Weekly Update

Welcome to the weekly update. Today (6th February) is Time to Talk Day. It is the nation’s biggest mental health conversation. It’s a day for friends, families, communities and workplaces to come together to talk, listen and change lives. At our College, we absolutely cherish those moments when people come together and engage in conversations. It’s amazing how a simple “hello” can spark a connection, lead to unexpected friendships, and even make someone’s day a little brighter. You never know the impact a small gesture can have!

Curious to learn more about “Time to Talk” initiative? Click here for all the details!

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

In case you missed it you can view our February edition of Keeping Connected of 2025 here:

Keeping Connected February 2025

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!

 

Courses coming up soon…

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

Emotional Balance: Movement and Mood

Mirfield Community Centre, Water Royd Lane, Mirfield, WF14 9SG – Thursday 13 February 2025 10am – 12pm 1 week

We all know that exercise is great for our physical health, but did you know it can also significantly boost our mood? If you’re wondering where to start, join us for an engaging session where we’ll explore how exercise can enhance our ‘feel good factor’ and discover enjoyable ways to stay active. Learn about the science behind how physical activity can improve our emotional wellbeing and discover different types of exercise and find what you enjoy most. There will also be the opportunity to participate in small, gentle exercises to get a feel for different activities, so remember to dress comfortably!

Please wear loose, comfortable clothing during the session and you will be required to complete a health questionnaire before attending.

This session is part of an 8-part Emotional Balance Workshop series. Feel free to attend all sessions or choose the ones that best suit your needs and interests.

Emotional Balance – Movement and Mood

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 

 

Other Community Offers

CLEAR event- celebrating 10 incredible years- Wednesday 26 March

Brian Jackson House HD1 5JP – 11am – 4 pm

Together, we’ll take a heartfelt journey through the past decade—from our beginnings to where we are now. Through stories, images, film, and live performances, we’ll bring the journey to life.
If you know anyone who has used the CLEAR service over the years and might want to join the celebration, please let us know or feel free to invite them to the event. We’d also love to hear your memories, thoughts, or reflections. Whether you want to share your experiences or simply enjoy the day with us, we promise it will be a special occasion filled with nostalgia, connection, and inspiration for the future.
We can’t wait to see you there! Mark your calendar and save the date!

Kirklees smoker/ex-smokers survey – Healthwatch Kirklees and Healthwatch Calderdale

Share your real-life experiences and opinions to shape the future of support for those on their journey to quit! Kirklees Council is re-designing its Stop Smoking Service and your feedback is crucial.
Whether you’re currently smoking and don’t want to quit, have quit, or are considering quitting, your insights are invaluable. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness and death in England. In Kirklees, approximately 41,000 adults (12.5% of the population) smoke. We want to know smoker’s and ex-smokers opinions, experiences, and feedback to create a stop-smoking service that truly supports our community.
Complete our survey to help create a service that supports everyone on their smoke-free journey.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/smokersandquitters-em

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 –   12th February 10 am – 2 pm. Course code FL2425034

Dewsbury Town Hall WF12 8DG –  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

 

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:

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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