Weekly Update

Welcome to our weekly update!

Springtime courses now available to book!

It’s that time again when we reveal our upcoming course offer for our Kirklees venues. After a busy few weeks of planning and scheduling, all the Kirklees courses and workshops between Easter and May half term are now available to view on the website, and ready for you to book. There’s something for everyone, with some brand new courses as well as old favourites. New courses taking place in Calderdale will continue to be advertised throughout the spring. As always, courses can book up quickly so don’t hang around, and make sure you secure your place before they get filled!

There are still places left on courses that are coming up before Easter too. Why not get creative by printing your own design onto a tote bag in Dream Destinations, or by helping to make a stop motion video in Get Animated? You can learn How to Manage Stress, or if you’ve previously attended our Rooting Into Place course, you can delve further into the same topics in our follow up course, Deeper Roots. All these courses are starting soon, so now’s the time to book! These are just a few options, there’s loads more besides – you can see full details and find out more by clicking here:

Full course and workshop timetable

 

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

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!

 

Cuppa and Connect – Save the date!

Thursday 3rd April at Fresh Futures (AKA Brian Jackson Centre Huddersfield) 4pm 6pm

We are planning events for all our learners in 2025 to connect in different venues across Calderdale and Kirklees.

This will be chance to chat with staff, volunteers  and other leaners and be part of celebrating 10 years of the Recovery and Wellbeing College. We want to have more conversations with you to help us shape the college.

Watch this space for more info!

 

Magazines Needed!

At the Recovery College, our creative projects often require various craft materials. If you have any magazines you no longer need, we would greatly appreciate your donation! Please bring them to your next course at Mirfield Community Centre. Thank you for your support.

 

Recovery & Wellbeing College courses

Courses coming up soon…

Living Well with Depression

Folly Hall, Huddersfield, St Thomas Road, Huddersfield HD1 3LT – Monday 24 February 2025 1pm – 3.30pm 6 weeks

Sometimes the simplest things can be the hardest. Minor tasks such as getting out of bed, answering the phone, making decisions, can all take major effort. With Depression, things that were once easy, become complicated and everyday becomes exhausting.

On this brand-new course, developed and delivered by Recovery College staff who have lived experience of this condition, we will share useful tips and provide practical information that will enable us to better manage symptoms as well as offering a different perspective on Depression.

Within this course we will invite people to explore a range of strategies that can be used to manage the symptoms of depression, including Mindfulness, Breathing, Bodywork and Creativity

Living Well with Depression

Get Animated: Stop Motion

Holmfirth Tech, 140 Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth, HD9 3AR – Friday 28 February 2025 2 – 4.30pm 6 weeks

Join us, as together we learn about the fun and playful art of stop motion animation.  Over six weeks we will look at different animation styles, create our own unique character and story boards using stop motion animation, design a background set and make a short film incorporating sound and movement.  This fabulous course, delivered by Jess from Creative Minds and Peer Worker, Laura will enable us to release our inner child and have some creative fun while learning a new skill alongside other learners in a friendly and safe space. No previous experience necessary and all materials and equipment provided.

Please note that there will be no session on 14th March, meaning the course will end on 11th April.

Get Animated- Stop Motion

Deeper Roots

Holmfirth Tech, 140 Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth, HD9 3AR – Wednesday 26 February 2025 10.30am – 12.30pm 4 weeks

Join us as we explore more deeply the disciplines and practices introduced in our Rooting into Place course. This advanced course delivered by our lovely Peer Worker, Hannah-May is a way for us to continue our learning, deepen our understanding and rekindle our relationship with the places we live. Over four weeks we will discover a variety of place-based skills, including foraging, wild food identification, meditation, creative writing, journaling, land history and folklore, and learn how these crafts and skills were an essential part of our ancestral communities and how they served as a way for humans to connect in times of hardship.

This course is suitable for those seek an immersive journey, one that digs deep into the soil of a place and who have previously attended our ‘Rooting into Place’ course.

Deeper Roots

Dream Destinations – Travel Totes Printing

Howlands Centre, Dewsbury, School Street, Dewsbury, WF13 1LD – Friday 28 February 2025 10am – 12.30pm 2 weeks

Do you have a favourite place where you like to spend time? Where you feel comfortable and relaxed? It could be a holiday destination, the town you grew up in, or even a dream location!  Join our friendly and experienced facilitator, James, for this fun creative course. We will each design our own travel stamps – like the ones you would see on old suitcases – before transferring our designs onto lino to create prints.  Finally, we will print our designs onto tote bags and share our stamps with each other, resulting in colourful and unique bags that you can take home.  All materials will be provided.

Please note, to be fair and equitable to everyone, priority will be given to learners who have not undertaken this course previously.

Dream Destinations – Travel Totes Printing

 

Full Recovery & Wellbeing College timetable

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

Fresh Futures Employability Programme: March spaces now open!

Brian Jackson House, Huddersfield, Monday 10th March – Friday 14th March, 10.30am – 3.30pm

The Fresh Futures Employability Programme is back with a confirmed date for March 2025, and spaces are now open to be filled!

The programme provides personalised support and guidance for young adults (18-26) who are not currently in education or employment, and who would benefit from working on all elements that go into securing employment that works for them. This includes knowledge of workplace behaviours and their own skills, working on an effective CV, building interview skills and calming nerves, and the opportunity to complete a 10-day work placement in a field of their interest. All this comes through the five-day programme which runs Monday-Friday  at Brian Jackson House in Huddersfield and is followed by one-to-one support meetings after the week is over.

The next programme will take place:

Monday 10^th March – Friday 14^th March

10:30am – 3:30pm each day

Travel costs such as train and bus fares can be reimbursed, and lunch and refreshments are provided to participants

This is an excellent opportunity for any young adults who may benefit from extra support in understanding their own skills and what they are capable of. Additionally, the programme can be perfect for those who experience low confidence in the employment process.

Please contact Sophie Gilliland, Young Adults Service Support Worker, to discuss the programme further if you have any questions, or follow the link below to complete the online referral form and register your interest.

https://forms.office.com/e/uuRd7BbSbX

Sophie Gilliland: Tel: 01484 415465

 

Women’s Health After 40 Event

Apna Staying Well Hub, Hanson Lane Enterprise Centre, Halifax HX1 5PG, Thursday 27th February, 1-3 pm

Hot flushes, brain fog, low mood, tiredness, body aches… are you struggling with these? You are not alone.

Come to the Women’s Health After 40 event

There will be a short session led by a local female doctor, a chance for Q&A, a guest speaker from NHS Talking Therapies to show how you can access emotional support, interactive stalls regarding general health after 40, plus a chance to have a brew and a sweet whilst mingling.

For more information: contact Rachel Porter:

Tel: 01422 347 392  or  07519997924

Email: rachel.porter@regen.org.uk

 

Electric Spring Festival

Various venues in Huddersfield and Leeds, Wednesday 19th to Saturday 22nd February

Electric Spring is back for the 29th edition! Spread over 4 days and nights at venues in Huddersfield and Leeds, come and enjoy music at the cutting edge.

This year the festival features highlights such as captivating live performances, interactive coding workshops, a symposium with renowned speakers, and installations that challenge the limits of art and technology.

Whether you’re a seasoned audiophile, an experimental art enthusiast, or simply curious, Electric Spring welcomes you to join this transformative, multi-sensory experience. Many events are free to attend, ensuring accessibility for all.

Brought to you by artists and musicians from around the UK, with films from all over the world, and a crew of volunteers in Huddersfield to pull it all together and plug everything in.

Visit the website for a full programme listing at https://electricspring.co.uk/

Ticket links: https://electricspring.co.uk/tickets.html

Email: electric.spring@hud.ac.uk

Facebook: Facebook page

 

CLEAR Men’s Talk Digital Annual Showreel Event

Connect Housing, 21 Bond Street, Dewsbury WF13 1AX, Thursday 6th March, 11 am – 1 pm

CLEAR’s Men’s Talk Digital will be holding their Annual Showreel Event on 6^th March at Connect Housing in Dewsbury.

The showreel will feature films made by the group including a recently produced short film focussing on young people who have been bereaved by suicide and supported by  Leeds Mind Suicide Bereavement Service

Johnathan Parker from Creative Frame CIC supports the men with their film making, providing training and a professional eye.

“The men have come a long way and developed some really impressive skills. When Leeds Mind contacted us about working with their young people, it was a great opportunity for the men to create something which was not only high quality, but vitally important in spreading the word about Leeds Mind Suicide Bereavement Service…the men bring their own lived experience to the process, enabling them to put people at their ease and encourage them to share their stories..”, said Jonathan.

For more information about Men’s Talk or MT Digital or to book a seat at the Annual Showreel Event, contact stuart.hawkes@commlinks.co.uk

CLEAR is a wellbeing service for adults in Kirklees run by Community Links and funded by Kirklees Council.

 

Rural Men’s and young adults health and positive wellbeing event

Skelmanthorpe Community Centre HD8 9BH – Tuesday 11th March, 6.30pm – Free event

A unique opportunity for the men within the Kirkburton and Denby Dale wards to come together for an evening of positive male brotherhood.

The aim of the evening is to combine the philosophy of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s “Just Don’t” campaign with our mission to set positive expectations for young men across rural Huddersfield. The event will celebrate the successes of others, promote mental, physical, and spiritual well-being, and explore the resources available to keep men on a positive track.

What to Expect:
• Information Stalls: Showcasing services and clubs, highlighting how they can participate and what’s available.
• Networking Opportunities: Make friendships and connections, share funding ideas discuss how groups are growing and maintaining despite today’s challenges, and connect with other local businesses and services.
• McMillan’s Darts Challenge: Raise money for cancer awareness by aiming for a combined score of 100,000.
• Comedy Show: Enjoy a performance by Graeme Rayner, aka The Gag n Bone Man, with his “Dadology” set

Scan the QR code below for full details of the events. You can also download a poster of the event here: Rural Men’s Event poster

 

CLEAR event – celebrating 10 incredible years

Brian Jackson House HD1 5JP, Wednesday 26th March, 11am – 4 pm

A heartfelt journey through the past decade—from CLEAR’s beginnings to where they are now. Stories, images, film, and live performances, will 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 feel free to invite them to the event. CLEAR would also love to hear your memories, thoughts, or reflections. Whether you want to share your experiences or simply enjoy the day, it will be a special occasion filled with nostalgia, connection, and inspiration for the future. Mark your calendar and save the date!

 

Men Walking and Talking – Huddersfield

Every Monday – Harold Wilson statue, Huddersfield train station, 6.30 pm

Men Walking and Talking provide a safe space and an opportunity for men (18+) to meet up for a walk, talk about their mental health, and get things off their chest. The Huddersfield walk is just one of 34 locations in the UK, with more being added regularly.

The website is here, if you’d like some further information:  Men Walking and Talking – Huddersfield

There is also a Facebook page called Men Walking and Talking – Huddersfield You can contact organiser, Steve, here or through the website link above.

The group meets every Monday, setting off at 6.30pm from the Harold Wilson statue in front of Huddersfield train station, and we walk for roughly 1 hour. There are also occasional social meet ups, and some longer walks scheduled on specific weekends.

It’s totally free, you don’t need to sign up, and there is no expectation whatsoever. Just come along for a walk and a chat, and feel free to talk about anything you like, or even just listen and get some exercise.

 

Welland Walks – Curious Motion, Elland

First Thursday of each month, 10am

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 your mood, sleep, and immune system that nature can offer. Each walk involves a short creative activity to explore connections to the local landscape. The walks involve 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 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/

 

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:
Tel: 07909 993203
Email: Karl.Jackson-Lander@waythrough.org.uk

 

Free Drumming for Wellbeing courses

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

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