🎄 Happy Holidays 2025 from the Impact Team! 🥳

What a Year! A Message from Deanne Clark, CEO

As 2025 draws to a close, what a turbulent year it’s been on both a national and global scale. With so many things feeling outside our control, it’s more important than ever to remember that we do have the power and the option to help ourselves manage our responses to challenging situations.

We all have the means to rebalance, build resilience, and learn to manage our minds. It can start with something as simple as learning how to breathe for calm.

🧘 Try This Calming Breath Practice:

Take a moment right now. Place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach.

1. Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of 4, letting your stomach rise (not your chest!).
2. Hold your breath gently for a count of 2.
3. Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of 6, feeling your stomach flatten.
4. Repeat this three or four times. You should feel a wonderful sense of calm start to wash over you!

Blending Contracts and Building New Friendships! 👋

It’s been a challenging but exhilarating year as we’ve worked to blend our two contracts from Central Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire into our online courses. We were absolutely thrilled to secure the new 2025-26 contract in Hertfordshire!

We’ve had the pleasure of meeting so many new people—our wonderful new learners, great professionals, and the brilliant Step2Skills team. We want to send a huge shout-out and thank you for your patience, support, and encouragement as we’ve navigated this new chapter.

And of course, it’s been just wonderful to continue our work with the amazing BESA team in Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough. They are a truly dependable, friendly, and skilled group, and we love working alongside them!

We also want to give a massive thank you to all our new friends and colleagues who have been referring learners to our courses; your support is invaluable!

Podcast Fun & Festive Closures 🎙️

The Impact team is having the best time putting together our brand-new podcast series, which will be available soon!

Anyone who knows Jackie and me (Deanne) will understand that much laughter and fun has been had during recording, which has caused a slight delay in the release—but in the best possible way! The Impact Mind Management Matters series will be hitting your inbox and socials very soon, so keep an eye out!

Just a reminder about our festive break: Impact will close on Friday, 19th December, and reopen on Monday, 5th January 2026!

🌟 Star Referrer Recognition: Ronald Wicks

We couldn’t educate and support the many learners who enrol on our courses without the hard work and engagement of the outstanding professionals who continue to refer people. Thank you for your commitment to Impact and to those you are supporting. 

This is a special thank-you and heartfelt recognition of Ronald Wicks, Health Work Coach at the Bedford Job Centre, who has earned our inaugural Star Referrer status for Term 1 (August – December 2025).

Ronald has referred over 30 learners to Impact during this period—a remarkable achievement in quantity. However, the true impact of his work lies in the quality of his engagement.

Many of the learners we have had the pleasure of working with have spoken generously and affectionately about their interactions with Ronald. They consistently highlight his patience, understanding, and genuine empathy.

This compassionate support has been vital for those struggling with their mental health, enabling them to feel secure enough to take the crucial step of seeking support and gaining the essential skills needed to manage their well-being better. Ultimately, this foundational work empowers them to feel ready to pursue meaningful employment or further education.

Ronald Wicks is a true partner in our mission, embodying the dedication required to move learners forward.

Last Chance to Join Us in 2025! 🗓️

We have one incredible course left for 2025! Why not join us for our Mind Time evening course?

Get ready for the family, friends, fun, and festivities—whatever they may bring—by learning how to manage your mind, regulate your emotions, and enjoy it all with a new approach.

Looking ahead, our course calendar is now full for the first three months of 2026. Why not start the new year knowing that you have secured a place on one of the many options available to set yourself up for a brilliant year!

Thank you for being part of the Impact community this year, and wishing you and yours a peaceful and very happy festive season!

Just a reminder about our festive break: Impact will close on Friday, 19th December, and reopen on Monday, 5th January 2026!

Best wishes,

Deanne Clark, CEO