Last Friday Brudenell Groove – the not-for-profit dance party held an event at HiFi raising money for Touchstone and Yorkshire MESMAC. We’d like to say a huge thank to you Brudenell Groove, for supporting us and for challenging discrimination and for creating safer party spaces. To find out more about Brudenell Groove head over to…
Positive Care Programme What is this? A 4 week programme of complementary therapies and workshops How can this help? The treatments can help with: Depression Loneliness Anxiety Chronic physical pain Fibromyalgia Chronic stress Sleep Issues And a range of other conditions… What will be available? One to one Complementary Therapies to de-stress and deal with both…
We want to express our huge appreciation for Meenakshi Parmar, who not only volunteers for Touchstone, but who is also running the Leeds Half Marathon to raise money for the organisation. We hope that many of Touchstone’s friends and supporters will choose to sponsor Meenakshi or turn out to support her on Sunday 14th May. Sponsor…
Do you work in South Leeds with pregnant women and parents and carers of children aged 0-2? Come and find out about our new Peer Support Programme. Are you pregnant or a parent or carer yourself? If so why not come along and see how you can get involved. Thursday 18th May, 11am-2pm Come and…
We are excited to announce a new Touchstone partnership with Wakefield Youth Offending Team. Along with Together Women Project, Leeds Police and Leeds Youth Offending Service, we are expanding the already successful Wakefield service into Leeds. Funded by NHS England, this will be an innovative support service for people who have contact with the criminal…
Touchstone is excited to announce the launch of “Barnsley Futures” – a new service providing support for individuals experiencing complex needs in Barnsley. The new service will be delivered in partnership with West Yorkshire CRC (managing the service) and Foundation, and is funded by Barnsley Council. Barnsley Futures will work with individuals over 25 who…
BDPL (BME Diabetes Programme Leeds) Do you have Type 2 Diabetes? Join our course to learn how to manage and take control of your diabetes. Learn in Urdu, Punjabi and English with your own community. Free Structured 8 week diabetes education for Black , Minority & Ethnic communities. This course will increase your knowledge, skills…
FREE COOK 4 LIFE COURSE Free 4 week cooking course Provides a free Health Check Simple healthy meals to help lose weight How to reduce risks of cancer, diabetes & heart disease Wednesday 26th April 2017 Wednesdays 2pm – 4pm at The Meeting Point Café 409 Harehills Lane, LS9 6AP Everyone is welcome, just come…
IN:CHARGE is a new and exciting project by Touchstone and PATH Yorkshire, bringing together people from African, African Caribbean, Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Mixed Heritage backgrounds on a FREE 24-week Training Course to learn and develop as a ‘Mental Health Coach’. The project will give participants the chance to improve their employment prospects and leadership skills…
Sat Sri Akaal and Hello! Welcome to the Sikh Elders Service Newsletter. I know that it has been quite some time since you last heard from me, but I am happy to say that I am back from maternity leave! I am really pleased to see that while I have been away the SES Team…
In the run up to Trans Day of Visibility (31st March), Leeds City Council have released a series of short video presentation about gender identity. Watch the third video on “Titles and Pronouns” below.
Beacon is a consortium of 3 local organisations that has been commissioned by Leeds City Council to provide a new city wide Housing Related Support (HRS) accommodation service. Leeds Housing Concern, Touchstone and Foundation are working together to provide a new Housing Related Support accommodation service in Leeds from July 2017. The service will aim…
In the run up to Trans Day of Visibility (31st March), Leeds City Council have released a series of short video presentation about gender identity. Watch the second video on “Gender Identity and Gender Expression” below.
In the run up to Trans Day of Visibility (31st March), Leeds City Council have released a series of short video presentation about gender identity. Watch the first video on “Sex or Gender” below.
Tuesday 25th April 12noon to 2pm at Hillside, Beeston Road, Leeds, LS11 8ND Touchstone’s Leadership Masterclass series celebrates indviduals who have achieved great things in spite of circumastances in their lives. Adam Smith is a founder and co-director of the visionary, multi-award-winning, global initiative: The Real Junk Food Project (TRJFP). Set up in December 2013,…
We’re getting better all the time – well, we like to think so, and our results in the Best 100 Not For Profit Organisations to Work For seem to confirm it. In 2013, Touchstone entered the Best 100 at number 72, since then, our results have improved every year, and we now find ourselves at…
Connect for Health is a friendly, local social prescribing service for people who live in South and East Leeds. We provide access to local groups and activities that could help you make a positive change. Who is the service for? The service may be for you if: you are at least 14 years old. you…
The WY-FI Project supports people with multiple needs across West Yorkshire. At their annual learning event this year, they will share their learning from year 3 of the WY-FI Project in relation to: effective beneficiary engagement the impact of integrated multi-agency work, and the benefits of co-production Touchstone’s own Alison Lowe and Jennie McCreight will…
Touchstone Business Development Team A Journey in Coproduction (Part 1) A few weeks ago I attended ‘News For You’ – Touchstone’s Service User Forum. A room filled with around 20 service users, each an expert in their own right, it was wonderful, and a privilege to see how the group runs. They rotate the chair/minute…
A new initiative from the Community Development Service is aiming to increase openness, discussion and knowledge about mental health within the Sikh community. Join in and engage with discussions on what mental health means within our community. Have a voice, engage and share your views and stories (both positive and negative). Tune into thought provoking…
From 1st March, Touchstone’s Community Development Service will be running a free 10 week art group at Inkwell on Potternewton Lane for women aged 18-25. The group will focus on positivity, wellbeing. The group will run every Wednesday for 10 weeks, from 2pm to 4pm. To join the group, contact Beth or Vanysha on 0112…
To celebrate LGBT History Month, Touchstone will be holding a special Leadership Masterclass on Tuesday 28th February with a panel of LGBT BME speakers. 28th February: 12 noon – 2 pm (lunch included) Hillside, Beeston Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS11 8ND Guest speaker panel Khakan Qureshi (founder of Birmingham South Asians LGBT – Finding A Voice)…
East Leeds Health for All will be hosting free Zumba classes each Thursday, beginning 16th February. Zumba is an aerobic fitness programme featuring movements inspired by various styles of Latin American dance, with some great music to keep you moving. Or in short, it’s a fun way to get fit. The classes take place at Leeds…
On Thursday 26th January, the 2016 UK Employee Engagement Awards in association with People Insight, announced its winners – the companies that put workforce engagement at the heart of their business strategy. And, of course, Touchstone was in there, scooping the award in the Inclusion and Diversity category. We were recognised for our allies programme “Pink…
This year, LGBT History Month – celebrated in February every year – will look at Citizenship, PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) and Law as it marks the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of male homosexuality in England and Wales. The overall aim of LGBT History month is to promote equality and diversity for…
Once again, Touchstone has been placed in the Stonewall top 100 employers – highlighting out commitment to maintaining diversity and challenging prejudice. The Stonewall Top 100 Employers are the best performing employers on Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2017, an annual audit of workplace culture for lesbian, gay, bi and trans staff The Workplace Equality Index…
Best Start Peer Support Touchstone is delighted to announce that we will be working with parents and carers in South and East Leeds over the next three years to deliver a brand new peer support service. Working in partnership with voluntary sector organisation Women’s Health Matters(WHM) and Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust’s Early Start Service,…
East Leeds Health for All will be continuing to offer a weekly programme of activities throughout 2017. Regular groups include: Monday Walking Group – Call Sarah on 0113 248 4880. Magic Mondays – arts, crafts, cooking, knitting, sewing, internet. Call Wendy or Maxine on 0113248 4880 or 0113 240 4196. Tuesday Plan 2 Change – support…
Mental Health Drop-in *EVERY FRIDAY FROM THE 6TH JAN 2017* Room 5 in the Leeds Civic Hall from 12.30pm until 2.30pm Struggling with your mental wellbeing, feeling isolated and alone? Come along to the Civic Hall, Fridays from 12.30pm until 2pm for a cuppa, chat and to meet others. We can support with: Mental health…
In 2017 we look forward to building partnerships with local organisations ‘St Gemma’s Hospice’ and ‘Leeds involving people’. Together we are hoping to under-stand why elderly Sikhs aren’t accessing their services. We hope to involve you and your families to take part in some research so that local services can be tailored to benefit your needs….
