The Piece Hall has announced the first visual arts commission from The Piece Hall Trust which will be unveiled in the courtyard on 25 January 2019. Sculptor David Murphy was selected from over 40 submissions to create a bold and confident response to the building’s history as a global centre for textiles.

Commissioned in partnership with Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) and co-funded by the Arts Council National Lottery Project Grant programme, ‘The Blanket’ will be a large-scale floor-based sculpture, positioned at the heart of the 66,000sq ft piazza. Steel tubes will be used to create a magnified weave, a shallow grid of intercepting and merging lines of subtly curved metal that together create a large ‘picnic blanket’.

More details on the Piece Hall website

Passengers at West Yorkshire bus stations, including Bradford Interchange, Halifax, Huddersfield and Leeds can now take advantage of free wi-fi.

Providing users with access to free wi-fi at its eight busiest facilities is part of the Combined Authority’s current project with BT to upgrade CCTV coverage across all of 25 of its West Yorkshire bus stations.

When they enter any of these eight bus stations, people will now find that they have the option of connecting for free with ‘WYCA Public’ through the BT network. Connecting for the first time requires a one-time registration process to make sure their device is recognised on the next visit to one of West Yorkshire’s Metro bus stations.

As part of the £1.2 million scheme, which is being delivered in partnership with Leeds City Council, around 230 new Bosch HD cameras have been installed at the Combined Authority’s 25 Metro bus stations. The cameras, which replace the current analogue cameras, are connected to a high-speed CCTV fibre network, which is also providing the free wi-fi access and a new and improved staff radio communications channel.

The joint project will also see improvements made to the Combined Authority’s CCTV monitoring centre in Leeds. It has resulted in significant operational cost-savings, and will pay for itself within four years.

Cllr Kim Groves, Chair of West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transport Committee, said:

“Passengers are increasingly used to having access to free wi-fi on buses and trains and we were keen to use the opportunity of upgrading our CCTV to provide people at our busiest bus stations with a similar service.”

Calderdale Council have launched a new Next Chapter website, providing information on the major projects that aim to transform the area.

The Next Chapter website includes project news, project details, and information about where they’re investing.

This is what the council say about they new site:

“Our new website has been developed to showcase our projects and our brand, which focuses on regeneration and economic growth in Calderdale. The new site is a hub of up to date and exciting news for you to explore. Take a lookand let us know what you think!”

“The new website boasts a clean design and intuitive navigation to help you find your way around with ease. It is also fully responsive with mobile devices, making it easy to navigate on a wide range of web browsers and devices.”

“Going forward, we will continue to communicate regularly through our news articles and project pages. We will continue to develop and improve the website to provide you with all of the information you need.”

For the next 12 months Healthwatch Kirklees and Calderdale are focusing on the experience of people using Adult Social Care services.

Tell them about your experience of using Adult Social Care Services in Kirklees and Calderdale?They want to hear from adults or carers who have used adult social care who can talk to them regularly, so they can get a good picture of what it is like to access these services.

If you need things like care assessments, information, home care, supported living, changes made to your home, and other things in social care, they want to hear about your experience.

They won’t ask for more than a short, regular phone call, at a time that’s best for you, or they can contact you by email or arrange a meeting if you prefer.

If you want to get involved, please contact Clare at Healthwatch Kirklees on either 01924 450379, or email clare.costello@healthwatchkirklees.co.uk

West Yorkshire Police have offered some advice on crime prevention and home security in a number of leaflets that can be downloaded;

• Crime Prevention Leaflets 1 and 2
• Crime Prevention Leaflets 3 and 4
• Crime Prevention Leaflet 5

A summary of the information is as follows;

Love your locks. You deserve the highest standard

• Are the cylinder locks on your uPVC doors up to standard?
• Do they stick out from the door handle?
• Is the door handle secure?

Sneak in burglars want what’s yours. Always lock your doors and windows

• “I’ll lock the door when I’ve finished my tea”
• “We just lock the door before we go to bed”
• “I just leave my bags and laptop by the door when I get in”

Sound familiar?

Patio doors or a shop window to your home?

• Are your patio doors a bit secluded?
• Are they as secure as they could be?
• Do you leave attractive items on view through them?

Car security

• Is your car your pride and joy?
• The biggest purchase after your house?
• Are you doing everything yo can to secure and protect it?

Burglary protection advice. Put it out of sight, locked up day & night

• “I was in a rush to get out”
• “I’ll just move the stuff when I get back in”
• “Nobody is really going to look through the window when I’m out are they?”

Exercise for Men with Halifax Rugby League Foundation

These sessions with the Halifax RLFC Foundation are designed for men who haven’t exercised for a while and are looking to get fit and have some fun. Train with current and past players to build your strength, stamina and fitness with other like-minded men.

Mondays, 6:30pm-7:30pm for 10 weeks starting on Monday 21 January 2019 at 3GI Soccer, Shaw Lodge Mill, Halifax HX3 9ET.

To join the team call 07947 827627 or email chrismitchell@halifaxrlfc.co.uk.