Recovery College offers hope to Limavady

The Recovery College in Omagh is hosting a series of drop in mental health events at the Yellow Bird Café in Limavady, urging people to call in and ‘Connect with A Cuppa’.

The events take place monthly at the popular coffee spot in Newton Square, on the last Wednesday of each month from 2pm with the next taking place on October 25.

Established 12 years ago as part of the Western Trust, the Recovery College offers free courses and workshops to support people in better understanding and managing their mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Yvonne Cairns, the Recovery College Co-ordinator said ultimately the main aim of the Recovery College is to bring hope to people.

“The Recovery College is in essence about talking, it is open to the whole community and we want to have that conversation around mental health and emotional wellbeing, which is all part of the human condition,” she said.

“The goal is to reduce stigma and discrimination in relation to mental health.

“We offer courses in a format which is a lived learned experience, about education and information in a forum which is both confidential and allows people to be there who can listen.

“Sometimes when we have discussions, that is the best learning, we pick up tips and ideas.

“The overall goal of the Recovery College is about offering hope, with the opportunities to actually live our life with a sense that we can do these things for ourselves with the right support and help.

“The café is another extension of that, come along and have a cuppa and a chat, for one person that might be something which will get them up today, it is a more relaxed place and takes it into a social atmosphere.”

For Yvonne, community is essential to repairing mental health problems in society.

She said: “It is that sense of community, we look at the five essential aspects of wellbeing, including community and connection and it brings that in but to a lighter extent.

“It is lovely, post-covid, we were just up and running with this, then Covid came along, so we are trying to get it established again.”

Margaret Ann Sexton, owner of The Yellow Bird is delighted to host the monthly event in the café: “It is fantastic to be part of the local community network and offer a little bit of support to people, especially after the pandemic, it is important to bring the community together again.”

Yvonne is pleased to say that many of their participants in the courses eventually become volunteers at the Recovery College and many of their events are volunteer led and organised.

Three peer educators are also employed on a part time basis with the Recovery College to help those in need.

Heaping praise upon the welcome received in Limavady for the Recovery College, Yvonne commented: “The community has really come out and shown kindness to new people, Limavady is going from strength to strength, it does just show that there is that sense of community and kindness and people want to share their stories to help others and show they are not alone.”

For further information on the Recovery College, contact 028 8225 2079, email yvonne.cairns@westerntrust.hscni.net or consult westerntrust.hscni.net/service/recovery-college