Essex
With 1.5 million residents, Essex is the second most populous county in England.
As a place to live, Essex is one of those rare places that offers something for everyone.
Miles of beautiful coastline dotted with seaside resorts. There’s rural living in the villages and huge expanses of countryside, with the bright lights of London within easy reach (about a third of a million live on the border within an area of 40 square miles).
Things to do and see
You’re never stuck for things to do and see in Essex. From museums, historic sites, stately homes and nature reserves, to coffee shops, shopping, gigs and theatre. There are lots of festivals and cultural events and plenty on offer for sports fans. Southend’s adventure island is the UK’s number 1 free admission fun park; you only pay for the rides and facilities you use. There is also the Sealife Adventure aquarium, displaying sea-life from all over the world.
Working for NELFT in Essex
Ever wondered what it’s like to work for NELFT within our Essex services? Take a look at the variety of career opportunities available, and why we love working in Essex.
The Coastline
350 miles of stunning coastline and huge skies. Estuaries, beaches, cliffs, wildlife and water sports – Essex has it all!
Seaside Resorts
Southend has had something of a revival in recent years, partly fuelled by people leaving the capital. You’ve also got traditional seaside resorts such as Clacton and Walton-on-the-Naze to ports like Brightlingsea and Maldon.
The Countryside
Some people don’t realise how much of Essex is rural; farming and agriculture are a big part of the local economy. You can enjoy the countryside for relaxation and escape – or more strenuous outdoor pursuits such as water-sports or other outdoor activities.
Family-Focus
Good schools and a great quality of life make Essex a big draw for families – the open space and coast make a great natural playground, with parkland, country trails and rockpools to enjoy.
With days out at Colchester Zoo, Colchester Castle, Chelmsford racecourse, Tiptree farm and so much more on your doorstep, there’s an exciting day out for children of all ages in Essex.
Essex and Thurrock Libraries officially joined The Library Consortium (TLC), a network of 18 library authorities across London and the South East. Joining the consortium means that Essex and Thurrock Library members will now be able to access an additional 6 million items of stock and use libraries in any of the other areas that are also part of the consortium.
Training Opportunities
Essex council launched the Health and Social Care Nightingale bursary to deliver training for staff currently working in the Health and Social Care sector. The project will support 195 existing Health and Care employees who are ineligible for apprenticeships or full government funding to access qualifications.
Housing
Essex has lots of different options for housing whether you’re looking to rent or buy. If you want to live urban, rural or coastal, there are options to suit budgets of all kinds and prices that compare well to other parts of the South East.
Transport Links
While many move to Essex for family reasons, a large portion of those who live in Essex are commuters. Escaping the hustle and bustle of London life and the lack of greenery, exchanging it for peace, quiet and lush countryside.
Essex has excellent transport links and is easily accessible from London by train (from London Liverpool Street, London Fenchurch Street and Stratford stations). As part of the new TfL Rail Shenfield and Brentwood offer, there are regular services directly to Central London and beyond.
A Major Transport Hub
The nationally important M11, M25, A12 and A120 run through the county, and major local roads (including the A13, A127, A130 and A414) provide good coverage. The county also contains two major ‘International Gateways’: the UK’s third busiest airport at Stansted; and Harwich International sea port which provides nationally important connections to Holland and Denmark. The Port of Tilbury and the new London Gateway port development are located in Thurrock and the Port of Felixstowe is nearby in Suffolk. Our urban transport networks generally provide good access to employment, education, retail and leisure opportunities. Major new transport infrastructure delivered as part of the previous Essex local transport plans, including the Chelmsford Park & Ride and First Avenue bus corridor in Harlow, have helped to substantially improve access, particularly for public transport.
Services/Teams in Essex – Basildon, Brentwood, Thurrock
- Southend, Essex and Thurrock Children’s and Adolescent Mental Health Service (SET CAMHS) -The service provides advice and support to children, young people and families who are in need of support with their emotional wellbeing or mental health difficulties. The service covers Southend, Essex and Thurrock and is open to young people between the ages of 0-18, or up to 25 for those with special educational needs.
- Brighter Futures -The new Thurrock 0-19 Brighter Futures Healthy Families Service is an integrated service encompassing Health Visiting, School Health (historically School Nursing), targeted support and a range of health interventions for children, young people and their families.
- The Eating Disorder Service (EDS) is also part of the Southend, Essex and Thurrock Children’s and Adolescent Mental Health Service (SET CAMHS) provided by North East London NHS Foundation Trust and is a specialist community service. Our service offers specialist care management, assessments and treatments, in line with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines, to children and young people with eating disorders. As well as working with individuals, we also work with families and carers to help them support the person they care for who has an eating disorder. The eating disorder service works closely with other NELFT services and inpatient services. This enables us to provide care that is tailored to the needs of the individual.
- A number of services for adults are also offered including Inpatient, Community and Specialist Services with roles covering nursing, AHP’s and support assistants.
- Adult Services are specifically delivered within the Basildon, Wickford, Billericay, Brentwood and Thurrock areas.