Dancers set for Kate Bush-inspired moorland protest against windfarm
Plus, Halifax Town add to ranks and rack up another pre-season win
Hello and welcome to The Calderdale Lead.
I hope you’ve all had a good start to the week.
Yesterday was a day of highs and lows with a nail-biting win for England’s Lionesses to secure a place in the European Championship final and the death of a true musical great in Ozzy Osbourne.
I wouldn’t call myself a huge Black Sabbath fan but Ozzy seemed to transcend music and was a cultural icon beyond the heavy metal.
We’re looking at the inspiration from another musical legend in today’s issue and one who couldn’t be further from Ozzy’s glorious racket - Kate Bush!
A group of protesters are taking to the moors above Calderdale for a Wuthering Heights-inspired protest against the windfarm plans. Full details below.
Plus, we’ve got details of another win and a new signing for Halifax Town as the National League season gets ever closer.
So, on with the news…
Dancers take to the moors for Wuthering Heights protest over windfarm
By John Greenwood
Invoking the spirit of Wuthering Heights, 500 dancers will protest a potential massive windfarm with a musical event at moorland reputedly the inspiration for Emily Brontë’s famous novel.
Their event, on July 27, also invokes music legend Kate Bush, coinciding with the annual “The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever” in celebration of the artist’s number one hit of the same name.
Last year, Calder Wind Farm Ltd submitted a scoping document to Calderdale Council outlining proposals which, in the company’s revised form, would see 41 giant turbines sites at Walshaw Moor above Hebden Bridge.
Campaigners opposing proposals are concerned about the impact the windfarm might have on protective peatland and the moorland habitat, including nesting birds, and impacting visually on “Bronte country”.
The dancers – in flowing red dresses – will evoke the spirit of both Emily Bronte, famous author of Wuthering Heights, and Kate Bush, whose “Wuthering Heights” topped the UK charts in 1978.
They will be dancing on the moorland surrounding Top Withens, the reputed inspiration for Emily Brontë’s novel.
Since 2014, “The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever” has drawn crowds of costumed dancers to recreate Kate Bush’s choreography in locations across the globe, say the organisers.
From Melbourne to Berlin, Paris to Oslo, dancers have celebrated the shared birthday of Emily Brontë and Kate Bush in a “mass wuther” which expresses the culture-defining impact of the novel, the song, and its uniquely memorable dance.
However, 2025 marks the first “mass wuther” in Haworth, the venue being chosen in opposition to the turbine proposals, whose opponents include major ecological and heritage organisations, including the Brontë Society, the RSPB and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England.
“Actually the Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever” and its role in protecting the moors was raised in Parliament by Shadow Minister for the Environment, Keighley and Ilkley Conservative MP Robbie Moore.
The event will also raise funds and awareness for Bradford Women’s Aid, who every year support thousands of women affected by the domestic violence associated with the novel’s character Heathcliff, say the organisers.
Instead, the event celebrates the strength and creativity of groundbreaking women like Kate and Emily and supported by Calderdale Happy Valley Pride, the event also showcases diversity and diversity, they add.
“Everyone is welcome, regardless of gender,” says co-organiser Sophie Bramley, “provided they’ve learnt the dance, and they’re wearing a flowing red dress!”
Provided too, that they hold one of the 500 tickets which were snatched up within hours of their release, she said.
Opponents say each turbine would be as tall as Blackpool Tower, with a lot of related infrastructure visible for miles.
But the company argues that the Calderdale Energy Park would be capable of generating enough electricity to power the equivalent of approximately 250,000 homes.
Shaymen bolster squad with former Oldham Athletic defender
By Andrew Greaves
Halifax Town boss Adam Lakeland has added former Oldham Athletic defender Shaun Hobson to his squad.
The 27-year-old, who has League Two experience with Southend United, had spells in the academies at Burnley and Bournemouth.
He made more than 100 appearances for Southend during a three-year stint in Essex before a move to Oldham where he helped the Latics to a National League play-off win last term.
And he said: “I'm bringing a good experience winning the play-offs last season, but it's a new challenge now. I'm coming into a younger squad compared to last year. But, it's a challenge for myself to help the lads on their journey, and also further myself in mine.
“I'm a leader, a grafter, and I like to work hard for the team. That's me. So let's get to work and have a successful season.”
Last night’s win at Radcliffe continued the Shaymen’s encouraging pre-season form.
Town made the breakthrough just past the half hour mark thanks to Will Harris. Jamie Cooke fired in a low effort that deflected into the air, Harris was perfectly placed to fire home an acrobatic effort.
The Shaymen doubled their advantage early in the second half. A cross from the left-hand side found the head of Florent Hoti who placed it perfectly into the bottom corner.
Cooke had a chance to grab a third for Halifax but he saw his penalty saved before the hosts pulled a goal back with 20 minutes to go.
Ashton United are next up for Town on Saturday.
And that’s it for this edition - thanks for reading!
We’ll be back at the weekend with another edition. In the meantime, don’t forget to get in touch if there’s anything you want to share with us.
The email is calderdale@thelead.uk and we really do enjoy getting your messages, tips and comments.
Enjoy the rest of the week!
Andrew