Please see the list below for all our on-going courses and workshops listed in date order.
Step 2: All Courses
Mindful Sewing
Mindful Sewing encourages sewers to forget about perfection and forget about the finished article. Instead, it encourages the idea of enjoying the process of sewing for sewing's sake. It’s about the journey, not the destination. It isn't about mending or making garments from a pattern. Neither is it about working towards a goal or a timeframe.
Mindful sewing is about using the needle and thread in the same way you'd use a paintbrush. It's about creating art, about enjoying the process rather than worrying about the product. It does not matter if your stitching isn't the best. The focus of mindful sewing is on the joy of creating. What the final product looks like isn't relevant. If it's got raw edges, so be it. If a few of the stitches are wonky, it doesn't matter.
Mindful sewing is about letting your creative juices flow and just running with it. There are no hard and fast rules about what you need or what you should do
We are running a 3-session Mindful Sewing course for students who would like to explore this technique. Each session will last for 2.5 hours during which you will have the opportunity to learn some basic principles and explore your own creativity using fabrics, threads, buttons , lace and other haberdashery items.
We will provide all the fabric etc but if you have scraps or remnants of fabric do bring these along. If you have your own sewing scissors and needles please bring them but we can provide them if you don’t.
Date: Thursday's 16th & 23rd May and 6th June (note no session on the 30th May as half term break)
Time: 10am - 12:30pm
Venue: Broadway House
Some feedback and student comments after our last course...."Meeting like minded people and being introduced to something new which was a challenge to begin with then became a real joy with plans for making more. It has refreshed my love of stitching and embroidery and given me real confidence. It has helped enormously with a recent bout of huge anxiety. Many things, easy company, joyful distraction, rewarding activity. Informal inspiration. Relaxation within the group. Being able to let things go, no right or wrong, just being. Informal, social, laughs & quiet time spent on the sewing".
Here are some examples of Mindful Sewing:-
Outdoor Swim
Join Angela at Northcroft Lido for an outdoor leisure swim in their heated outdoor pool. These sessions on a Thursday 1-2pm are for adults to swim socially. Please bring a swimming costume and towel.
You can register and pay at the reception desk at Northcroft on the day. Please 'book' a space using the link below so that Angela knows who to expect.
Date: Thursday 16th May
Time: 1pm - 1:55pm swim session
Venue: Meet by the reception area of Northcroft Leisure Centre at 12:45pm
Assertively saying 'No' workshop
Saying ‘yes’ when we really mean ‘no’ can lead to stress, resentment, anger and proves difficult to a lot of people.
To become more assertive we need to understand the unhelpful beliefs and behaviours we have adopted.
This workshop will start to help you to do this and you will learn new techniques and ideas to enable you to start to assertively say ‘NO’!
This workshop is available for any student who has completed Welcome to Recovery.
Date: Tuesday 21st May
Timing: 1pm - 3pm
Venue: Broadway House, Newbury
Wellbeing Walk
Join us for a Wellbeing Walk at Thatcham Lakes.
Nature can promote health and wellbeing. It can fascinate us, calm us and give strength to overcome difficult challenges. This guided walk will give you the opportunity to reflect on your senses, thoughts and feelings. The stroll will pause at given points to consider your senses and have a discussion about what possibilities may be open to you.
Please wear appropriate footwear and clothing for the weather and bring a bottle of water.
Parking is free and available.
Date:- Wednesday 22nd May
Time:- 10:30am - 12noon
Location:- Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre
Self Compassion Workshop
Since starting Recovery in Mind in 2016 we have met dozens of students who struggle to show themselves ‘Self Compassion’ – the ability to be your ‘own best friend’ and share the kindness and wisdom that they are able to show others but not give to themselves. This is a common human trait – not just experienced by people with mental health challenges. This 4-week Self Compassion course will provide an understanding of why humans struggle with it, how we can learn it and a set of very useful tools to develop it within ourselves.
Self-Compassion isn’t about stopping bad things from happening. It’s about carrying on when they do happen – (resilience) – so you can bounce back.
Course Time: 10am - 12:30pm
Course Venue: Broadway House, Newbury
Please bring your own pen/paper.
Five Ways to Wellbeing - NEW LOOK INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOP
The Five Ways to Wellbeing (devised by the New Economics Foundation) is a very simple practical framework which addresses five key areas of life which have been demonstrated to promote positive mental health and wellbeing. We have run this as a 5-week course in previous years and are now adapting it to offer an introductory workshop to consider the five themes of learning, connecting, keeping active, giving and taking notice, and how we might implement these in our everyday lives and habits.
Following this, we will offer a series of standalone sessions and workshops which focus on one or more of these themes. These may be sessions run by the Recovery in Mind team, or other partner organisations such as Sport in Mind, The Volunteer Centre or the Watermill Theatre, and are an excellent opportunity to access some of our great local community resources.
These sessions will be open to all students who have attended either the introductory workshop or our previous 5-week course. We have found the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ to be a very useful follow-up to ‘Welcome to Recovery’. It may also be helpful for students who wish to revisit the concept and refresh or develop their wellbeing practice further.
You are welcome to book on to as few or as many of these follow-on sessions as you like, to suit your own needs. We hope to run a variety of these ‘linked workshops’ at different times throughout the year. They will be practical and fun, often involving getting ‘out and about’ in accessible local venues.
We look forward to you joining us in our Five Ways to Wellbeing – New Look!
Course date: Tuesday 11th June
Timing: 1:30 - 3pm
Venue: Broadway House
Allotment visit and cake!
We would like to invite you to join us at the allotment session run by Tony at Sport in Mind on Thursday 13th June at 1.00-3.00pm. This will be an ideal opportunity to enjoy some light activities together in a relaxed, peaceful outdoor environment. The allotment is a particularly beautiful space at this time of year, and has something for everyone, whether or not you have any experience of gardening. We’ll bring refreshments too, including cake!
This session links with our ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing: New Look!” programme, as an opportunity to learn something new, keep active, and connect with one another.
Creativity in the Wild
Join Sarah and get 'creative in the wild' at Snelsmore Common. A few different creative opportunities taking inspiration from what is around us. Please wear old clothes that you don't mind getting messy. Bring refreshments with you or there is a cafe should you wish to purchase a drink. There is free parking and toilets.
Dates: Thursday 20th June
Time: 10am - 12:30pm
'Giving' Workshop
As part of our ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing: New Look!” we are running a session to consider the importance of ‘giving’ on Thursday 27th June at 10.00am-12.00pm. Chris Read from the Volunteer Centre will talk about the many and varied volunteering opportunities in the local community. There will be space to explore the benefits of volunteering as well as addressing any questions or concerns you may have.
This is an ideal opportunity for anyone considering or wanting to find out more about volunteering. Or, for anyone wishing to consider the value of giving in a more general sense.
Ideally, students will have attended the introductory ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing: New Look” workshop on the 11th June, or else will have attended the previous Five Ways to Wellbeing course.
Reading Taster Session
You may have seen our Reading for Recovery courses and have wondered what they are all about so why not join us for this one-off taster session? Come and join Gillian & Cath in the Carnegie Room at Newbury library to read together and enjoy a short story and poems. You can take part as much or as little as you would like to and it may (hopefully) encourage you to join one of our 6-week Reading for Recovery courses afterwards!
Course date: Tuesday 16th July
Course duration: 10:30 - 12 noon
Course venue: Carnegie Room at Newbury library
Some student feedback and comments following a recent 6-week Reading for Recovery course....'Cath & Gillian are great and caring about the group. Different short stories or extracts. Hearing others points of view on the texts. The company and the short stories. Getting together with others and learning, interesting background facts. Being with other people, discussing with the group. Everyone expressing their opinions. Different texts each week. The socialising.'