Weekly Update

Celebrating World Mental Health Day – Karen’s reflections 

Our World Mental Health Day celebration at Mirfield Community Centre brought together learners, facilitators, partners and staff for a day of connection, conversation and discovery. Alongside activities, mini workshops and refreshments, visitors could explore our Discovery Room, learn more about Recovery College courses and have conversations about wellbeing, recovery and the support available across our community.

One of the highlights for me was meeting both new and familiar learners and having the chance to connect with people throughout the day. There was a real sense of community, with facilitators, learners, partner organisations and people discovering Recovery College for the first time all sharing the same space. As one colleague put it, they “learnt as much as I signposted”, which felt like a good reflection of the day. Recovery College is built on shared learning, and we all came away having gained something.

The warmth of the event shone through in the feedback we received. One learner described the day as “amazing” and said they felt truly welcomed. Colleagues spoke about finally putting faces to names after communicating remotely, while others appreciated the mix of learners, facilitators and support organisations coming together in one place. Several people also shared how inspired they felt by our Principal’s speech, which captured the spirit of the day and the importance of hope, wellbeing and connection.

What stayed with me most was the reminder that recovery isn’t a straight line. One colleague reflected on how difficult it can feel when your own wellbeing takes a dip, especially when supporting others, but how important it is to keep showing up anyway. Through honest conversations, shared experiences and wellbeing tools, we were reminded that it’s okay not to have everything figured out. Many of us left feeling a little lighter, encouraged by the connections we had made and reminded of the power of community, compassion and shared experience.