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Events

Tag: wellbeing

Online: The Grieving Body – an interview

An online interview with Mary-Frances O’Connor, author of The Grieving Body: How the Stress of Loss Can Be an Opportunity for Healing.

Watch free on the HuddLitFest YouTube channel from Friday 15 May.

The follow-up to celebrated grief expert, neuroscientist, and psychologist Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor’s The Grieving Brain focuses on the impact of grief – and life’s other major stressors – on the human body.

Coping with death and grief is one of the most painful human experiences. While we can speak to the psychological and emotional ramifications of loss and sorrow, we often overlook its impact on our physical bodies. Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor specialises in the study of grief, and in The Grieving Body she shares vital scientific research, revealing imperative new insights on its profound physiological impact. As she did in The Grieving Brain, O’Connor combines illuminating studies and personal stories to explore the toll loss takes on our cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune systems and the larger implications for our long-term well-being.

Research-backed, warm, and empathetic, The Grieving Body is an essential, hopeful read for those experiencing loss as well as their supportive friends and family.

Exploring Literature, Creative Writing and Poetry in Creative Health

This lunchtime networking and afternoon workshop invites anyone interested in the power of words to explore the role of literature, creative writing and poetry in creative health.  

 

Bringing together people from across communities, health and social care, and the arts, the session will offer space to share lived experiences of how reading, writing and poetry can support health, wellbeing and connection in everyday life. 

 

Speakers will include:  

  • Nick Barley, Director of the National Poetry Centre 
  • Professor Rowan Bailey, Strategic Lead for Research (Arts and Humanities) and Principal Investigator of Creative Health HUB (University of Huddersfield) 
  • Luise Marino, University Hospital Southampton 
  • Darren Henley, CEO of Arts Council England?? 

 

Come and explore the benefits of literature for wellbeing, lived experiences of using creative writing and poetry in health and social care settings, and the personal practice of reading and engaging with literature as part of daily life. We invite you to share your thoughts and ideas about the role of literature, creative writing and poetry in creative health. 

 

The workshop will also introduce the work of the National Creative Health Hub (based at the University of Huddersfield), which is leading a consortium project with a range of external partners and West Yorkshire Combined Authority. This work sits within the wider ambitions of the West Yorkshire Creative Health System, which aims to support creative health in making people’s lives healthier and happier. 

 

No prior experience is needed — just curiosity and a willingness to explore the creative health benefits of literature, creative writing and poetry together. 

 

Refreshments will be provided.

 

Thursday 14 May 

1pm-4pm (1pm-2pm networking lunch, 2pm-4pm workshop)

University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield HD1 3DH (Room details to be provided closer to the event date.)

Free 

Age guidance: 16+ 

Access Guide: https://students.hud.ac.uk/help/disability/accessibility/  

 

Book tickets

 

Access: if you have specific access needs or seating preferences, please contact our Admin team at [email protected] with your request.

Concession & Carers: For further information on concession and essential carer tickets, please visit our FAQ’s page. 

Eventbrite note: When purchasing tickets please download the Eventbrite ‘app’ or ‘create an Eventbrite account’. This will facilitate quicker access to your tickets.

Huddersfield Voices Open Mic

Join Serendipity Creative Writers for a poetry Open Mic: Huddersfield Voices: Reflections of Life, Love, Light & Laughter – “The WRITE Way to Better Mental Health”. 

 

This year is the National Year of Reading 2026, so whether you are an avid writer, a novice or just want to listen, all are welcome to this event in a safe, warm, friendly space, to celebrate creativity and self-expression. 

 

Venue located opposite the Town Hall. Free event and free cake! 

 

Serendipity Creative Writers is a well-established small mental health charity (reg. no. 1201197) founded in 2018. Based in Huddersfield Serendipity serves the surrounding Kirklees area. The charity’s whole ethos is to bring people from all walks of life together through the love, enjoyment and inspiration of poetry, storytelling and the spoken word. Through writing and sharing we can improve our mental health, build friendships and stronger communities. Serendipity runs free weekly workshops in Huddersfield, Dewsbury and Batley, thanks to funding from the National Lottery. 

 

www.serendipitycreativewriters.org/ 

www.facebook.com.serendipity.creative.writers.charity 

 

 

Sunday 10 May 

5pm-7pm 

Café Life, 42 Victoria Lane, Huddersfield HD1 2QF  

Free: donations welcomed on the night 

Age guidance: 16+ 

Workshop: Have a Kind Word with Yourself

In a time of doom and distraction, is it hard to stay connected to your creativity and your inner kindness? Join award-winning poet Rose Condo for Have a Kind Word with Yourself – a creative writing workshop to explore how we can cultivate kinder language for ourselves.  

 

Have a Kind Word with Yourself is suitable for writers at any level of experience, particularly those who seek opportunities to keep creative, kind and connected. 

 

Note: ticket price includes one free hot or cold (non-alcoholic) drink. The Amped café-bar will be open for the purchase of further drinks and food; food and beverages brought in from outside cannot be consumed on the premises. 

 

Rose Condo is a performance poet, writer and workshop facilitator. Originally from the Canadian prairies, she moved to the UK in 2003 and now calls Manchester home. She has published two poetry collections with Flapjack Press: After the Storm and How to Find Where You Belong, is a multiple slam champion and has won awards for her spoken word shows. Rose has over 20 years’ experience running workshops. 

 

“Rose always adapts her sessions to be at the right level so everyone can get involved.” 

Helen Beesley, Manchester Libraries, Galleries & Culture 

 

Sunday 17 May 

11am-1pm 

Amped, 29 Zetland Street, HD1 2RA 

£15 (£12 conc), free for essential carers accompanying a ticket holder. Ticket price includes one free hot or cold (non-alcoholic) drink. 

Age Guidance: 16+ 

Access Guide: contact the venue on: [email protected]; 01484 361932

 

Book tickets

 

Access: if you have specific access needs or seating preferences, please contact our Admin team at [email protected] with your request.

Concession & Carers: For further information on concession and essential carer tickets, please visit our FAQ’s page. 

Eventbrite note: When purchasing tickets please download the Eventbrite ‘app’ or ‘create an Eventbrite account’. This will facilitate quicker access to your tickets.

Workshop: Celebrating Life Stories

Book this workshop with Paul Burston’s Workshop: What’s Your Story (Saturday 9 May at 1.30pm) and save! Just choose the option of both workshops when you purchase your ticket. 

 

Celebrating Your Life Stories – with compelling writing is a fun, uplifting and life-affirming workshop, to introduce you to creative non-fiction writing. All welcome (age 16+), no previous writing experience required. 

 

With Juliet Thomas – Creative Coach, & Founder of From Seed To Sky – Nurturing ideas into powerful realities… 

Juliet is passionate about encouraging everyone to tap into their inner creativity and thereby improve mental health, foster new skills, create connections, build confidence and feel proud of trying something new. 

 

Let’s celebrate together 

Too often we look back on our life and think about the tough parts, the challenges we have gotten through and whilst these are important, defining moments, what about the good parts, the celebratory moments, the parts that bring us pure joy? In this session we will pause to reflect and celebrate these moments, writing and expressing your story, your way, as part of the celebrations of 20th anniversary of Huddersfield Literature Festival! 

 

We will be exploring creative non-fiction writing to share your story 

This specific, up-and-coming genre, allows you to tell your truthful story in the most engaging and colourful way. It’s factually accurate writing that’s presented in a compelling, imaginative, and narrative style.  

 

This 2-hour workshop will include: 

 

  • Intro to creative non-fiction writing, sharing some published examples 
  • Ice breaker in partners – share a joyous moment to each other in one intriguing sentence 
  • Take a truthful joyous micro moment and write about it in no more than 250 words 
  • Take a truthful celebratory major memory and begin a blog, article,or a bigger project with this memory 
  • Sharing your writing pieces (only if you are comfortable doing so) 
  • Refreshments  

 

 You will leave: 

  • Happy that you have given yourself the gift of some creative writing time 
  • Having taken the time to focus on the positives in life, the special moments that make you smile  
  • Uplifted from a creative afternoon, where you have achieved unique, personal pieces of writing to feel proud of 

 

You can find out more about Juliet @fromseed_tosky on Instagram 

 

Saturday 9 May 

11am-1pm 

Amped, 29 Zetland St, HD1 2RD 

£12 (£10 conc), free for essential carers accompanying a ticket holder 

Age guidance: 16+ 

Access Guide: contact the venue on: [email protected]; 01484 361932 

 

Book tickets

 

Access: if you have specific access needs or seating preferences, please contact our Admin team at [email protected] with your request.

Concession & Carers: For further information on concession and essential carer tickets, please visit our FAQ’s page. 

Eventbrite note: When purchasing tickets please download the Eventbrite ‘app’ or ‘create an Eventbrite account’. This will facilitate quicker access to your tickets.

Live Podcast with Rose Condo & Nick Barley

Join us for a live podcast recording with award-winning poet Rose Condo and Director of the National Poetry Centre Nick Barley. 

 

Have a Kind Word With Yourself is a podcast that explores how we can keep kind, creative and connected. Now in Season 2, in this podcast series host Rose Condo speaks with fellow creatives about their work and some of the things that help to keep them well along the way. In every episode she uses the letters in the word KIND to frame her conversations.  

 

For this live recording, Rose will speak with Nick Barley, Director of the National Poetry Centre. The event will include a Q&A with the audience. 

 

Rose Condo is an award-winning Canadian performance poet. Based in Manchester, she has performed throughout the UK and internationally. She runs workshops for people of all ages, exploring wellbeing through creative writing. Her poetry and her solo shows have been published by Flapjack Press. 

www.rosecondo.net @rose_condo_poet 

 

Nick Barley is the founding Director of the National Poetry Centre in Leeds – a new organisation to support and champion poetry across the UK. He is also a Professor in Practice at Durham University, working on Readerbank – a multidisciplinary research project into reading and the imagination. He was Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival from 2009-2023 and a trustee of the Booker Prize Foundation from 2018-2024. He was a judge of the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize and was the chair of the judges for the 2017 International Booker Prize.  

 

Saturday 16 May 

4pm-5pm 

Amped, 29 Zetland Street, HD1 2RA 

£4, free for University of Huddersfield staff and students and for essential carers accompanying a ticket holder 

Age Guidance: 16+ 

Access Guide: contact the venue on: [email protected]; 01484 361932 

Book tickets

Access: if you have specific access needs or seating preferences, please contact our Admin team at [email protected] with your request.

Concession & Carers: For further information on concession and essential carer tickets, please visit our FAQ’s page. 

Eventbrite note: When purchasing tickets please download the Eventbrite ‘app’ or ‘create an Eventbrite account’. This will facilitate quicker access to your tickets.

The Walk of Green Hope

A creative walk featuring poetry, Indian dance and hopeful thoughts. With 6 million+ and Balbir Singh Dance Company. 

 

We will look closely at nature, listen to poetry that celebrates refugees who have come to Huddersfield, watch beautiful dancing set against the architecture of the park and explore words of hope. 

 

1pm-2pm Picnic with music, weather permitting 

2pm-3.30pm The creative walk, whatever the weather 

 

Meet by the Visitor Centre and Refreshment Rooms, near Beaumont Park Road entrance. 

 

6 million+ and Balbir Singh Dance Company have been working together for the past three years in Huddersfield on creative arts projects like Unmasking Pain and Wear and Share, that integrate refugees and local people in exciting ways. 

 

6 Million + delivers creative arts projects with an extended family of refugees and local communities. The organisation exchanges and expresses stories of the Holocaust, genocides and contemporary persecution at home and abroad, while challenging discrimination and working towards a kinder future. 

 

Balbir Singh Dance Company (BSDC) was founded by Balbir Singh MBE in 2005, creating a platform to bring Kathak and contemporary dance together. Based in Leeds, BSDC works across the UK and in internationally. Over time, the company’s projects have become far more than just performances: they are spaces of dialogue, transformation and healing. 

 

Sunday 17 May 

1pm-3.30pm 

Visitor Centre (meeting point), Beaumont Park, Beaumont Park Road, Huddersfield HD4 7AY 

Free (Booking required)

Age guidance: all ages (U16s should be accompanied by an adult) 

Book tickets

Concession & Carers: For further information on concession and essential carer tickets, please visit our FAQ’s page. 

Eventbrite note: When purchasing tickets please download the Eventbrite ‘app’ or ‘create an Eventbrite account’. This will facilitate quicker access to your tickets.