Category Archives: Local News

Crime advice – “Dob in a Dealer” & More

Just out is the local police’s Crime Prevention newsletter. with a focus on the latest drug dealing and fraud issues and how to report suspicious activity.

The newsletter highlights:

Drug dealing and ‘Cuckooing’ – looking out for the vulnerable in society.
Fraud during the easing of Lockdown, what to watch out for.
Look after those pedal cycles, more bikes sold does not have to mean more bikes stolen.
Celebrating Neighbourhood Watch Week and the up and coming 35th year anniversary.

Dob in a dealer

We all want our area of residence to be a place where we feel safe and secure. Unfortunately, drug use and supplying of drugs in areas of residence can severely diminish and damage that feeling of safety and security. The supply of drugs is linked heavily with Serious Organised Crime. If the supply of drugs is rife in a particular area, the pitfalls such as gang clashes, violence and Knife Crime can cast a ghastly shadow on its residents.

‘Cuckooing’ is another effect that the supply of drugs is a direct consequence of. ‘Cuckooing’ is when a drug dealer or gang takes over a vulnerable adult’s address for criminal purposes, usually as a site to supply, store or produce drugs from. Gangs will exploit an individual’s vulnerabilities in order to make a profit and avoid police detection.

This is why it is paramount that you report any suspicious activity to West Yorkshire Police via our website –
www.westyorkshire.police.uk/report-it.

Alternatively, you can report anonymously to CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 or on their website www.crimestoppers-uk.org/

For more advice and information, visit: www.westyorkshire.police.uk/drugs

Funded activity packs for older people

Community Foundation for Calderdale are funding Age UK to deliver activity packs to the homes of isolating older people in Calderdale.

For many older people who live alone, the prolonged Isolation during the coronavirus pandemic has created problems of loneliness, boredom and depression.

We know how important mental wellbeing is and with many of the elderly still afraid or unable to leave their homes, Community Foundation for Calderdale have responded by funding Age UK Calderale and Kirklees to deliver packs to older people who are still isolating.

If you are or know an older person who you think would like to receive a pack then please contact Age UK Calderdale & Kirklees by emailing enquiry@ageukck.org.uk

Report Your Cycling and Walking Trouble Spots

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee have created an interactive map to help them understand which areas in our region could be improved to help the public travel more easily by bike or on foot, and to provide more space to travel safely while social distancing.

The interactive map will allow you to highlight issues that you are experiencing when travelling by bike or on foot and to suggest where improvements could be made to make these journeys safer, including increasing space for social distancing.

The map will enable you to drop pins to highlight:

particular streets or locations in your neighbourhood where you are experiencing issues that could be overcome with trial or temporary measures to increase space for people to walk or cycle, as well improvements to address accessibility issues
where you are facing difficulties on your journeys to work, school or to local shops, and if measures, such as segregated cycle routes, widened pavements around shops or bus stops, could be introduced to make these journeys easier, safer and enable more social distancing
the important places you are travelling to, as well as the supporting facilities that might make this journey easier to take by bike, such as places to securely park your bike

To find out more and take part in the engagement please click here to visit the Your Voice page.

Public toilets to reopen from 7 July

Calderdale Council is planning to reopen one public toilet facility in each town in Calderdale from Tuesday 7 July.

To help support the reopening of local businesses one toilet block will reopen on Tuesday’s through Saturday’s, from 9.30am – 4.30pm as follows:

Brighouse – Thornton Square
Elland – Town Hall Square
Halifax – Albion Street
Hebden Bridge – New Road
Sowerby Bridge – Wharf Street
Todmorden – Brook Street

These locations have been chosen as they are all self-contained, individually accessed unisex facilities, which will help to reduce the risk of infection transmission.

The toilet facilities will be subject to additional cleaning with frequent ‘touch points’ disinfected. Users are asked to help maintain hygiene standards between cleans by following the advice in the increased signage in place in all facilities.

Calderdale Markets reopen

Calderdale Council have announced that all of our indoor and outdoor markets are now close to fully open and have published opening hours.

The exceptions are hairdressers, barbers and beauticians, which will remain closed until the government gives further guidance. Cafés are also open, but only for takeaways at present.

Social distancing measures are in place in all of the markets and traders will be following government guidance on hygiene and operating in a safe manner to ensure everybody’s safety.

The markets are open as follows:

Brighouse Open Market (Weds, Sat, 8am-3pm)
For more details, visit: Brighouse Open Market (Facebook)

Elland Charter Market (Fri, 8am-4pm)

Halifax Borough Market (Mon-Sat, 8am-3pm until further notice)
For more details, visit: Halifax Borough Market (Facebook).

Hebden Bridge (Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, 8am-4pm)

Sowerby Bridge (Tue, Thurs, Fri, Sat, 8am-4pm)
For more details, visit: Sowerby Bridge Market (Facebook)

Todmorden Outdoor (Weds, Fri, Sat, 8.30am-3pm)

Todmorden Market Hall (Mon-Sat, 8.30am-2pm)
Please note that the Market Tavern (Ale bar) is closed until further notice.
The Market Barber is also closed and will be by appointment only on return.
For more details, visit: Todmorden markets (Facebook)

Todmorden Market traders are also now offering delivery through ShopAppy.com.
For details visit: Shopappy.com – Todmorden. All orders made before 12 noon go out for delivery the same day.

Car boot sales remain closed until further notice. Halifax Farmers Market is not currently open.

Council live information about market o penings

Updates from Calderdale Council’s monthly newsletter

Here is news from Calderdale Council, published on 26 June 2020.

You can subscribe direct to their monthly newsletter on the visit Calderdale website and share with friends and family.

100 days of lockdown – countless stories of kindness

As England reaches its 100^th day of lockdown, Calderdale Council reflects on the enormous joint effort and kindness that have defined the response to COVID-19 across the borough. The Leader of the Council, Cllr Tim Swift, has written a letter to pay tribute to those supporting Calderdale’s most vulnerable people and helping to keep essential services running, despite the challenges they are facing at work and personally. To read more about our response and stories from some of the Council’s unsung staff heroes who continue to play a vital role during the pandemic, visit 100 days of lockdown; countless stories of kindness

Safer streets around schools

Calderdale Council is working with schools to encourage more active ways for children and young people to get to and from school, such as walking and cycling. Roads outside 14 Calderdale schools are now closed to cars and other motorised traffic at school drop-off and pick-up times. The new restrictions are part of the national School Streets community-based approach, aiming to reduce car usage and air pollution, promote walking and cycling and boost road safety, health and wellbeing. Find out more at Safer streets around schools

Supporting the safe reopening of Calderdale shops

Following the reopening of non-essential shops and market stalls in Calderdale, the Council has been monitoring footfall and the effectiveness of the additional safety measures introduced in towns across the borough. From Monday 15 June, non-essential retailers were allowed to reopen provided they could meet the COVID-19 secure guidelines; further retail and hospitality businesses will also reopen in the coming weeks. Calderdale Council is supporting safe reopening by introducing temporary safety measures to complement those introduced by businesses. To find out more, visit Supporting the safe reopening of Calderdale shops

Have your say on plans for Brighouse

Residents and businesses in and around Brighouse are invited to share their thoughts on a draft masterplan to be submitted as part of a bid for funding from the Government’s Towns Fund. Proposals include the introduction of further facilities to improve access for pedestrians and cyclists, new public spaces around the canal, measures to help support the strong retail offer and increased leisure and recreation options. The detailed proposals and feedback form will be available from Monday 29 June at www.calderdalenextchapter.co.uk. Find out more at Have your say on plans for Brighouse

Safely sharing space in our countryside

Calderdale Council is reminding visitors to the borough’s outdoor spaces or countryside sites to act responsibly and respect the local environment, people and animals. As more people spend time outdoors enjoying the Calderdale countryside, walking, running or cycling, it’s important to remember The Countryside Code to help to look after the environment. The code has been revised since COVID-19 to include guidance around safely sharing the space with other users and planning ahead to check what facilities are open. For further guidance, visit Safely sharing space in our countryside

More Council News

For all the latest Council news, visit http://news.calderdale.gov.uk/.For up-to-date information about Council services and COVID-19, visit www.calderdale.gov.uk/coronavirus

Bus Service Updates

Metro West Yorkshire have updated their local bus service timetables.

TIMETABLES: There will be changes to some bus timetables from Sunday 28 June 2020. Timetables are available to view on wymetro.com. Please check before you travel.
GETTING ACCURATE BUS SERVICE INFO: The changes that have been made to services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic mean printed information at bus stops is likely to be out of date. Metro are working to address this but in the meantime they are asking people to check wymetro.com, @MetroTravelNews on Twitter and Real-Time displays for the most accurate information.
FACE COVERINGS & EXEMPTIONS: In line with government guidelines all public transport users are advised to wear a face covering when travelling on buses and trains in West Yorkshire. We are also asking people using public transport to be considerate of other passenger who may not be able to wear a face covering. Exemptions apply to small children or those with certain disabilities or health conditions. More information on face coverings and exemptions can be found here. If you are exempt, please be prepared to inform the bus driver or train staff. If you would like to show a travel assistance card to help you with this then you can download a copy at wymetro.com. Just print and cut it out or take a digital photo to carry with you on your mobile phone.
IS YOUR JOURNEY NECESSARY? They are strongly urging people to consider whether their journey is necessary before using public transport and to consider cycling or walking as an alternative where possible. Capacity is limited across services and focused on ensuring key workers and those who need to travel to work can get where they need to be during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who are travelling are being asked to pay by contactless, wash their hands before and after their journey and allow more time as services may be full.

More Bus news

Bus App Now Shows Capacity & Wheelchair Spaces

Bus App now shows capacity & wheelchair spaces

Earlier this month First Buses updated their mobile app to show bus capacity in ‘real-time’.

This has enabled customers across the region to live track the location of their next bus and its available capacity. The display will show customers a bus icon on a map depicting the live location and available capacity of each vehicle on the route (please see image below).

This new functionality will allow customers to make informed decisions about their journeys. The innovation uses the new passenger counting functionality with data from this system feeding directly to the First Bus app in real time.

They are also using the same technology to show if a customer is on board the bus using a wheelchair.

This should help passengers with journey planning and provide further confidence & reassurance both during this period of restricted travel but also into the future.

The First Bus App upgrade is available to iOS & Android phone users now.

For more information on First Buses support for wheelchair users, see the Calderdale Disability Partnership website.

Calderdale Mental health contact update

“INSIGHT Talking Therapies (Calderdale) has changed its name and is now called Vita Minds (Calderdale IAPT). Their contact number is 03330 153494.

Email iapt.calderdale@vhg.co.uk: Website www.vitahealthgroup.co.uk

The 24 hour mental health number for adults who are struggling with their mental health is 0800 183 0558.

Callers need to be registered with a Calderdale /Kirklees GP.

Find a public toilet – new website

For older people venturing out after lockdown, knowing where to find an open public toilet is essential.

However, there’s a new website that aims to address the problem, with our help.

www.lockdownloo.com is a map-based website that shows where public toilets ate open and allows users to submit details of open toilets themselves. If you find a toilet that’s open and it’s not on the website, you simply let them know and it will be added.

Telephone Befriending Service for adults in Calderdale

The Staying Well Hub team have found a way to bring a friendly chat over a cup of tea back to elderly people in Calderdale.

Although face to face may not be an option at the present, the new telephone befriending service offers a more personal contact to people struggling with isolation.

Staying Well Telephone Befriending Service

Isolation has never been such a concern and risk as it currently is but a chat with a Volunteer Befriender can make all the difference to someone who is lonely. The team is working with volunteers to provide a Staying Well Telephone Befriending Service for adults in Calderdale who want someone to talk to regularly or just want to to hear a friendly voice.

This service aims to match clients with volunteers who have similar interests and common ground, aiming to offer a listening ear to those who feel isolated.

If this sounds like what you’re after, ring 01422 392767 to make a referral or visit the Staying Well website to fill out the referral form.

Individuals can refer themselves. In order to refer someone you will need their consent.

All volunteers must go through the safeguarding process run by Calderdale council and the entire process is closely monitored to ensure everyone’s safety.

For more information visit the Staying Well Telephone Befriending service page

Meals on Wheels update

Park Meals have updated their Meals on Wheels brochure with new information.

You can download it here – ParkCareBrochure2020 (pdf)

Park Meals deliver 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The service is completely flexible – there is no contract commitment required and a customer can have as many or as few meals as they require.

If you have any questions please contact them via email or their website:

kate@parkcaremeals.co.uk
www.parkcaremeals.co.uk

ParkCareBrochure2020