HOLLYWOOD star Patrick Stewart is to head a host of celebrities who will talk up Huddersfield across the world.

Twenty-five ambassadors are being appointed to spread the good news about the town.

They will be drawn from business, sport, academia and showbusiness.

Leading the way will be Mirfield-born Patrick, famous for his role as Star Trek captain Jean Luc Picard whose decisive command was: Make it so!

'Soon the rest of the world will know what a great place this is'

Huddersfield is about to go global!

A team of 25 top ambassadors drawn from business, sport, academia and show business are to be given the task of promoting the name of the town around the world.

The new scheme will be headed by Mirfield-born screen star Patrick Stewart.

Writer Joanne Harris, who wrote best-selling novel Chocolat and lives in Almondbury, has been invited to sign up.

Approaches have also been made to Huddersfield Town captain Andy Booth.

Business excellence is represented by Jo Haigh, of Denby Dale, the Institute of Directors' 2006 Businesswoman of the Year and Trevor Cherry, a former England International turned property developer, who is a director of the company behind the proposed Waterfront Quarter development in Huddersfield.

Clr Robert Light, leader of Kirklees Council, said: "People who live here already know what a great place Huddersfield is.

"Appointing ambassadors to spread that message on our behalf means that soon the rest of the world will know it too."

Patrick Stewart, chancellor of Huddersfield University, will launch the scheme during a spectacular festival of light on November 16.

The thespian is best known for roles in TV's Star Trek and on the big screen as Professor X from the blockbusting X Men movies.

The special guests invited to become ambassadors for the town have been hand-picked as embodiments of the key values of Huddersfield.

If they accept the role of ambassador, they will be called upon to comment and add their name to good news press stories about the town.

They will be asked to add a positive Huddersfield view to issues affecting their chosen fields of expertise.

Clr Light said: "Huddersfield has made real progress with its continuing renaissance.

"2006 has seen a successful planning application for St George's Warehouse, active consultation on the proposed face-lift for St George's Square and an outline proposal for a £200m retail scheme for Queensgate.

"Our success as a creative centre has led to the continued expansion of the Media Centre."