Today we reach the Services to the Community category in our countdown to next Thursday’s Examiner Community Awards at the John Smith's Stadium hosted by ITN newsreader Nina Hossain who comes from Huddersfield. The winner will be revealed on the night.
Tomorrow we’ll take a look at the three finalists shortlisted in the Arts Award category.
First Bus is delighted to sponsor this year’s Services to the Community Award category at the prestigious Huddersfield Examiner Community Awards.
Huddersfield has a real strength of both individuals and groups who make a difference in their communities and drive forward positive change. Our communities are central to our business serving over 12 million customer journeys a year with nearly 250 staff and over 90 local buses as well as the successful Yellow School Bus operation.
As part of our ambition to continue attracting people to use buses we work hard to keep delivering value for money and high standards of service for all our customers by working in partnership with all our stakeholders across the region.
Our success and those of our local communities are hand-in-hand and we would like to wish good luck to everyone shortlisted for the First Huddersfield Services to the Community Award.
Vicki Stratford - Made In Clayton West
Vicki Stratford is the driving force behind a community group in Huddersfield ... and the people who benefit from her great work sure are thankful.
She is the main person behind Made In Clayton West which is determined to “make things happen” in the village of 2,000 people.
She was nominated by Helen Parker, headteacher at Kayes First and Nursery School in Clayton West, who said: “In a time when everyone leads busy lives, a time when no-one knows their neighbours and a time that villages have lost that real community spirit of bygone years, what do you do to re-energise a sleepy community that has such varied talents, so many shared interests and a desire to nurture that sense of belonging?
“You develop ‘Made in Clayton West,’ a community network that connects people in the village around shared interests.”
It was initially set up by Vicki, Jo Cove and Adele Jackson along with others but Jo and Adele are now both away travelling, Jo in Europe and Adele in Antarctica.
Vicki leads a very active Facebook page, manages a growing email address book, does regular leaflet drops, displays posters on local lampposts, makes regular announcements at the main community hubs and makes personal visits.
Helen said: “The result is a thriving community of all ages who are now connected, talking to their neighbours, sharing interests and already feeling that sense of belonging.”
The group has been instrumental in setting up projects including community singing group Clayton West Chorus, a walking group, a reading group, people are playing folk music at each other’s houses, wild flowers have been planted in the village, the number of people involved in the Cliffe Woods Conservation Group has grown, the Cliffe Woods memorial garden has been completely transformed from a neglected, overgrown and unused space to an open, attractive garden and a derelict ‘secret garden’ has been re-discovered and brought back to life and children want to independently organise a fun run in Clayton West for charity.
Helen added: “Groups in the community are more connected rather than working in isolation. Some community members have reported a significant increase in their wellbeing through participating in new village activities. People have met new people and made new friends, particularly across different age ranges. Through its events Made in Clayton West is proving to be a legacy for the next generation.”
Vicki, 46, is an environmental health officer for Kirklees Council and has a 10-year-old daughter, Bethany.
Cuckoo's Nest shops in Marsden
Charity shops can be the lifeblood for their communities ... and this is certainly the case in Marsden.
For the village has not one but two of them on its main street staffed by up to 50 unpaid volunteers and have raised well over £500,000 since 2001.
The shops on Peel Street are open five days a week and the colossal amount of money they have raised has all gone to local organisations.
They do this through a grant-giving process twice a year which help groups and people involved in everything from sport to the arts and social needs.
Judi Thorpe, now 77, set up the shop when she retired and is still working there.
She said: “At the time there were similar shops in Crosland Moor and Slaithwaite so I thought why not set one up in Marsden. I had worked for Oxfam so was well into charity shops.”
She revealed the first shop was helped by a £4,500 grant from the European Social Fund.
“Considering how much the shop has raised for the local community what an investment that turned out to be,” she said. “The whole operation relies on such dedicated volunteers and we have a great crew here and many of them are involved in other village organisations.”
The list of those to benefit seems endless and social groups include the Marsden branch of Meet and Eat Lunch Club and Friend to Friend which both help the elderly and lonely, Walkers are Welcome, The Milestone Society, Marsden Allotments and publications for Local Tourist Information located within the library.
Marsden folk get help from a weekly clinic run by Kirklees Citizens Advice Bureau which is partially supported by the shop.
In terms of sport the cricket, bowling, tennis, rugby, football, sailing and golf clubs have all benefited.
When it comes to music and the arts those helped by the shop include Marsden Silver Prize Band, Mikron theatre group, Huddersfield Astronomical and Philosophical Society, Friends of Marsden Park, Friends of Marsden Library, Marsden Community trust at the Mechanics Institute, the Electric Theatre and Write Out Loud.
The shop has also supported both schools and the pre-school playgroup along with the scouts while, looking further afield, the shops have helped Holme Valley Mountain Rescue, the Royal British Legion and Friends of Slaithwaite Spa
And let’s not forget Marsden’s major events including the Imbolc fire festival, Marsden Jazz Festival, Cuckoo Day and Marsden Christmas Lights.
Colin Walker
Colin’s commitment to his community knows no bounds.
The 75-year-old became a volunteer walk leader in the Colne Valley back in 2002 after he had suffered a heart attack, encouraging people to exercise and meet others while enjoying our spectacular countryside.
The following year he set up the Marsden Short Health Walk for older people and trained other walk leaders. This has really helped to get people out and about, especially those who had become isolated in their own homes.
Colin, of Linthwaite, volunteers every week as a physical activity leader and motivator for Kirklees Active Leisure, helping classes for people needing rehabilitation after ill health.
He was nominated by Jo Booth, who said: “Supporting many local events Colin is regularly seen sporting his high visibility jacket in managing traffic safety at the Marsden Jazz Festival, Cuckoo Day, Slaithwaite Moonrakers Festival, events held at Marsden Mechanics Hall, Imbolc fire festival and many more galas and fetes in the villages along the valley.”
For the last 10 years Colin has led the Friends of Slaithwaite Spa in their monthly gardening and tidying up of the park which has seen far more people using it.
He liaises with Kirklees Council to remove the litter in skips and get materials needed by the volunteers to keep the park looking so good.
Colin now sits on the committee helping to organise events and raise funds to pay for bulb planting, repairing fences and walls.
Jo added: “Colin is frequently found in the park removing piles of leaves, trimming hedges and shrubs and working above and beyond to improve our community. He does it all in a quiet and unassuming way.”
All this – and Colin moved here from Coventry.
Jo added: “The Colne Valley is not Colin’s first home yet he is very much a part of it and I believe we are a stronger community as a result of all that he has generously given.”
Colin said: “Around two-third of the vessels in my heart are working so I can’t do anything too strenuous. I just wanted to give something back to the community after benefiting from health walks myself and it all snowballed from there.”
Colin is married to Carol and the couple have one son, Andrew.
