Life after a bereavement can bring a lot of challenges. Grief can feel isolating. Rosie and Lisa believe that connection and community can play a vital part in learning how to live with grief and adapt to a different life after loss. Todmorden, Hebden Bridge and the rest of the Calder Valley has a lot of great community groups and projects on offer to get involved with. Some are specifically for those that have had a loss. Many more are just places that you can attend on your own where you can make new friends and do something together like gardening, making, eating or walking.
If you know of or run a group that isn’t included in this list yet, please send an email to enquiries@naturalendings.co.uk with a link and a short description.
Support group for those who are caring for someone at the end of their life, are grieving or for those who are a terminal illness and would like a safe space to talk.
Every 3rd Wednesday of the month. 10am-12pm.
Monthy zoom meeting for those who are bereaved.
WAY Widowed and Young is a UK charity that offers a peer-to-peer support network for anyone who’s lost a partner before their 51st birthday. It has over 4700 members nationwide and connects people with activities locally.
National charity that provides resources and information about bereavement support.
Rachel Hawthorn is an artist, shroud maker and death doula. Her Grief Retreat Days offer a safe space for people to share and explore their grief through non-religious ceremony and ritual.
The people behind Incredible Edible are setting up a group in support of bereaved people in our community.
PUD is a community-led events organisation aims to create space for conversations around death, dying and bereavement.
Still Parents is the Whitworth’s award-winning programme to support parents who have experienced the loss of a baby in pregnancy or just after birth.
Sorting out a loved one’s personal belongings after they have died, can be a very emotional and daunting task. Sarah Myers offers a helping hand to make this task more manageable.
Jennie Shann is a hand cast and fingerprint jewellery artist. She can help you create a lasting memory of your loved one.
Sewing, crochet and painting workshops. A great way to learn a new skill, and meet new people.
The Chatty Crochet group meets Mondays 1.30-3.30 £2pp all materials provided & they provide free prayer blankets for anyone who needs one
Julia Ogden Artist runs a crafting class on Sunday mornings. She does one off classes for adults too.
The Makery is a volunteer-run community workshop space, to help you repair things or get started on your own projects.
Also worth looking at the Men in Sheds project and Women in Workshops project.
For women and nonbinary folk to get together and sing for fun. Not auditioned – Monday nights 6pm, just turn up at the Unitarian Church.
Lots of lovely people from all sorts of backgrounds just enjoying singing together.
You’re sure of a warm welcome at 3 Valleys Gospel Choir. It’s a no-audition choir. They meet at The Central Methodist Church in Todmorden on Mondays, 19.30 start.
Speak to Rev. Catherine Shelley or Tim (the organist) to find out more about St. Mary’s choir. Rehearsals on Thursdays at 6pm.
Todmorden in Bloom is a voluntary group dedicated to creating a big, bright, beautiful blooming community in the heart of the Pennines. They look after 25 pocket gardens, 130 hanging baskets, 45 barrier baskets and Todmorden and Walsden Railway Stations.
Community gardening group that come together every 1st and 3rd Sunday morning of the month. IET grows edible fruit, herbs and vegetables around Todmorden, amongst many other community initiatives. Everyone is welcome, no matter what your age, skills or background is. Every gardening Sunday ends with a free community meal, and you are welcome even if you haven’t been able to volunteer. “If you eat, you’re in.”
Monday morning Tai chi session in Hebden Bridge.
Lovely intergenerational group suitable for all abilities.
Never too late to take up golf, make some new friends & get plenty of fresh air & light exercise.
Sowerby Walkers & Ramblers provide a supportive environment for people of they want to join them on walks! Very friendly bunch of all shapes, sizes and ages.
The group meets most Sundays and, in the summer, on some weekday evenings. Walks vary from 4 – 12 miles.
Tree planting charity based in Hebden Bridge. Forus Tree plant trees around the Calder Valley to help with flood prevention.
Community-led space that offers a wide range of activities and learning opportunities. Home of the Makery, Incredible Edible Gardening Sundays and many more.
Andy’s Man Club are a men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online. We want to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and help men through the power of conversation.
Women’s Open Talk is a free, supportive community dedicated to providing a safe space for women & non binary members of the community to share their stories, experiences, and emotions. Our talking therapy support group offers a nurturing and no—judgemental environment where we can come together to discuss various challenges, seek guidance, and foster connections with one another.
We are a character-filled, vibrant and diverse group of women of all ages, sexualities, ethnicities, abilities and backgrounds. The majority of our members are in their 30’s to 60’s but as long as you’re over 18, you’re not too young or old to join us.
The Oddfellows is a lovely friendship group, they have a range of social events and suitable for people on their own. Branch is based in Halifax but they have events around the area including Todmorden
A group for women and children in Cornholme.
Our Women’s group is an empowering network that is great for finding friends, support, group sessions, or just some inspiration and motivation. Our sole purpose is to unite women in the quieter area of Todmorden called Cornholme.
Each week brings new ideas. Together we get creative, have a chat, share ideas and also bring our children along.
Healthy Minds is here for everyone in Calderdale. Whether or not you have a mental health diagnosis, or have been involved with other mental health services (NHS, for example), we offer a range of services to help you find what works for you to improve and maintain your emotional health and wellbeing.
Services include: Safe Space, activities, Walks for Well-being, Peer-support, Wellfare Rights Support, Mental Health education project for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups (facilitated by Roshani)
University of the Third Age Todmorden. Self-help education for over 50’s in Todmorden and the surrounding area.
We run self-help education in the Todmorden area through shared learning and creative leisure, via a wide number of special interest groups, monthly talks and Let’s Go trips – all in a pleasurable, stimulating and friendly atmosphere. Anyone no longer in full-time work (third agers) can join.
Todmorden has a MOTO (members on their own) group.
Tangent provides the opportunity for women everywhere to be part of an organisation which is built on its roots of friendship and service.
We empower women through friendship.
The Jane Dale library readers group. Meets in the Honest John monthly. For more information ask at Todmorden Library.
We are a volunteer group based out of Todmorden Health Centre, which aims to improve health and wellbeing in the local community.
Helping people find volunteering opportunities.
Thursday mornings 10am-12pm. Find out about all the groups/support available, with a friendly welcome & choccy biscuit.
Quiet reading group on Wednesdays from 1pm till 5pm.
“Having heard about how great they can be we’re starting a silent reading club at The Retreat in Hebden. It’s a really simple idea, we close our upstairs space off on a Wednesday afternoon from 1:00 and anyone is welcome to come along and maybe talk/socialise for the first 30 minutes. Then, from 1:30 onwards would be reading in silence for an hour. After that there’s the option to stay and chat, leave or stay and read for as long as you would like.
We’ve seen it work in cities and it’s a great way for introverts to be around other people without the pressure of talking to strangers, plus it’s really nice to have a reading space and dedicate some time to yourself.
Typical book clubs usually have a host or someone that organises things, sorts a reading list and then encourages conversation about the set texts. This book club isn’t like that. You bring your own book or magazine and just enjoy the calm space.”
Where: The Retreat, Hebden Bridge
When: Wednesday’s 1:00 onwards
1:00-1:30pm – People arrive, order drinks/food, share what they’re reading
1:30-2:30pm – Quiet reading hour
2:30-5:00pm – Optional socialising, or just keep reading, leave when you’re ready
Kindness offer a pay forward scheme so anyone can turn up, have a cuppa or a meal and feel togetherness and safe. We have people that come and sit with us all day sometimes. If needed we also have links to agencies that could help if people are struggling with their mental health or drugs and alcohol as a result of loss. When people are lonely they do find friends in our place, if they need further intervention we often help with that too
The Folklore Centre has plenty to offer, some come for the cafe, other come for the exhibitions, talks or the library with books about folklore. Plenty of people come to the cafe and look around exhibitions alone, or sit a use the library, the friendly staff try to make time to chat, and the Saturday talks/events always have a number of folk attending alone and are a lovely group of people, the talks this year so far have been outstanding- lots to interest a variety of people.
Calder Grub Hub is a DIY not for profit organisation. We’re tackling poverty and food waste by serving a free tasty nutritious vegan meal to anyone who needs it.
Open Thursdays 12pm – 2pm
You are always welcome at St. Mary’s to join in for Communion. St Mary’s Church also hosts many events and groups throughout the year. Get in touch with Rev. Catherine Shelley for a full program: catherine.Shelley@leeds.anglican.org
A regular Unitarian Service is held at the Church on the 1st Tuesday of every month from 7pm.
“We do rituals throughout the year honouring ancestors our loved ones and the deities and goddesses for those who are of a pagan or spiritual path at Spiritual Connections.
We do live streams every Wednesday and talk about all things spiritual on our shops page and remind everyone of the next upcoming ritual and how to take part etc.
We are always there to support anyone through loss or traumas and help them gain their emotional strength, perspective and wisdom along their journey. We work a lot with those in spirit and help people gain a better understanding of how they can communicate and include their ancestors in their daily lives.
