Restore - working for mental health

Neurodivergence and Wellbeing (Part 3)
2026-03-24 13:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | The Straw Bale, Restore, Manzil Way, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1YH, United Kingdom
This course looks at how we can define neurodivergence and how it may affect our wellbeing. We introduce various strategies, and we explore how wellbeing is related to reaching our goals. We explore with each other things which impact neurodivergent individuals and how to support those individuals and those who care and work with them. This course is developed to provide a brief introduction into the extensive topic of neurodivergence.

Introduction to ORC
2026-03-25 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-04-15 14:00 - 16:00 | Location: Online
This course is designed for all new students as part of the enrolment process. The course is designed to explain to students how ORC works, and to highlight some of the potential benefits of attending our courses. There is an opportunity to explore what ‘recovery’ means to us as individuals, and to think about what helps recovery. We will also spend some time considering next steps.

Understanding Confidence
2026-03-25 13:00 - 16:00, 2026-04-24 10:00 - 13:00 | The Straw Bale, Restore, Manzil Way, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1YH, United Kingdom
Mental ill-health often leads to a loss of confidence, making it difficult for people to get the most out of their lives. We appreciate that developing or regaining confidence is an important part of many people’s recovery. This course will help you recognise your existing skills, and consider some practical ways to move forwards with increased confidence

Spring wellbeing Event
2026-03-25 14:00 - 16:00 | ORC at Didcot Civic Hall, Britwell Road, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 7JN, United Kingdom
At the end of each term we offer an informal workshop which provides an opportunity to take part in a creative activity and a chance to reflect on the term gone by. These workshops are more informal than other courses and aim to build on a sense of connection within our ORC community

Spring wellbeing Event
2026-03-26 14:00 - 16:00 | The Straw Bale, Restore, Manzil Way, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1YH, United Kingdom

Conscious Doodling (Part 3)
2026-03-26 19:00 - 20:30 | Location: Online
During the Conscious Doodling sessions you are given opportunities to follow short guided exercisesusing simple shapes and patterns, often inspired by the natural world, which may help you connect to the body and breath. The sessions are a safe space toexperiment with doodling where there is no right or wrong, just a focus on experiencing the process.

Telling your Story (Part 4)
2026-03-27 10:30 - 12:00 | Location: Online
This 4-part course will support students to make their own short video story about one aspect of their recovery journey. Telling personal stories benefits our mental health by helping us reflect on and make sense of things that have happened to us. Storytelling also connects us to others and inspires us to cope with new challenges in the future. This course will involve working on how to structure a story and use technology to create a short video.

Please note: this course will involve sharing aspects of our personal stories within a group and requires students to have a smartphone/tablet/laptop which they can use for making their video story

Mental Health First Aid - 14th, 16th, 21st, & 23rd Apr
2026-04-14 09:30 - 13:00 | Location: Online
Four half-days, online. This accredited training enables you to become a Mental Health First Aider, with the ability to recognise the signs of mental ill health, provide support and guidance towards professional help.

Organiser

Journaling for Wellbeing
2026-04-16 13:00 - 16:00 | The Straw Bale, Restore, Manzil Way, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1YH, United Kingdom
In this course we discuss how journaling in its widest sense (recording some aspects of our day to day experiences) supports wellbeing by helping us gain perspective on our lives, notice what’s good and focus on what is meaningful to us. Students will be introduced to both bullet journaling and scrapbook journaling and have the opportunity to experiment with different methods and materials ( which will be provided) to find a way of journaling which works for them

Introduction to ORC
2026-04-17 10:00 - 12:00 | The Straw Bale, Restore, Manzil Way, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1YH, United Kingdom

Finding your Pathway through the Services
2026-04-20 13:00 - 16:00 | ORC at Didcot Civic Hall, Britwell Road, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 7JN, United Kingdom
This course will explore some of the common frustrations that people can face when looking for support , with particular focus on problem solving. Students will discover different ways in which they might prepare for an appointment, deal with long waiting times and have their needs met by appropriate services.

Introduction to Block Printing (Part 1)
2026-04-20 14:00 - 16:00 | ORC at The Warneford, Warneford Lane, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7JX, United Kingdom
Artist Tom Cox will introduce students to the history of the Warneford and its gardens, and lead a printmaking activity as a creative response. All printmaking materials will be provided and you don’t need any connection to the Warneford or artistic talent – just enthusiasm to have a go!

Understanding Anxiety
2026-04-21 10:00 - 13:00 | The Straw Bale, Restore, Manzil Way, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1YH, United Kingdom
This course focuses on anxiety, what it is and how it affects us, and how we can learn to manage it better. The course explores different types of anxiety disorders, how we can understand anxiety as a survival strategy, techniques to ground ourselves and reduce worry, and where to look for further support.

Coping with Stress and Anxiety (Part 1)
2026-04-21 10:30 - 12:00 | Location: Online
This course aims to increase understanding about anxiety and stress and how to manage it better. We work together to describe what stress and anxiety is and explore what our shared and unique reactions to it can be. We focus on identifying and testing out appropriate tools for coping with stress and anxiety. We explore the concepts of re-framing and affirmations and try out some grounding exercises.

Mental Health First Aid - 22nd & 29th Apr
2026-04-22 09:30 - 17:00 | Restore’s Training Room, Manzil Way, Restore, Manzil Way, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1YH, United Kingdom
Two full days, in-person. This accredited training enables you to become a Mental Health First Aider, with the ability to recognise the signs of mental ill health, provide support and guidance towards professional help.

Location

Organiser

Mindful Photography
2026-04-22 14:00 - 16:00 | The Straw Bale, Restore, Manzil Way, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1YH, United Kingdom
In this workshop students have the opportunity to try out some mindful photography and share their responses. Mindful photography uses our own eyes and a camera lens (be it a smartphone or a camera) to help ground us in the present moment by looking more closely at the world around us. It encourages us to look non judgmentally, and can help change our perspective on ourselves and our environment by harnessing gratitude, self-compassion and a sense of awe and wonder.

Writing for Self Expression (Part 1)
2026-04-23 10:30 - 12:00 | Location: Online
On this course we will listen to and talk about some poems and pieces of prose, before trying out some expressive writing of our own. Expressive writing is not creative writing or therapy, but a form of self-expression which helps a person to think about their life and put their thoughts and feelings into words with often surprising results. It is personal, freestyle writing that is not constrained by concerns about the ‘end result’ but fosters personal awareness, resilience and wellbeing.

Structure and Routine for Positive Change
2026-04-24 10:00 - 13:00 | ORC at Restore Banbury, 28 Calthorpe Street, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX16 5EX, United Kingdom
On this course we will discuss how structure and routine help us to feel safe, create healthy habits and move towards ourpersonal goals. We will explore how to set realistic goals for making positive changes and share lots of strategies to help you create a routine which works for you.

London Marathon 2026
2026-04-26 08:30 - 13:30 | Oxfordshire
Experience the iconic London Marathon, running with thousands of others past the most famous landmarks and institutions.

We only have a couple of places – which you can apply for, or you can run for Restore with your own place. We would love you to be a part of team Restore. Join Restore for a day filled with entertainment, cheer, and support.

Want to go the extra mile(s) for mental health? Join Restore for another epic London Marathon.

Pledge to raise a minimum of £2,500 and together, we can support hundreds of individuals towards recovery from mental ill health.

Already registered? Use your own place to take strides for better mental health and raise what you can.

When you run for Restore, you’ll receive:

Regular communication with helpful tips, tricks and support

A free running top to wear on race day

The greatest cheer along the way

Merchandise giveaway

The knowledge that you’ve made a difference

“I am doing this half marathon for Restore because I believe that this charity has and is helping me and so many others to completely rebuild our lives… I cannot express enough just how healing it has been for me…“ Rosie, Restore member & runner 2023

Introduction to Block Printing (Part 2)
2026-04-27 14:00 - 16:00 | The Straw Bale, Restore, Manzil Way, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1YH, United Kingdom

Coping with Stress and Anxiety (Part 2)
2026-04-28 10:30 - 12:00 | Location: Online
This course aims to increase understanding about anxiety and stress and how to manage it better.

Let's Talk Loneliness
2026-04-28 13:00 - 16:00 | The Straw Bale, Restore, Manzil Way, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1YH, United Kingdom
This course is suitable for anyone wishing to understand more about loneliness, and how it can affect us in our day to day lives,particularly in terms of our mental health. We explore how to cope with a sense of loneliness and manage it the way we want to, which could include seeking companionship through local charities.

Managing Self Doubt (Part 1 In Person )
2026-04-29 13:00 - 16:00 | ORC at Restore Banbury, 28 Calthorpe Street, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX16 5EX, United Kingdom
This 2 part course is for anyone keen to learn more about self-doubt and how to live with it better. Self doubt feeds anxiety in a continuous cycle and can have a huge impact on our mental health and wellbeing. Together we explore what it is, the impacts it can have, and some things we can do to manage it. There is a practical emphasis and we hope that students will leave feeling more able to manage their own self-doubt, and/or to better support others who experience it.

Writing for Self Expression (Part 2)
2026-04-30 10:30 - 12:00 | Location: Online

Thinking about Thinking (Part 1)
2026-04-30 13:00 - 16:00 | The Straw Bale, Restore, Manzil Way, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1YH, United Kingdom
This course is an introduction to how we as individuals think about thinking, and will help students to explore and understand more about this subject.

Understanding Trauma (Part 1)
2026-05-01 10:00 - 13:00 | The Straw Bale, Restore, Manzil Way, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1YH, United Kingdom
Experiencing trauma can significantly impact our mental health, the way we function as human beings and our resilience to coping with stressful life events. This course looks at the impact of trauma on our brain and bodies and explores how we can learn to ground ourselves in the present and regulate our emotions. We look at trauma diagnoses in Week 2 and life after trauma in Week 3. On this course we share tips and strategies, but not details of what has happened to us.

Self Compassion Skills (Part 1)
2026-05-01 14:00 - 16:30 | The Straw Bale, Restore, Manzil Way, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1YH, United Kingdom
Compassion for ourselves and others can be hard to maintain when faced with hardship and mental health difficulties. In this small- group course, we will explore what compassion means, what can get in the way, and why compassion can help us. We will also develop practical skills such as grounding, breathing exercises, and compassionate voice and imagery. A therapy dog will be present in some sessions to support selected activities and discussions (but without becoming the primary focus of the work).

PLEASE NOTE: This is a newly developed course in collaboration with the University of Oxford, and has a RESEARCH COMPONENT consisting of questionnaires at the start and end of each session. The first questionnaire is longer and will take about 15-20 minutes to complete, subsequent questionnaires will be shorter and take no more than 5-10 minutes. The research explores whether the course is effective and whether the presence of a THERAPY DOG might impact this. The therapy dog will be randomly allocated to attend either the first three sessions for one group or only the last (fourth) session for the other group. Anyone who signs up to the course will be invited to take part in the research, and you will receive a full information sheet when signing up. You can still participate in the course if you decide you do not want to take part in the research (i.e. complete the questionnaires).

Boosting Confidence (Part 1)
2026-05-05 14:00 - 15:30 | Location: Online
Mental ill-health often leads to a loss of confidence, making it difficult for people to get the most out of their lives. We appreciate that developing or regaining confidence is an important part of many people’s recovery, This course will help you recognise your existing skills, and consider some practical ways to move forwards with increased confidence
