Dewsbury and District League of Friendship, commonly known as Howlands, is a small independent charity based in Dewsbury, that assists disadvantaged adults to meet the challenges of life. We are a fully-accessible, fit-for-purpose community centre based in a refurbished Victorian School building. We originally supported people with physical disabilities and in more recent times we have responded
to personal requests and are now proud to make a difference in the lives of those who may be lonely, isolated, have mental health problems or have a social need in these difficult times. We changed our Constitution in 2019 to reflect our broader approach. We are a community hub providing an invaluable resource to the local Dewsbury population and accessible to the wider regional community. We host regular events such as Dewsbury Soup bringing charities, community groups and businesses together to raise funds and we work in partnership with several agencies to form a vibrant and rewarding community centre that supports people across a diverse range of challenges. These include:
- Sizzle and Chat, a women's group started by CarersCount, an organisation in Kirklees supporting the social and health needs of unpaid carers;
- “hoot”, a creative arts charity helping people with mental health challenges;
- Home-Start Kirklees, a group providing support for families with young children who are experiencing difficulties;
- and Shared Harmonies, part of BreatheEasy, a support group for sufferers and carers of people with respiratory conditions. Over 70 years we have consistently demonstrated that we can deliver a strong community-focussed programme fostering a sense of pride and self-belief in participants. At Howlands we provide experiences that inspire people, raise aspirations and encourage achievements. We embrace the varied abilities of all people, helping build social confidence, tackle mental and physical health stigmas and enhancing the creative talents of participants to instil greater sense of achievement and self-esteem. Howlands is open five days a week with each day having two sessions where attendees work on bespoke art and crafts projects in an environment that promotes conversation, emotional support and the forging of healthy and supportive friendships. The sessions we facilitate are based around arts and crafts, with a focus on the development of social skills, reduction of loneliness and confidence-building, teaching of new skills (sewing, tapestry, knitting, mosaics, painting, design, model-building and more) and cementing of
strong social connections to improve self-esteem and encourage increased community participation thereby contributing to local economies and better outcomes for all across Kirklees.
