Community Engagement Team NewsletterIt’s time to talk Community Events

Time to Talk at the Deaf Club withThe leader of the Council Mehboob Khan

It’s Time to Talk in KirkleesThe Community Engagement Team supported over 980 residents to get talking at 86 events.

This newsletter looks at some of the diverse groups and events that took part in It’s Time to Talk throughout June.

Some were part of The Big Lunch events and some took place at normal community meetings. Either way, it was great opportunity to encourage residents to start the conversation about the changes facing Kirklees Council.

Big Lunch in Heckmondwike Salvation ArmyAttended by 40 adults and children.

The highlight was bringing together a mix of different people who shared their opinions and respected each others points of view.

“I’ve enjoyed having lunch together with people I have met for the first time”

Thornhill TrojansHeld a barbecue and disco on a glorious sunny day.

The Big Lunch was community focused with volunteers from the area providing all the food and entertainment and doing all the organising themselves.

Whilst the Trojans are well known for their sports based activities, they also provide community activities and want to develop these more.

“With a little more help and support and resources, we could really widen our community activities and provide so much more in the Thornhill area”.

Friends of Beaumont ParkThe Friends of Beaumont Park met with Councillor Carole Pattison.

A lively discussion took place around the scenario topics for Its Time to Talk. One of the key points made is that the Friends of Beaumont Park have developed skills and achieved successes in the process of renovating the park which they would like share with other groups.

Big Lunch at Fartown Village Hall

The event was organised by Agewell and 50 residents from Birkby

and Fartown enjoyed a 3 course meal. Students from the North

Huddersfield Trust School served the up the food at the Big Lunch.

The Lana Kurdish LadiesBig Lunch

Jigsaw Enterprise TrainingHuddersfield Big LunchSaturday 18 May

Jigsaw Enterprise Training is a Social Enterprise offering personal development and training opportunities to young people and adults, with a focus on those with physical or learning disabilities.

The aim of this Big Lunch event was to invite people with physical disabilities to have lunch with people who are able bodied and who may not usually have the opportunity to socialise with each other.

14 people had lunch together at the organisation’s base. The event was a success with people expressing positive comments - see left.

“Activities like this give people a chance to get to know their neighbours. There is an assumption that people do, but there are a lot of streets where people don’t know each other”

“It would be fab if we could organise one for next year”

“More things like this should happen for people to get involved in”

Ashbrow ForumThe Ashbrow Forum held the first Time to talk conversation in Kirklees; all 3 local Councillors were present along with 20 local residents.

In some communities local groups held smaller events or were visited during their regular meetings.

Chestnut Centre Family ForumChestnut Family Forum are a group of parents who live in the Ashbrow area who meet monthly at the Chestnut Centre and organise various activities with support from the children’s centre, for example: health walks, organise trips, story time sessions.

Pakistan and Kashmir Welfare Association

Local residents discussing the scenarios with Councillor Gwen Lowe at the where they discussed enrolling

local business in to helping the centre and setting up a gardening group.

Windy Bank Tenants and Residents Group with Councillor David HallTheir conversation focussed on how they can keep on doing the things they do now. Such as keeping people informed about developments on the estate; organising opportunities for the community to meet and encouraging people to take up training opportunities.

Greenfields Family Centre Parents of pupils at Dalton Junior

Infants and Nursery SchoolThe parents discussed the need for support locally for

people with learning disabilities and also discussed working with the Greenfields centre to explore the

opportunity to develop a food bank.

Greenfields centre is in the process of setting up a job Club after the parents discussed the need for a job club

to support young people back to work.

Friends in the Square BatleyThey suggested helping neighbours with Bins and clearing footpaths.

They also discussed having more events and activities in Batley.

Kumon Y AllMaking sure what is given out is given fairly was one of the suggestions that this group made along with clarity on who to contact for help.

Dewsbury MinsterWho suggested a shift from the Council always being the expert and letting people get on with their volunteering with less bureaucracy.

Almondbury Wesley Centre Friendly lunch club

Members of the lunch club expressed their opinion about services that they find invaluable; the access

bus; receiving their free bus pass and the opportunity to socialise and have an afternoon of good company.

Kirklees Imams Advisory BoardAccess to different levels of training for volunteers was an important support for the advisory board.

Greenfields Family Centre Good CompanionsThe Good Companions shared their concerns regarding recruiting volunteers.

Dalton and Rawthorpe Children’s Centre Parents ForumThe Family Forum discussing setting up a local Time bank to help to co ordinate volunteering in the area.

They value the support they get from Staff at the Children’s centre

Heckmondwike Jamia Masjid al Haramaine

They suggested more work with young people to provide positive role models along with providing guidance support

and making sure everyone knows what is going on locally

The Lakes Neighbourhood WatchCouncillor Peter Mc Bride talking to The Neighbourhood Watch.

www.KirkleesTalk.org #kirktalk