Dec
Staying Well Community Fund open to applications
Sometimes all you need is a cuppa and a chat.
Of course a little financial help never hurts!
Staying Well has been a supporting presence for many who have found themselves isolated.
Their telephone befriending service, largely depending on volunteers, has been a helpful presence. The team has offered emotional support, finding social outlets where available and being a much needed listening ear.
We are delighted to announce that Staying Well is now in the position to offer practical support as well in the form of the newly launched Community Fund.
This fund is open to application from starting and existing organisations, targeting loneliness and social isolation, particularly delivering services for COVID support.
For more information on the Staying Well Community fund, contact the team on stayingwellproject@calderdale.gov.uk
Calderdale Lower Valley Friday Flyer 23 December 2021 – OUT NOW!!
Click here to view this week’s Friday Flyer
This week:
- Merry Christmas from the Friday Flyer Team!
- Helping you stay safe, well and Winter Wise
- Winter Solstice Wishes from Curious Motion
- Keeping each other safe this Christmas
Have a great weekend!
If you’re on our mailing list the Friday Flyer will arrive direct to your inbox every Friday. Join the mailing list by emailing team@calderdalelowervalley.com
You can also contact us on 01422 252 209
Merry Christmas from the Friday Flyer Team!
A Merry Christmas from us all!
What a fabulous year we had. Coming out of lockdowns, getting to grips with Covid, new variants to keep us on our toes… and still, hesitantly, slowly but surely events started again. It hasn’t been easy by any stretch. I hope that as we look back at the hardships we realise – we overcame them yet again.
We were super glad to receive events for Halloween, Bonfire and finally Christmas in its full glory!
We even joined in, following the 12 days of Christmas shopping window trail and found 7 images. Did you do better? Boast!
See our 12 Days of Christmas Shopping Window Trail success!
We hope you have a good Christmas, surrounded by your nearest and dearest.
If you find yourself alone on that day, or any other day, if you find that you need urgent help and support, please reach out to someone.
You may find the resources in the below publications useful:
We will be back with you in the New Year with updates starting on the first week of January and the Friday Flyer coming to your inbox on January the 7th.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Until then,
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Our 12 Days of Christmas trail progress: 7 out of 12
The seventh and last image we were able to spot is now up.
Our hunt for the 12 shopping window paintings by Jenny Tribillon is now complete. You can find out how we did by following this link!
Did you do any better? We’d love to hear from you!
We hope you enjoyed this mini game!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from everyone at Magpies
The ever creative Magpies have put together their season’s greetings message for all to enjoy. You can even catch a glimpse of their glowing festive decorations!
Click on the link below to watch our Christmas message video!
Visit the Magpies website to find more about what the Magpies do, their news and events and how you can get involved in their activities!
Helping you stay safe, well and Winter Wise
Residents in Calderdale will soon receive important advice to support them to stay warm, safe and well throughout this winter.
The latest version of the Winter Wise guide is being sent to all households in Calderdale, with updated advice on a range of topics to help support residents through the winter period.
The guide has been created by Calderdale Council in partnership with the Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and is also available to view at www.calderdale.gov.uk/winter. It contains important advice to help with issues that we may have during winter months, such as preparing for extreme weather events, energy saving tips and how to boost mental wellbeing.
This year’s guide also includes extra information about how we can boost our immunity this winter, with specific guidance on the COVID-19 booster campaign and flu jabs and the importance of getting these vaccines. There’s also a section providing further advice for those with health conditions such as diabetes and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable.
To support local health and care services and reduce pressures on these services, the guide also signposts people to the right care, in the right place, at the right time. This includes support on self-care and the use of local pharmacies, as well as advice about contacting GP surgeries or seeking urgent emergency care. More information is also available at https://togetherwe-can.com/
VSI Alliance Winter Directory 2021/22
This directory is full of information about the diverse range of help and services available from the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector that can support you to have a safe, supported Winter.
Find help on:
- Mental Health
- Physical Health
- VSI Volunteer Hub
- Loneliness
- Food Support
- Specialist Support
The directory includes places where you can find food and resources support as well.
Hard copies will also be available in January 2022.
Winter Solstice Wishes from Curious Motion
✨Winter Solstice Wishes✨
Today marks the winter solstice, where the hours of darkness are at their peak. It can be a challenging time for our bodies, minds and souls.This time of year is also the dawn of new beginnings. Slowly but surely the light will prevail, the days becoming longer and the anticipation of lighter and warmer times leading the way. It’s a time of hope, reflection and restoration.Remember that this period is all about doing what is best for you and your mental health, and that can look completely different for each person. I’ve included some ideas around this below, plus there’s info on activities to look forward to in the new year.For now though, on this dawn of light and new beginnings, I hope you can spend this time in the way you most want to. Wishing you a restorative and nourishing festive period and much love for 2022. Sam x
THANK YOU!
Huge thanks to you all for being part of our community this year. Curious Motion is now two years old, and with most of our existence being in a pandemic it’s been quite a ride! We’re so grateful to you all for continuing to be by our side and what a joy it has been to move, dance, and create together! Some wonderful memories have been made and exciting plans for 2022 are in motion. Here’s a summary of what’s to come in January – keep an eye on your inbox for more info to follow:
Rhythm & Brews
Through October and November, people of all ages from across Elland’s community joined us to explore what it means to move, sing, dance, and play together. It was joyous to say the least!Here’s how the participants told us they felt after the sessions:
Sessions return on 28th January and will run bi-weekly through February and March 2022. Keep an eye on your inbox for more information!
Monthly ‘Happiness Lab’ workshopsExplore what happiness means to you through a different creative activity each month. We’re kicking off with lantern making with Handmade Parade in January! Booking info coming soon.Find out more here.
Brews & Grooves
Sam recommends…
Some winter solstice resources for comfort and restoration: Christmas Coping Tips from Mind – some great tips to navigate this time from the mental health charity Mind.The Comfort Book by Matt Haig – a beautiful book created to provide hope in a stressful world. The Calm App – lots of wonderful meditations, sleep stories, and music.
Sending love and lightSam and the team at Curious Motion x
Our mailing address is:
Curious Motion CIC
Santa-gram campaign brings Christmas cheer once more to Calderdale!
Home Instead Senior Care Calderdale’s second Santa-gram campaign has been a great success, spreading Christmas cheer to elderly people across the local area.
Launched in November, Home Instead’s Santa-gram campaign reached out to primary schools across Calderdale to ask school children to create a special Christmas card or letter for an elderly person this Christmas.
Most of our elderly population have experienced isolation and loneliness this year due to COVID-19, with many continuing to isolate over the Christmas period.
The home care company, which provides companionship, housekeeping and personal care to people in their own homes was overwhelmed by the result. They had seventeen local schools and one after school club sign up to the campaign, receiving 1452 Christmas cards which were all decorated, or hand drawn by children from ages four to 11.
They also received a further 389 items including bookmarks, letters, pictures, decorations and riddles, to be distributed along with their cards.
Morrison’s supermarket in Elland, Halifax and Kershaws Garden Centre in Brighouse also got involved, with customers donating presents to the campaign.
The Santa-grams were packed into envelopes and delivered along with the presents to assisted living facilities, churches and community groups including Memory Lane and Riverside Dementia Cafés, Age UK, Halifax Blind Society, the Royal British Legion and Making Space – the carer’s wellbeing service.
The company also teamed up with local pharmacies who helped to distribute the Santa-grams to their network of customers that receive home delivery of their medication.
A local resident phoned in after receiving her Santa-gram to say:
“Thank you for our lovely Christmas surprise. It was so kind of you to take the time making them for us. I am sending you a photo of your decorations in house they are lovely.”
“Lovely Christmas card delivered by my local pharmacy. It was beautiful and really made my day.”
Munaf Patel, Director at Home Instead Calderdale said:
“Since the reopening from lockdown in July, many of the community groups which serve the elderly have still not restarted their meetings and as result a lot of older people are missing out on the companionship, care and love that many of us simply take for granted. We wanted to do something to help out and this is a nice way to bring two different generations together.”
To find out more about Home Instead Calderdale and the home care services they provide, including live-in care, please call 01422 292424 or visit https://www.homeinstead.co.uk/calderdale/.
Emergency support over the Christmas holidays
If you find yourself need, there is emergency support in place over the festive period from 20th December to 1st January 2021.
Support includes food parcels, community meals, mental health support, homelessness support and social care help.
Calderdale Lower Valley blog 