Christine Bampton-Smith - Caldene Ward

After the election in May I began my 24th year as a Hebden Royd Town Councillor and am now the longest serving member. I have seen considerable changes over the years in the role played by the Council and in the personalities who have made a contribution to the community through service with the Council.

My most challenging year was 2002-2003 when I was honoured by being selected as Mayor of the Council. The rewards were enormous in meeting so many people who contribute so much of their time and efforts into improving our wonderful area.

Over the years I have also been involved in the wider Parish and Town Council movement and have represented the Council as South Pennine Branch member and Yorkshire Rural Community Council.

I am committed to bring sustainability to our area. It is vital to keep all our sevices in our Rural Area.

My family and I have lived in Hebden Royd for the last thirty years.

Email: christine.bamptonsmith@hebdenroyd.org.uk

Karl Boggis - Caldene Ward

Karl was born in Hebden Bridge moving to Mytholmroyd when he was four years old. He attended Burnley Road and Calder High School. He is perhaps best known for having run the Bridge End chip shop in Mytholmroyd and for his service to Calder Valley Youth theatre, St Michael's Amateurs and Hebden Bridge Light Opera Society. He was elected in March 2008.

"It is an honour for me to serve the communities of Hebden Royd as Mayor for the 2013 / 2014 term of office. I look forward to meeting and working with as many groups as possible and attending visits to our twinned towns on the continent."

Karl represents the Town Council on Royd Regeneration, sits on the Mytholmroyd Flood Action Group Core Committee and is a Governor at Burnley Road Academy.

Email: karl.boggis@hebdenroyd.org.uk

Christine Davenport - Cragg Vale

Elected 3rd July 2009

I am Christine Davenport, the second eldest of four children. My mother was a mill worker, my father a master shoe maker. I was born in Keighley in 1961 but moved to Silsden in 1964 until moving back to Keighley in 1979. I moved to Halifax in 1991 before moving to Hebden Bridge in 1993.  I am a mother to six children and a grandmother to nine, although only my youngest daughter still lives at home, my oldest son is currently serving his 11th year with The Duke of Wellington, now The Yorkshire regiment. Since my partner’s death in 2001, I have tried to balance work and family in order to bring up my children in an honest, open manner.

I have worked in Hebden Bridge since I arrived in 1994. Firstly, as a part time shop assistant, dinner lady, classroom assistant,  Licensee of the Shoulder of Mutton in Hebden Bridge, until 2004. I now work fulltime in one of the local Charity shops where I am Deputy Manager.  I was a member of the local Hebden Bridge Carnival Committee for several years, including two as the elected Chairwoman; I have also even acted as ‘Tawny Owl’ for Hebden Bridge Brownies!

I have a love for photography; this helps me to get out and enjoy our coastal walks and waterways whatever the weather, as long as there is a nice country pub with a proper fire and down to earth folk who will share banter at the end of it! I have managed to add food/pub reviews to my hobby of walking and photography, allowing me to exercise all three hobbies in one swoop.

Through a recent photography project, I’ve developed strong links and a passion for our Yorkshire fishing industry, actively supporting a family of Whitby trawlermen and meeting with politicians from all parties to help them retain their lifestyle and industry.  I am more community minded than politically minded.

I would like you to think of me as an uncomplicated person from a normal background (educated in the University of Life!), someone who ordinary folk see as a friendly face, and can talk to and relate to in a relaxed way.  Confident and independent maybe, but that’s because I believe in common sense, plain speaking and getting things done. My journey through life has given me many situations and challenges that could only have been solved by experiencing them, as a result I prefer to enjoy and appreciate the simple things in life!

My favourite quotation: “Those who have never failed at anything have never taken a risk.”

Email: christine.davenport@hebdenroyd.org.uk

Robin Dixon

I was very pleased to be coo-opted back on to the Council and as I thought there is plenty to do. I am Chair of Strategy and Review committee and am a member of Twinning, Staffing and Neighbourhood Plan committees.

I have joined the Swimming Pool Committee as Hebden Royd's representative and report back to Council about flood issues as I am a Flood Warden for Mytholmroyd. I have great hopes for the Mytholmroyd Station car park.

The Council is very well run by our Officers and I enjoy working on the various projects with them.

Email: robin.dixon@hebdenroyd.org.uk

James Fearon

James was elected to council in May 2011 and sits on Community Funding, Environmental Renaissance and Picture House Committees. He enjoys challenging discussions in the chamber and encouraging fellow councillors to look at issues from a slightly different angle. Actively involved with Northlight Studios he enjoys gardening and a night out at the movies.

Email: james.fearon@hebdenroyd.org.uk

Andrew Halewood Direct Line; 07979 28 1010

Following his professional golfing career which he played in the pre qualifying rounds for The British Open Andrew became a sales & marketing professional he has used his 30 years experience to the benefit of companies such as Coca Cola and Sodastrem. Additionally, at the age of just 23 years, Andrew was the youngest and highest performing field sales representative with Schwarzkopf.

As a member of the senior management who built Baines and Ernst, one of the UK's largest debt management companies, Andrew was responsible for the recruitment and training of the 250 strong sales force.  At this juncture Andrew personally trained over 25% of the people working within the debt management industry. 

A leading sales and marketing management trainer in the UK .

Appointed a Fellow to The Institute of Sales & Marketing Management in 2001.

He developed a series of training seminars, aimed at young people entering the workplace and was contracted to an organisation backed by government funding, training both young and mature people (the majority of whom were unemployed) and retraining them for entry into the workplace.  His success rate in placement of trainees was in excess of 80%.

He worked on the "What's next after School" programme for 16 / 18 year olds entering the work place.

In 2006 / 2008 Andrew held the position of Director of Commerce for an overseas "Hot Key Lead" and data company and worked in Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat, India.

Developed Kensington Steele Limited and the worryfree.me brand a data base lead generation business – achieved a trade sale in December 2011.

8 years ago, as evidence of Andrews focus and drive, following interviews and investigations he and his wife Blanch successfully adopted 2 children after a two year process. (He is CRB checked) and is currently writing a book about their experience.

In his voluntary capacity, he was recently asked to attend the Calderdale Adoption Reference Group and asked to comment on a response to the Government's new initiatives' in relation to increasing the number of adopters within Calderdale on "Consultation for Post Approval Training".

Andrew is a committee member of the local Scout Group.

October 2013, he was co-opted as a Councillor to sit on Hebden Bridge Town Council.

Email: andrew.halewood@hebdenroyd.org.uk zetamarketing@live.co.uk

Tony Hodgins

I was born on Scout Bottom in Mytholmroyd, having lived here most of my life I feel I know the area and it's community extremely well.

I attended St James's School at Mytholm then Calder High and Percival Whitley College in Halifax.   My many interests include photography, music, wildlife and walking in the countryside with our dogs.  My utopia would be walking on clean and well-defined footpaths in our area.   I'm involved with Voluntary Action For Calderdale as a volunteer photographer and also Community Action For Calderdale. I also volunteer for The National Trust as a guide at Gibson Mill, Hardcastle Crags, which gives me knowledge of self-sustainability and an ambition for a greener environment. I would also like to be involved in forming partnerships with local community groups.   I would Endeavour to carry on the excellent work done by local councilors in the past, and to make Hebden Royd a safe, clean and environmentally friendly place to live.

Email: tony.hodgin@hebdenroyd.org.uk

Reverend Martin Macdonald - Cragg Vale ward

I have lived in Cragg Vale for 6 years having moved back to Yorkshire where I was brought up after spending 36 years living in the south of the country. I spent 34 years working with PricewaterhouseCoopers in London, Hong Kong, Malawi, St Albans and back in London; for 24 years as a Partner in the firm.

I was ordained as a priest in the Church of England in 2001 and am now licensed as an assistant minister at St Michael's Mytholmroyd, St John the Baptist in the Wilderness, Cragg Vale and at St Mary's Luddenden. Up until Easter this year I was the Chair of the Board of Finance for the Wakefield Diocese and am now a Trustee of the new Board of Finance for the enlarged new Diocese of Leeds; involved with the merger of the three previous dioceses of Bradford, Ripon and Leeds and Wakefield.

Since moving to Cragg Vale, we have restored an 18th century Yorkshire farmhouse to be a place of peace and rest with an emphasis on sustainability, having installed a ground source heat pump, underfloor heating and photo-voltaic panels on the roof and three new reed beds to process the water we borrow from the hillside. We have and still are rebuilding collapsed dry stone walls and fencing to use the land for sheep grazing. We work closely with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust who own the wood and the fields around us. We have worked with Treesponsibility and with the help of a number of local primary schools have planted nearly 1000 trees. We are members of the Quiet Garden movement and encourage others to come and share the peace of this part of Yorkshire. It is a privilege to assist the people of Cragg Vale and all of Hebden Royd in sustaining and developing this amazing jewel of West Yorkshire.

Susan Press - Fairfield Ward

I have been a Labour councillor for Fairfield ward since 2003, served as Deputy Mayor in 2007-8 and was Town Mayor in 2008-9. when I raised over £4000 for the Overgate Hospice.

I was born in Manchester and moved to Hebden Bridge in December 1996. I'm a freelance journalist and NUJ member. I work for a range of clients including the Co-operative News and the University of Manchester.

I've been a Labour Party member for over 35 years and am Chair of the Calder Branch. I'm proud of what the Town Council has achieved in the last 11 years since I became a member. I am Chair of the Picture House Committee and serve on the Community Funding and Staffing Committees. I also volunteer for Oxfam and the Todmorden Food Drop-in every Saturday at St Mary's Church

Email: susan.press@hebdenroyd.org.uk

Alex Rudkin - White Lee Ward

Alex moved to Mythomroyd in 2011, where he lives with his partner, 2 dogs and 2 cats.

Within a week of moving in, he attended the Mytholmroyd Station Partnership AGM and has been an active member since, joining them on regular workdays at the station, including the annual Spring Clean up days sponsored by Hebden Royd Council.

He is secretary of Holme Street Arts Centre in Hebden and been involved in organising Hand Made Arts Markets there to promote local artists and makers. He successfully bid for a lottery Grant for them to purchase new tables for the centre and regularly helps on their clean up day.

He regularly attends Royd Regeneration meetings and assisted with organising their Christmas Markets and was involved in the two Reet Royd Do's last year and the Grand Departs event in April 2014, which attracted nationwide coverage, helping promote Mytholmroyd & Cragg Vale.

He has attended the last two Hebden Royd Town Council Annual Meetings and the 'Ambition for Mytholmroyd' event last year organised by Calderdale Council to develop ideas to help develop the local community and support businesses in Mytholmroyd some of which are still recovering from the devastating floods that affected the area in 2012.

With his partner Michelle they self published a map and shop guide of Mytholmroyd to help promote the shops in the village.

He feels Mytholmroyd has great potential to develop further as an arts hub and on 14th June 2014 opened the MY Gallery and gift shop at Bridge End which incorperates the Michelle Campbell Studio and compliments the Old Fire Station Gallery that opened in April. He hopes that this will encourage other local artists and makers to move into the vacant shops in the village.

He sees great potential in attracting arts tourists to the area and hopes that with improved footpaths, cycle routes and canal towpaths between the village and Hebden better links can be formed with their larger neighbour.

He hopes to help further enhance community and voluntary projects in the area and is on the Environment & Allotments, Twinning and Neighborhood planning sub committees of the Council.

Email: alex.rudkin@hebdenroyd.org.uk

Richard Scorer

I was elected to represent Fairfield ward in May 2011.

I grew up in London and lived in Scotland, the USA, Birmingham and Manchester before settling in Hebden Bridge in 1999. I live on Palace House Road. My kids attend Calder High School and are keen members of Hebden Junior Brass Band! I work as a lawyer in Manchester and also serve as a board member/ trustee of the Lifeline Project, a national charity which provides drug and alcohol treatment services including here in Calderdale.

I love living in this area; I am keen to contribute as a councillor to enhancing our strong sense of community and where possible, helping to combat social exclusion and fostering a sustainable environment.

Email: richard.scorer@hebdenroyd.org.uk

Steve Sweeney

I have lived in the Calder Valley for 25 years and have three children who all attended local schools.

I started my working life in finance in the textile industry and later worked on computers for a major engineering manufacturer.

After volunteering at a local Youth Club I went back to College to retrain and over the next 35 years I worked as a Youth and Community worker for both the voluntary sector and Local Authorities.

I was made redundant and took early retirement last year, which freed me to take a more active part in local affairs. I have a particular interest in supporting the development of local community groups and supporting greater involvement of young people in the town.

Email: steve.sweeney@hebdenroyd.org.uk

Steve Sweeney is also a Calderdale councillor for the Todmorden ward where his email is councillor.ssweeney@calderdale.gov.uk with this web page

Jonathan Timbers - West End Ward

I've lived in West End Ward for over 21 years - in fact, three generations of my family now live in the ward: my mother, Aeisha (my wife), me and my daughter, Sophie. I'm a governor of Hebden Royd School, with responsibility for special educational needs. Previously, I was a town councillor between 1995 - 1999. In the past, I've been a teacher, redundancy counsellor (mainly in the engineering sector), solicitor, and now I'm a civil servant. In addition, I have close family ties with a number of ethical small business owners in the valley. Over the years, I have also been heavily involved in 'Independent Labour Publications' ('the ILP'), the successor organisation to the Independent Labour Party , which founded the Labour Party and invented the concept of 'the living wage'. I am also an (unconfirmed) Christian. Sometimes I go to communion at St James's; at other times, I attend Quaker meetings on Bond St. My main interests are poetry, cricket and cooking for the family. I also enjoy reading about history, particularly local history and about the Roman and Byzantine Empire(s). Please feel free to speak to me about any local issues you feel are important. I enjoy finding out what people think and I like to help, whenever I can.

Email: jonathan.timbers@hebdenroyd.org.uk

Scott Trickett - Cragg Vale Ward

Scott was brought up in the Orkney Islands, moved to Cragg Vale 17 years ago. Living in Cragg Vale he is married to Amy and together they have 4 children (Marcus 11, Emily 9 and Natalie 6, Nicholas 2).

Since his time in Cragg Vale, he has continually been involved in community activity. He was elected onto Hebden Royd Council for the Cragg Vale Ward in May 2007. Scott works hard to ensure all areas within Hebden Royd are equally represented eg Cragg Vale, Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd. Previous School Governor. Scott is a founding member and committee member of the Cragg Vale Community Association, which today is doing an extremely important role in attracting funding and helping prioritise project funding at local level to enhance all aspects within Cragg Vale Community.

Scott is Town and Parish Representative. Scott has direct influence over strategy setting for the parishes at CMBC level. He works hard to promote Hebden Royd within this area. Calder High catchment area - Historically much of Cragg Vale was in no catchment area at all. Scott successfully campaigned to ensure the catchment area included the entire parish boundary limits of Cragg Vale, Future generations of Cragg Vale children will have less problems with entry into Calder High. Traffic Speed - Throughout his time in the area Scott has continually campaigned about traffic /pedestrian safety in Cragg Vale and Mytholmroyd area. He has led a community petitions, helped achieve 30 mph and continues to campaign at both council level and Calderdale strategy level about road safety. Fly tipping - During time on HRTC Scott has continually acted against fly tipping in the area and successfully achieved significant reductions. Scott, a graduate engineer and export sales manager for local export business, speaks fluent German. During his time in the area he has helped bring significant manufacturing export business to the area. My simple goal is for a safe environment for our children to live and play in and to preserve / enhance the special characteristics of our community and area in Hebden Royd says Scott. Scott was elected to serve as Hebden Royd Mayor on 18th May 2011 for the year 2011/2012. Scott says, "This was the proudest moment of my time on Hebden Royd Council serving the communities of Cragg Vale, Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd and to say I am honoured was an understatement. I am still truly bursting with pride, in being given the opportunity to represent this 'treasure' of an area in which we live Hebden Royd.

"During my mayoral year my wife Amy and I gave it our all to represent Hebden Royd and to try make this area an even better than it already is. Scott (along with many many other people) lobbied as Mayor in support of the le Tour with particular focus on the longest hill in UK through Cragg Vale. Point of interest: Scott's father was Lord-Lieutenant of Orkney

Email: scott.trickett@hebdenroyd.org.uk

Emma Tsoneva

I have lived in and around Hebden Bridge for the last three years after spending ten years in central Europe. Living in a developing country, and witnessing first hand administrative and bureaucratic mismanagement encouraged me to think about the importance of local government and the need for it to be truly representative of, and accessible to, the people it serves.

I have been a member of the Labour Party for several years and am absolutely committed to its core values of social justice, equality of opportunity, tolerance and respect. I have a particular interest in protecting local public transport services, and am a member of the Council's Twinning and Grants committees. I believe that the Town Council has a duty to promote and respond to the needs of local people; as a Councillor I will campaign on behalf of my community to ensure its continued well-being and secure future improvements to our town.

I have managed a small business, and know the importance of local enterprise in building viable communities. As a mum and former school governor, I think that it's important to look ahead, to secure a sustainable future for our town. As a public sector employee, I am well aware of the devastating effects of economic cuts on so many people. During my time as a councillor I will support initiatives to limit the impact of these cuts locally and protect Hebden Royd in difficult times.

I am married with a four year old daughter and work at the University of Leeds.

Email: emma.tsoneva@hebdenroyd.org.uk

Nigel Yorke - Fairfield Ward

Nigel moved to Hebden Royd from Manchester in 1999 and works in Halifax. He served 4 years as a Councillor for Birchcliffe Ward between 2003 and 2007 and was elected to Fairfield Ward in 2011.

Nigel has two young daughters who attend Riverside School and Stubbings Infant School and he has previously served as a Parent Governor at Stubbings. Nigel is proud to work for the community of Hebden Royd and currently sits on the Allotments, Environmental Renaissance and Picture House committees.

Nigel lives in Hebden Bridge with his wife and daughters and an increasing number of pets. When he's not working he enjoys camping, walking and (though he doesn't always admit it) playing x-box.

Email: nigel.yorke@hebdenroyd.org.uk

Dave Young - Birchcliffe Ward

I was elected as a Labour Councillor for Birchcliffe Ward in May 2003. I am 100% committed to the Town Council as the nearest tier of Local Government to the people. I am Leader of the ruling Labour Group on Hebden Royd Town Council.

I am chair of the Staffing Committee. I am also a member of the Strategy and Review Committee and Environment & Allotments committee.

I was also elected as the Labour Councillor for Calder Ward on Calderdale Council in May 2011 and am a Member of the Communities Scrutiny Panel, Chair of the Small Grants Panel,Calderdale Economic Taskforce Committee, Calder Ward Forum, Hebden Bridge Partnership Board and Calderdale Engagement Working Party.

Email: dave.young@hebdenroyd.org.uk

Dave Young is also a Calderdale councillor for the Calder ward where his email is councillor.dyoung@calderdale.gov.uk with this web page