 Newsletter21 August 2025 |
Fun activities, friendly spaces and free food (WOW Sounds good!)WOW sessions are taking place across Herefordshire, offering residents an opportunity to come together, engage in fun activities and enjoy food. The WOW sessions are free to attend and will offer attendees the opportunity to access information and advice to support with the cost of living. The WOW sessions are open to everyone, and anyone who is feeling the pinch is encouraged to come along! There are some great sessions coming up including a family friendly buffet breakfast with arts activities, community afternoon tea, and the opportunity to try the latest sporting craze – pickleball! You can find out more about WOW activities on the Talk Community Directory. The WOW sessions are funded through the Household Support Fund.The Baton of Hope: 6 weeks to go!The countdown to the Baton of Hope is now on! There’s just 6 weeks to go until the Baton arrives in Hereford on Thursday 2nd October, as part of the UK’s largest suicide prevention initiative.There’s still plenty of time to get involved and support the Baton of Hope Herefordshire, from spectating and supporting on the day, to getting better informed about suicide prevention. Businesses and organisations are being encouraged to commit to a workplace pledge, to create psychologically safer workplaces without the stigma around mental health. Individuals and community organisations can explore the fundraising ideas in the toolkit, which is packed full of simple activities, from displaying a message of hope, to making space for quiet reflection (plus lots more!).Knitters and crocheters are being asked to unleash their creativity and help us create some ‘animals of hope’ to form part of our Under-5s “Hunt for Hope” Trail, with animals hidden in various locations around Hereford for little ones to discover. For more information head over to the Talk Community Directory.If you are helping to share messages about the Baton of Hope Tour and would like to explore how to talk about suicide and mental health responsibly, you may be interested in signing up to a fully funded information session being delivered by Samaritans. The upcoming session is funded by Herefordshire and Worcestershire’s Suicide Prevention Programme and will take place on Tuesday 9th September from 10am – 11am. You can sign up using this online form.  Creative Futures ProgrammeThis September, Dirty Feet CIC is launching its FREE Creative Futures Programme. The programme will take place in Hereford over 12 weeks and is designed for young people (aged 16-24) not currently in education, employment or training (NEET) and those who may be at risk of disengagement.Attendees will enjoy a weekly movement session (dance, parkour, team activities) to build confidence as well as life skills workshops covering communication, problem solving, time-management and resilience. In addition to this, the young people attending will undertake creative enterprise tasks where they can plan and deliver a real community event as well as access one to one mentoring.The goal of the programme is to help each participant develop a portfolio of achievements, a reference, and clear next steps in training, volunteering or employment.Places are limited, but if you know of a young person who might benefit from the programme please do refer them by completing this online form. Alternatively, you can contact the Dirty Feet team by emailing dirtyfeet@mail.com or calling 07846 891 674.  Cooking up a feast in Bromyard. Bromyard residents are being offered the chance to try new cooking skills in retirement at the Sheds together Cookery Club, supported by Age UK Wyvern. The group meet at 10am every Monday morning at the Methodist Church on New Road and cook a fresh dish to sample each week. Participants prepare the food together, eat the results, and of course take home the leftovers. The hub offers attendees the opportunity to develop their culinary skills, but also the chance to make new connections and boost overall wellbeing. The sessions are run by Lynsey Hunting, who helps the group research different recipes and cooking methods which have included a successful Baked Alaska in the air fryer! Lynsey has explained how the sessions are ‘very much based around the needs of the group. If someone can’t stand very well, for example, perhaps they might sit and chop the vegetables. Lynsey is also developing new projects for older people throughout Herefordshire. Anyone wanting to find out more about the classes and groups run by Age UK Wyvern can contact Caroline Savage on 01905 724294.  Check your child’s vaccinations before school startsHerefordshire parents and carers are being urged to use the last few weeks of the summer holidays to make sure their children are up to date with routine vaccinations.Childhood vaccines protect against serious illnesses such as measles, mumps, rubella, polio and whooping cough. With schools reopening soon and seasonal illnesses on the rise, now is the perfect time to check records and book any missed appointments through your GP.Young people heading to college or university are also reminded to make sure they’ve had two doses of the MMR vaccine, the MenACWY vaccine (available up to age 25), and the HPV vaccine. If you’re unsure about your child’s vaccination status, check their Red Book, the NHS App, or contact your GP surgery.Find out more about childhood vaccinations on the NHS website. |