Bromley Recovery College Autumn 2021 Prospectus

Understanding Mental Health Conditions
Getting involved
Wellbeing and Health
Creativity and Self-expression

Online course

Sessions: 6 x 1.5 hour sessions
Course tutor: Enda De Búrca
Venue: online, Zoom
Dates: Every Thursday, 14 October – 18 November 2021
Time: 2pm – 3.30pm

It is a scientific fact that all human brains are different, making all of us human beings unique. There is no right or wrong neurobiology.

Neurodiversity also means a different way of being in the world. This difference should be valued and actively celebrated.

This course will introduce and celebrate diversity from two perspectives. Firstly from the neurobiological perspective and secondly from the perspective that sees neurodiversity as personal difference and as new and creative ways of being in the world. These different ways of being in the world are not just neurobiological and behavioural but are deeply linked to one’s sense of identity.

In-person course

Sessions: 4 x 2 hour sessions
Course tutor: Charlie Carpenter
Venue: Community House, South Street, Bromley, BR1 1RH
Dates: Every Tuesday, 9 November – 30 November 2021
Time: 10am – 12pm

Just what shapes our personality and just how does our personality shape our lives?

Our personality is unique, part inherited, part shaped by life experience. It defines us as individuals and plays a powerful role in determining the course of our lives.

This series of workshops explores the complex world of human personality in a relaxed and entertaining way, hopefully providing a deeper insight into just what makes you tick.

In-person course

Sessions: 3 x 2 hour sessions
Course tutor: Roxana Graves
Venue: Anerley Town Hall, Anerley Road, Anerley SE20 8BD
Dates: Thursday 23 and 30 September, and Thursday 7 October
Time: 11am – 1pm

Social anxiety can affect almost every aspect of your life. We will examine definitions of social anxiety, discuss symptoms and behaviours and how these may impact our everyday lives and the choices we make.

Having a good understanding of our own symptoms and triggers can often be a helpful start when exploring different techniques to manage and improve our social interactions.

In-person course

Sessions: 2 x 2 hour sessions
Course tutor: Roxana Graves
Venue: Community House, South Street, Bromley, BR1 1RH
Dates: Thursday 4 and 11 November
Time: 11am – 1pm

The festive season can be stressful for all sorts of reasons and can be an unwelcome reminder that our lives, relationships and families do not resemble those we see in the adverts. Whether on our own or part of a big family, it can be a difficult period to navigate. It’s also a time when a lot of services are closed and our usual routine may be disrupted.

If you would like to better understand stress and how to recognise and manage your symptoms around the festive season in particular, please do join us for this interactive course.

In-person course

Sessions: 4 x 2 hour sessions
Course tutors: Charlie Carpenter and Frankie Hughes
Venue: Conference Room, Anchor House, 5 Station road, Orpington, BR6 0RZ
Dates: Every Tuesday, 14 September – 5 October 2021
Time: 10am – 12pm

Discover what is really important to you.

This series of four workshops is designed to help students plan the next step or steps forward in their lives.

The emphasis will be on taking small, manageable steps and accepting change in a self-compassionate way.

Online course

Sessions: 3 x 2 hour sessions
Course tutors: Rebecca Edmondson and Sue Mall
Venue: online, Zoom
Dates: 14, 21 and 28 October
Time: 11am – 1pm

Applying for jobs is a stressful experience, especially in these challenging times. It is easy to become overwhelmed and nervous, and underperform during an interview, with the risk that you lose out on the job.

This course aims to build your confidence online using platforms such as Zoom and Teams, as they are the new way of working and conducting job interviews.

It will:

• Encourage and empower you to present yourself positively by identifying your skills and abilities.
• Support you with obstacles and barriers to returning to work.
• Help you create a new path into employment, and understand the reasonable adjustments and coping strategies you can make to support your mental health at work.
• Guide you in how to maintain employment.

Online course

Sessions: 3 x 2 hour sessions
Course tutors: Rebecca Edmondson and Sue Mall
Venue: online, Zoom
Dates: 11, 18, 25 November
Time: 11am – 1pm

Following on from our ‘Getting Ready for Work’ course, this course is designed to support you to take action steps towards creating your CV, completing job applications, exploring job and training opportunities and preparing for a job interviews.

The course aims to motivate you and help increase your confidence to achieve your goals towards employment.

Online course

Sessions: 4 x 90 minute sessions
Course tutors: Veronica Hope and Angela Smith
Venue: online, Zoom
Dates: Every Thursday, 21 October – 11 November
Time: 1.30 pm – 3pm

Making your voice heard is sometimes very difficult when you are trying to communicate and express yourself in a way that you are listened to. This course will help you to explore different ways of conveying your feelings effectively allowing you to make your ideas and voice heard.

In-person and online course

Sessions: every Friday ongoing
Course tutors: Nicky Fawcett
Venue: Bromley United Reform Church 20 Widmore Rd, Bromley BR1 1RY – map /Zoom
Dates: Every Friday
Time: 11am – 12pm

Learn the soft, graceful movements of the ancient Chinese healing art of Tai Chi (meditation in movement) and the soulful healing of Qigong.

Learn breathing and relaxation techniques and mediation in motion that relaxes and creates stillness of mind.

The gentle activity and movements of Tai Chi and Qigong can reduce stress and depression and soothe the mind. It can also reduce high blood pressure and improve the immune system.

In-person course

Sessions: 8 x 2 hours
Course tutors: Sally Baxter and Emily Randall
Venue: Orpington Baptist Church, Station Road, Orpington BR6 0RZ – map
Dates: Every Tuesday, 26 October – 14 December
Time: 10am – 12pm

This group is a relaxed opportunity for students to come together and enjoy a game of table tennis under the supportive eye of two experienced players who will be on-hand to give advice.

Table tennis is a great way to develop physical fitness.  These sessions are ideal both for beginners and more experienced players.

In-person course

Sessions: 6 x 1 hour sessions
Course tutors: Jon Paul Mountford and Angela Smith
Venue: Various locations in Beckenham
Dates: Every Tuesday, 7 September – 12 October
Time: 10.30am – 11.30am

A gentle walk of just 20 minutes a day has been shown to have a significant impact on a person’s mental and physical wellbeing. Remarkably, it can help lower stress levels, reduce anxiety and strengthen your immune system.

The aim of this group is to introduce, in a relaxed and informal way, mindful walking in pleasant environments.

The hope is to run two groups, one in the Kelsey Park area of Beckenham, the other in the Chislehurst area, but we will respond to demand and if sufficient interest exists the College will operate a third group elsewhere in the Borough.

Each walk will be of approximately 50 minutes duration.

In-person course

Sessions: 6 x 1 hour sessions
Course tutors: Charlie Carpenter and Angela Smith
Venue: Various locations in Orpington
Dates: Every Friday, 10 September – 15 October 2021
Time: 11am – 12pm

This is essentially a gentle walk with a chat located in the south of the borough. The Friday group will also explore the neighbouring River Cray and the environs of All Saints Church.

This walking group is suitable for those with limited mobility.

In-person course

Sessions: 6 x 2 hour sessions
Course tutors: Jon Paul Mountford, Angela Smith and Veronica Hope
Venue: Various locations within the borough of Bromley
Dates: Every Monday, 1 November – 6 December 2021
Time: 10.30am – 12.30pm

This group is for those who feel ready to progress to something more adventurous.

Still taken at a gentle pace, the group will explore various attractive locations around the borough, including Jubilee Country Park in Petts Wood, Goddington Park, Lily’s Wood in Orpington and Crystal Palace Park.

In-person course

Sessions: 6 x 2 hour sessions
Course tutors: Jon Paul Mountford
Venue: Various locations within the borough of Bromley
Dates: Every Monday, 6 September – 11 October 2021
Time: 10.30am – 12.30pm

These walking sessions will be at a moderate pace and include various locations across the borough. No specialist equipment is required but be prepared for routes that may be adversely affected by the weather.

In-person course

Sessions: every Tuesday ongoing
Course tutors: Heather Collyer and Liz Litton
Venue: Sandford Road Allotments, Bromley South, BR2 9AN
Dates: Every Tuesday
Time: 11am – 2pm

This is an exciting opportunity for those interested in gardening who would like to expand their knowledge to become involved in an ongoing gardening project.

The group currently maintains two separate allotments which are given over to a wide range of plants, including flowers, soft fruit and vegetables.

The allotments are located close to Bromley South station and are of easy access.

In-person course

Sessions: 6 x 2 hour sessions
Course tutor:Jon Paul Mountford
Venue: Stepping Stones, 38 Mason’s Hill, Bromley BR2 9JG
Dates: Every Tuesday, 2 November – 7 December 2021
Time: 1.30pm – 3.30pm

Batik is an Indonesian technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to the whole cloth. The technique originated from the island of Java, Indonesia.

Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines on the resist with a spouted tool called a canting, or by printing the resist with a copper stamp called a cap.

Come along and learn a new art form. Spaces are limited in order to maintain a safe and healthy environment.

In-person course

Sessions: 8 x 1 hour sessions
Course tutor: Jon Paul Mountford
Venue: Stepping Stones, 38 Mason’s Hill, Bromley BR2 9JG
Dates: Every Friday, 17 September – 5 November 2021
Time: 1.30pm – 2.30pm

This is a structured, eight-week course designed for beginners or anyone who wants to improve their guitar technique.

Learning a new skill can be difficult in the beginning. Guitar is hard to learn, but gets easier the longer you stick with it. The more you practice, the easier a guitar will feel to play.

With practice, by the end of this course you will have learnt some basic chords and possibly a new song.

In order to maintain a safe and healthy environment, spaces are limited.

In-person course

Sessions: 6 x 1.5 hour sessions
Course tutor: Jon Paul Mountford
Venue: Various locations
Dates: Every Monday, 27 October – 8 November 2021
Time: 1.30pm – 3.30pm

This exciting new course uses the digital camera or phone to build basic skills in students who have an interest in photography but no prior experience.

Using a combination of tutoring, demonstration and hands-on exercises, the course will explore the basic photographic techniques and artistic concerns involved in making photographs. These include camera handling, composition, effective use of light and much more to develop your photographic vision.

Online course

Sessions: 6 x 2 hour sessions
Course tutor: Enda De Búrca
Venue: Online, Zoom
Dates: Every Tuesday, 5 October – 9 November 2021
Time: 10am – 12pm

Making art can increase your sense of wellbeing, help put you in touch with and express blocked feelings and enable you to access a state of ‘creative’ flow which calms the mind and allows you to look at the world in a fresh perspective.

This six-week course includes a series of exploratory workshops looking at the fundamentals of art making: line, shape, form, value, space and texture.

Online course

Sessions: 6 x 2 hour sessions
Course tutor: Enda De Búrca
Venue: Online, Zoom
Dates: Every Friday, 1 October – 5 November 2021
Time: 10am – 12pm

Engaging in creative activity can increase your sense of wellbeing, help put you in touch with and express blocked feelings and enable you to access a state of ‘creative’ flow which calms the mind and allows you to look at the world in a fresh perspective.

This 6 week course includes a series of explorative workshops, experimenting with different art techniques (drawing, collage, painting, automatic writing, mixed media).

Transport and parking

We ask that Recovery College students make use of public transport to attend Recovery College courses as parking is very limited at all sites.

Bromley Lewisham & Greenwich Mind parking is as follows:

Beckenham (20b Hayne Road)
Car parking at Bromley, Lewisham and Greenwich Mind, Beckenham may be particularly limited at the times of Recovery College courses held at Hayne Road. Please notify the Beckenham Centre reception at Hayne Road if you are parking onsite.

The Beckenham Centre is served by the 194, 227, 354 and 358 bus routes.

Beckenham Junction railway station and tram stop is 10 – 15 minutes walk away from the venue.

Stepping Stones, Bromley (38 Masons Hill)
Unfortunately the on-site parking provision is extremely limited and is not available for students with the exception of Blue Badge holders. Students with mobility issues and who are concerned about parking arrangements are advised to contact the Recovery College coordinators on 01689 603577 (Charlie Carpenter) or 07718 445559 (Lorraine Gordon).

The site is served by the 61, 261, 208, 336, 358 and 320 bus routes.

Anchor House, Orpington (5 Station Road)
There is no on-site parking provision at Anchor House. Parking is available in Orpington town centre or in the nearby Tesco store car park.
Orpington railway station is a 15-minute walk away from the venue

Contact us

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Address

Bromley Recovery College,
Bromley, Lewisham & Greenwich Mind, 38 Mason’s Hill, Bromley, Kent, BR2 9JG
(Map)

Telephone

07745 182738 or 07718 445559.

Email

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This version of the Bromley Recovery College programme was last updated on 24 August 2021.