This is held on the first Monday of every month 11-1pm in St Nicholas Village Hall Tolleshunt Major. This is a confidential service, available to all who live and/or work in the four North Blackwater parishes (please see above).

Please contact Jo the Parish Nurse for an appointment on

Our Friendship cafe, available to all who live and/or work in the four North Blackwater parishes, is held on the second Monday of every month between 11-1pm; in the coffee point room at The Centre, Tollesbury
Congregational Church, East Street.

Our aim is to help reduce loneliness and isolation; to provide the opportunity to have some fun together, and to be afforded the opportunity for further Parish Nurse and Parish Nurse Assistant support as required.

If you would like to get out and meet people in a relaxed and informal environment please do join us. Carers and those worried about memory loss
are particularly welcome.

Sessions include joyful activities; singing, chatting, playing simple games together, and of course drinking tea/coffee and eating cake.

Jo Lacey, a Christian, who until recently has worked as a registered Specialist Community Public Health Nurse in the NHS and abroad for 30 years, is starting work locally as a Parish Nurse and leading the development of a parish nursing service.

Parish nursing values the integration of faith and health; providing confidential whole person-centred health care (spiritual, emotional, physical and mental health) to people of all ages, and of all faiths and none. Dependent upon where the need is greatest and referring on to community NHS and other services where necessary, the Parish Nurse role includes leading befriending events, providing confidential health and wellbeing drop-in sessions, and offering mental health-focused home support visits – within the North Blackwater Parishes of Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt D’Arcy, Tollesbury and Salcott-cum-Virley. 

Our 4 parish nurse assistants – Philippa Hobden, Lynda Sully, Mike Martin and Linda Towers – recently appointed, who have completed their induction and are ,safeguarding trained will support the Friendship Cafe. This is great news.

Our parish nursing service continues (as has been offered ongoing over the past year) short social distance walks; by appointment and in line with Covid-19 guidance. Walks are available on request on a one to one basis – to gain parish nurse support, to have a chat, and to enjoy and benefit from the great outdoors safely.