NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN 2023 WITH HEALTHY LIVING CENTRE DARTFORD

by | Feb 18, 2023 | Healthy Living Centre, Dartford

Coming soon in 2023 Healthy Living Centre Dartford is embarking on a new venture through a community-based shop located on Temple Hill Square… watch this space and follow our social media pages for more information! Facebook @healthylivingcentredartford and Instagram: @hlcdartford.

TRAINING AND LEARNING
This year Healthy Living Centre Dartford will be partnering again with the Opportunities with Experience team as we work in partnership to host their practical ‘We Can, She Can, You Can’ Interior Decorating Course. This course aims to create employment and training opportunities for women in construction trades within South East England. Programme Director Angela Steele: “The role of the programme is to help women and others see those possibilities as well as recognise their own skills, transferable skills and abilities as well as applying them with the powerfulness needed to move forward in their journey”. Everyone who completes the training and successfully passes the assessments will receive their certificate and their CSCS card. For more information and to join the course starting on 22nd February at Temple Hill, visit: https://o-w-e-cic.org or call or text 07496 547214.

To provide ongoing training and learning opportunities to our Dartford community, Healthy Living Centre Dartford are also continuing our work with Kent Adult Education supporting the delivery of their Response Courses. Response courses are free of charge to those who are over 19 years of age, unwaged or low-waged and looking to use the course to increase their prospects of employment, volunteering or to restart their learning. The courses aim to develop skills and knowledge to help individuals to progress in life and increase their confidence and motivation. Throughout 2023, we will be offering Response Courses at Temple Hill or Tree Community Centres. These courses will include:

• British Sign Language: Monday 27th January, 10am-12noon at Temple Hill Community Centre. An introduction to the basics of British Sign Language.

• Emergency First Aid at Work: Friday 3rd February, 9:30am-5pm at Tree Community Centre. Lunch provided. Learn how to confidently respond in an emergency situation.
• Paediatric First Aid: Monday 6th February, 9:30am-1pm at Temple Hill Community Centre. An essential course for any parent or carer of young children.
• Food Safety Level 2: date and venue tbc.
• Crafts: date and venue tbc.
• Money Management: date and venue tbc.
• 5 Ways to Wellbeing: date and venue tbc.
• Barista: date and venue tbc.
• Food Allergens: date and venue tbc.

If you would like more information or to book onto any of these courses, please contact us at: info@hlcdartford.org.uk

VOLUNTEERING WITH HEALTHY LIVING CENTRE DARTFORD
We deliver and facilitate projects that offer a range of opportunities for training, volunteering, social interaction and community engagement and our volunteers are at the core of who we are and what we stand for. Our wonderful volunteers are from all backgrounds and vary from retired people, jobseekers and local people with time on their hands. Mostly they are people who want to share their skills and give something back to the community.

Would you like to learn how to teach others to cook and prepare meals or maybe you already have those skills to share with others? Would you like to share your IT skills or learn and progress in a regular IT class? Or if the outdoor life is for you, you can join the team on our community allotment to grow your own vegetables, fruit and flowers.

It is our volunteers who run our Repair Café, which is held as part of our Community Hub events: Temple Hill Community Centre on the 3rd Tuesday of each month and Tree Community Centre on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month. Our marvellous repair team are happy take a look at any small item whether it requires electrical, mechanical, woodwork or sewing attention to get it back to working order – “don’t throw it, repair it”. At our Community Hubs we regularly have advice specialists available including One You Lifestyle Advisors, welfare, debt and benefit advisors, legal and financial services as well as adult education providers. Other activities include AMF Holistic Wellbeing by Annmarie providing reflexology or a clothed neck and shoulder massage, alongside arts and crafts, games and puzzles. We also offer free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee and an affordable cooked brunch and delicious cake. Everyone is welcome and we look forward to meeting you there!

We are all very excited for 2023 as we continue to provide our community with enjoyable and fun experiences and activities for everyone. If you would like more information on these or future activities or have any suggestions, please email us: info@hlcdartford.org.uk and follow our social media pages: Facebook @healthylivingcentredartford and Instagram: @hlcdartford.

Follow us for more information on our school holiday activities and our new exercise classes as we put together our family-friendly plans!

DARTFORD FC | CLASS OF 2025-26 | SEASON REVIEW

Dartford took on Cray Valley PM on Saturday in what was our last league game of the season. The matchday programme for that fixture featured Chris Palmer's Season Review. For those who missed it, here is the article: As the 2025-26 Isthmian Premier League regular...

Pure Imagination Ignites at The Orchard Theatre: SYP Auditions Draw Local Talent for ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’

Acacia Sports Hall was buzzing with electric energy this past weekend as 200 young hopefuls descended for the highly anticipated Summer Youth Project (SYP) auditions. On Saturday, 25 April, local performers aged 9 to 19 showcased their talents in a bid to secure a...

Bluewater appoints its first Chief Play Officer at new play park’s opening weekend

Bluewater has appointed ten-year-old Samir Osmani as its first Chief Play Officer (CPO). The unique role has been created to celebrate the official opening of the centre’s transformed Wintergarden play area on Friday 24th April. Samir was selected from over 550...

FAMILY FUN WITH SHAUN THE SHEEP AND BLUEWATER THIS MAY

A new Shaun the Sheep augmented reality trail will visit Bluewater next month, alongside a line-up of fun half-term activities. Families are invited to embark on a free adventure with the Shaun the Sheep: Fun with the Flock augmented reality trail at the shopping...

Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) celebrated World Pilots’ Day (26 April) and welcomes first female pilot

With only 5% of pilots in the UK being female, KSS is proud to welcome the charity’s very first female pilot, First Officer Carla Feben, to mark World Pilots’ Day Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) marked World Pilots’ Day on Sunday 26 April, by...

DARTFORD FC WOMEN | CLASS OF 2025-26 | MEET ELSA EJUPI

Dartford took on Chatham Town on Bank Holiday Monday. Chris Palmer spoke to Elsa Ejupi, who featured in the matchday programme for that fixture. For those who missed it, here is the article: Elsa Ejupi arrived at Princes Park, having signed from the Millwall Lionesses...

DARTFORD FC WOMEN | CLASS OF 2025-26 | MEET STEPHANIE CASERIU

Dartford took on Hashtag United last month. Chris Palmer spoke to Stephanie Caseriu, who featured in the matchday programme for that fixture. For those who missed it, here is the article: Stephanie Caseriu is new to the Dartford FC Women’s team this season, and the...

Dartford Pride Marks Milestone 5th Anniversary with First-Ever Week-Long Celebration

Orchard West, in proud partnership with Dartford Borough Council and sponsored by Taylor Wimpey, is delighted to announce the return of Dartford Pride 2026. This year’s festivities mark a major milestone as the event celebrates its 5th anniversary by expanding from a...

Local community group celebrates 5 years of changing lives and launches new lottery to keep vital support going.

A Dartford community group that has spent the last five years helping people through illness, disability, poor mental health and isolation is celebrating a major milestone and inviting local people to be part of what comes next. The award-winning Kindness and...

A Colourful Celebration of 30 years of We Are Beams

We Are Beams is excited to invite the community to celebrate a very special milestone as the much loved fundraising event Messy Dash returns, marking 30 years of Beams supporting disabled children and their families. Taking place on Sunday 5th July at Dartford Central...