The Brighter Futures programme works in partnership with local health and community providers to improve and sustain positive mental health and wellbeing in Hampshire adults.

Participants come through partners such as wellbeing centres, care providers and social prescribing networks to attend courses such as Needle Felting for Wellbeing, our Seasonal Living Workshop Series or Art Journalling to increase confidence, develop emotional resilience and improve socialisation. Participants can also self-refer themselves onto these courses via our online referral process.

 

Our Brighter Futures Spring 2025 courses have now been released. Please see the full list of available courses below and click on the links to find out more about each course.  

 

Basingstoke:  

 

Gosport:  

 

Winchester:  

 

Forest Arts Centre: 

To be eligible for a Brighter Futures course you must be 18+ years old, live in Hampshire, and feel as though this course will benefit your wellbeing.  

 

To register your interest to attend a Brighter Futures course, please complete the self-referral form: https://forms.office.com/e/vfMkq8Fp0p 

 

These courses are part of the Hampshire County Council Adult Tailored Learning Programme, Hampshire Achieves. 

 

Brighter Futures FAQ

How do I sign up?

Please fill out our self-referral form: https://forms.office.com/e/vfMkq8Fp0p 

You shall then receive an email from BrighterFutures@hampshireculturaltrust.org.uk. This email will let you know if you have been reserved a space on a course or have been waitlisted.  

If you have been allocated a space, you will need to complete the enrolment form (linked in the email), by the required deadline stated in the email. Once you have completed the enrolment form by the required deadline, you will be booked onto the course. Please note you will not receive a confirmation email after completing the form, but will receive an email one week before the course with the full details. 

If you have been waitlisted, we shall email you if any spaces become available.  

*Please keep an eye on your spam/junk folder if you are expecting an email from us. 

How to contact us

To contact us please email BrighterFutures@hampshireculturaltrust.org.uk  

What to bring

Course materials will be provided for you. However, sometimes tutors invite you to bring extra materials, which may inspire your work. You shall be informed of this in the email you shall receive one week before the course. If you are on a full day course, we will ask you to bring a packed lunch.  

How to get there, parking, accessibility

Details for the venue will be included in the email you shall receive one week before the course. If there is any additional important information regarding accessibility, we shall include this in the email. If you would like to view information about our regularly used venues for Brighter Futures courses, please visit the links below.   

What to expect on the day

When arriving at the venue, please ask at the front desk which room the course is taking place in, and they will direct you. At the start of the session the tutor will introduce themself and go through some housekeeping and let you know what the session will involve. You will have an opportunity to introduce yourself to other participants and have a chat with the group. Typically group sizes are between 8-10 people. The tutor will offer demonstrations and advice on the art medium. Please ask the tutor if you need any extra help or need something repeated. You will have a break for lunch if on a full day course. Tea and coffee will be provided. Please note these are wellbeing courses, which have relaxed timings and environment. We understand attending something new can be daunting, so if you would like to ask us any questions about the course, please email us and we will be happy to help.  

What to do if you cannot attend

When enrolling on the course, we ask you to make sure you can commit to all sessions, except in unexpected circumstances. If you cannot attend a course which has not yet started, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing us at BrighterFutures@hampshireculturaltrust.org.uk. The sooner we know, the sooner we can fill the space with someone on the waiting list. If you cannot attend a session of a course that has already started, please email us so we can let the tutor know that you will be absent.  

  • Three needle felted barn owls in a colourful nest
  • Selection of art materials laid out on a table, including paint testers and floral doodles
  • Needle felted robin sitting on a needle felted apple
  • Pink ceramic handpainted plant pot on a shelf with purple and pink flowers in it

"I have gained a new confidence in my abilities and an increased empathy towards others. When in lockdown, it's hard to appreciate that everyone around you is going through the same mental health struggles. I grew a greater sense of understanding of my own mental health issues as well as empathising with others."

Participant feedback

 

"It helped me overcome my perfectionism, opening up another type of journaling to me to help with recording my mental health survival/recovery journey."

Participant feedback

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