VCSE Power showcase: Kirklees

Kirklees Health, Social Care & Wellbeing Network Celebrates #NHS75

The Kirklees Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Network met at Northorpe Hall in Mirfield on Monday 26th June 2023. The network is building partnerships between the VCSE, health and social care providers, Huddersfield University and Kirklees Council and members discussed the Kirklees Health and Care Plan, how they can work together to help deliver it and ensure that the contribution of the third sector is fully recognised. And they took the opportunity to celebrate 75 years of the NHS with cake!

TSL Kirklees - NHS 75 Cake H-SC-W-Network

Celebrating and Supporting the Community

Case Study: How Local TSL Community Anchor, The Branch, is supporting people's health

Kirklees Community Champions: Supporting the Together We Can Choose Well Winter 22/23 Campaign

KLTV Video – Huddersfield and the NHS: The Caribbean Connection

Case studies of the social impact and positive health and wellbeing changes elicited within our communities over the years through the work of the VCSE sector:

Men’s Talk Group: is a performance and advocacy project for men who have experienced mental health issues.

Paul Berry, a member of the Men's Talk Digital group at Community Links Engagement and Recovery Service, has been involved in producing a new film. The film features the testimony of Lawrie, a young woman who lost her Dad to suicide. Paul has come such a long way in the last couple of years. After Men's Talk In Focus videos, he was approached by Luke's Lads and then took it upon himself, with support, to plan this project. He met with Lawrie before filming; they agreed on questions and discussed the filming and editing process. Paul has developed himself through his video work, highlighting the impact Men's Talk has on its group members.

Please see the video below. Content Warning - discussions of suicide.

Find out how Men's Talk has helped raise awareness of men's health through theatre: Men's mental health group brings awareness to the stage in Huddersfield - Huddersfield Hub

Positive Choices- Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Programme:

Laura Buchan, Service Manager at Positive Choices and Inspire North Director of Development and Innovation, Sinéad Cregan appeared on Look North to discuss the #NoExcuseForAbuse Campaign which launched last year during the World Cup and the work that Positive Choices are doing with perpetrators of domestic abuse to change their behaviours. Featured in the piece is a father and husband who accessed the behaviour change programme at Positive Choices, they shared their story and encouraged other perpetrators to listen when you are told you have gone over the line. Incidents of domestic abuse rise significantly during the Football World Cup, especially when England are playing.

To learn more about Positive Choices- https://www.foundationuk.org/team/choices-domestic-abuse-perpetrator-programme/

Poetry Book written by client at Alexander House:

One of Community Links’ three Intermediate Support Hostels, Alexander House provides recovery-focused support in a therapeutic environment. They provide five accommodation-based Resettlement placements offering intensive rehabilitation for up to eight months. These are primarily aimed at individuals coming out of hospital following an admission due to mental health issues and aim to promote and maximise recovery, helping clients to move on to live more independently.

Alexander House also provide one accommodation based Relapse-Prevention placement from two nights to one week, depending on need for up to a two year period. The aim of this element of the service is to support people to manage their recovery, and decrease frequency and severity of relapse or crisis.

Kelly Churchill, who has spent time at Alexander House, published a poetry book titled 'Things I want to say' to provide comfort to other people who may experiencing mental health struggles, just like she has.

Poetry Book Cover - Kelly Churchill

"Over the years I found poetry to be a good way of getting my thoughts out onto paper in a non-directive and creative way. Finding different metaphors to describe what was going on inside my brain allowed me to understand and process certain events going on in my life." - Kelly Churchill

Kelly also discusses the power of poetry in her blog, and how it has helped her through the years. You can read it here. Kelly explains her time at Alexander House and how it ‘literally changed [her] life..’

Tackling Local Health Priorities Together

Health Your Way Case Study: Tackling Post Covid Health Priorities in the Holme and Colne Valleys

"It's helped me in so may ways, I've met new friends and it's a safe space to come for help and to be around people who are in the same boat as you..."