solid Fuel Appliances,

Buying Solid Fuel and links to Further Information

Some extracts

“Burning waste in a solid fuel appliance can produce very high emissions of pollutants, potentially affecting the health of your own household and that of your neighbours. This includes waste wood; wood is often treated and burning this can release highly toxic chemicals (including heavy metals) into the air.”

“Ensure that your chimney is swept from top to bottom at least once a year”

“To reduce the amount of pollutants produced from burning solid fuel, make sure you maintain your appliance adequately and ensure fuel is clean and dry. Burning of wet fuel, such as unseasoned wood, will mean that the fuel will burn at a lower temperature and will result in higher levels of emissions, including dioxins, furans, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, particles, and nitrogen oxides. Burning contaminated fuel, such as painted or preserved wood, will also lead to higher emissions”