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Volunteer Of The Month – March 2025

Posted on by Aimee Webb

Volunteer of the month is when we get to shout about our amazing volunteers and the, quite literally, life changing work they do to help Fresh Futures run smoothly and effectively.

This month we would like to say a big THANK YOU to Karen who is a Community Friend. We caught up with Karen to hear about his Fresh Futures volunteering journey so far…

Tell us a bit about yourself!

I work as an admin assistant which I love. I have recently gone back to college to do math’s GCSE! I love spending time with family and friends.

Tell us more about your volunteering role:

My befriending role involves me visiting my friend most weeks and I ring her a couple of times a week for a catch up.

How long have you been volunteering for the charity?

I have been a befriender for about 11 years. I have also done some reading groups in a care home setting, helped out at the centre with events and delivered gifts at Christmas.

What’s a typical day volunteering like for you?

I’ll generally ring my friend on a Monday night and might call with a sandwich one day. She is 93 and loves a good chin wag!

What made you want to start volunteering with Fresh Futures?

I worked in Brighouse Sainsburys and we did some work collecting Christmas gifts for the elderly people who visited a rest centre. Most were on their own and the small gifts were so appreciated. The difference it made really made me want to help where I could!

And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering at Fresh Futures?

It’s so rewarding, you can make such a difference by giving just an hour a week. I would advise anyone to do it, I have made some lovely friends over the years.

A digital graphic features a 'Volunteer of the Month' recognition for Karen Tippett, a core volunteer with Fresh Futures. The design has a bright orange background with playful cloud and swirl illustrations. At the top, the Fresh Futures logo is displayed alongside the tagline 'Improving lives, inspiring change.' The main focus is a cutout-style photo of Karen Tippett, a woman with dark hair and glasses, sitting beside an elderly woman with short white hair, both smiling warmly in a cozy home setting. A speech bubble contains Karen’s name, and below it, a yellow tag marks her role as 'Core Volunteer.' A small trophy icon is included as a symbol of recognition

If you feel inspired to become a volunteer like Karen, or if you would like to volunteer in any way for our charity, please contact Lucy on 01484 519988 or [email protected]

Volunteer of the Month: February 2025

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

Volunteer of the month is when we get to shout about our amazing volunteers and the, quite literally, life changing work they do to help Fresh Futures run smoothly and effectively.

This month we would like to say a big THANK YOU to Zach who volunteers for Elevate. We caught up with Zach to hear about his Fresh Futures volunteering journey so far…

Tell us a little about yourself: I’m 6’3 and I like to think I’m a little funny

How long have you been volunteering for the charity: I’ve been volunteering since the start of October 2024.   

Explain your volunteering role: I help out wherever I’m needed and I help run the elevate sessions. 

What made you want to start volunteering with Fresh Futures? I’d been coming to sessions myself and wanted to try something new.

Sum up a typical day of volunteering for you: I turn up a little earlier than everyone else to help set up the session. I greet people as they enter the room and then we play some kind of game, normally its Uno no mercy but other times we do arts and crafts or we just have conversations.  

And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with Futures? It’s about more than yourself, it’s about everyone around you

A poster that says Volunteer of the Month at the top, with some hands reaching up below the title. Under these is a picture of 3 people stood next to a building looking at the camera.

If you feel inspired to become a volunteer like Zach, or if you would like to volunteer in any way for our charity, please contact Lucy on 01484 519988 or [email protected]

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!

Local MP Visits Fresh Futures’ Post-16 Provision

Posted on by Aimee Webb

On Friday 14th February, Iqbal Mohamed, MP for Dewsbury and Batley, visited the newly opened Brian Jackson College Post-16 Provision in Heckmondwike. The visit provided an opportunity for Mr Mohamed to meet with both teachers and students at the College, which opened its doors in October 2024. 

During the visit, he was presented with a hand carved box containing scrolls written by the students about their personal journeys and why the Post-16 is making a difference in their lives and their ambitions for the future.

A group of professionally dressed individuals, smiling at the camera, in a classroom setting.
Iqbal Mohamed and staff from Brian Jackson College

The Post-16 Provision has received overwhelmingly positive feedback since it opened, and the support from the local MP further reinforces the value provided to the students, their families, and the wider community.

Designed to offer a tailored educational experience for students aged 16-18, the provision aims to align with each individual’s unique interests, needs, and future aspirations.

The college offers students the opportunity to gain vocational qualifications alongside crucial life skills and work experience, enabling them to take their next step on their pathway towards adulthood. The highly trained staff, passionate about their fields, bring a wealth of knowledge to the students.

A group of people in a workshop, one man in overall explains something, gesturing to a car part, with two students and another man watching.
The mechanics workshop at Brian Jackson College

Additionally, the provision provides onsite access to essential support services, including counselling, career advice from external specialists, and enrichment sessions that give students a taste of the working world.

Iqbal Mohamed reflected during the visit:

“Firstly, I just want to say a massive thank you to the staff, and to Rhys and Kieran for their invitation, I experienced a brilliant warm welcome, and tour around. Staff are doing doing a fantastic and amazing job that changes lives for all these young adults – it’s incredible, thank you very much!

Being prepared for life can be daunting and complicated, but if you stay grounded and focus on being the best human you can be, you’ll acquire many important skills along the way. There are others facing the same or even more difficult challenges, so never hesitate to seek help and always be ready to offer help to others.

Make the most of every opportunity that comes your way, and when something is offered to you, take it with both hands!”

A blue pool table, two people are playing with one person leant over the table, taking a shot while the other person watches them
Iqbal playing pool with a Brian Jackson College student

Mark Farmer, Chief Executive, continued

“Everyone at Fresh Futures is exceptionally proud of our new Post-16 offering.  We offer holistic support and a safe space to young people who would struggle to thrive in a more traditional education environment. By providing vocational qualifications as well as building life skills and confidence, we are giving the young people who attend our provision the stepping stones they need to move on towards a positive destination that is right for them.”

This inspiring visit highlights the importance of the Brian Jackson College Post-16 Provision in shaping the future of young people in the local area and Fresh Futures is excited to continue on our journey of developing our support for young people in the future.

Fresh Futures Gains Incredible Support from Local Café – Here’s How You Can Get Involved

Posted on by Aimee Webb

Unity Yard Café at Holmfirth

Unity Yard, an arty café based in Holmfirth, has been supporting Fresh Futures since the end of 2024. The café supports over 140 local artists and makers, selling art; plants; gifts; clothes and more in their café. You can find them on Facebook and Instagram.

Comfy sofas and chairs that customers can sit on whilst they visit Unity Yard Café
The seating area at Unity Yard
A member of the Unity Yard team posing with a cup of coffee by the till in the Unity Yard Café
The inside of Unity Yard

The café has kindly supported the charity over the festive period by selling our very own Christmas Cards that were designed by students that attend Brian Jackson College during their art classes.

Unity Yard also have a Fresh Futures collection tub, collecting funds that goes towards supporting disadvantaged children, young people and their families. Fresh Futures looks forward to continuing this partnership into 2025 and beyond!

A member of the Unity Yard team has also given up their own time to volunteer as a Community Friend during the pandemic in 2020, making a weekly phone call to her matched friend every week for years to follow.

Interested in Volunteering:

If you would be interested in volunteering in Huddersfield or Batley, for a limited time we are running three Community Friend training sessions to the public!

Sessions at Brian Jackson House, Huddersfield will be taking place on:  

  • Wednesday 26 February, 9:30-11:30
  • Thursday 27 February, 17:00-18:30

And at Jo Cox House, Batley:

  • Wednesday 12 March, 10:00-12:00

After the session, the final steps will be completed including a DBS check and a short application, so you’ll be fully ready to start befriending and make a real difference!

For more information, please contact us today [email protected]!

a poster depicting the dates for volunteer training in Huddersfield and Batley.

Volunteer Of The Month – January 2025

Posted on by Aimee Webb

Volunteer of the month is when we get to shout about our amazing volunteers and the, quite literally, life changing work they do to help Fresh Futures run smoothly and effectively.

This month we would like to say a big THANK YOU to Christine who volunteers as a Community Friend. We caught up with Christine to hear about her Fresh Futures volunteering journey so far…

Tell us a bit about yourself: I am a retired violin teacher and still love to make music with my friends in chamber groups; love watching tennis and used to do marathon swims. I have a very caring and supportive partner.

How long have you been volunteering for the charity: I have been visiting my friend since January 2024. I regard my role as a friend, listener and sometimes a comforter.

Tell us about a typical day in your role: I visit my friend once a week and usually stay for about an hour and a half.

What made you want to start volunteering with Fresh Futures? I saw an advert on the tele asking for volunteers for Age UK, and it led me to being put in touch with Brian Jackson House.

And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with Fresh Futures? My advice is just be yourself and be a good listener.

A poster with 'Volunteer of the Month' at the top, with hands pointing up below. Then a picture of people walking away in the park is below these.
Volunteer of the Month

If you feel inspired to become a volunteer like Christine, or if you would like to volunteer in any way for our charity, please contact Lucy on 01484 519988 or [email protected]

Fresh Futures Fair – open call for stall holders!

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

Do you create or sell artisan products and want to reach a fresh audience and widen your reach? If so, Fresh Futures wants to hear from you!

On Saturday 7th June, Fresh Futures – a Huddersfield based charity – is running a Craft Fair at its head office in central Huddersfield. The craft fair will be part of a wider family fun day, with children’s entertainment as well as food and drink vendors available onsite.

a poster that says Fresh Futures Fair, 7th June 2025 with 3 images of knitting, wreath crafting and pottery.

Fresh Futures is looking for local traders and businesses who would like to host a stand at the event.

Katie Shephard, Head of Income and Engagement, says “We’re excited to be hosting the first ever Fresh Futures Fair this June. We’re hoping it will be a great event for everyone to attend with unique shopping opportunities, combined with entertainment for kids and food and drink vendors attending. The best part is that every penny raised at the event will be directed towards our work supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged children, young people and their families, from across the region.” 

Established in 1974, Fresh Futures is a regional charity that supports vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people, and their families, within Kirklees and surrounding areas.  The vision is for all children and young people to have opportunities for a better life, now and in the future. To find out more about the charity and how you can support its work, visit https://freshfutures.org.uk/corporate-partnerships/

Interested in hosting a stand at the event? Find out more by emailing Katie Shephard on [email protected]. Places are limited and offered on a first come, first served basis.

A poster that calls for stall holders at the fair, email katie.shephard@freshfutures.org.uk for details.

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

Volunteer Of The month – December 2024

Posted on by Lynne Haigh

Volunteer of the month is when we get to shout about our amazing volunteers and the, quite literally, life changing work they do to help Fresh Futures run smoothly and effectively.

This month we would like to say a big THANK YOU to Michael who volunteers as a Community Friend. We caught up with Michael to hear about his Fresh Futures volunteering journey so far…

Tell us a bit about yourself: I’m a bus driver and a cancer survivor. Now that I’m cured, I want to give back to the community. I never like to think of someone being on their own, so I’m doing what I can to make a difference.

How long have you been volunteering for the charity: I signed up over a year ago, but I had to take a break during my cancer treatment.

Tell us about a typical day in your role: It’s a joy to visit my two friends – they make my life feel whole just as much as I do for them. It’s really a two-way thing. Some days, I’ll think I can’t be bothered, but the moment I get there, I feel completely different. They’re both awesome people, and they help me as much as I help them.

There are so many rewards to being a befriender – more than I ever realised. Even on days when I wake up feeling off, just talking to my friends, and hearing their life stories makes everything better.

What made you want to start volunteering with Fresh Futures? I wanted to give something back to the community and help improve people’s lives.

And finally, what advice would you give to people considering volunteering with Fresh Futures? I’d recommend befriending to anyone. It’s one of the best things you can do, and the support from the team at the office makes it even better. They make sure you’re matched with the right people, which means a lot.

When I delivered Christmas presents, so many people wanted to stop and talk, and that really touched me. There are so many lonely people out there, and we don’t always realize it. Now I’ve got two friends for life, and it’s been an amazing experience for everyone involved.

If you feel inspired to become a volunteer like Michael, or if you would like to volunteer in any way for our charity, please contact Lucy on 01484 519988 or [email protected]