Weekly Update

Welcome to the weekly update!

You are what makes the College what it is. We’re not a collection of bricks and mortar—we’re a community of people, ideas, and shared experiences. Here’s what’s coming up: upcoming courses, plus events, projects, and offers from community organisations. We hope you find this useful and inspiring as we continue working together to support recovery and wellbeing.

Please note the Christmas Fair at Mirfield Community Centre is on 23rd November 10am-3pm. For that and more do read on!

Help us to help you

We’re currently experiencing a high number of cancellations, which can sometimes mean that courses or workshops may not be able to go ahead.

To help us keep things running smoothly and ensure everyone gets the most out of their experience, please keep the following in mind:

✅ Check your diary before booking – make sure you’re available for the full duration of the course.
✅ Be kind to yourself – we recommend booking no more than three courses at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Once you’ve completed one, feel free to book another!

Your feedback matters!

It helps us decide which courses to offer again and how we can make them even better. After your course finishes, please take a few minutes to complete our online evaluation form. Prefer paper? No problem—just let us know and we’ll provide one.

Thank you for helping us make the College a supportive and well-organised space for everyone.

Last few spaces on these upcoming courses – book now to avoid disappointment:- 

Wellbeing Jar Workshop

Tuesday 18 November 2025 – 10.00am-12.00pm – Project Colt, Elland, Halifax- 1 week

Come and join us for a fun and creative morning where you will be taught to create a Wellbeing Jar! Over this two-hour course, you will be supported to learn about what a wellbeing jar is, and how it can help with your overall wellbeing by supporting you to improve and maintain your mental health each day. It is also a nice taster session for our longer 6 week course, The Wellbeing Toolkit.

Snowflakes Workshop

Friday 21 November 2025 –  10am-12pm – Project Colt, Elland, Halifax – 1 week

During this one-off festive winter workshop, we will discover how to create handmade decorations for our homes and/or cards and gifts. Using nothing but a pencil, paper and scissors we will make beautiful snowflake decorations where we can spend a little time focusing on this simple activity and distract ourselves from the stress of the busy season ahead. No previous experience is necessary, and everyone is welcome.

Comforting Christmas Cushions

View our full course offer here:

You can 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)

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.

Recovery College 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

Come and see our Community Quilt – more dates added! Click link to view them.

https://www.calderdalekirkleesrc.nhs.uk/news/come-and-see-our-community-quilt/

 

 

Community Offers

What’s On in Kirklees

Mindful Zentangle Taster session- 14th January

Wednesday 14th January from 10:30am – 12:30pm The 3 Strand Café, Longcauseway Church, Dewsbury WF13 1NH

Join us for a mindful drawing workshop led by Carolyn Hilton from Mindful Maker CIC. During this relaxing session, you’ll be guided to take ‘a line for a walk’ using a fine liner on plain paper, creating your very own unique piece of art. This FREE workshop is suitable for all abilities and offers the chance to learn a new skill while enjoying feelings of pride, accomplishment, focus and relaxation. Often described as ‘yoga for the brain’, Zentangle art can help reduce stress and anxiety, quieten the mind and support focus, concentration and better sleep.  Originally arranged for an earlier date, this has now been rescheduled.

Please email us at: contact@s2r.org.uk to book your place. For more information, please contact Cathy Deihim (Wellness Worker)
by emailing: cathy@s2r.org.uk or calling: 07729 262 741

Mindful Zentangle2 Taster Session (PDF, 1 MB)

Mirfield Community Centre – Christmas Fair

Waterroyd Lane, Mirfield, WF149SG

Sunday 23rd Nov 2025, 10am – 3pm

We are pleased to be hosting our annual Christmas Fair and bringing some of the most talented local people to the centre. We have a wide variety of stalls giving the perfect opportunity to buy unique gifts for family and friends.

We have a pre-loved teddy tombola with a prize every time. Join us in our very reasonably priced cafe with hot and cold food & drinks.

Huddersfield to Ukraine are joining us this year, providing some fun outdoor games, glitter face painting & tattoos.

Free Entry

Connecting the Generations – Drop in session Kirklees College Thursday 27th November

Do you need help with your smartphone, tablet or laptop? Get help with:

Text messages
Emails
Video calls
Changing settings
Using or downloading an app
And much more

Young and knowledgeable volunteers from Kirklees College can help for FREE
Simply pop into Kirklees College between 10:00 and 12:00 on Thursday 27th November where you can get friendly support and
have a chat with our students
Note: volunteers cannot help with banking apps or finances
For more information, contact Brian Culleton on b.a.culleton@hud.ac.uk

This information you can also download on the accessible poster below.

Connecting the Generations – accessible poster (PDF, 422 KB)

Click https://communitydirectory.kirklees.gov.uk/communityDirectory/whatsOn.aspx to browse a wide range of events

Creative Minds Festive Fun Day for adults with learning disabilities Thursday 18th Dec 2025

Time: 10.30am-2pm (please arrive for a check-in at 10.30am, pitch activities start at 11am)
Venue: The Zone, St Andrews Road, Huddersfield, HD1 6PT (Near Huddersfield Town football club stadium).

Please arrive for a check-in at 10.30am, pitch activities start at 11am.

It’s a free event but booking is essential.                                                          

Whats on:

• The return of the “Festive bops and pops” (with Makaton) with our Creative Minds Creative practitioners
• join the lovely NHS learning disabilities staff for some gentle fete games
• multisports with Huddersfield Giants staff
• There will be a stall with health and wellbeing information eg falls prevention, the benefits of physical activity, winter health, hospital passports, physical healthchecks
• Photo booth
• tabletop activities

There is a reasonably priced café but you may want to bring a packed lunch and fluids. There is plenty of seating.  Please note that unfortunately the venue doesn’t have a changing place hoist toilet. Parking is free and plentiful, so minibuses/cars are welcome. Activities will take place on the two 3G pitches.

Booking is essential as places are limited, please email Alex alex.feather1@swyt.nhs.uk  or phone Alex on 07827-232698

As some of the activities are physical and involve using equipment we provide a handy pre -exercise readiness questionnaire attached if you need it. We don’t need to see these assessments but please bring them with you on the day and inform staff/coaches of any particular needs or concerns that need their attention.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Growing Works Therapeutic Outdoor Activities- November and December

Coming up in November and December- contact Rachel to book a place – info@growingworks.org.uk

Mindful Crafts for Adults

Growing Works has some great Adult Mindful Craft sessions on Saturday afternoons to brighten us up as the days get shorter. Chill out and relax whilst crafting in the outdoor environment at Wakefield Road allotment.

Saturdays 15^th November  – decoupage jars  and 29^th November  – bundle dying ; 2-4pm
Saturday 13^th December; 1:30-3:30pm  – recycled paper weaving trees

BUD Adult Volunteering sessions

BUD sessions run every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am-1pm at Wakefield Road Allotments. Sessions include a lovely homemade soup cooked in the outdoor kitchen.  Final session of the year celebrating with campfire and food is on Tuesday 23^rd December

Sprout 

Sessions are for families with children with SEND/SEMH, 12 years and below. It is a welcoming place to have fun in the outdoors in a non-judgmental space, where you can socialise in your own way. Sprout runs every Saturday morning – 10:30am-12:30pm at Wakefield Road Allotments, Huddersfield. We do require participants to fill out our forms so we can provide the best service and to book on to sessions, contact Rachel to book a place – info@growingworks.org.uk

 

Christmas holidays  – join us for nature exploration and fun at Oakwell Hall Country Park, Nova Ln, Birstall, Batley WF17 9LF on Tuesday 30th December and Friday 2nd January, 10:00am – 2:00pm

 

Waythrough- What’s on until Christmas

This is the latest list of workshops Waythrough are  running up until Christmas. This includes some new courses: Coping Skills, and Retention in Work. 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 email or 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.

What’s On October- December 2025 (PDF, 263 KB)

KES Referral Form Updated 2024 (2) (DOCX, 94 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
Huddersfield Office: The Media Centre, 7 Northumberland St, HD1 1RL

Proper Job: Upcoming in Huddersfield

LAB: Friday 28th November to Friday 12th December:

LAB Project

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

Boost your confidence, employability and teamworking skills in this two-week course and gain a Level 1 in Progression. 

Progression Event: Thursday 11th December (10am to 12noon) Your organisation’s opportunity to connect with a group of learners ready to progress. Whether you offer employment support and advice, volunteering opportunities, or activities in the community, we would love to hear from you! – Let me know if you’re interested in coming along! THE LAB PROJECT | properjobtheatre

Tuesday 2nd & Wednesday 3rd December:

Finance for Freelancers

(2 days, 10am to 4pm)

It is well known that to make a living in the arts is tough. People often see the arts and finance as opposites. During this two-day course we will start to look at how to manage your creativity to take you towards self-employment or your own side hustle.

CREATIVE WORKSHOPS | properjobtheatre

Thursday 4th December:

Facilitation Skills Workshop

(1 day, 10am to 4pm)

This day long workshop will focus on how to become an expert facilitator. 

CREATIVE WORKSHOPS | properjobtheatre

Incentives:

Across all courses

Up to £5 per day reimbursed travel costs

PLUS

£5 voucher for each day of course completed including Workshops

Eligibility:

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

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 31/08/2006)

Email: engagement@properjob.org.uk
mollie@properjob.org.uk
Phone: Office – 01484514687
Mobile: – 07716639494

Holmfirth Tech

Visit https://holmfirthtech.co.uk/whats-on/ for the events listings

For more activities to do with health and wellbeing visit: https://communitydirectory.kirklees.gov.uk/communityDirectory/ThingsToDo.aspx?q=health

https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/community-plus/our-events.aspx

What’s On in Calderdale

Click https://www.visitcalderdale.com/whats-on/ to browse a wide range of events.

You can also find more events at https://calderdaleforum50plus.com/events-activities/

Also coming up soon..

What’s On at Project Colt, Elland

Housed within the historic walls of Elland’s Bridgefield Mills, Project Colt is a safe space full of understanding and open to people who may need extra support.

More than just a building, our mill is a thriving hub brimming with activities, workshops, a bustling cafe, and unique shopping experiences.  People can connect, learn, create, and support one another.

Browse the link at https://www.projectcolt.org.uk/whats-on/ for their activities calendar.

 

3-2-1 Walks: Get outdoors and enjoy easy to follow routes in Calderdale!

Build your fitness and improve your health with 3-2-1 Walks from Active Calderdale and Calderdale Forum 50 Plus. Choose from easy-to-follow routes and see how far you can walk in a week or a month. Getting active by walking regularly can improve both your physical and mental health. Our short, easy-to-follow walks can be enjoyed alone or in the company of family and friends.

More information at 3-2-1 Walks – Calderdale Forum 50 Plus

You can also find more information on walking in Calderdale at https://www.visitcalderdale.com/visitor-information/walking-in-calderdale/ – you can also view shorter walks at https://heartofthepennines.org.uk/shorter-walks/

 

Physical Activity Ideas: Mixenden, Illingworth, Ovenden & Boothtown

Active Calderdale have published some very useful physical activity guides for Mixenden, Illingworth, Ovenden and Boothtown.

See https://calderdaleforum50plus.com/2025/08/05/physical-activity-ideas-mixenden-illingworth-ovenden-boothtown/ for more information.

Grow Well

Get your hands mucky, get active and meet new people every Wednesday from 9am – 12pm at the Outback Community Garden, Halifax. For details click here: Grow Well Gardening for Wellbeing sessions – Halifax Opportunities Trust

 

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