Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who attended our Mayor making in May and all those who ever since have been helping me and offering support while I learn the ropes – particularly Cllr Liz Thorpe who was Mayor in 2022/23.
My first official engagement was lunch with members of the Todmorden Society For the Blind at the Top Brink up at Lumbutts. Founded just before the First World War in July 1914, the Society offers invaluable support for local people who are registered blind and partially sighted. The charity’s work includes financial help, practical advice and home visits by members, as well as a monthly drop in, lunch and events. It was great to find out more about what they do and meet the people who devote so much of their spare time to offering support.
There was also much to learn at the Todmorden Tomorrow event focussing on Houses, Energy and Retrofit, offering me the chance to find out more about everything from heat pumps to natural insulation materials. The day also highlighted the £1.7m transformational work being carried out at the College thanks to Town Deal funding. The list of improvements includes relocating the main entrance to Burnley Road, redesigning the foyer, insulating external walls and creating a living wall to the building exterior to add greenery. My job was to ‘switch on’ the new solar energy system fuelled by the solar panels now installed on the college roof, but I am afraid I chickened out of climbing up a ladder to observe more closely!
This year’s Picnic In The Park was an immensely successful event with over 200 people enjoying the chance to bring an al fresco lunch to Centre Vale, relax and listen to music from the Todmorden Community Brass Brand and lots of talented local musicians.
Music was also on the menu thanks to the aspiring young rock stars entertaining us at Ferney Lee Summer Fair, organised by the school’s Parent Teacher Association and enthusiastically supported by all the young students I met. Thank you for welcoming me into your lovely school and gardens and showing me round! Todmorden High School was another port of call for the Summer Get Together a few days later offering me the chance to buy some plants from the Todmorden In Bloom team now in charge of the school’s poly tunnels and talk to staff and students set to go to the school in September.
Thanks also to Father Allan Swift and the team at my own parish of St Joseph’s for inviting me to their Summer Garden Party, another great chance to meet old and new friends over tea and cake. Stronger stuff was on offer to calm the nerves at Todmorden Hippodrome’s latest production, Night Of The Living Dead. A packed house enjoyed this new adaptation of a classic Hollywood horror film and though it was very much a tongue-in-cheek show there were some very scary moments. Great fun and as usual first-class performances by all involved.
Calder Valley, officially a Borough of Sanctuary, continues to be a place of refuge for many who need our help. In the past few years, the borough has welcomed around 200 Ukrainians fleeing war and I was able to meet some of them at Todmorden College’s celebration of the Kupala Fest – a traditional festival marking the summer solstice. The event was held as part of this year’s Refugee Week, organised by Calderdale Council. Todmorden College’s English Cafe, which offers classes in improving language skills, co-hosted this wonderful opportunity to listen to music, join in the dancing, admire the fabulous floral wreaths made on the day from local gardens and sample traditional dishes like borscht and savoury potato dumplings. I cannot imagine how hard it must be for people to be so far from home and loved ones, but the joy they clearly shared in this traditional celebration was really humbling.
The resilience of Ukrainian refugees in such terrible circumstances is truly remarkable and it was a privilege to meet some of them.
Cllr Susan Press pictured with attendees of the Kupala Festival at Todmorden College.