Background Information from the Community Survey:

The idea of an annual community event was supported by 58% of all respondents, with over 30 ‘volunteers’ registering an interest in helping to achieve such an event.

Report on Progress:

However, this was not translated into active engagement when we held the series of public meetings on each of the ten potential projects. Just 3 or 4 of us ‘signed up’ for the Annual Parish Event project. We might have abandoned it at that stage, but we did agree to explore a possible joint approach with Heptonstall School. Preliminary discussions have been very positive and we are exploring the possibility of a joint community event with them – an extension of their planned ‘School Re-Opening’. We have agreed to meet with Mr Perrin (Head teacher) after Easter to agree next steps, once a timescale for completion of all the refurbishment and re-instating work at school has been confirmed. Hopefully, if successful, this could provide a template for a more regular (annual) child and family focused celebration. However, at this stage, there is limited community support; more volunteers are required if this is to go forward.

So – if you are willing to help and/or would like to find out more about what we are trying to achieve – please contact:-

Phil Kelly – Tel: 01422 847328 or E-mail: jacandphil*talktalk.net (change * to @).

Background Information from the Community Survey:

The idea of a ‘Good Neighbour Scheme’ was highly supported with over 67% of all respondents agreeing such a scheme would be a good idea in their area. The initial interest in the scheme was reflected in the number of ‘volunteers’ it attracted, 45 in total, from across the Civil Parish. Coupled with the voluntary driver scheme, which attracted 18 ‘volunteers’, it formed a comprehensive group of individuals who had expressed their interest in an active commitment to the community.

Report on Progress:

Despite the large numbers of people originally indicating an interest in becoming involved with this project, there are, as yet, just 7 people who are currently actively engaged in taking it forward. Group members have undertaken some initial research as to what support services may be already provided in our area. We are linking with Calderdale Council (Neighbourhood Schemes Team), Age UK and Community Transport Calderdale (+ others) to obtain information about the actual numbers and needs of vulnerable elderly and/or disabled people living on our area, as well as the range of support services that already operate in our area.

It has been agreed that, rather than ‘inventing (or re-inventing) the wheel’, it would be more effective – and safer – for us to recruit volunteers for existing services that provide support to local residents. We could also assist them in identifying suitable potential recipients for their services. By doing so, we will be able to ‘shelter’ under the umbrella of an established organisation – with its built in systems for vetting of volunteers, training and supervision etc.

Group members decided that we would concentrate, at least initially, on the 2 services that appeared to have most relevance and potential to get off the ground:-

• The Community Car Service provided via Community Transport Calderdale
• The Home from Hospital Service provided via Age UK (Calderdale + Kirklees)

And so, we followed this up by arranging a public meeting (an open afternoon) which we held on Monday 5th March at the Heptonstall Social & Bowling Club. Flyers had been delivered by group members to every household in the Civil Parish (616 in total); posters put up in noticeboards and at the Post Office, Pubs and at May’s Shop; an advert was placed on the new Parish website; previously interested people (the original list of volunteers) were e-mailed. Representatives from both services attended to provide information and to take applications. We also had on display information about 2 nearby luncheon clubs (in Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd) – with whom we had made links – and who had confirmed that they had vacancies. Also present was the organiser of the monthly Shopping Bus (provided via Community Transport) that takes people to shop at Tesco in Halifax.

Just a handful of people attended on the day but, together with the members of the group plus a couple of additional interested people who wanted to ‘sign up’ but had given apologies, it did mean that we successfully recruited a number of volunteers for both the Community Car Service and Home from Hospital Service.

Along the way, interest had also been expressed by some other members of the community who, whilst not wishing to go through the formal volunteer registration process, were willing to help in a practical way with both services (offering to help with gardening, shopping, etc.).

We are still open to exploring possible links with other service providers as well as an option that might be about either helping people access resources/facilities out of our immediate area (e.g. luncheon clubs, etc). Transport to these could, of course, be provided via the Community Car Service and our new pool of local volunteer drivers. Alternatively, should there be an identified need – and interest – we might also explore the option of providing events and activities in our own local venues.

However, given the limited active interest and involvement from the community to date, any further action on our part will be dependent on securing additional support. So – if you are willing to help and/or would like to find out more about what we are trying to achieve – please contact:-

Phil Kelly – Tel: 01422 847328 or E-mail: jacandphil*talktalk.net (change * to @)

Next Meeting of the Group: Monday 19th March @ 1:00 pm – details from Phil Kelly.

Introduction and Background:

When we completed the analysis of the responses to the February 2011 community consultation, and put the results of that analysis alongside the responses to the Volunteering Form that went out with the questionnaires, a number of potential areas for action and community aspirations became evident.

These ‘Ten Potential Projects’ – as we called them – reflected those areas, issues and aspirations that were most supported by respondents to the consultation, and also those that appeared to have the most potential community volunteers interested in delivering on them. At that stage, we had 80+ members of the community indicating an interest in volunteering. Previous experience suggested that, whilst it is possible to have lots of good ideas and plans to improve our local community, they can only become a reality if they have sufficient active support from the community. Whilst we had an encouragingly large number of potential volunteers, we needed to see how many went on to translate that initial interest into active participation. The next task was to develop what we felt to be practical – and practicable – areas for action, supported (at least potentially) by a sufficient number of community volunteers. As part of that process, we did exclude a few issues raised in the questionnaire that were clearly beyond our control and were rightly the business of others (including Calderdale Council and/or central government).

The Ten Potential Projects were:-

• The Floral + Festive Light Displays Group
• The Communications Group (including the Parish Newsletter + Heptonstall Website)
• The Traffic, Parking + Road Safety Group
• The Information Boards + Signage Group
• The Good Neighbour Scheme (+ Voluntary Driver) Group
• The Annual Parish Event Group
• The (re) Cobbling Side Streets Group
• The Clean-Up (Litter + Dog Fouling) Group
• The Green Community Enterprise Group
• The Children + Young People Group

We held an open public meeting on 17 July 2011 where we presented the main findings from the consultation and introduced the Ten Potential Projects. Actual attendance at that meeting was quite limited (a couple of dozen people) but we had a large number of apologies from ‘volunteers’ who could not attend but were still interested.

We took some initial ideas from those present as to how we might proceed with those projects and invited those that were prepared to do so to ‘sign-up’ for the specific potential projects in which they were particularly interested. We followed this up with a further – much smaller – meeting for some of those that hadn’t been able to attend and then went on to arrange 2 full days (on 16 October 2011 + 6 November 2011) where we scheduled a series of separate sub-meetings on each of the ten potential projects. Again, attendance was fairly limited and we had quite a lot of apologies.

Some projects were, and have continued to be, better supported than others and have ‘got off the ground’ quicker than others. Two projects were extensions to work that had been previously pursued (with varying degrees of success) by members of Heptonstall Forward (Traffic, Parking + Road Safety and Information Boards + Signage). One project, the Floral + Festive Light Displays Group, took off immediately – with a really enthusiastic and very practical approach to introducing additional Festive displays – with a Christmas Tree + lights on Weavers Square and new lights at Colden.

At the time of writing, in early March, we have a number of the Projects that are no longer “potential” but that are a very active and very productive reality. Those projects are:-

• The Floral + Festive Light Displays Group
• The Communications Group (including the Parish Newsletter + Heptonstall Website)
• The Traffic, Parking + Road Safety Group
• The Information Boards + Signage Group
• The Good Neighbour Scheme (+ Voluntary Driver) Group

Other projects are still at an early stage and have, as yet, very limited volunteer/community support. They are yet to prove that they will be viable in the longer term but even with those there has been some progress. Those are:-

• The Annual Parish Event Group
• The (re) Cobbling Side Streets Group
• The Clean-Up (Litter + Dog Fouling) Group

There is just one project that has not yet started, due to the competing commitments (on other local green + environmental projects) of the person who had offered to lead the development of the group/project. Whilst there is little doubt that this will be well supported and will happen, at this stage, there is no clear timescale for making a start. That group is:-

• The Green + Environmental Group

It has been agreed that, given the very limited support and minimal number of interested volunteers:-

• The Children + Young People Group – is not viable – at this stage. The potential project will be put ‘on hold’ until such time as there is more interest.

March 2012

In 2010, having recognised that the original Parish Plan had probably run its natural course and needed updating, Heptonstall Forward sought and secured funding from Rural Action Yorkshire and Heptonstall Parish Council to develop a new plan, which is now to be known as the Community-led Plan.

In May 2010 we organised a Community Showcase Event, at which local groups and organisations showcased their activities, and along with individual residents, shared their initial thoughts and aspirations with us on the future of our community. Having taken some initial views, issues and ideas, we went on to develop a comprehensive community consultation questionnaire which was sent out to all households in February 2011.

The analysis of the completed/returned questionnaires was undertaken over the summer, and the finalised Community-led Plan – with its new action plan and ten potential projects – was published and distributed to each household in November 2011.