“When I saw the tree planting it was an opportunity to further the work we’ve been doing. It’s nice to be doing physical activities in the open air. It’s good physical exercise, it’s good for your mental health, you can’t really fault it on a personal level and an environment level.”
“One of the things that surprised me, especially since I’ve been doing the tree planting, is how much more I’m capable of than I ever thought I was. I think if six months ago you asked me if I thought I could stand in a field all day and plant trees, I’d have said no way. Things like that, you surprise yourself.” Continue reading “Stephanie’s story – Volunteer tree planting with KindleWoods”
Local groups gathered at Dewsbury Town Hall recently where they were celebrated for the amazing work they do for Dewsbury East. The groups have all been awarded funding from local ward councillors to support local people. Continue reading “Dewsbury East community groups celebrated for shaping their place”
Like many people first moving to a new place, it took me and my husband a while to get to know people in the community, but this changed when we began going along to the Oakenshaw Community Choir. Over time you get to know more people and become part of the community, which is what led me to get more involved in local life. This resulted in me becoming a member of the Oakenshaw Residents’ Association, and in the last few years part of the Oakenshaw Monument Preservation Society. Continue reading “Jean’s story – Campaigning to keep Oakenshaw on the map”
Whilst working for Kirklees Council I worked with the Kirklees Wildlife & Landscape Partnership. When the partnership morphed into Natural Kirklees, I carried on working with them as a volunteer. I eventually became a Trustee and have worked with them ever since. Continue reading “Joan’s story – a council officer and local volunteer”
I’m part of a community project called ‘All Together Now In Colne Valley Land’. We are building a community! Building friendships! We rely on people volunteering their time to help us, whether it be clean up events, community gardening days, nature walks or arts and crafts days. Continue reading “Jamie’s story – a journey from volunteering to employment”
I’m pleased to say that I’m a volunteer facilitator at Andy’s Man Club. That means that on a Monday night, I’m there to help other guys to get through their problems. We’re there to listen, share and support each other. Continue reading “Neil’s story – helping other guys get through their problems”
I wanted to get involved in my local place because I felt that many people don’t care about their neighbourhood. So I started volunteering at the Spen Valley Civic Society, where I now have the role of secretary. Continue reading “Erica’s story – Creating civic pride in Spen Valley”
When I retired I was looking for something to fill my time and also help in the community. I originally thought about helping do some gardening, but as I had been in catering for many years and the park were looking for volunteers to help in the Visitor Centre, serving tea and cake, that’s where I thought I could help most and that is how it all began. Continue reading “Julie’s story – How I became a volunteer at Beaumont Park”
I got involved with and volunteer at Andy’s Man Club because not enough is done for mental health and Andy’s Man Club deserves recognition. They’re a men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups. For me personally, Andy’s Man Club basically saved my life. Continue reading “Lee’s story – getting my confidence back at Andy’s Man Club”
I retired nearly 17 years ago and having never volunteered during my working life wanted to give something back, plus give myself an interest. I ended up as a trustee and secretary for the Friends of Beaumont Park. Continue reading “Ed’s story – Life as a Trustee of Natural Kirklees”
“We’ve been out together, various groups of us, doing some litter picking, some habitat management, bashing brambles and putting up bits of fencing… It’s been very good, because we’ve felt we’re doing something good for the area.” Continue reading “Sally’s story – I’d rather get out there and do things”
“For many years walking around the Pit Hill and enjoying walks here, I felt it could be improved much more for nature and the local community. So I started inviting my neighbours and local people to come and collect litter… Continue reading “Viv’s story – Improving our area for people and nature”
I started the Together in Batley newspaper with a group of friends because I’d become disappointed about how Batley is reported on locally and nationally, because bad news drags people down. I wanted to get some good news out and to inform and represent those of us who feel isolated and feel that we have no voice. Continue reading “Celia’s story – An ambition to create good news”
I have been volunteering at the Unity Shop for two months and it gives me a great feeling of satisfaction. To be working alongside other creative people is a real lift Continue reading “Elizabeth’s story – The great satisfaction of volunteering”
I want to tell you about the Hive Community Café at 46, John William Street in Huddersfield.
My story actually begins a few decades ago with me questioning my gender and sexuality. Over time it became increasingly difficult to cope with my internal conflict until in September 2020, I came out to my family as a transgender woman. Continue reading “Philippa’s story – My personal journey to helping others in the LGBTQ+ community”
I wanted to make a difference in my community. I was seeing so many people isolated, with lots of mental health issues, lots of anti-social behaviour and people who needed somewhere to get out, to meet others and have a safe space to go to.
Continue reading “Laura’s story – Finding purpose through volunteering”
I suffered with a range of mental health difficulties for a number of years and really needed some motivation, to get out of my house that I had been hiding away in for so long. My local community centre became that place Continue reading “Sarah’s story – My local community centre became my motivation”
My main motivation for getting involved is to have pride in where I live. This was my inspiration to bring like-minded people together to carry out improvements around all the villages around Holmfirth, in a variety of ways. Continue reading “Win’s story – Growing pride in Holmfirth”
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Empower C.I.C. all started with me feeling a calling to help prevent the youngers and my peers from pursuing a path down the wrong lane. To do that I had to try to lead by example, Continue reading “Tashan’s story: We’re like the bigger brothers we never had”
I was at a community anchor meeting and people were saying, “what do you think we should do, now we’re coming out of Covid?”. And I said, what I’d like is a field and a load of people from the local community, and I’d like to have an allotment where we could just grow and share food in the community. Continue reading “Chrissie’s story – How I got hooked on an idea for an allotment”
My ambition to start Holmfirth Repair Cafe was from a desire to stop items from ending up in landfill and to encourage others to have a go at repairs. Continue reading “Caroline’s story – Fixing things makes us happy”
On my summer break from university, I got an assistant team leader role working for the National Citizen Service, to provide young people with new experiences and for them to gain confidence within themselves. Continue reading “Jemima’s story – Growing confidence as a young leader”
We’re working with local people and organisations to measure our progress towards our Shaped by People shared goal.
Like many people during the pandemic lockdown, I started going on walks near where I lived. To breathe in the air, from being couped up inside all that time, was really important. Caulms Wood was just there.
Continue reading “Melissa’s story: Growing friendships in Caulms Wood”
I originally began visiting the orchard at Paddock because it felt good to be outside during the first Covid lockdown in Spring 2020. The apple trees were quite overgrown so I began clearing brambles and enjoyed being among nature and listening to the birds. Continue reading “Richard’s story: Seeing something that sparks your interest”
It started with a conversation in the pub. A few of us were sat in the pub out of the football season, chatting about how we could resurrect Berry Brow Carnival. Continue reading “Alison’s story: Are you having a carnival?”
The Linthwaite Leadboilers Festival is about bringing residents of Linthwaite and the Colne Valley together, to celebrate “all things Linthwaite”. Continue reading “Liz’s story: Finding Linthwaite’s local identity”
I joined the More In Common Batley and Spen volunteer group for the Batley Iftar event in 2019 after attending my first communal Iftar the previous year Continue reading “Hafeezah’s story: Faith, traditions and skills – How community groups can celebrate and weave people together”
Our stories, our places celebrates the stories of people in our communities who are working together to make our local places even better. Continue reading “Welcome”
