MP sees work start on £2 million Todmorden theatre renovation
Plus, new transport branding revealed for West Yorkshire AND a new Mayor for Calderdale
Hello and welcome to The Calderdale Lead!
Halifax Town are hoping to take one step closer to becoming a league club again as they travel to Oldham Athletic tonight for the National League play-offs.
More than 1,800 fans will be making the short journey to Boundary Park and they’ll be hoping to see Chris Millington’s side triumph and set up a tie in the next stage.
Everyone here wishes The Shaymen well in their quest.
In today’s edition we report on how work has started on the renovation of Todmorden’s brilliant Hippodrome theatre, which was treated to a visit this week from Calder Valley MP Josh Fenton-Glynn.
Plus, we have details of the new branding for West Yorkshire’s transport network and the new Mayor of Calderdale, who will be sworn in a little later today.
So, on with the news…
Work underway to ‘Raise the Roof’ at Todmorden Hippodrome
Calder Valley MP Josh Fenton-Glynn took time out from his parliamentary schedule to see work start on renovating Todmorden Hippodrome this week.
Mr Fenton-Glynn, who has been a big support of the theatre, including backing its successful Community Ownership Fund application, was shown around the first phase of the works by volunteers.
Also joining the site visit were Pam Warhurst, Chair of the Todmorden Town Deal Board, members of the trustee team at TAODS, Storah Architecture and Project Manager Steve Clarkson.
Mr Clarkson said: “This project will create exciting new spaces in the extended building, but we’re pleased to say the Hippodrome will stay open throughout.
“We want people to be part of this transformation every step of the way.”
Todmorden Hippodrome Theatre is the country’s largest community-owned theatre, with over 350 community members and 200 young people in its youth theatre volunteering over 73,000 hours of their time in the last 12 months.
As we reported last month, the near-£2m scheme, which is part of the Todmorden Town Deal £17.5M programme of investment, will see the building extended and remodelled.
The work aims to create a more accessible venue with better rehearsal, exhibition, archive, and performance spaces and a more welcoming and fit-for-purpose foyer area.
Todmorden Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society (TAODS), owners of the Hippodrome, have raised almost £1m through their Raise the Roof campaign on top of the £825,000 investment from Todmorden Town Deal to make the work possible.
Fundraising efforts will continue throughout the construction period, as members of TAODS work to secure the remaining funds needed to complete the internal fit-out of the new spaces and to install a passenger lift providing access to all levels of the development.
To find out more about The Hippodrome Theatre and how you can get involved and support their work, click here.
All aboard newly re-branded transport network
West Yorkshire’s transport network has a new name - The Weaver Network!
According to the blurb from West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, The Weaver Network name is inspired by the region's industrial past and visually reflects the cultural fabric of modern-day West Yorkshire.
Ms Brabin unveil the new branding alongside the region’s five council leaders in Leeds this week.
She said: “For too long, our region has suffered from a disjointed, confusing, and increasingly hard to navigate public transport system.
“The Weaver Network is a fresh, modern identity for transport in West Yorkshire, reflecting our greater powers through devolution, as well as our ongoing work to bring buses back under public control and create a fully-integrated mass transit network.
“This will help us on our journey to creating a transport system that is easier to use, and demonstrates our ambition to create a better-connected region that works for all.”
To be cost effective, the brand will be gradually introduced, starting with existing planned replacements at bus stops and stations.
The branding will then be rolled out further when buses are taken under local control from 2027, before being included on the planned West Yorkshire tram system, for which construction work will start in 2028.
Tory leader set to take up Mayoral role for Calderdale
Calderdale Tory leader Coun Steven Leigh is set to be sworn in as the borough’s new mayor today.
A ceremony at Halifax Town Hall, part of the Annual Council Meeting, will see Coun Leigh take over the role from Coun Ann Kingstone.
Coun Leigh has chosen Coun Geraldine Carter as his Deputy Mayor, and their consorts will be Linda Leigh and Brian Carter respectively.
They will represent the borough, as well as getting to meet many of its people across the next 12 months
The Annual Council section of the meeting will see the council’s Leader be elected to the role for 2025-26, after which the Leader will confirm Cabinet appointments for the year.
Memberships of boards, committees and outside organisations will also be confirmed.
Allocation of seats to political groups under the political balance rules will also be confirmed.
Well, that’s it for this edition.
I hope you all have a cracking rest of the week and, if you’re heading to Boundary Park tonight, you witness The Shaymen take that all important next step towards league football!
Don’t forget you can get in touch by email on calderdale@thelead.uk if there’s a story you think I should be taking a look at.
Enjoy the rest of the week and we’ll be back in your inboxes on Sunday!
Andrew