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Tag: #FreshFutures

Fresh Futures Golf Day – Join Us For A Great Cause!

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

Fresh Futures, a local charity based in Huddersfield, is excited to announce our upcoming Golf Day on Friday 11th July 2025 at the stunning Meltham Golf Club! Known for its beautiful fairways, scenic views, and excellent course conditions, it’s the perfect setting for a fantastic day of golf, networking, and fundraising. Sign up here!

We’re inviting local businesses to book a team and take part in this special event. There are also sponsorship opportunities available, allowing you to promote your brand while directly supporting our vital work with disadvantaged children, young people, and families across Kirklees.

Promotional poster with a QR code to sign up a team for the Golf Day.
Register using the QR code
A promotional poster with sponsorship opportunities at the Golf Day.
Sponsorship Opportunities

The day will begin with delicious breakfast butties on arrival, setting you up for a great round of golf. After an enjoyable day on the course, players can look forward to a hearty meal and a chance to celebrate together. There will also be fantastic prizes on offer, making the competition even more exciting!

Katie Shephard, Head of Income and Engagement at Fresh Futures, shared her enthusiasm: “We’re so excited to be hosting this event at the beautiful Meltham Golf Club. It promises to be a fantastic day, and we can’t wait to welcome teams, sponsors, and supporters. It’s a brilliant opportunity for local businesses to come together, enjoy some great golf, and make a real difference in our community. We hope as many companies as possible will get involved, whether by booking a team or exploring sponsorship opportunities.”

Every penny raised from the event will go towards our mission of empowering young people and their families, ensuring they have access to the opportunities and support they need to thrive.

Whether you’re an experienced golfer or just looking for a fun day out, this is a great way to give back while enjoying a memorable event. Sign up today and help us drive change—one swing at a time!

For team bookings, sponsorship details, or more information, please get in touch with us at [email protected]. 

Let’s make this an unforgettable day for a fantastic cause!

Can You Offer Our Post-16 Students a Work Placement?

Posted on by Aimee Webb

Within Fresh Futures, we operate three alternative education provision colleges for students who do not thrive in mainstream education.

The colleges are in Huddersfield and Heckmondwike, with the Heckmondwike provision housing the first post-16 centre that was opened in October 2024.

Our post-16 provision is designed to provide a bespoke educational experience that aligns with each student’s unique interests, needs and aspirations for the future.

Highly knowledgeable staff, alongside offering on-site counselling and career advice, aid in ensuring students are ready for work by the end of their time with us.

A teacher is helping a student complete a sheet of work.
Student studying at Brian Jackson Post-16 College

Sam, the Construction Teacher at the post-16 provision, said “I am passionate about ensuring young people are knowledgeable and prepared to work in the industry”.

What is offered at the post-16 provision currently?

The curriculum is designed to equip students with practical skills across different fields while ensuring they have a solid foundation in essential academic subjects like Maths and English.

By offering vocational courses such as hairdressing, construction, and food technology, we cover a variety of interests, giving students the flexibility to focus on their strengths and career aspirations.

How can you help?

To enrich the students learning further, we are keen to provide work placement opportunities for the students.

Work placements can really help bridge the gap between theory and practice, giving students the chance to develop hands-on skills in a professional environment.

We are currently looking for work placements in the following settings:

Car Garages

Students interested in motor vehicle maintenance can get hands-on experience with vehicle repairs and customer service.

Building Suppliers

Those pursuing construction skills could gain insight into materials, logistics, and supply chain management in the building industry.

Care Homes

Students interested in healthcare or care work would get exposure to patient care, hygiene practices, and the day-to-day operations in a care setting.

Shops, Food Banks

These placements could teach students about customer service, stock management, and community support roles.

Restaurants, Cafes

Ideal for those studying food technology so they can learn about food preparation, safety standards, and the service industry.

Schools, Nurseries

Perfect for students interested in education, childcare, and social care, helping them gain experience working with children and learning support.

National Highways

Students interested in infrastructure or construction can work on large-scale projects related to roads and transport.

Pharmacies, Medical Centres, Dental Care

Students pursuing healthcare or medicine could get valuable experience in patient interaction, administration, and basic medical practices.

One student is sat on a chair in front of a mirror, whilst another student stands behind and dry's her hair with a hairdryer.
Student in the hair and beauty classroom at Brian Jackson Post-16 College
An organized workshop with a long workbench, mounted tools, safety gear, and a cement mixer in front, supported by stacks of bricks and blocks
The construction classroom at Brian Jackson Post-16 College

If I take on a student, what can I expect?

Throughout the placement we will ensure that students are supported while also gaining invaluable experience in a real-world setting. Having regular contact from a staff member is key to addressing any questions or concerns you or the student might have, making the experience more enriching.

You would not be required to pay the students as you’re helping prioritise learning and development.

This is a fantastic opportunity for local businesses and organisations to get involved in supporting the community and helping young people build their careers.

If you can support our post-16 students or you have you a new placement opportunity please do get in touch with Lauren Barber-Harrison on [email protected] or call 01924 408 306.

Celebrating 50 Years Of Fresh Futures

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

Fresh Futures, previously Yorkshire Children’s Centre, is a regional charity supporting disadvantaged children, young people and their families in our community. The charity was first set up by Brian Jackson, who was passionate about improving the quality of childcare in the Kirklees area, resulting in the creation of the National Children’s Centre, the charity’s name when it was launched. Since then, it’s services have expanded and diversified to support more groups in the community through four strands of work; education; health & wellbeing; employability & skills and relationships.

A lively outdoor community event on a grassy field, with families and children enjoying activities. A colourful double-decker bus, a white camper van, and a green tent with bunting are visible, along with people sitting on blankets and strolling around. Traditional stone houses surround the scene
A black-and-white photograph of smiling children running towards the camera in front of a decorated double-decker bus with playful illustrations. More children are visible in the background near the bus, which appears to be part of a community event
Photos from Fresh Futures over the years
A colourful and engaging early learning classroom with children playing on the floor with toy trains and blocks. Two adults are working on a craft project at a table. The room is decorated with educational posters, learning materials, and playful decorations

In 2024, Fresh Futures celebrated its 50th anniversary, marking the occasion in various ways, including Brian Jackson House playing host to the Kirklees Top 100 companies event held in June, the launch of a Patron scheme to enable corporates to pledge their support and a World Record attempt – to have the largest collection of erasers!

A group of smartly dressed people, posing and smiling at the camera, in front of a silver and black balloon arch.
Kirklees Top 100 Event hosted by Fresh Futures

Fresh Futures also celebrated many of those involved with the charity, through their 50 faces of Fresh Futures campaign, interviewing those who work for, volunteer for or support the charity throughout Kirklees.

In 2025, we continue to be keen to hear stories from anyone who may have worked for the charity or used any of the services over the last 50 years. Please email [email protected] if you’d like to share your story.

Lucy Jackson, daughter of Brian Jackson, is now a trustee of the charity and shared some memories the family have of her father and the charity. She said: “About 2 or 3 years ago I noticed on social media that there was a sponsored walk from my dad’s charity. Over the years since his death in 1983 I had attended irregular events of the charity, but this felt like an opportunity to chat with some of the staff. I went on the walk with two of my adult children, really enjoyed chatting to everyone about where the charity now was. Since then I’ve been delighted to join the board of Trustees and it’s wonderful to see first how my father’s legacy continues to thrive.”

Other members of the family shared how “it was wonderful to visit recently and see children and parents playing happily together at Brian Jackson House” Fresh Futures don’t boast about what they do – but it’s noticed when parents need their help.”

Brian Jackson’s youngest son, Seth who works for Strange Thoughts, a Patron of the charity. Believes, “It’s lasted, it’s evolved and it’s still making a difference!”.

A word cloud including the words inclusive, unique, heard, remarkable, crucial, families, adventurous, seen, warmth and perseverance.
A word cloud to show how people describe Fresh Futures

With many exciting fundraising activities planned for 2025, Fresh Futures will continue to support children and families in the Kirklees area most in need.

Fundraising can take many forms, visit our Fundraising page HERE for some inspiration. If you would be interested in fundraising for Fresh Futures, please contact the team to find out their plans or suggest your own at [email protected]

Fresh Futures Nominated for Charitable Excellence Award at Yorkshire Choice Awards 2025!

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

We are excited to announce that Fresh Futures has been nominated for the Charitable Excellence Award at the Yorkshire Choice Awards 2025! This incredible recognition is a testament to the dedication, passion, and hard work of the Fresh Futures team over the past year.

Founded by Joanne Maltby and Melanie Malcolm, the Yorkshire Choice Awards celebrate the achievements of inspiring local people and businesses in Yorkshire, recognising their efforts to make a positive impact in their communities. Through adversity and courage, these awards shine a spotlight on individuals and organisations whose efforts truly deserve recognition.

In 2022, Fresh Futures was honoured to be the runner-up in the COVID Heroes Award, highlighting the collective efforts of our team during a challenging time. This year, we’re back in the spotlight, nominated for the Charitable Excellence Award, which was introduced in 2024 to recognise organisations excelling in charity work. The award celebrates not just charitable acts but also innovation, commitment, and the difference made in local communities.

For Fresh Futures, winning the award in 2025 would be a monumental achievement. It would celebrate over 50 years of charitable service and the tremendous impact we’ve had on children, young people, and families in Kirklees.

Katie Shephard, Head of Income and Engagement, shared: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have been nominated for such a prestigious award. The team works incredibly hard throughout the year, and we’re grateful to have our work recognised. We’re all excited for the ceremony and appreciate the support from everyone who believes in the work we do!”

How You Can Help: We need your vote to help us win! It only takes a few seconds, and your vote could make all the difference. Here’s how you can vote for Fresh Futures:

  1. CLICK HERE or visit Yorkshire Choice Awards Voting Page.
  2. Scroll down and click ‘CLICK HERE TO CAST YOUR VOTE’.
  3. In the ‘CHARITABLE EXCELLENCE AWARD’ category, select Fresh Futures from the drop-down box.
  4. Scroll to the bottom, enter your email address, and click ‘SUBMIT’.

The public vote is crucial, so please share this link with your friends and family to help us secure as many votes as possible. Your support could help us shine a light on the heart and spirit of Fresh Futures!

Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Together, we’re making a difference!

#YCA2025

Fresh Futures Open the Doors of the Brian Jackson College Post-16 Provision

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

Fresh Futures proudly operates two alternative provision colleges that offer a safe haven for students who’ve found that mainstream education isn’t the right fit and may be facing exclusion.

Located in Huddersfield and Heckmondwike, our colleges are dedicated to supporting pupils with social, emotional, and mental health challenges, giving them the tools they need to succeed. 

We’re absolutely delighted to have launched our very first post-16 provision in Heckmondwike at the end of October! At Brian Jackson College, our mission is simple: to create a nurturing, motivating environment where every student can flourish.

Our new post-16 offering is designed to provide a bespoke educational experience that aligns with each student’s unique interests, needs, and aspirations for the future. 

Jenny Netherwood, Head of Post-16 commented:

“I am delighted to introduce myself as the Head of the brand-new Post 16 provision at Heckmondwike. The provision will have an official opening later this term and staff are busily preparing for the arrival of the first ever set of learners!”

What Can You Expect from Our Post-16 Vocational Hub? 

Our vocational hub offers an exciting range of opportunities. Every student is assigned a personal tutor who they’ll meet with daily, ensuring they always have the support they need.

The College boasts large, welcoming spaces to both study and socialise, creating a genuine sense of community. Our staff, highly trained in their respective fields, are passionate about sharing their knowledge.

Plus, we offer on-site access to counselling, career advice from external specialists, and enrichment sessions that provide a real taste of the working world. 

Entrance to the Vocational Hub at Brian Jackson College, featuring a red sign on a stone wall and green-framed glass doors with security notices.
the entrance to the post-16 centre

Here’s a glimpse at the courses available at our post-16 vocational hub: 

  • Hairdressing 
  • Barbering 
  • Employability skills 
  • Construction 
  • Food technology 
  • Motor vehicle maintenance 
  • And of course, all courses include essential Maths and English! 

What Will Students Achieve with Us? 

By the end of their time at Brian Jackson College, students will: 

  • Secure a positive destination—whether that’s employment, further education, or training 
  • Have had their individual needs fully addressed to ensure success 
  • Gain accredited certificates that demonstrate their knowledge and skills 
  • Achieve qualifications in Maths and English (Functional Skills or GCSEs) 
  • Complete entry-level SFLE through enriching experiences 
A recreational room featuring a blue Donnay table tennis setup in the foreground, a small pool table in the background, and a seating area with red chairs and a table against a white wall with colorful bulletin boards.
the student break room at the post 16 centre
Two individuals engaged in a discussion at a round table in a communal space, with a laptop open between them. The room features bright orange chairs, a water dispenser, and a simple, modern design with white walls and a grey carpet.

A Chat with Michael Winder – Our Enthusiastic Car Mechanics Teacher 

We recently caught up with Michael Winder, our passionate car mechanics teacher, to hear more about his journey: 

“At the College, my classroom is a high-octane mix of jokes, hands-on projects, and the occasional misplaced socket wrench. My ADHD means every lesson feels like an adventure—one minute you’re learning about engine timing, and the next we are in a conversation about how tanks are just really big cars with better paint jobs. Dyslexia? No problem. When the textbook gets confusing, I throw it aside and says, “Let’s make our own manual!”

I am excited for this next chapter at the post-16 offering and can’t wait to find my next exciting project—probably trying to fit a jet engine onto a go-kart, with a cup of coffee in hand, of course.”

A spacious and well-lit automotive workshop with various tools and equipment, including a tire changer and engine stand. The area features high ceilings, an upper storage level, and an open garage entrance where workers are seen outside near a van and machinery.
the mechanics workshop at the post-16 centre
An automotive workshop with a clean, spacious floor, featuring various red and blue workstations, tools, and equipment. A bicycle is parked near a workbench, and multiple car jacks and engine stands are neatly arranged along the walls.