'We need to begin living that larger life again' - Message to the We Are Calderdale conference

Through it the borough’s distinctiveness, kindness and resilience had helped it cope and begin recovery out of the lockdowns, said Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, is a video message to this year’s We Are Calderdale event.

There has been much to celebrate – not least the focus and the visitors it brings to spend money here that television projects have filmed here – but here are definite challenges for the future too.

The council’s Chief Executive, and accountable officer for NHS Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group, Robin Tuddenham, said bedrocks to build on were in place.

Calderdale was the only borough to receive from Government Town Fund money, for Brighouse and Todmorden, Future High Street funding, for Elland and Halifax, and heritage action zone backing, for Sowerby Bridge.

“We are the only place to have all three investments with town boards to meet that potential,” he said.

But the medical pandemic had increased inequalities, the virus had not gone away and health services had been stretched.

Calderdale would have its work cut out but was up to the task, the pandemic having brought out its people’s best qualities.

“We are in recovery while knowing we are still dealing with the impact and it is going to be a long old haul,” said Mr Tuddenham.

“We want people to live a larger life, maybe bigger that they thought possible.

“The last two years we have been living smaller lives.

“We need to begin living that larger life again,” he said.

Calderdale was a place, and if any place could get through it, it was here, full of talented, enterprising, distinctive, kind and resilient people, said Mr Tuddenham.

Leader of the Council, Coun Tim Swift (Lab, Town) said despite some pervading cynicism and mistrust about civic leadership which had been disappointing through the pandemic, the council and partners – collaboration was key – were looking at ways to support people through challenged they faced, including the cost of living crisis.

He had been at the council’s helm for around ten years now and said: “For all that’s been pretty tough at times it continues to be the most enormous privilege to serve this community and the place I love.”

The event, hosted by Calderdale College, Halifax, and streamed online, covered a wide range of topics through the morning, including participation and performances from students at Calderdale College and the borough’s Trinity Sixth Form Academy.

The young people featured on a panel on their concerns and responses they wanted to see about climate change.

Other panels saw an asylum seeker, a nurse, a person with learning difficulties, a person who had lived their life in care, a student and a retired doctor all speak about how they had met recent challenges.

This panel also included Mungo Sheppard, Headteacher of Ash Green School at Mixenden, Halifax, who spoke about the support from community, council and more as it recovered from an arson attack earlier this year.

Further panellists spoke about support given to disabled people, to those with learning difficulties, support for mental health – another real challenge the pandemic had brought and needed to be tackled – and how the arts can help this.

Another panel looked at how collaboration, inspiration and innovation was continuing to help Calderdale.

Film showcases included “Haliwood”, about how television and film production companies were using Calderdale settings for shows including the BBC/HBO Gentleman Jack and Marvel’s Secret Invasion, Channel 4’s Ackley Bridge and two more upcoming BBC productions, Happy Valley – also a Sally Wainwright production – and The Gallows Pole, based on the story of the Cragg Coiners, in turn boosting visitor numbers to Calderdale who spent money in its economy.

Mr Tuddenham, closing the event, added that today was the day where Culturedale – promoting Calderdale as it moved towards a Festival of Culture to celebrate its diverse communities on its 50th birthday in 2024 – was being launched.