Library amnesty
heres a chance to wipe the slate clean and catch up on your reading this month as Calderdale Libraries hold a fines amnesty. To mark National Year of Reading 2008, the library service is offering to wipe the slate clean for anyone who owes a fine - past or present.To take advantage of the fines amnesty, simply bring back your overdue item and choose another book, CD or DVD from 300,000 items held in library collections. Your fine will be written off when you start borrowing from your library again during February - Wednesday, 6 February 2008

Call for Liszt blue plaque
Franz Liszt once ate the ham and eggs breakfast at Hebden Bridge's White Lion Hotel. The 19th-century composer and pianist stopped off in the town on December 15, 1840 during a tour of the country. His companion on the journey between York and Manchester, John Parry, noted: "Arrived in Hebden Bridge – beautiful place in summer. Had comfortable breakfast, tho' countrified: eggs and ham." The Town Council have been asked for their support - Monday, 4 February 2008

Cosmopolitan's Ultimate Man of the Year
Courier does feature on Hebden Bridge's Chris Green
See also: original news story with audio interview from Hebweb, Oct 2007
- Friday, 1 February 2008

Dario Coates
is the actor who plays Alex Neeson, Michelle's biological son, in Coronation Street. Until recently, viewers have only seen glimpses of him, lurking in the shadows or giving Ryan a bit of a kicking. On Tuesdy, 29th viewers got a proper look at him. Corrie is his first TV acting job, and at just turned sixteen (he was born 14 January 1992) he's already showing huge potential. He lives in Hebden Bridge and attends Calder High School, where he's studying for his GCSE's, and Calderdale Theatre School. His last role was as the Mad Hatter in the CTS production of Alice in Wonderland. See the Corrie Blog - Wednesday, 30th January 2008

Canal boat moves to Leeds
Luxury wide-beam boat Verdopolis has sailed its last trip on the waterways of its current home of Hebden Bridge and is now being upgraded from a green canal boat into a midnight blue and silver river boat, which will be renamed the Black Prince and will carry 53 passengers. It will now ferry commuters and tourists across Leeds city centre are surging ahead. - Wednesday, 9 January 2008

Angels to take to streets of Hebden Bridge.
Councillors and police in Hebden Bridge are hoping the Halifax Street Angels will be able to visiti our town on a monthly basis to patrol the centre following bouts of vandalism and problems with nuisance youths. The volunteers visited the town in November and again before Christmas to help police community support officers and town councillors patrol the centre. The Mayor of Hebden Royd, Nader Fekri, said: "The reception from visitors, drinkers and the general public was very positive. - 8 January 2008

Central Street solution in sight?
Councillors have again backed plans to repair a pot-holed street outside a Calderdale school. But they are still no nearer deciding exactly who will foot the £100,000 bill. There has been pressure on Calderdale Council for 25 years to sort out Central Street, in Hebden Bridge. The cobbled road is privately owned and legally the responsibility of neighbouring shops and businesses. The council's Regeneration and Development Panel has now recommended that the cabinet prepare an official street works scheme to restore the road. - 5 January 2008

Earth - review
"A rainy night in the small Yorkshire town of Hebden Bridge and I make the short, wet dash to the cinema to catch Michael Moore’s recent film, Sicko. (Hebden Bridge is the kind of town where films arrive three months later than everywhere else.) As I settle into my seat, I’m confronted by a familiar, white, hairy beast." See Spiked for more. - 4 January 2008

Chris McCafferty MP shocked by assassination of Benazir Bhutto
Chris McCafferty MP for Calder Valley has told the Hebden Bridge Web that she is both shocked and saddened by the killing of Benazir Bhutto. "I had the priviledge to share a platform with Ms Bhutto on three occasions in the past few years, and discovered her to be a remarkable speaker and a very brave woman who must have known the risks she was taking by re-entering politics in Pakistan.

"She was a beacon and an example for Muslim women everywhere, with her passionate commitment to women's rights to education and her strong opposition to honour killings and forced marriages.

"Her death is a tragedy for democracy and a tragedy for Pakistan. As well as shock at her death, we can only be concerned about the implications for Pakistan and stand in sympathy with those people in Calderdale who will be concerned about family and friends living there at this time."
- Thursday, 27 December 2007

Work on the new Hebden Bridge library is set to start in January 2008.
A report to members of the Councils Community Services Scrutiny Panel says that the project is scheduled for completion by the end of next year. The Hebden Bridge building work will also provide space for a Customer First office. A bid to the Lottery Fund to refurbish Youth House, next door to the library, as a heritage museum is in preparation. Steps are being taken to ensure that library users will be able to gain direct access to the museum from the library. - Thursday, 20 December 2007

Appointment of New Chief Executive for Calderdale Council.
Owen Williams, 39 is the new Chief Executive of Calderdale Council. He joined Calderdale Council as a Deputy Chief Executive in 2006. Prior to that he had spent three years as Chief Executive at Rossendale Council. He has also worked in financial services and telecommunications and has also been Director of Marketing and Communications for Bradford Council and Strategic Planning Director of a Leeds marketing agency. Owen was born and educated in Bradford. He still lives in the city with his partner Heather and their three children. He is a keen football fan and also enjoys playing music, reading, running and going to the gym.. - Thursday, 20 December 2007

Hebden Bridge free parking in the run up to Christmas - after 3pm on a Thursday
Starting this week, anybody parking in the town after 3pm on a Thursday will not have to pay to use any of the Council's Pay and Display Car parks or on street Pay and Display parking. A spokesperson for Calderdale Council said: "Calderdale Council hopes even more people will be encouraged to visit the town to do their Christmas shopping with the introduction of free parking." - Wednesday, 12 December 2007

Calderdale accused of fraud
Calderdale Council was "fighting for its credibility last night, after it was accused of fraudulently attempting to obtain a Compulsory Purchase Order in a bitter planning dispute which may yet see police called in," reports today's Yorkshire Post. See full report Tuesday, 4 December 2007

No to 40p a minute to call Hebden Bridge Health Centre
"It emerged earlier this year that hundreds of doctors' surgeries have started bringing in 0844 numbers for patients to call. The Dept of Health has advised GPs that they should stop using them. These calls cost up to 40p a minute when made from mobiles,..."
- Guardian, 1.12.07

Collective punishment in Gaza?
On 20th November, Chris McCafferty MP asked David Milliband (Secretary of State, Foreign Office): in the light of Israel's declaration of Gaza as a hostile entity, will he confirm that the Government view any collective punishment of Gazans, in particular the cutting of water supplies, as a war crime under the Geneva convention? David Miliband replied, "As the Secretary of State for International Development and I made clear when the announcement was made, we always oppose any form of collective punishment. It is vital that all states adhere to international and humanitarian law." More

Mayor of Hebden Royd - not quite Brain of Britain
Nader Fekri, Mayor of Hebden Royd Town Council was today a contestant in the current round of BBC Radio Four's Brain of Britain. After a good start, and answering "five in a row" in the second half, Nader came in joint second place for knowing such things as which 2 planets in the solar system had no moons and that Reginald Maudling was the cabinet minister who resigned because of the Poulson affair. Knowing that L’Absinthe was one of Degas’s most famous works would not have helped much as this weeks's winner was many points ahead. - 19 Nov

Search online for disabled access
Disabled people will be able to find out which businesses and venues in Hebden Bridge and Calderdale are the most accessible through a new on-line service, officially launched on 8 November. Independent researchers spent months during summer and autumn touring Calderdale, finding out which businesses provided the right access for disabled people, their families and their carers. See DisabledGo website - 12 Nov

I should cocoa
Niladri abandoned a well-paid theatre job to launch an ethical confectionery business. His journey from the stage to this spick-and-span polypropelene-clad chocolate studio began two years ago during a fateful conversation with his friend and business partner, Nick, about the merits of KitKats. "We liked eating them, but didn't want anything to do with them because they're made by Nestlé," he explains. "And we thought there must be a viable alternative. So for fun, we did a blind taste test, just to see. See full Guardian article - 3 Nov

Save the Whale
Chris McCafferty, MP, asked the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage countries which support conservation to join the International Whaling Commission.
Jonathan R Shaw (Parliamentary Under-Secretary has replied that Embassies and missions abroad will shortly receive an updated version of the publication 'Protecting Whale—A Global Responsibility'. It will come with instructions to lobby their host governments to encourage more anti-whaling countries to join the International Whaling Commission and support the maintenance of the moratorium on commercial whaling. 26th October

Chief executive of Calderdale to step down
Paul Sheehan, Chief Executive of Calderdale Council has announced today that he is set to leave the Council after 17 years of service with the authority. Paul hopes to take up the role of Chief Executive of Walsall Council in early 2008. The recruitment process for Paul's successor will get underway shortly. 27th Sept

Mytholmroyd Gala - see more photos on the Mytholmroyd Net website - 22 Sept

Direct rail from Halifax to London?
There is speculation that Grand Central, the train company that is about to offer a direct rail service from Sunderland to London, may do the same for Halifax. This could mean the end of the long slow journey to Leeds for those who need to travel to the capital. 11th Sept

Eco-Museum at Youth House
Work is ready to start on detailed designs for an eco-museum exploring the history of the Upper Calder Valley, with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and Calderdale Council. The museum will be at Youth House, the former youth and community centre. The project will be co-ordinated by the conservation group Pennine Heritage, chaired by David Fletcher. 1st Sept

Camera Club appeal makes Amateur Photographer magaizine
A Yorkshire camera club has appealed for young members with fresh ideas to 'shake' up the group and create a new 'photography movement' in the region. 'Art is about new ideas and that's what the young have,' said Hebden Bridge Camera Club vice-president Alan Greenwood. Founded in 1953, Hebden Bridge Camera Club meets every Wednesday at the Masonic Hall, Hangingroyd Lane, Hebden Bridge. Amateur Photographer - 31st Aug

CCTV to be updated and paid for by Calderdale
Members of the Calderdale Council Cabinet this week agreed to fund a 100 camera digital monitoring centre by summer next year- across the whole of Calderdale. They will also pay for the system - until now Hebden Royd Council has paid for those in our area. Chief Superintendent Ian Levitt, Divisional Commander for Calderdale, said: "I have always maintained that professionally planned, professionally installed and professionally monitored CCTV is an effective deterrent to incidents of crime and disorder as it allows resources to respond to emerging situations and intervene at the earliest opportunity. - 31st Aug

Road tolls for Market Street?
Drastic measures will be needed to meet the targets set for reducing pollution on Calderdale's busiest roads. Road tolls, workplace parking taxes and a building ban are on the cards for the areas affected (including Market Street, Hebden Bridge) according to the chairman of Calderdale Council regeneration and development panel, Cllr Barry Collins. Courier - 24th Aug

Calrec Audio sold to Japanese company, D&M
Based in the Nutclough Mill, Calrec is one of Hebden Bridge's largest companies and specialises in producing mixing consoles, especially for the broadcast sector, particularly outside broadcasts and live-to-air TV production. D&M is a Japanese holding company that owns a number of leading brand name manufacturers in the consumer electronics, audio-visual, live music and automotive sound sectors. Among its subsidiaries are Marantz, Denon, Boston Acoustics and ReplayTV. More - 22nd Aug

Children's Centre to be at Hebden Vale Centre
Calder Valley Labour MP Chris McCafferty said: "Everybody knows that the early years are crucial to a child's development and their future prospects. "I know from visiting Elland and Rastrick sure starts what a huge difference this programme is making to the lives of so many families in our area, much of which is down to the hard work and dedication of staff and volunteers."
- 20th Aug

Second HB Climate Camp activist makes nationals
A protester from the Camp for Climate Action at Heathrow airport appeared in court yesterday after Supergluing herself to a gate at the camp. Veteran activist Penny Eastwood, 52, from Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire, denied obstructing a police officer when she appeared before Uxbridge magistrates. From the Guardian See also BBC News - 16th Aug

Six grade As at 'A' Level
Former Calder High school student, Morgan Wild has received grade As in six A level subjects: English Language and Literature, Politics, Sociology, Philosophy and Religion, Medieval History and General Studies. His marks for each subject were at least 94% so he would have been be eligible for 6 of the new A star grades which comes into effect soon. Morgan went to Central Street and Riverside in Hebden Bridge. His secondary education was at Calder High where took his GCSEs. For A levels, Morgan went to Greenhead College in Huddersfield. In October, he goes to Cambridge University to study Philosophy. See also, Halifax Courier article - 16th Aug

Conversion of pig styes into one bedroomed holiday cottage
This application from N Vile at Carrs Farm in Wadsworth is among those currently being considered by Calderdale Council - 14th Aug

HB Climate Camp activist on Channel 4 news
Paul Morozzo appeared on Channel 4 News this evening, pictured talking from the Climate Camp at Heathrow. He said that the proposed doubling of Heathrow capacity was "complete madness". In fact, he argued, there should be no third runway and a reduction of capacity at Heathrow. The ecology of the planet should be the priority. Holidays should be sustainable and we should invest in railways. "The slower you travel the bigger the planet" said Paul. - 13th Aug
Paul Morozzo is also quoted in the Guardian, 14th Aug

Blazing Saddles bike shop burgled
£12,000 of specialist cycles has been stolen and shop owners are appealing to anybody who has information which will lead to their return.
Thieves struck when staff at Blazing Saddles in Market Street, Hebden Bridge left the shop for a two-hour night ride. Six brand new mountain bikes were in the back room, which leads on to a small alley. When they returned, the bikes had gone. Detective Insp Michael Chippendale, of Calderdale Police, said: "These are quite distinctive bikes and anyone with any information should contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111." More - 13th Aug

Talking about Hebden Bridge
"With its enduring themes and other-worldly plot, A Midsummer Night’s Dream can be delivered in a variety of eras and costumes. Here, Feelgood have opted for a 1950s style for its mortals – all sticky-out skirts and natty suits - whilst the fairy King and Queen seemed to be favouring a sort of Hebden Bridge hippie vibe which, while it wasn’t very visually striking, does suit the natural environment." from Manchester Confidential - 13th Aug

Police investigate death at HB flat
Police are investigating after a man's body was found in a flat at Hilton Street in the centre of Hebden Bridge, on Wednesday. The flat belonged to 39-year-old Tony Craven. His body was found by a builder in the living room and police believe it may have been there for some time. Inspector Chris Moore said: "Police forced entry into the flat when they found the man. We are not treating the incident as suspicious but inquiries are ongoing." Halifax coroner's office is appealing for relatives of Mr Craven to come forward. They should ring 01422 354606. - 10th Aug

Vintage car weekend - the sun came out
and hundreds flocked to the park.- 5 Aug

Hepatitis C
Calder Valley MP Chris McCafferty has told the Hebden Bridge Web that she has joined The Hepatitis C Trust in calling on the new Health Minister, Alan Johnson, to take action to tackle hepatitis C.  Informed estimates suggest that between 300 and 600 people in Calder Valley are living with the disease but do not know that they are infected. - 3rd Aug

Walking for Hospice
Denise Western, leader of Weightwatchers at Halifax Library and in Hebden Bridge and Ripponden, did the 10-mile walk from Sowerby Bridge to Hebden Bridge and back again, with 40 of her Weightwatchers members, raising more than £1,100 for Overgate Hospice - 2nd Aug

Violent crime goes down in Calderdale
ew statistics published nationally by the Home Office demonstrate that Violent Crime has reduced in Calderdale between 2005/06 and 2006/07 by 26%. But total figures for 2006/07 show reported crime in Calderdale broadly level with a slight increase from 13,230 reports to 13,603 - 24th July

Talking about Hebden Bridge
"Byron Bay is a mere four hours' south, in New South Wales. The continent's easternmost point (and I do recommend the calf-stretching trek to the lighthouse for the humpback whale-watching), it is far out in other ways. While not quite the isolated hippy outpost it once was, it is still like a frontier town Hebden Bridge with front porches and parrots." Manchester Evening News - 18th July

Blocked sewer leaking above Nutclough Woods. Sewage is running down the footpath and finding its way into the river - 11th July

Immigration ban a second act from Hebden Bridge
The Trades Club at Hebden Bridge has had to cancel another act because of the immigration authorities. Bajaly Suso, from Gambia, is a kora player, singer and storyteller. He was to have played at the Trades on Saturday – his third gig on a British tour. Trades Club President Peter Lazenby said: "Overseas artists seem to be having increasing difficulty getting into Britain, especially those from Africa. The Trades is a centre for world music – one of the first to bring the music of Africa to the north of England." Jelitara Futa, from Senegal, was due to appear on June 1 but he was refused a work permit. - 2nd July

RAIN: Ducks take over riverside path in Hebden Bridge - power cuts and flood warnings in Mytholmroyd - 24th June

Birchcliffe Play Area, Hebden Bridge
Finance has now been identified, subject to consultation, for the refurbishment of Birchcliffe Play Area. Chris Holroyd (Playground Manager, 01422 393258) will be at the play area on Saturday 30th June 2007 from 10.00 am to 12 noon. Local residents and children are welcome to come along to an informal consultation in order to discuss various designs for the play area.

Thousands of pounds worth of damage
Vandals struck again this past weekend, and left a trail of destruction along Commercial Street, New Road and Market Street, shattering more than 40 window panels at five different stops on Friday and Saturday night. More - 17th June

MBE for HB lecturer
Terence John Wyke, Senior Lecturer in History, Manchester Metropolitan University. For services to Higher Education and to Local History. Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire - 16th June

Penny Eastwood's sticky protest against air travel
"Penny Eastwood, 52, travelled all the way from Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire to lastminute.com's headquarters in Victoria, London to call on the Government to do more to stop aviation pollution." from ITV News - see also Protest mother superglues herself to lastminute.com - 8th June

Herbert Fisher the Dambuster
Born and educated in Hebden Bridge, Herbert Fisher has died at the age of 89. During the Second World War, he was an armourer with Bomber Command. He worked with the Dambusters 617 Squadron and loaded bombs on to the Lancaster aircraft for their attacks on the Ruhr dams in Germany. - 6th June

A steam train to Hebden Bridge
has been chartered by The Society of Friends of Bowring Park in Liverpool to mark 100 years of the park. The steam train leaves Liverpool Lime Street and the Bowling Park website says "to hopefully stop at Hebden Bridge then return". - 6th June

Square Knife
Planners finally gave approval for a 10ft high model of a giant textile workers' knife in November, after months of public wrangling. Calderdale Council is now advertising for firms interested in fabricating the "gnomon" which is designed to remind visitors of the town's past as a principal centre of the fustian trade. The stainless steel sculpture will be four metres long supported by a steel frame and is expected to be installed by mid-September. More than 50 people formally objected to the metal sculpture and its "aggressive design." - 6th June

Faslane: HB Peace protester Barbara Green held for 17 hours by Strathclyde Police
Barbara writes: "I refute the argument given by Strathclyde Police for holding me in a prison cell overnight after my arrest outside the Faslane naval base (May 25). The police said there would have been every likelihood of me returning to the site and reoffending if released. If asked, I would have proved that was never my intention. I was arrested on Tuesday, May 15, and had with me my return ticket for Hebden Bridge, clearly marked May 16, and a ticket for King Lear in Stratford-Upon-Avon on May 17. Tickets for Lear are gold dust and I would certainly not have risked not being able to use it. " See The Herald for more - 1st June

Wadsworth Parish Boundary Walk
Sunday 10th June 2007 form and details

Fox and Goose beer festival
Hundreds gathered last weekend for the annual beer festival at the Fox and Goose at Hebden Bridge. More info - 28th May

HB anti-airport expansion campaigner featured in Daily Mail article
"The man behind the ecowarriors siege of Heathrow this summer is veteran anticapitalist protester Paul Morozzo . . . He lives with his partner Sally Chesworth, a BBC local radio producer, and their four-year-old son in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire." Paul, who is campaigning against the growth of air travel, is also a veteren of the Chainsaw Tuesday.
See Daily Mail article in full - 25th May

Residents' Parking - Meeting to seek views, called by local Calderdale councillors. Thurs May 31st at 7.30pm at Riverside school. See Forum for discussion

HB green campaigner Penny Eastwood arrested at Airport
Climate change activist protesting at the "environmental lunacy" of increasing flights at Leeds Bradford Airport was arrested for supergluing her hand to a door. Veteran green campaigner Penny Eastwood, from Hebden Bridge, handed out leaflets to passengers at Leeds Bradford Airport with the other hand from around 8am yesterday, claiming the Government was failing to reduce air travel. She was freed from the revolving oor and arrested after airport staff called police. 19th May

Fox Business Channel chooses Hebden Bridge firm Calrec - more - 18th May

Hundreds of cyclists passed through Hebden Bridge today as part of the British Heart Foundation's "Over the Edge" bike ride. See Mytholmroyd Net report on Jason Addy's white suit and mask, raising awareness about the asbestos link between Hebden Bridge and Rochdale. 13th May

Fire Station sold to Eshton Gregory Ltd, a joint venture between two Leeds property developer - more

May Day - Marxists on their bikes
Telegraph article: "Even more fun were socialist rambling groups and choral societies. In 1896, the Clarion Vocal Union had both when 2,000 picnickers listened to massed choirs at Hardcastle Crags, near Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire." Read more

Woodland fire - Eaves woods - 1 May
Photo thanks to Robert Collins

Frank Lund, formerly of Hebden Bridge, accused of murder after assisting with wife's suicide. Read more 1st May

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