Welcome to the weekly update and the February edition of our monthly newsletter, Keeping Connected. In this months edition we say a fond farewell to our friend Daniel as he moves onto pastures new, find out how to get physically fit in 5 minutes or less, why good oral hygiene can help you keep healthy, and some inspirational poetry from one of our own.  Oh and some more ways we are celebrating our 10th year! Just click below:

Keeping Connected February 2025

Read on for the usual weekly update info with courses on offer, community info and much more…

Thank you for having a conversation with us

Thanks to everyone who kindly came to the Cuppa and Connect event at Mirfield on Monday! You gave us lots to think about! It was great to hear the positive impact the College has made to your lives. Thanks for sharing!

“..it changed my life”

“If I hadn’t found the college my depression would have continued to get worse. Coming here makes me less isolated and gave me some hope!”

“My first impression was of the lovely Sandra being so welcoming!”

Watch this space as we get more details of the next Cuppa and Connect events.

Get Involved in 10 Year Celebrations of the Recovery College through Fabric Art!

As part of marking our 10th anniversary this year we’re asking for YOUR help to create a community quilt! This is an opportunity for each of us to contribute to a shared piece of artwork, which will reflect our experiences and our creativity as a community, while celebrating 10 years of the College.

Could you make or decorate a simple fabric square reflecting the themes of Celebrating the College and what it Means to You and/or Creativity for Wellbeing? Help can be provided if you’re not sure how to do this – so please read on! The quilt will form a lasting memento of your participation in the College at this important 10-year milestone, so please do consider taking part.

You can contribute your square either by attending one of our fabric craft courses after Easter, or you can make your own square at home and then send or bring it in to us. Once we have lots of squares we’ll sew them together to make a commemorative quilt to be showcased as part of the WOVEN in Kirklees festival in June, as well as at various events into the future.

You don’t need fabric skills to get involved, just some scrap fabric and glue or paint – as long as you follow the instructions and make it to the correct size then your square can be included in the finished quilt. You can find out more and read the simple instructions for making your square here:

Get Involved in our 10 Year Celebrations through Fabric Art!

We can’t wait to see your squares and how they will all fit together as part of this creative, collaborative project! Thank you for your help!

 

Keeping Connected February 2025

Courses coming up soon…

Write Time for Wellbeing

Mirfield Community Centre, Water Royd Lane, Mirfield, WF14 9SG – Monday 3 February 2025 10am – 12.30pm 6 weeks

Come and join us on this popular writing course. During this enlightening course, delivered by the lovely, Heather from Kirklees Success Centre, you will have the opportunity to use a type of mindfulness, using writing to provide you with the space and time to reflect on your thoughts and feelings in the here and now. This can help to boost your mood, raise self-awareness and create feelings of calm and contentment. The activities you’ll learn will provide you with tools you can use to help you cope better with the stresses and challenges we face in life.

Write Time for Wellbeing

The Five Ways to Wellbeing

Media Centre, Huddersfield, 7 Northumberland Street, Huddersfield, HD1 1RL – Tuesday 4 February 2025 1pm – 3pm 2 weeks

oin us for this fab two-week course where, with the help and support of friendly facilitator, Karl from Waythrough we will explore all aspects of improving and maintaining our sense of wellbeing. Together we will discover practical ways to enhance our mood which can be used on a daily basis to help us feel well. We will learn about all the different ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ and how these can be incorporated into our lives.

The Five Ways to Wellbeing

Emotional Balance: Music & Mood

Mirfield Community Centre, Water Royd Lane, Mirfield, WF14 9SG – Thursday 6 February 2025 10am – 12pm 1 week

Join us for this brand-new, enlightening workshop where we delve into the transformative power of music. This session is designed to help us understand how music can be a magical tool used to enhance our sense of wellbeing. Throughout the course, we will explore the profound impact music has on our emotions and how it can be used to regulate and manage them in a positive way. We will, as a group with the help and support of our wonderful facilitators, Nicky, Joy and Ash discuss the emotional and psychological effects of music and how certain types can influence our mood and emotional state. We will reflect on our own experiences and share how music has impacted on our lives.

If you find this session beneficial, you may also be interested in our upcoming course My Music Journey starting later this term.

Emotional Balance – Music & Mood

Later in February…

The M Word: Menopause Awareness

Holmfirth Tech, 140 Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth, HD9 3AR – Tuesday 11 February 2025 10am – 12pm 1 week

This learning seminar will help you develop your knowledge and awareness of the menopause; the symptoms, how it may affect you and, most importantly what you can do to manage it. During this one-off workshop, delivered by a qualified Health & Wellbeing Practitioner and in partnership with Henpicked, we will discuss the perimenopause, post menopause and everything in between to help you on your own unique journey during this stage of life. Information will also be shared about how and where you can access support. This session is open to people of all genders to enable better understanding of the menopause and how to support those going through it.

The M Word: Menopause Awareness

The Masks We Wear

Project Colt, Elland, Halifax, Bridgefield Mills, Elland Bridge, Elland, Halifax HX5 0SQ – Wednesday 26 February 2025 10.00am-12.00pm 3 weeks

Mirfield Community Centre, Water Royd Lane, Mirfield, WF14 9SG – Wednesday 19 March 2025 10am-12pm 3 weeks

Join us on this three-week course where we will look at the concept of masks; the ones we wear physically and metaphorically and how we may hide our true selves from others. We’ll explore the history and human fascination with masks and how that translates to modern times. We will explore these themes using a variety of creative techniques and produce a wonderful mask for you to display at home. This course is delivered by our Creative Practitioner, Sara Rose. All materials provided and no previous experience is necessary.

The Masks We Wear

Recovery & Wellbeing College courses

Click the icon or link below for details of all our upcoming courses:

Click to book – View all courses – Calderdale and Kirklees Recovery College (calderdalekirkleesrc.nhs.uk)

Recovery & Wellbeing College – How to book your place

If you are already enrolled with the college, please email us to request a place on your chosen course(s) at:  ckrecovery.wellbeing@swyt.nhs.uk  or call us on: 07717 867911 or you can use your learner portal to express your interest.

Please wait for confirmation that you are booked onto a course before attending.

If you are new to the College please enrol here.

Learner Portal

If you have enrolled with us within the last 2 years or so you will have access to our learner portal. This makes booking onto courses even easier! You can request to book onto courses and see what course you have attended. Use the links below to the portal and our user guide.

Learner portal link

User guide 

Please bear with us!

We just wanted to let you know that, like everyone else, the Recovery College Team sometimes face illness and unexpected life events. This means our plans can occasionally go off track, and we might have to cancel, postpone, or change the courses you’ve signed up for. If you’ve been affected by any recent changes, like with our “Chess for Beginners” or “Anxiety & Stress Relief” courses, we are truly sorry. We always do our best to avoid these disruptions. The good news is that most of our courses aren’t one-offs, so they’ll likely run again in the future. We wanted to let you know that we really are grateful for your patience and understanding.

 

Other Community Offers

Welland Walks- Curious Motion- Elland- first Thursday of each month

Welland Walks are gentle and accessible walks for wellbeing, taking place monthly in Elland. An opportunity to come together with others and enjoy the wonderful benefits to our mood, sleep, and immune system that nature can offer. Each walk involves a short creative activity to explore our connection to the local landscape. Walks take place on the first Thursday of each month at 10am. We enjoy a route along the canal for around an hour, and start and finish at Project Colt on Elland Bridge. Children are welcome but remain the responsibility of their parent/ carer at all times.

Led by our fantastic Volunteer Walk Leader, Debbie, these are informal and restorative walks to help clear the mind and warm the body.

More details, contact and booking link at Welland Walks – Curious Motion

Third Sector Leaders Kirklees- volunteering roles

Whether you want to volunteer on a regular basis or now and again, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities available with Third Sector Leaders Kirklees. View their latest opportunities at the link below or use their site search options to find your ideal role. If you can’t find what you’re looking for or need some extra help, get in touch at this link https://tslkirklees.org.uk/volunteering-contact/

https://tslkirklees.org.uk/volunteering-roles/

Kirklees Libraries – MakerSpace survey

Kirklees Libraries are engaged in an exciting project to create two MakerSpaces within Dewsbury and Huddersfield Libraries.  MakerSpaces will provide a collaborative space for communities to come together to learn, share, explore, design and create. They will offer a wide variety of equipment, with everything from 3D printers and laser cutters to embroidery machines and woodworking tools, and much, much more.

They are carrying out a survey to ensure we hear the views of our community, to influence how we use our MakerSpaces, and to ensure they meet the needs of the people of Kirklees. We are particularly interested in hearing the views of small and startup businesses; artists, hobbyists and creatives; and families with children.

Kirklees Libraries would be very grateful if you would complete this online survey and share the link with your communities, customers and clients, so that they also have the opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions on this project.

https://online1.snapsurveys.com/makerspace

You can also browse Kirklees libraries events and groups at this link:  Kirklees Libraries Events

Kirklees Success Centre- Rise and Redefine

Are you ready to understand yourself better, overcome past challenges, and step into your full potential? Join Kirklees Success Centre’s 12 hour course.

Locations and dates:

The Glass Box, Huddersfield HD1 1RD –  5th and 12th February 10 am – 2 pm. Course code FL2425034

Dewsbury Town Hall WF12 8DG –  4th and 11th February 10 am – 2 pm. Course code FL2425035

Email success.centres@kirklees.gov.uk

 

Waythrough – Peer Support What’s On! January – March 2025

These activities are open to everyone aged 18 or over who lives in Kirklees and experiences mental
health issues, problems, or concerns. You do not need to be seeing an employment advisor to join.
Simply call the number below and ask for Karl Jackson-Lander, the Peer Support
Coordinator, who will assist you to fill out a short referral form so you can attend.

Activities include: Assertiveness and Communication, Stress Management, Self Esteem and Resilience, Ways to Wellbeing, Mood and Food. Just click on the link below for full details, dates and times.

What’s On – January – March 2025 (PDF, 168 KB)

For more information or to book a place please contact:
Karl Jackson-Lander on:
Mobile: 07909 993203
Email: Karl.Jackson-Lander@waythrough.org.uk

Proper Job: January- courses listing

Monday 3rd to Friday 7th February:

LAB Life

(Induction + 4 days, 10am-4pm)

A four-day course supporting your wellbeing during the cost of living crisis. Work with our tutors to explore and share techniques to live well and save money.

Friday 7th to Friday 14th February:

LAB Volunteering

(Induction + 5 days, 10am-4pm)

Develop your skills to be able to contribute to any organisation as a volunteer – on this course you will work on communication, assertiveness in the workplace and prioritisation. Transferrable skills which are great for employment, too!

Friday 14th February:

LAB Taster Session

(3 hours, 10am-1pm)

See our space, meet the team, and try out some activities before committing to a full course

Incentives:

Across all courses

Up to £5 per day reimbursed travel costs

PLUS

£5 voucher for each day of course completed (Up to £50 for learners completing LAB Project)

Eligibility:

Must have the right to live and work in the UK (or have been a resident for a minimum of 6 months)

For PACE: Must be over the age of 16

For LAB: Must be unemployed, low earning, seeking work, retired, off sick or economically inactive and  must be over the age of 19 (born on or before 31/08/2005)

Want to make a referral?

Get in touch!

Email: mollie@properjob.org.uk

Phone:

Office – 01484514687

Mollie – 07716639494

Cost of Living Information:

 

National Databank – Free SIMS for people on low incomes

Like a foodbank but for mobile data, the National Databank provides free mobile SIM cards for people who can’t access the internet. It is run by the Good Things Foundation but is partnered with O2.

To find out if you are eligible, please visit any O2 store. You can find your nearest store by clicking on the O2 website link below.

To find out more about the scheme, this is the O2 website link here: National Databank | Free Mobile Data, Minutes & Calls

You can also visit the Good Things Foundation here.

Good Food For All Kirklees- Interactive Map

Good Food For All Kirklees admin team have developed an interactive map with over 40 community food projects listed. So if you’re looking for local free or low-cost food please head over to  https://goodfoodforallkirklees.org.uk/food-projects-map/

Good Food For All Kirklees is a network of community groups, organisations, charities and individuals across the Kirklees district involved in helping meet the needs of our communities through projects and schemes that support access to sharing, cooking and growing good food. If you run a local project that shares food, runs cooking sessions and/or offer community-growing opportunities they would love you to join their network, or contact them.

 

Click the link below to find links to websites and workbooks that can provide help and advice with money, debt and the cost of living.

Cost of Living Information – Calderdale and Kirklees

Follow us on our socials here:

Facebook

Instagram

Have a great weekend

The Recovery & Wellbeing College Team

ckrecovery.wellbeing@swyt.nhs.uk

 07717 867911

Calderdale and Kirklees Recovery and Wellbeing College

Correspondence address:

Ravensleigh Resource Unit
28 Oxford Road
Dewsbury
WF13 4LL