City of Chelmsford Mencap is an independent local charity providing services for people with a learning disability across mid-Essex, ensuring they receive care and support to live life to the full.
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News
Re-opening of The Outreach Academy
CCM is making plans to re-open The Outreach Academy in September.
As infection rates are rising, CCM has been advised by Public Health England to open at its 'Critical Tier', providing places for those students with the highest needs. Places are limited to eight per day.
Mencap Centre will be open four days per week from Tuesday 22nd September.
The Virtual Academy will continue five days a week so that students continue to receive their full timetable.
As many of you are aware, we have already completed some structural changes to Mencap Centre, with more planned. We are also investing in infection prevention and control resources to ensure we minimise the risk of viral transmission as much as possible and all staff and volunteers are updating their training in infection prevention and COVID-19 protocols.
The creativity, collaboration and collective wonderfulness shown by students, carers, staff and volunteers over the past few months have made the Virtual Academy a triumph, and we know that together we can achieve the same with our blended provision!
Queen's Award for Voluntary Service
In June, City of Chelmsford Mencap was delighted to be honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK and known as ‘the MBE for volunteer groups’.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation.
The award particularly recognises CCM’s strong volunteer ethos; a network of 45 unpaid volunteers is essential to the smooth running of everything our charity undertakes. This can-do approach has enabled CCM to move all its services online – and at speed – during the current pandemic and we are very grateful for everything our amazing team of staff, trustees, tutors and volunteers has achieved to ensure we can continue to meet the needs of our members.
CCM will receive the award from Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst, Lord Lieutenant of Essex at a ceremony later this year. We will also be presented with a certificate signed by Her Majesty The Queen.
This is a very significant moment in the history of CCM. As we think about the importance of volunteering in our development, it’s an ideal time to remember and thank all our former volunteers. They have been instrumental in developing the approach of welcoming, recognising and celebrating our volunteers which is being honoured today. This award is as much for them and we will always be grateful for their service to the charity.