Calderdale comes together to promote financial and digital inclusion
Plus: police appeal after woman followed and Shaymen joy in the rain
Hello and welcome to The Calderdale Lead!
I hope you’re all managing to stay dry despite the torrential downpours that seem to have been hanging around for most of the last week.
I got absolutely drenched yesterday walking to and from Turf Moor to watch Burnley but some might say that serves me right for following the Clarets!
In today’s edition, we’ve got details of a host of organisations coming together to tackle a growing problem in society - financial and digital inclusion.
We also have a police appeal after a woman was following late at night in Halifax.
Plus, The Shaymen made relatively light work of the rain with a 2-1 comeback win up in Gateshead. Full details and reaction below.
So, on with the news…
Digital and financial inclusion top of the agenda at Calderdale event
By Andrew Greaves
Organisations across Calderdale and beyond have come together to better understand how to support local people who may be experiencing financial difficulties or digital exclusion.
People can be digitally excluded for a number of reasons: they may lack the skills to navigate the internet, struggle to afford internet packages or suitable devices, or live in an area with inadequate internet connectivity.
Financial vulnerability and digital exclusion can further isolate people who are struggling to get by.
As part of the borough’s Anti-Poverty Partnership, Calderdale Council, with the Money Guiders England Network, hosted an event at the King’s Centre in Halifax this week exploring ways to promote financial wellbeing through partnerships and money guidance.
The partnership event welcomed more than 100 people from across health, voluntary, community and education sectors to hear more about how working together can better support low-income households around issues relating to financial and digital hardship.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, Cllr Danielle Durrans, said: “We live in a digital world, and for people who have problems accessing the internet, this can exacerbate financial issues or further isolate people who may already be struggling.
“Ensuring that people have the support that they need can make a huge impact, and along with partners, we offer a range of digital inclusion schemes. At the recent partnership event, we heard from local and national organisations about the challenges that people are facing and how we can work together to best support residents.
“This is part of our important work to reduce inequalities across Calderdale, with a real focus on tackling poverty and supporting people facing cost of living pressures.”
The programme at the event included a range of presentations and stalls where people could find out more about key projects, schemes and services.
This included highlighting the national programme called Money Guiders, giving frontline workers the tools, confidence and knowledge to start conversations about money.
Jenny Wright, Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) Regional Manager for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “This event was about bringing people together to share practical tools and insights that can make a real difference to people’s lives. Financial and digital exclusion are deeply interconnected, and we need collaborative, community-driven responses.
“It’s about making support visible and building financial wellbeing into everyday conversations.”
For more help and advice with money matters and cost of living support, visit www.calderdale.gov.uk/mwic.
Police appeal for witnesses after woman ‘followed’
By Andrew Greaves
Police have appealed for witnesses following an incident in which they say a woman was following in a ‘concerning manner’.
The man has initially approached the woman at the junction of Dryclough Lane and Skircoat Green Road, with him coming from the Godfrey Road side.
He is then reported to have followed her along Skircoat Moor Road towards Birdcage Lane until she got in a vehicle and drove away.
The incident occurred between 10:36pm and 10:50pm on Friday night.
The man is described as white, aged in his mid 30s to early 40s, of medium to stocky build, with short, light-coloured, possibly ginger hair.
Officers are keen to speak to anyone who recalls seeing a man matching this description in the vicinity of this incident.
They are also asking motorists who were in the area who have dashcam to check whether they have any footage of this man.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Calderdale District Safeguarding via Live Chat online or by calling 101, quoting crime reference 13250540065.
Halifax praises ref as side grab comeback win at Gateshead
By Andrew Greaves
Halifax Town boss Adam Lakeland praised the referee for allowing his side to see out a 2-1 at Gateshead despite deteriorating conditions.
It was an end-to-end encounter at the Gateshead International Stadium and The Shaymen had to fight hard for their win.
The visitors could have put themselves ahead on just 10 minutes but Josh Hmami missed his penalty after David Kawa was brought down.
Town then conceded a penalty just after the half-hour mark, Kain Adom making no mistake from 12 yards to hand Gateshead the lead.
The lead didn’t last long and Halifax were award another penalty four minutes later, Jay Turner-Cooke doing the honours to bring his side level.
A goal from Kawa on 61 minutes was enough to hand Town a much-welcomed win in the rain.
And boss Lakeland felt his side were good value for the three points.
He said: "I felt it was a really good team performance, in difficult conditions.
"It was important we came here and got three points, so I'm delighted for the players and the supporters that we've managed to do that."
Lakeland also had words of praise for the ref who allowed the game to finish.
He said: "I think it's fair to say it was difficult conditions for everybody, certainly n the last 20 minutes, lads running with the ball and it was getting stuck in the water, maybe not bouncing as true.
"But it was only in little patches.
"There's no benefit whatsoever to that game not finishing, for us or Gateshead.
"We're both in the National League Cup, we've got a lot of games coming up, having to replay the game doesn't favour anybody, when you're so deep into it.
"I've talked about a couple of referee's performances which I felt were below-par, but I thought he did really well today, to keep the game going.
"He managed the game, given the conditions, incredibly well, as well as the safety and well-being of the players, which wasn't once in doubt, despite the conditions.
"He deserves credit for that."
The Shaymen travel to Morecambe on Wednesday for their next National League clash.
That’s it for this edition - I’ll be back in your inboxes on Wednesday.
Until then, don’t forget you can share stories, tips and observations with me by emailing calderdale@thelead.uk.
Thanks for reading!
Andrew