Calderdale Lower Valley Friday Flyer 25 November 2022 – OUT NOW!!
Click here to view this week’s Friday Flyer
This week:
- Take a look at our Christmas Events section!
- CFFC Networking Event November 30 at the Old Brodleians RUFC
- Vaccination chief urges people to get boosted as West Yorkshire hits the half million milestone
- Would you like to be featured on The Yorkshire Auction House?
Have a great weekend!
If you’re on our mailing list the Friday Flyer will arrive direct to your inbox every Friday. Join the mailing list by emailing team@calderdalelowervalley.com
You can also contact us on 01422 252 029
Santa-Gram 2022 has launched! Get involved by December 2nd
Home Instead are accepting items to be included in the ‘Santa-grams’ until 2nd December. If your organisation, church or community group would like to receive Santa-grams, or if you are a school or organisation would like to get involved, contact Julie Ingham on 01422 292424 or email julie.ingham@homeinstead.co.uk
Home Instead Calderdale’s annual Santa-gram Christmas gifting scheme has launched to give older people something to smile about during the festive season and help alleviate loneliness.
The team at Home Instead Calderdale are working with seven primary schools across Halifax, Sowerby Bridge and Brighouse, one after-school club and two Calderdale knitting groups to make gifts. The children will be putting their creative talent to good use, designing Christmas cards and decorations and the older children will be writing letters to donate to older people across Calderdale.
Local community group, The Calder Quilters and the Knit & Natter Group at St. Andrews Methodist Church in Halifax were delighted to get involved in this year’s Christmas Santa-gram campaign, creating some much needed quilted blankets and knitted muffs for older people to help keep them warm this winter. Last year Home Instead received 1,452 Santa-grams and the team hopes to smash that record this year!
Quilts and Twiddle Muffs from Calder Quilters
Every year Home Instead receive many heart-warming comments from members of the elderly community on receiving their Santa-grams. One such comment was: “Thank you so much for the Santa-gram I received just before Christmas. Being a pensioner living on my own with no family it brightened my day it means a lot to know that there are kind people out there who want to support ageing people in the community this winter. I hadn’t heard of Home Instead so who knows in the future you may be someone to turn to, if needed.”
Since starting the campaign two years ago during the COVID pandemic lockdown, Home Instead has delivered thousands of Santa-grams to members of the local community.
Commenting on the festive campaign, owner of Home Instead Calderdale Munaf Patel said, “A lot of older people in the community are missing out on the companionship, care, and love that many of us simply take for granted. We want to do something to help, and the campaign is a nice way to bring several different generations together.”
Calder Quilters meet fortnightly at The Maurice Jagger Centre, Halifax and their Chairperson commented, “We heard about Home Instead’s Santa-gram Campaign and approached them to see how we might get involved. As a result our members have been busy creating quilted lap blankets, backed with fleece to help elderly people stay warm this winter and a set of Twiddle Muffs which make great presents for people with dementia, who find it comforting to keep their hands and fingers occupied.”
Margaret Caulfield of the Knit & Natter Group at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church, Huddersfield Road, Halifax, said, “Given the worrying Cost of Living Crisis, we wanted to do something to help some of the people who will be worrying about their heating costs this winter. We welcomed the chance to get involved with Home Instead’s Santa-gram campaign and our members have been busy creating warm blankets and muffs for the elderly.”
Home Instead are accepting items to be included in the ‘Santa-grams’ until 2nd December. If your organisation, church or community group would like to receive Santa-grams, or if you are a school or organisation would like to get involved, contact Julie Ingham on 01422 292424 or email julie.ingham@homeinstead.co.uk
OUR NEWS Neighbourhood Watch newsletter – December 2022 EDITION
OUR NEWS – Neighbourhood Watch national newsletter for England and Wales
Click here to open the newsletter
Welcome to our December OUR NEWS – the final newsletter for 2022. Yes, we hear you… it is not December just yet… but we wanted to get this to you in good time.
We know that everyone is under increasing financial pressure at the moment, which is why this edition highlights how to stay more protected this season whilst shopping online.
We are also pleased to bring you a selection of discounts from our corporate partners on a variety of door locks and cyber protection software, along with a 50% discount on Neighbourhood Watch branded tote bags and pin badges – ideal gifts for Coordinators. Please note that we do not want to increase pressure to purchase items but to ease the financial pressure on you.
If you are impacted by the cost of living and need some extra support, be that in financial support, money-saving tips; steps to avoid becoming a victim of crime, or support to help reduce loneliness and isolation, please visit our dedicated cost-of-living support pages on our website. The link is in the newsletter.
Follow us.. ourwatch.org.uk / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn
Neighbourhoood Watch Network is a charity registered in England & Wales, CIO no: 1173349
CFFC Networking Event November 30 at the Old Brodleians RUFC
You’re invited to the CFFC Membership Event
Members and
Non- Members are all warmly welcomed
Wednesday 30th November
12.30 pm to 2.30 pm
Old Brodleians Rugby Club, Hipperholme, Halifax HX3 8JT
It been great to see that people have an appetite for getting back to networking and also for feeling part of the community and want to be part of the group helping Calderdale thrive and be a great place to live and work.
You’re invited to our monthly membership event for like minded people who support CFFC so we can connect people who care with local causes that matter. There will be open networking and a delicious lunch provided courtesy of our sponsor Neil Davidson, who will also be telling us a bit about his Community CPR Fund.
There will be open networking over lunch, short presentations then speed networking so you get the opportunity to meet as many people as possible.
Not got around to applying to be a member yet?
If you would like to become a member, here is the link to complete the application form.
Click here to find out more about applying to become a member
VSI Alliance Update 25 November 2022
VSI Alliance News & Events
Newsflash from the Voluntary Sector Infrastructure (VSI) Alliance team
Read the latest updates from the VSI alliance. You will find information on local events and available training, job opportunities and volunteering options. The newsletter also highlights current campaigns and consultations.
About VSI Alliance:
All staff at the VSI Alliance are available remotely to support you and your organisation at this time with various aspects of your work, along with providing key information and resources. For support/advice, please contact info@vsialliance.org.uk, or visit www.vsialliance.org.uk for more contact details.
Take antibiotics seriously this World Antimicrobial Awareness Week
[ Excerpt – read full article here ] 
The NHS in West Yorkshire will be joining health organisations around the world to raise awareness of the global problem of antibiotic resistance and to encourage people to pledge to tackle it.
According to the World Health Organisation, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest threats to global health. Drug-resistant infections killed 1.25 million people in the world in 2019, including 141,000 patients in high income countries like the UK. This is estimated to rise to 10 million deaths per year by 2050 if we don’t act now.
Antibiotics kill bacteria or prevent them from spreading, but because bacteria are adapting to survive them, these medicines are becoming less effective. If antibiotics stop working to treat infections, this might stop us from carrying out common healthcare activities such as doing major operations or giving cancer treatments where infections are common, and we need effective antibiotics to prevent them. We may see more premature babies, children and adults on intensive care dying from infections.
That’s why healthcare professionals across the region are supporting Seriously Resistant (www.seriouslyresistant.com), a campaign originally developed in Leeds that aims to raise awareness of antibiotic resistance and educate people how they can help to keep antibiotics working.
“You can pledge to make better use of antibiotics and help save these vital medicines from becoming obsolete by becoming an Antibiotic Guardian – antibioticguardian.com/”
“To find out what you, your family and friends can do to help tackle antibiotic resistance and to help keep antibiotics working, please also visit www.seriouslyresistant.com”
Paws for a cause with the local RSPCA and the Upper George Hotel November 26
THE RSPCA Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford & District branch are looking forward to their Paws for a Cause event with the Upper George Hotel & Pub in Halifax (HX1 1TT) this Saturday 26th November from 12-4pm.
Lauren Moore, Fundraising Manager said “We’ve got lots of canine-themed fun planned for the day, including a mini fun dog show, doggy artwork sessions, pass the paw-cel and more!
We’re really happy our friends at the Upper George Hotel are supporting us as we approach the festive season.
All funds raised will directly help our Animal Centre on Wade Street, so we really hope you and your four-legged friends can join us!”
Find out more about the event visit: www.rspcahalifaxhuddersfieldbradford.org.uk or head to the Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1171369803798206/
“So far this year, the branch has successfully found homes for 79 dogs, 179 cats and 48 small animals.The RSPCA Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford and District Branch are a self-funding branch of the National RSPCA, responsible for raising money locally to support our animal welfare work. Our main aim is to rehabilitate unwanted, abandoned and abused animals and find them loving, permanent homes. We rely on public donations and the generosity of our local community to keep the doors of our animal centre open.”
Vaccination chief urges people to get boosted as West Yorkshire hits the half million milestone
The leader of the West Yorkshire Vaccination Programme has rolled up his sleeves to encourage people to get their autumn booster as soon as possible.
Dr James Thomas, Medical Director for the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and practising GP, celebrated the rollout passing the half million milestone this week by getting his own top-up dose.
Just over a million people in West Yorkshire are eligible for the vital top-up jab, and over half of these have now been vaccinated. With COVID, flu and other respiratory illnesses in circulation and infection rates on the rise, Dr Thomas is urging everyone who is eligible to get their booster now to ensure maximum protection throughout the winter and festive period.
Dr Thomas said: “I am so grateful to our vaccination teams in West Yorkshire for all they are doing to get people protected ahead of what we know will be a hugely challenging winter. NHS staff and GP and pharmacy colleagues have been working flat out to protect those most susceptible to serious illness from both COVID and flu and delivered over 120,000 boosters a week during October, which is a fantastic achievement
.
“As we head into the winter months and busy festive season, the booster offers important protection and peace of mind for those at greatest risk and their loved ones, so if you are eligible for the booster and yet to come forward, I strongly urge you to roll up your sleeves and get the jab done!”
Everyone aged 50 and over, or who has a condition that puts them at greater risk from COVID-19 is eligible for the vital top-up jab to keep their immunity as high as possible this winter. This includes people with weakened immune systems, learning disabilities and pregnant women. Frontline health and care workers and unpaid carers are also eligible and being urged to protect themselves and those they care for by getting their booster and flu jabs.
Anyone eligible can book an appointment on the National Booking Service at www.nhs.uk/covidvaccine or by calling 119 free of charge. The West Yorkshire programme is also running a large number of walk-in and pop up clinics in local communities to make it as easy as possible for people to get their booster. People can search for clinics near them at www.nhs.uk/grab-a-jab
Rachel Spencer-Henshall, Public Health Lead for the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, said: “It is great that so many people have already made the smart choice to get their booster. We know that with winter comes both increased infection levels and also increased socialising indoors where viruses spread more easily. The increase in COVID infections is very concerning and latest data the UK Health Security Agency shows that flu infection rates are also on the rise so I would urge everyone who is eligible to get both their booster and their flu jab to keep them safe this winter.
A Visit to Cromwell Bottom Nature Reserve with Active Calderdale
For those who don’t know where Cromwell Bottom Nature Reserve is or want to know exactly what to expect before visiting, Cromwell Bottom Wildlife Group, working with Active Calderdale and Accessible Calderdale Access Forum have created two self-guided walking booklets and a video.
Accessible to all
Maintained by a group of committed volunteers, the 74-acre site is home to flower meadows, dry and wet woodland, a lagoon, ponds and numerous bird viewing areas. It’s also one of the most accessible nature reserves in the area and almost the whole site can be accessed by wheelchair.
Which route will you take? Plan your visit now!
Dedicated to Conservation
Cromwell Bottom Wildlife Group is dedicated to the conservation and development of this important site. They are keen to work with local organisations, such as Active Calderdale, to collaborate and access funding that can unlock the reserve’s true potential for the benefit of the whole community.
What’s on Offer
The reserve is an ideal place to relax and take in the beauty of nature. There is free onsite parking, visitor’s centre (opening times Tuesdays, Thursdays, Sundays 9:30am-4pm), toilet and baby changing facilities, including an accessible toilet (only open when the visitors’ centre is open), among other things.
You can find all of this here:
A Visit to Cromwell Bottom | Active Calderdale
Access the new self-guided walk booklets and the video here:
Self-guided Walk Booklet Accessible Routes_FINAL.pdf (calderdale.gov.uk)
Self-guided Walk Booklet WEB.pdf (calderdale.gov.uk)
Copley Cricket Club Christmas Fayre November 24
The Copley Cricket Club Christmas Fayre will take place
Thursday 24th November 6pm – 8pm
at the club’s grounds.
Come along and enjoy some festive atmosphere with refreshments, cake stalls, tombola and raffles, craft stalls and the opportunity to browse gorgeous second hand clothing!
The event is run by Limitless Day Service
Venue: Copley Cricket Club, Copley HX3 0UG
Calderdale Lower Valley blog 