Arts Festival and Kidsfest

Saturday 25th June 2011


Arts festival

I was extremely proud to open the 18th Hebden Bridge Arts Festival. This was a true birthday celebration with an 18th  birthday cake, which I blew the candles out together with the world's strongest lady -  Betty Brawn.

In my opening speech, I talked about the arts festival begining it's life in 1993 as primarily a visual arts festival. It has now grown, 18 years later, into a festival for people to enjoy not only visual art, but also many different types of music, poetry, comedy, theatre, KIDSFEST and literature.

The Festival offers not only paid events but also free and pay what you can events There is something for all tastes, ages and every pocket. The festival also supports the whole of Hebden Royd. The festival also brings in many thousands of people into the area over the 2 week duration. It is for all these reasons Hebden Royd town council supports the arts festival.

Enjoying the free event in the square

Photo kindly supplied by Craig Shaw

Rebecca Yorke (Organisor), Betty Brawn and myself

Photo supplied kindly by Sarah Mason of Zebra Photography

Kidsfest

Myself and my daughter Emily (6) joined the fun at Kidsfest during Saturday afternoon and we had a great time at this Alice in Wonderland themed event. There was playdo cup cake making, mad hatters hat making, tea cups and saucers making out of sweets and biscuits and apron making amoungst many of the activities for children. There was also a performance of Alice in Wonderland. we both had a great time and Emily looks forward to the next event.

Emily, Emma Houseman and myself at the event

Scott and daughter Emily

Mytholmroyd Gala

Saturday 25th June 2011

 

This is a significant event in the Hebden Royd Calender

 

During my welcome speech on behalf of Hebden Royd Town Council,  I welcomed all the public and participants attending the 51^st Mytholmroyd Charity Gala on the Burnley Road playing fields.

This  annual event is a true local tradition with continued year on year success and involves all aspects of our community young and old,  it also brings in many visitors to our area. It for these reasons Hebden Royd Town Council fully supports the Mytholmroyd Gala.

 

This year’s Gala was even bigger than ever - the parade was fantastic with all the local schools and nurseries taking part. The children and parents had made  real effort into their costumes. Hundreds of people lined the parade route from Scout Road to the playing fields on Burnley Road, which was fantastic.

 

This years Gala was also opened by Chris Chittel ( AKA Eric Pollard from Emmerdale). Black Lace (1980's pop band) were fantastic and really got the crowd going - we all had a go at the conga, sang agadoo which was great fun....

From left: Mayor/Mayoress Todmorden, Deputy Calderdale Mayor/ Consort, Chris Chittel and co star Lesley Dunlop (AKA Brenda Walker), Amy and Scott and Dean Michael from Black Lace

Having a go at the Conga, Black Lace on stage to left

The forcasted heavy rain thankfully did not occur and the day saw hundreds of people. Many were talking about how good the GALA afterwards and this will help with the continued success for the coming years. Congratulations to Barry Greenwood and the entire Committee for an extremely successful day enjoyed by many.

Scott and Amy

Calderdale Theatre School Performance

Friday evening 24th June 2011

Amy and I attended  2 perfomances of the Calderdale Theatre School. This theatre group is for young people 13-16 year olds for all Calderdale children, many of whom come form Hebden Royd.

The perfomances: Rumour and the Rope Trick and A Year and a Day were both superbly performed by the actors, their acting ability was fantastic.

We both thoroughly look forward to the next opportunity to see perfomances of this wonderful talent pool.

Scott and Amy

Hebden Bridge Heritage Brass Band Weekend

18th and 19th june 2011

Saturday night

Amy and I attended the Heritage concert of the Hebden Bridge Band on Saturday night and it was absolutely fantastic. There were Hymns, a Broadway spectacular and a Queen Mega Mix plus many others. There was also several solos from the internationally acclaimed guest trombonist Nick Hudson. At times we had a tears, other times it was spine tingling. The quality of music and skill of the performers, individually during solos and collectively, was brilliant.

Alan Bottomley, Amy, Myself and Cllr Christine Bampton-Smith

Sunday

Attended the square to watch the marching Hymn tune contest of the visiting Brass bands. I presented the trophies of the various categories. I also made a short speech.  

Hebden Bridge has had Brass bands for over 150 years, which is an amazing tradition and foundation for our community.

The Brass band is an one of many essential parts of our community which helps keep up the profile of our area in Hebden Royd. These events draw in many visitors from outside the area. This has the knock on benefit to the town businesses and of course return visits. It is for that reason Hebden Royd Town Council supports the Hebden Bridge Brass Band

I also thanked the visiting bands which had come from afar and all of whom contributed to what was a truly great afternoon's entertainment in the centre of Hebden Bridge. Looking at the delight on the many faces in the square I am sure everyone had a great afternoon, we certainly did. Despite some forecasted showers. the weather was also perfect, as an added bonus. Well done to all who took part in the contest.

Scott Presenting Tropy to Elland Youth Band

Winning Band Tropy

Scott

The Ark Annual Barbeque

Saturday 18th June 2011

We were invited to open  the Ark annual BBQ and family day up at Dean Hey Country Park this Saturday. Lot's of local families,  whose children attend the Ark, were there. There were children activities and lots of food. During the afternoon's fund raising, more than £1000 was raised for their chosen charity the Hope Foundation, this was a fantastic effort. Congratulations to Jo and Heidi and all the staff for a wonderful afternoon and the success in the terrific amount of monies raised to this good cause.

Jo, Heidi and Husband BBQ Chefs

Scott



Handmade Parade

Saturday 11th June 2011

Following last year's truly spectacular parade, our children were really keen to participate this year. We decided to enter the Market section as the girls wanted to be little chicks.  As a family, we attended 7 or 8 of this year's workshops, to ensure all our costumes were ready. The Handmade Parade has turned into a truly great event in Hebden Royd Calendar and involves the whole community, young and old and regardless of ability. There are plenty of artists at hand to help out in the workshops. "Getting involved is what this is all about".

The parade itself again drew thousands in to Hebden Bridge, which is fantastic for our local economy and generating wider interest in the town. As Mayor and Mayoress this year, Amy and myself decided it would be a lovely idea to give out sweets to the audience. The sweets were kindly donated by a local sweet shop. We gave out over 1500 sweets between Victoria Road and the park and could have easily distributed significantly more with the number of people along the parade route".

Amy and Scott as Market traders, Marcus as a sausage, Emily and Natalie as chicks hatching from eggs

Scott and Calderdale Mayor Cllr Nader Fekri

in the workshops

The 2011 parade was another spectacular show and a complete success, congratulations to the organiser's and all those participating.

Scott, Amy, Marcus, Emily and Natalie

Twinning Visit to Warstein Germany

4th - 5th June 2011

Mayor Scott Trickett and David Parry (President of the Hebden Bridge International Group) attended Warstein in Germany on 4th and 5th June.

The purpose of the visit was that we recieved an invitation from Warstein Town Council with 2 main focus points

• Celebrate the recently refurbished town Square Wilkeplatz at Belecke, Warstein, and
• Celebrate and welcome the twinning between Warstein and Pietrapaola in Italy

The weekend ceremonies begain on Saturday 4th with the official twinning signing between Warstein and Pietrapaola. The ceremony itself was attended by over 200 officials, VIP's  and school children from Warstein, Pietrapaola in Italy. Also attending was twin town in France St Pol, David Parry and myself representing Hebden Royd

Speech in German during Ceremony

Opening of the new square in Warstein

Presenting Friendship gift to Pietrapaola, Italy

Mutual thanks shared between Mayors from Warstein and Hebden Royd

During the ceremony, to formally proclaim Pietrapaola as twin town to Warstein, I was also invited to speak on behalf of Hebden Royd as one of the 'Twin towns and the historical town family that we have enjoyed between Hebden Royd, Warstein and St Pol'.  This was my first mayoral speech in German. The visit was a complete success, and the Mayor of Warstein Herr Manfred Gödde, the rest of the Warstein Council and many other in the ceremony audience expressed pleasure in  hearing a speech from the first fluent German speaking Mayor of Hebden Royd, He also thanked us for the kind words I said of friendship and partnership between the towns.

I also spoke to both the mayor of St Pol and Warstein about our school twinning projects and they can see the benefits and are extremely keen to get this initiated as soon as possible. Various head teachers were also present and they are extremely keen to get these links established with our schools in Hebden Royd.

The visit has significantly strengthened the relationship between our towns

Scott Trickett