Main content
Update: Due to the recent Government restrictions regarding social gatherings, some events have changed.
Update: Thursday 10 September 2020
The Community Information Markets will now be postponed to a later date.
Epping Forest District Council is always committed to providing and delivering the best service for the community ensuring the wellbeing of residents at all times.
Organised activities will still take place during this festival on the days and times scheduled, with social distancing measures firmly in place.
Original: Better Health Festival
Join the Community, Culture and Wellbeing team for a celebration of health and wellbeing with physical and creative activities for all ages.
The festival runs from Monday 14 to Sunday 20 September and takes place in Waltham Abbey and Ongar, with a variety of online and socially distanced activities.
You will have the opportunity to be involved with different activities; given the chance to speak to professional health and fitness advisors from various organisations; and see how you can get involved with your community.
What’s on
The programme includes online and live workshops; tasters for walking football, fitness and seated dance classes; craft and cultural workshops; and community engagement/involvement pledges.
Download the Better Health Festival flyer (JPEG 137KB)
Download the timetables for each location
- Better Health Festival – Ongar (PDF 689KB)
- Better Health Festival – Waltham Abbey (PDF 772KB)
The Community Information Markets have been postponed until further notice, due to the recent government guidelines on social distancing.
Better Health Campaign
The festival is part of the Better Health Campaign from the Government and NHS.
The Better Health website includes a ranges of apps, tools and information on improving and maintaining all aspects of your health.
Part of the community
Our Community, Culture and Wellbeing (CCW) team spent time speaking to residents in Waltham Abbey and Ongar to understand how people’s mental and physical health was affected during lockdown.
This is what mattered the most to those they spoke to:
- Positive activities – physical and cultural
- Being part of the community
- A better environment
- Improved mental health
Councillor Holly Whitbread, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Service said:
This festival will be the perfect mix of physical, creative and mindful activities with advice and tips of how to look after your health.
2020 has been a challenging year so far, for everyone and it means that now, more than ever it is so important we look after our own mental and physical health and each other.
Working in partnership
CCW is working with many partners across the district for the Better Health Festival and to help address what matters to the community, and the issues raised during the consultation with residents.
Thank you to:
- Abbey Performing Arts
- Alzheimer’s Society
- Community Safety Team
- Epping Forest Community Police
- Essex Youth Service
- Home Start
- Ongar Town Council
- Red Balloon Foundation
- Voluntary Action Epping Forest
- Waltham Abbey Leisure Centre – part of Places for People
- Waltham Abbey Town Council
- WAY 2000
- West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group
For more information about the festival email Patrick Arnold, Senior Community Engagement Assistant parnold@eppingforestdc.gov.uk for further information.
Keep up to date
Keep in touch with our latest news, service updates and reports.