By Andy Hirst
A Huddersfield project which uses letters and artwork to bring happiness into lonely people’s lives is having a week of events in Huddersfield town centre.
Give … A Few Words was set up in Huddersfield during the pandemic to give lonely and isolated people – especially those in care homes – a nice surprise through the post and it’s gone from strength to strength.
Now it’s having a Pop Up At The Piazza week to get people writing letters and making crafts in time for Christmas.
The programme of workshops and events runs from Monday, November 7, through to Saturday, November 12.
People can attend as many sessions as they want and some need pre-booking via Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/givea-few-words-32557545589
Here are the events:
Monday, November 7, 12noon to 2pm: Launch and drop-in to learn more about Give … A Few Words.
Tuesday, November 8, 10am-12noon: Creative session by community interest arts group fairandfunky making Christmas decorations from recycled materials. Fairandfunky spreads a message of recycling, the environment and Fairtrade. Pre-book this event on Eventbrite.
Tuesday, November 8, 1pm-3pm: Coffee, cake and letter-writing for Christmas where people can have a go at writing a letter or drawing. This is a drop-in event.
Wednesday, November 9, 12.30pm-1.30pm: Letter writing and wellbeing. Discover how writing letters for others can help your own sense of wellbeing. Pre-book.
Thursday, November 10, 10am-11am: Network meeting featuring a talk from Sam Watt from not-for-profit events company Huddersfield Live about the forthcoming winter festival in St George’s Square from December 2 to December 24. Pre-book.
Friday, November 11: 10am to 12noon. Get together for current Give … A Few Words volunteers. Pre-book.
Friday, November 11: 1pm-3pm. Creative session by Alison Moorish making Christmas-themed air-dried clay decorations. Pre-book.
Saturday, November 12, 10am-12noon. Pop down to our red post pox and send a letter or card you’ve written.
The charity has just had some great support from Microsoft who contacted Give … A Few Words about a Community Day of Giving they were doing and wrote more than 50 Christmas Cards from a team based in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Some of the themes people can write about in the run-up to Christmas include golf, classical music, bridge, the Archers, theatre, football, music, singing, soaps, the Royal Air Force, flowers, Jane McDonald, Cliff Richard, art, Blackpool, films, baking, languages and rugby.
Give … A Few Words founder Sharron Wilkinson said: “People can write about anything they want. The most important thing is putting pen to paper or doing a drawing. That one card, drawing, letter or craft can make a huge difference.”
Give … A Few Words also needs unused Christmas cards so messages can be added to them. Drop them in to mailboxes at the Mailboxes ETC shop at 6 Queen Street, Huddersfield, or at the Hive Café at 46 John William Street.
To find out how you can help Give…A Few Words visit www.thegive.co.uk or email hello@thegive.co.uk
* Copyright for this story belongs to freelance journalist ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in stories for the media, press releases, blogging, copywriting, scriptwriting and applying for awards.
