Voluntary and community

In late July, The Basement Recovery Project contacted Calderdale Council with a simple but powerful idea: could they access a small number of bikes to support their volunteers and help deliver cycling sessions? What followed was the start of a partnership that went far beyond bike provision, creating lasting impact through skills, confidence, and community connection. A Partnership Built on Shared Values Active Calderdale reached out to Project Colt in Elland, the team behi

Supporting Active Lives Halifax Central Initiative (HCI) plays a vital role in supporting people from Eastern European communities to navigate everyday life in Calderdale. Through its dedicated Eastern European Service, individuals can access practical support with tasks such as understanding and paying bills, attending GP appointments, and managing other essential aspects of daily living. At the heart of this service is Blazena Pancikova, a dedicated project worker who prov

2025 Winter Celebration In the heart of Sowerby Bridge, St Paul’s Methodist Church stands as a welcoming community hub where people gather, connect and support one another. On Thursday, 11 December, its main hall became the festive and vibrant setting for the first We’re All Active Calderdale Winter Celebration for Sowerby and Sowerby Bridge. The event brought together over fifty people, including representatives from community groups, clubs, volunteer organisations and resid

Winter Celebration 2025 On a dark, wet, and wintry December afternoon in Cornholme, Vale Baptist Church offered a welcome contrast, glowing with light, warmth, and conversation. Around forty people came together to reflect on and celebrate the positive changes taking shape locally at the first We’re All Active Calderdale Winter Celebration. Despite the cold outside, the atmosphere inside was upbeat and energising. The event marked a moment to pause, look back on what has been

Name: Sam, Active Travel Coordinator at North Halifax Partnership (NHP) Training: Active Calderdale Walk Leader Training (Free!) First Walk: 5 participants – a dad, his son, a friend, and two colleagues Goal: Make walking more accessible, social, and meaningful in Halifax communities Living and working in Halifax, Sam knew how many barriers people face when it comes to being active. However, through his role as Active Travel Coordinator at North Halifax Partnership (NHP),

CalderGold Health & Fitness was born from lived experience, deep community roots, and a belief that everyone deserves to feel strong, supported, and confident at every stage of life. Founded by health coach Robert McDonald, CalderGold represents more than 15 years of experience in the health and fitness industry, combined with a lifelong connection to the Calderdale communities of Greetland, Barkisland, Holywell Green, Stainland, and the surrounding villages. Robert’s guiding

Founded in 2021, Todmorden Makery is a member and volunteer-run workshop built on a simple idea: repairing and making things is good for the planet and good for people. In just a few years, it has grown into a thriving community space with over 700 registered users, many of whom started as visitors and stayed on as active members or volunteers. The Makery is shaped by the ideas and feedback of the people who use it. Its focus is on practical skills, shared learning and commu

The North Halifax Partnership (NHP)  is a community-focused organisation based in Halifax, West Yorkshire. It delivers a wide range of initiatives designed to improve local wellbeing and strengthen public services. The NHP has been a key partner in system change work with Parks and Green Spaces (GSSS) and now leads on several Park Partnership Groups across North Halifax, including Mixenden , Beechwood Park , and Shroggs Park . These groups are helping to develop a community-l

Siddal Litter Picking Taskforce Siddal Community Clean-Up are a litter-picking taskforce initiated by local resident, Toni Holmes, in April 2021.   Toni's Story When Toni moved into the area, she started walking to help her lose weight. At first, she’d stroll through Exley and along the A629, until one day she discovered the canal. That became her go-to route, a 3-mile round trip from her front door that took about an hour, well… depending on how long she stopped to watch the

The Active Communities & Places team has been working in Park Ward to understand which assets they can influence to embed the promotion of physical activity as part of what they do. One opportunity came through teaming up with the Calderdale Cancer Awareness Project (CAP), where they looked at how to build on the great work already happening. The Calderdale Cancer Awareness project is a powerful collaboration between Halifax Opportunities Trust and Macmillan Cancer Support

" My name is Afraa and I live in Halifax with my family. I don't go to any clubs because my dad can be too busy and says I can just play in the street, and my mum doesn't drive. Before joining Unique Community Hub , I wasn't very active, and I only walked to and from school. I struggle with paying attention, and I don't really enjoy learning at school, but I always have lots of energy, and I get frustrated because I'm always so bored. This is the first girls' club in our are

" My name is Anas and I live in the Park Ward area with my mum and brother. Growing up, I’ve always had an interest in being active, but it wasn’t something I prioritised consistently until the last few years. Recently, I’ve taken more deliberate steps to incorporate physical activity into my daily routine. One of the biggest barriers I’ve faced has been back pain, which sometimes made even basic movement challenging and affected my overall motivation. This physical discomfor

Staff from the Noah’s Ark Centre  in Ovenden are helping young people discover the benefits of nature, walking, and wellbeing, thanks to...

A Walk Leader’s Story with Wayfinder Calderdale At Active Calderdale, we’re always inspired by community members who take the initiative...

The North Halifax Partnership has long been at the heart of community life locally, working to create opportunities that bring people together, improve wellbeing, and make our neighbourhoods more connected. One of their latest successes is the Mixenden Urban Park Pop-up Skatepark  – a vibrant initiative (ongoing until the end of March 2026) that’s giving young people in the area a safe and exciting place to ride, skate, and connect. Before the pop-up sessions began, the skat

North Halifax Partnership (NHP)  is a community-focused organisation based in Halifax, West Yorkshire, dedicated to improving local...

Grassroots CIC is a community interest company created to provide benefits to the Sowerby community. Located in the heart of the village at St Peter's Community Centre, it is ideally placed to support residents, many of whom face health inequalities, have few nearby amenities, and limited access to essential services and support.

Back in April 2025, 13 local groups, organisations, and services came together through Active Rastrick and the We’re All Active...

Calderdale's Community Rights of Way Service (CROWS) is a voluntary organisation, now with Charitable status,  set up just over a decade ago to help look after and improve public rights of way in the Upper Valley.

Getting to know the community in Sowerby Bridge has brought Active Calderdale into contact with Carolyn Scott – a local resident and volunteer turned physical activity provider. Carolyn delivers accessible and inclusive, upbeat movement sessions to groups at Memory Lane Dementia Cafe at St Paul’s Methodist Church and Foundry Street Community Centre in Sowerby Bridge and at St Peter's Community Centre in Sowerby village with Grass Roots CIC . In October 2024, she became a volu