Yorkshire Air Ambulance is an independent charity providing a lifesaving rapid response emergency service to 5 million people across the whole of Yorkshire.

Their Building Bridges Community Project is funded by Live Well Wakefield Small Grants and focuses on:

• Promoting positive mental health and wellbeing
• Helping to reduce social isolation and empowering individuals
• Seeking to address inequalities by providing volunteering opportunities and improving employability skills to a variety of underrepresented audiences

Each session is structured and planned, with a short video or slide as an introduction to the session for approx. 5 min around various aspects of the charity at the start of each session. YAA just ask that at the end of the sessions that they can deliver their full talk with a fundraising stall. Sessions will last for two hours and be delivered on a set date/time over a 4 to 6-week block per activity, allowing 8 - 12 hours for the activities to be completed.

“Pretty fun and relaxing wish there were more classes.”

The workshops will help to reduce stress, anxiety, loneliness, and isolation by bringing people together with a common goal and purpose. For those who wish to gain employability skills, we have developed a volunteer ambassador role.

These sessions have gone down a treat at St Swithun’s Community Centre and Castleford Heritage Trust, and now Yorkshire Air Ambulance are looking for other groups.

This is a great opportunity to partner with YAA! If you’re interested, please contact Angela at a.vyas@yaa.org.uk