Cost of living roadshow (we’re on the road)
The cost of living has brought many additional worries and challenges to households this winter. As we step into spring, many people are still feeling the squeeze from rising costs and our work around the cost of living feels as important as ever.
Talk Community, with partners, are running a series of events across the county to help residents find support with the cost of living. These events will give people the opportunity to seek support, and speak to organisations who can signpost and provide information and advice.
Each event will be bespoke; with a wide variety of services attending and different activities taking place. The first event will be held at Ledbury Rugby Club on Saturday 11 March from 9am – 12pm, the event will include free breakfast baps and hot drinks, with activities for children.
Following this, there are events planned in Hereford, Leominster, Bromyard, Kington and Colwall. For details of the events and information about organisations attending visit the Talk Community Directory.
If you need more immediate help visit the Money on your mind section of the Talk Community website.
Herefordshire celebrates World Book Day
Today is World Book Day! World Book Day was created by UNESCO in 1995 as a universal celebration of books and reading, to promote reading for pleasure and to give every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own.
The World Book Day website describes how regular reading with your child can cement a love of books and have a dramatic impact on their future success.
Herefordshire will be celebrating World Book Day with a number of events taking place across the county. On Saturday 4 March Maylord Orchards are hosting a magical day of storytelling, poetry and soft play with dancing fun and games, for more info check out the Talk Community Directory.
The Courtyard are having week long celebration of World Book Day, with a fantastic series of free online workshops and activities available on their website.
Ledbury will be celebrating with a number of different activities taking place throughout the town on Saturday 4 March. Join BAFTA winning children’s authors, The Brothers McLeod at Ledbury Library, to ‘create your own knight’, listen to ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ whilst waiting to get your face painted at Co-op Funeral Care, or pop into Pot and Page for a reading of Pippi Longstocking. All activities are free and there is no need to book.
Our Community Can (we like this)
Have you heard about Our Community Can? They’re keen to support people across Herefordshire, particularly those living in rural communities, to be active and creative. They want to help communities provide more opportunities that bring people together to help reduce social isolation and loneliness.
As each community is so individual, it’s not one size fits all. To give you an idea of what “Our Community Can” do – they can offer opportunities to network with other people and organisations, deliver taster events, train volunteers and leaders, access funding opportunities or develop new and sustainable local active and creative opportunities.
So if you’ve got an idea to bring your community together, would like to try something new, and would like a little support to get going, get in touch with Our Community Can by e-mailing OurCommunityCan@worc.ac.uk, call 07747 204451 or visit the Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire website.
Therapeutic support for young people
The Cart Shed are running some great fully funded courses, in their beautiful and empowering woodland environment, with places still available on their expanded Young Cart Shed programs.
Young Cart Shed offers support for anyone between 14 and 25 who are experiencing anxiety, low mood, difficulties at school, trauma, grief, social isolation, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, relationship problems or neurodivergence.
Into the Woods (for 14 to 18 year-olds) and Through the Woods (for 18 to 25 year-olds) courses can help young people to develop new skills, make friends, learn how to manage emotions, build resilience and find direction.
There’s support and understanding from mental health professionals throughout the weekly courses, and the opportunity to learn new skills from experienced tutors such as woodcraft, willow work and coppicing as well as drawing, photography and land art.
It's handy to know that free transport is available on request (where possible) from pick-up points in Hereford, Kington and Leominster. Participants can attend either a six-week or twelve-week course.
To find out more about the courses, or to make a referral, visit The Cart Shed website.
Hold out a Hand to our communities
The powerful short film, “Hold out a Hand”, has been produced by Rural Media to stimulate conversations about mental health and suicide within the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community. The film encourages people to engage with available support.
Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities experience some of the poorest health outcomes in the UK. It is estimated that, compared to the general population, suicide rates are 6 times higher for traveller women and 7 times higher for traveller men.
How can we all help?
• Share the Hold out a Hand film and look out for opportunities to share the flyer. Download the flyer. If you’d like hard copies, contact SuicidePreventionProgramme@worcestershire.gov.uk.
• Hold out a Hand is now at the public vote stage in the Charity Film Awards. Vote for “Hold out a Hand”, to help raise the profile of suicide prevention and increase opportunities for help in our Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. Voting closes on 10 March – vote here.
• Share the report that was produced as part of the consultation behind the filming, detailing barriers and recommendations around engaging with traveller communities on mental health and suicide. Consider how the recommendations can be embedded in your activities. The report can be downloaded from the Traveller’s Times website.
• Read and share the new government guidance for health and care professionals on improving Roma health.
Talking can help:
• One Call Away (Gypsy and Traveller confidential support): 07748 997617
• Samaritans: 116 123
• Herefordshire and Worcestershire Urgent Mental Health Helpline: 0808 196 9127
Get around for £2 scheme is flourishing in to spring
We have good news - the Get around for £2 scheme has been extended to 30 June.
Whether you're heading to work, into town, or for a walk in our beautiful countryside, a single bus journey will cost no more than £2 on most routes across England, up to 30 June.
In Herefordshire several bus companies are taking part in the scheme (that’s good news). For the full list of those taking part, visit the UK Government website. This also shows the routes that are not included in the scheme.
Please note that the £2 fare cap scheme does not apply to services which run on school days only.
What's new on the directory?
With a spring in our step, and buds of growth appearing in gardens and countryside, we’re welcoming new events on to our What’s on calendar.
Spring into Wellbeing Festival 2023
Ross-on-Wye Carers Group
Free art event – Social Prescribing Day 2023
Mother yourself workshop
International Women’s Day event – What’s on your plate?
Staunton on Wye Carer drop-in clinic
Herefordshire Cares
Do you want to make a difference to people's lives every day? Working in social care is a rewarding career – to find out more about a career in adult social care, visit the Herefordshire Cares website.
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