Challenges and ambitions for the year ahead outlined in 'We are Calderdale' conference.

The event at Calderdale college saw the progress that has been made in the borough for the Council to achieve its Vision 2024.

Vision 2024 represents the collective long term aspirations for Calderdale across the public, private and voluntary sector, when the borough celebrates its 50th anniversary in five years’ time.

It has been shaped through conversations with local leaders, businesses, partners, community groups, children and young people, and residents from across Calderdale.

The Leader of Calderdale Council, Councillor Tim Swift said: “There is currently much uncertainty about our country’s future but we cannot allow ourselves to be distracted or deterred from achieving our ambitions for Calderdale.

"It’s more critical than ever that our communities are kind and resilient; talented and enterprising, able not just to cope, but to thrive in the borough.

“The Council has a lead role in delivering the Vision, but we can’t do it alone. Our collaborative partnerships with the people and organisations which make us such a distinctive and special place are vital, helping to achieve our ambitions by 2024.”

“We are Calderdale is an opportunity for us to get together to celebrate how far we’ve come and to look ahead to the opportunities and challenges we will face over the next 12 months.”

The key note speaker was Julia Unwin, Chair of the Independent Commission on the future of Civil Society, who spoke on ‘The Power of Kindness’, one of the five themes within Vision 2024.

This was followed by the launch in Calderdale of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership’s ‘Looking out for our Neighbours’ campaign by Kim Leadbeater, sister of Jo Cox, which complements the Staying Well programme in helping to tackle loneliness and social isolation.

We are Calderdale included a review of the last 12 months across each of the Vision 2024 themes.

Chief Officer at Calderdale CCG, Matt Walsh, led a panel discussion on the theme of ‘kind and resilient’ whilst John Fox, Managing Director at Lucy Zodion Ltd in Sowerby Bridge chaired a discussion on ‘enterprising and talented’.

Nicky Chance Thompson, Chief Executive at The Piece Hall Trust explored the ‘distinctive’ theme.

The Director of the Bradford Institute for Health Research and Clinical Director for the Yorkshire and Humberside Improvement Academy, Professor John Wright provided insights into the importance of building a healthy place.

Professor Wright is the Chief Investigator for the Born in Bradford study, which is tracking the health and wellbeing of over 13,500 children and their parents born at Bradford Royal Infirmary between March 2007 and December 2010.

Finally Calderdale Council’s Chief Executive, Robin Tuddenham, summarised the achievements and challenges of the past year, and launched ways it will practically seek to deliver the Council's Vision.

In the autumn the Council launched its Inclusive Economy strategy, a key mechanism to grow the local economy and promote wellbeing across Calderdale.

At the event the new and unique Future Skills Academy was launched to develop future leaders across Calderdale with a learning programme developed by Calderdale College.

The Council will work in partnership with Public Square to improve local democracy, researching how to improve local decision making and participation by local people.

The implementation of Calderdale Cares will continue, providing greater integration between health and care services so that local people receive the support they need in the place where they live.

The Council affirmed its intent as a borough to work closely with Pennine Prospects, to make sure the distinctive landscapes of Calderdale are protected for the enjoyment of future generations with the creation of the South Pennines Park.

This would stretch from Calderdale into Greater Manchester and Lancashire, reaching as far as the Dales and the Peak District.