"Calderdale people are truly community minded" - £12,000 has been raised for Mayoral charities

Last year’s Mayor and Mayoress of Calderdale, Coun Ashley Evans and his wife Rosie Tatchell, chose two charities at the start of their civic year and have now presented them with the money at Halifax Town Hall.

The first was Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF), the Leeds-based charity which is the leading UK Paediatric Heart unit.

Coun Evans (Lib Dem, Warley) said: “They helped our first son, who suffered from congenital heart disease but it was their combination of funding, research and specialist skills which meant that he had a normal childhood, became a teenager, played rugby at the Brods and established his own rock band, Buen Chico, all in his short 16 years.”

The second charity chosen was the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, which cares for and supports children with life-limiting conditions, this one being suggested by the couple’s Deputy Mayor, Coun Sue Holdsworth (Lib Dem, Greetland and Stainland).

“What makes them special is extending their support to families and friends too, from conception to dealing with the inevitable loss,” said Coun Evans.

He said they, with little to no experience of charity fundraising, had to get to grips with the challenges, eventually setting a £10,000 target.

“We then looked around for support to help us achieve it.

“Very fortunately, we came across the Community Foundation For Calderdale who gave us fantastic support, particularly from Steve Duncan, Rachel Oates and Dean Bycroft.

“They also warned us to ‘manage our expectations’ in a post-Covid economy with many people struggling to survive financially, let alone contribute to charities!

“We eventually put together a diverse programme of events small and large which gradually came together supported be individuals and local businesses, large and small.

“This just emphasised, what we knew already really, that Calderdale people are truly community minded and really are generous,” he said.

Coun Evans said three of the most memorable events were a Festive Fayre, held in the spectacular Victoria Hall at Halifax Town Hall, including a Santa’s Grotto, lots of festive stalls and carols sung from the balcony.

“In the same wonderful location, we held a very successful Gin Tasting event, supported by nationally known, but local distiller, Speights Gin, and we also held a fourball Golf Tournament at West End Golf Club.

“All these events were great fun, supported by lots of wonderful people and eventually contributed to enabling us to smash our ‘plucked out of the air’ target of £10,000.

“When all the sums had been done, we were able to share £12,590 between our two charities.

“We are proud of ourselves but would like to thank the very many people without whose help we would not have managed to collect anything like that amount,” said Coun Evans.

The list is long but many are thanked on the Mayoral Facebook page, he said.

“Rosie and I would just like to finish by thanking the Mayoral Team of Tilli, Mandy, Mark and Mike for all their support.

“But, most of all, the people of Calderdale and the opportunity that being Mayor and Mayoress gave us to meet all the wonderful people and organisations that exist across the borough.

“What fantastic work they do, mostly on a volunteer basis. Where would we be without them?” he said, wishing this year’s Mayor, Coun Ann Kingstone) Lab, Skircoat), who took on the role in May a similarly “amazing, unforgettable time.”

Coun Evans and Ms Tatchell urged people to visit the websites of their two chosen charities – www.chsf.org.uk and www.forgetmenotchild.co.uk.