Welcome to the Weekly Update! We are a creative bunch here at the College. We recognise that being creative and doing a crafty course is a good wellbeing tool. It is great way to connect with others, focus your mind and develop your artistic skill. With this in mind we are really pleased to be able to use Everybody Arts (previously called Artworks) in Calderdale as a main venue for our creative courses next year. It’s a great space to rub shoulders with the artistic community and others who may be at the start of their creative journey. You can find out more about Everybody Arts here.

Please book onto our courses for the New Year  (see below) including Lino Printing at Everybody Arts starting in January with our ever popular James (Peer Worker).

As we mentioned we are creative bunch you might want to read this article from Huddersfield Hub about one of our new Peer Workers, Ali. Ali has been with us as learner, a facilitator and now a Peer Worker! She is also setting up her own business. You can see Ali on the BBC show Make it to Market. Available on the iPlayer series 2 episode 6.

Come and work for us…

We are pleased to announce we have two new full time positions available at the College: Recovery Coaches – Who facilitate and co-produce courses at the Recovery College. Full time, permanent x 2 posts – Working in Kirklees

Salary: £28,407 to £34,581 a year (band 5) Closing date: 11^th December Interviews: 20th December

Click the link to find out more and apply: Recovery Coach –  C9378-CK1835

Please spread the word!

For an informal discussion contact:

Matt Ellis – Principal: Matt.ellis@swyt.nhs.uk

 

Hope Street Resource Centre is closing at the end of the year so we will be running courses in different venues in and around Halifax and Calderdale. More details to follow!

There are still a few places remaining on our courses up to December and lots of new courses to book onto in 2024. So do have a look at our current timetable to find out more. Just click on the icon below:

 

 

In case you missed it last week click here for our Keeping Connected Newsletter:

Keeping Connected December 2023

College Courses on offer:

 

We understand that anxiety can be very distressing but you can move forward with a bit of support and understanding. Remember if you are struggling with anxiety and that is stopping you getting to a course, please do call us so we can look out for you and give you an extra warm welcome!

Last chance book now…

Calming Christmas Crafts – Venue in Holmfirth, evening workshop

Holmfirth Tech, 140 Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth, HD9 3AR

Wednesday 13th December 6-8.30pm

Join our lovely Peer Worker, Laura in the art of paper folding, whilst learning about the beneficial practice of mindfulness. In this brand-new, one-off workshop, designed to bring festive cheer and inner peace, we will be introduced to the science of mindfulness, take some collective deep breaths, then apply our learning to crafting decorative Origami Stars and Magazine Trees. Focusing on a repetitive engaging activity is a very powerful tool to calm the body and mind, as we focus on the now, and let go of any worrisome thoughts for a few hours.

A warm drink and mince pies will be available at this festive evening session – the perfect start to a delightful December!

Calming Christmas Crafts

 

Managing OCD

St Thomas Road, Huddersfield HD1 3LT

Tuesday 9th January 12.30-2.30pm (1week) 

Join us for this learning seminar as we develop knowledge and awareness of OCD, how OCD affects people and most importantly what we can do to manage it. The session will introduce proven, self-help techniques to teach you the skills to manage your own symptoms and become your own therapist. Delivered by our partners Kirklees Talking Therapies service, this learning seminar will be facilitated by two friendly psychological wellbeing practitioners.

Managing OCD – Online

 

BRAND NEW…

Knitting for Wellbeing (Intermediate)

Kirklees Recovery & Wellbeing College, Pathways, Nettleton Rd, Mirfield, WF14 9AQ

Tuesday 9th January 10am-12pm (4 weeks)

This new course is designed for learners who have previously completed the Knitting for Wellbeing (beginners) course or for those who have some experience of knitting but would like to gain more confidence and expand their knowledge.  Over four sessions, with help from friendly facilitator, Yvonne from Kirklees Success Centre, we will further develop our knitting skills and become more self-assured with needles and yarn, in a pleasant and welcoming setting alongside other learners.  All equipment provided.

Please note that due to funding from Kirklees Success Centre, priority will be given to those living in Kirklees.

Knitting for Wellbeing (Intermediate)

 

Weight Off Your Mind

Online

Monday 15th January 10.00am-12.00pm (1 week)

In this supportive workshop, Caroline from Kirklees Success Centre will help us understand why we may sometimes turn to binge eating, and eating for comfort, when facing challenging emotions.  Together, we will learn tools to help us gain control over this type of eating by changing our mindset and building motivation for positive change. The activities in this workshop are designed to help us gain control over what we eat, instead of the desire to eat controlling us!

Please bring a favourite drink or snack to the session for one of the activities – this can be anything, but preferably something you consider a treat.

Please note this session is not suitable for anyone currently experiencing anorexia or bulimia, nor anyone recovering from these issues.

Weight Off Your Mind – Kirklees residents

 

Rooting into Place

Brian Jackson House, New North Parade, Huddersfield, HD1 5JP

Monday 15th January 10.00am-12.00pm (4 weeks)

Come along and join us for this amazing four week creative course where, together we will explore what it means to connect to a place – and ourselves.  Through stories, folklore, art, foraging and a variety of other means we hope to create a sense of belonging and a more meaningful relationship with the place we call home, our wider community and the landscape.  Throughout this course and with the help and support of our wonderful Peer Worker, Hannah-May, we will learn about long-forgotten myths and folklore, identify locally grown plants and their many uses and beneficial qualities, produce our own inks and paints using natural resources such as earth and rock and use these to create our own colourful, expressive story through mark making and mindful drawing activities.

To discover the inspiration for this course, please read Hannah-May’s blog here: In Search of Roots – Calderdale and Kirklees Recovery College (calderdalekirkleesrc.nhs.uk)

Rooting into Place

Online Introduction to the Recovery College – for Professionals

Online

Wednesday 17th January 10am-11am (1 weeks)

Are you a Social Prescriber?  Do you work in a health or social care setting?  Do you provide support to someone living with mental health issues? If so, this informal introductory session will provide you with useful information about the Recovery & Wellbeing College and how it can help the people you work with.  You will hear first hand, from some of our wonderful volunteers how attending the Recovery & Wellbeing College has positively impacted on their lives.  So join us and discover how to help others to live life well.

Online Introduction to the Recovery College

Confidence to Work

Kirklees Recovery College, Kirklees Recovery & Wellbeing College, Pathways, Nettleton Rd, Mirfield, WF14 9AQ

Tuesday 23rd January 1pm-3pm (6 weeks)

Whether you are new to the employment market, thinking of returning to work, looking for a different opportunity or considering volunteering, this helpful and constructive six-week course is designed to help build confidence and provide all the tools we need to help us into the workplace. Delivered by the ever lovely Karl at The Richmond Fellowship this course will provide tips for the application process, teach CV writing skills, interview preparation and how to disclose a mental health issue or disability.

Please note this course is only open to Kirklees residents.

Confidence to Work – RWC Kirklees

Brand new course at Everybody Arts (Artworks)

Lino Printing

Everybody Arts (formerly Artworks), Shaw Lodge Mills, Shaw Lane, Halifax, HX3 9ET

Wednesday 24th January 12pm-2.30pm (4 weeks)

This is great opportunity to come to our new Creative hub at Everybody Arts. Join us for this fun, four-week course where together we will explore multi-layered block printing.  Alongside, a couple of our wonderful friendly volunteers, you will have the opportunity to design and carve multiple printing blocks using lino, which can then be layered to create beautiful multi-coloured prints. With access to a variety of tools and materials, you will learn different techniques and methods in a relaxed and informal environment.

Lino Printing – Everybody Arts Calderdale

 

Please remember that if you are already enrolled with the College, there is no need to enrol again.  Just get in touch via your learner portal, email or telephone to book on your chosen course or workshop.

Email: ckrecovery.wellbeing@swyt.nhs.uk or Telephone: 07717 867911

If you are new to the College please enrol here

 

Covid rates are rising and very high at the moment. Please don’t spread your germs if you have any symptoms remember to stay at home! Thanks

 

Other Community Offers:

 

Beat loneliness during the holidays

Do you find the festive season challenging or lonely?

Take a break from the noise and chaos of Christmas and join WEA tutor Jane Williams for a trio of charming and FREE online courses over the holiday season.

Whether you try one or all:

Mythology of the winter sky

When: 21/12/23 Time: 5:00pm – 6:30pm
Course code: Q00012522
Cost: Free

The 12 lunches of Christmas

When: 25/12/23 Time: 5:00pm – 6:30pm
Course code: Q00012529
Cost: Free

Garden birds at Christmas
When: 26/12/23 Time: 5:00pm – 6:30pm
Course code: Q00012524
Cost: Free

call 01332 002193

 

Myths & Realities of Self-harm

FREE Battle Scars Webinar the ‘Myths & Realities of Self-harm’  is at 1pm on Wednesday 13^th December – we’re expecting bookings to sell very quickly, so here’s the link to Eventbrite:

Battle Scars Free Webinar The Myths and Realities of Self-harm Tickets, Wed 13 Dec 2023 at 13:00 | Eventbrite

Warm Spaces Calderdale – We want to hear your views

Leeds Beckett University and Calderdale Council are working together to find out what worked well (or what could work better) with warm spaces across the Calderdale area. To do this, we want to hear your views as a member of the public in Calderdale who might have experiences or views about warm spaces.

• Who used or did not use a warm space
• What would encourage or stop someone using them
• Who might use a warm space in the future

If you would like to share your views, you can access the survey by scanning the QR code

The link to the survey can be found here  https://leedsbeckettmhr.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_51445qw5Ojj26iy

 

Winter doesn’t have to be lonely.

That’s the message of this year’s Great Winter Get Together, but what do we mean by loneliness? And how can we alleviate it? These are all questions which our series of Great Winter Get Together webinars seek to answer. This is the last webinar:

• 13 December – How can we create places for connection: Great Winter Get Together events act as places where people can find meaningful connection. Join experts from Warm Welcome, the Connection Coalition and Chatty Cafe Scheme to discuss how we can organise events so that they support people to connect with each other.

Spaces  are limited and we expect them to sell out, so sign up now for your free spot.

Book here

 

Free Annual Health Checks

Did you know you are entitled to a free Annual Health Check if you have a diagnosis of Schizophrenia, Bi-Polar Disorder or Psychosis?

Prevention is better than cure and a health check can be a good way to avert any potential health problems from developing.

However, the uptake of a free health check is very low, meaning that many people could be facing serious health issues without even realising it.

We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas to help encourage the residents of Calderdale to book a health check appointment with their GP Practise.

This could include sharing your experience of attending a health check, attending meetings, workshops, and training events. This work could literally save lives.

If you can help, please call or email the College for more information. You could literally be a life saver!

 

Invictus Wellbeing Drop-in for young people in Calderdale

Edshift, 7 Harrison Road, Halifax, HX1 2AF

EXCITING NEWS!  New drop-in and peer support groups in Halifax will be running every Tuesday from 5-6pm for 14-17s & 6-7pm for 18-25s and are completely free.

These will be confidential safe spaces for any young person needing support. No need for a referral, you can just turn up and meet the friendly staff.

For more info head to: https://www.invictuswellbeing.com/dropin

If you’re a parent or young person with any questions, you can also text Katie on 07734452169

 

Friendship Café, Mirfield

Feeling lonely or isolated? Need a bit of company? Why not join like-minded people at Mirfield Library once a month for a cuppa, a piece of cake and a good old chat?

First Friday of every month at Mirfield Library, 10.30am – 12pm.

https://www.facebook.com/DewsburySoroptimists

 

Healthy Minds, Calderdale

Healthy Minds offers a range of free support for anybody who lives or works in Calderdale. You don’t need to be referred, just get in touch with the relevant worker beforehand to join a group or activity.

Healthy Minds provides a range of services including drop-in sessions, peer support groups, Walks for Wellbeing and welfare rights information.

See their What’s On calendar for details of current groups and events. Information about how to join a group or session is included in individual event descriptions:

Healthy Minds What’s On Calendar

 

Cost of Living Information:

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

Free Community Christmas Day Dinner

Join us at the Longcauseway Church Dewsbury. This event is open to anyone

Book on by calling 07398 735530 or visit our Units 34-34a Cloth Hall Street, Crackenedge Lane, Dewsbury WF13 1QE

 

Follow us on our socials here:

Facebook

Instagram

We hope you have a great weekend 🙂

The Recovery & Wellbeing College Team

ckrecovery.wellbeing@swyt.nhs.uk

 07717 867911