As part of CultureDale, we obtained a small grant to put on some free events though donations welcome to the various causes.
The final event will be sometime in January or February with Soma Music - A family-friendly afternoon concert – free with a collection in aid of church’s community kitchen.
Past events
An amazing £387.61 was raised for the Forget-me-not Children’s Hospice and the refreshment donations amounted to £62.75. Despite the closure of the road between Hebden Bridge and Todmorden, 70 people turned up at Hebden Bridge Parish Church to listen to Cantorelli performing Carols and Motets with actor, Olwen May, providing Christmas readings. This event was one of seven at St James’ organised with the help of a grant from CultureDale.
Carols and Motets with Christmas Readings by Cantorelli - Singers: Angela Jarman (Hebden Bridge), Darryl Dumigan (Huddersfield), Peter Tillotson (Hebden Bridge), Jeremy Pritlove (Leeds), Sue Pemsel (Halifax), Alice Barford (Hebden Bridge), John Benton (Huddersfield), Ian Brocklehurst (Oldham). Christmas Readings: Olwen May, Actor who appeared in “Happy Valley”.
Bassoonery
On Sunday 24th November 2024 not all was doom and gloom about flooding. In view of the improving weather and river levels on Sunday morning, we decided to go ahead with Bassoonery – sounds that’ll make earthworms wriggle. This was a free family-friendly CultureDale event. The word went out to "Cheer yourself up with a bit of Bassoonery" and 29 people including 9 children did just that. Everyone managed to fit into the cosy St John’s room to hear two half hour sessions of short pieces, with refreshments in the middle giving an opportunity to socialise.
Besides the obvious programme choice for bassoon of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Dukas and Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King, David Buck introduced some of the other items in an entertaining way. One composition was by David Martin, who was related to the cellist. Having heard the group play previously, he discovered a side to the bassoon which he had not realised existed and asked if he could write some pieces for them. As for the earthworms, David told the story of Darwin, famous for On the Origin of Species, but who also researched earthworms and discovered how important they were for soil. While trying to find out if earthworms had ears, he discovered they only wriggled when his son played the bassoon. The exciting finale from Bizet’s L’Arlesienne Suite left the organiser walking home with an “earworm”. Donations of just over £34 were raised for our community kitchen.
Pull Out All The Stops
This event on 13th October 2024 was done with the help of Halifax Organ Academy.
Laiton Trumpet Quartet and Hebden Bridge Junior Brass Band
As part of CultureDale, 29th September 2024 at 3 pm - Laiton Trumpet Quartet joined with the Hebden Bridge Junior Brass Band to perform a family-friendly concert. Donations were made in aid of the Junior Brass Band and church’s community kitchen and the Band raised more by selling cakes. Over £300 was raised.
One member of the audience gave the band a standing ovation at the end.
Keys of All Colours on 14th September. The– Piano Recital by Simon Watkins raised £170 for the refurbishment of the church’s community kitchen. Our thanks to Simon and Lela for organising this.
A celebration day about stained-glass
"And Miss Mary Smith gave 3d."
Saturday 27th July 2024
On the day, we had 44 people which included 7 volunteers from the Church and 6 from the Community Payback Team who assisted with the setting up of the church for the event and in the running of the day and two of the team were also interested enough to stand and watch one of the talks and demonstrations of the cutting and leading of glass provided by Karl Theobald, a local stained-glass master craftsman who restores, conserves and creates stained-glass.
27 people heard local historian, Dave Smalley, talk about the church and its windows.
Out of the 14 local artists who work with glass who were approached about participating in the event, two provided displays of their work and six provided information about themselves and photographs of their work and one attended in person.
There were no children for the stained-glass craft activities, but they are still available to any who visit in future including this person showing off her flower creation.
This was the programme.
26th May 3 pm to 5 pm at St James’ Church – Platinum Jubilee Craft Workshop
Although there will be a few simple activities available on the 5th June, accompanied children are invited to drop-in to this workshop and make their own memorial book to complete during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend. If participants wish, the completed booklets may be displayed in the exhibition 5th-12th June.
As well as 70 years being our head of state, the Queen also has the role of head of the Church of England.
With thanks to Hebden Royd Town Council for providing a Queen’s Platinum Jubilee grant, St James invites the local community of Mytholm to a free celebration over the four-day extended Bank Holiday weekend to be held at St. James Church, Church Lane, Hebden Bridge HX7 6DS
2nd to 5th June, anytime between 11 am and 3 pm - Exhibition about Mytholm during the last 70 years, charting the changes in the life of the local community since 1952 and changes during that time in areas such as fashions, toys, games, food, drinks, sweets, weddings, memories. Hebden Royd School will also be marking their postponed 150th anniversary with an exhibition of the history of the school.
5th June between 12 pm and 2 pm - A pot-luck picnic where local people bring their own picnic to eat on their own blanket or chairs either at the church or on the nearby field. For those who may not be able to provide their own picnic, there will be some “Food Share” items available. In the event of wet weather, St John’s room at the church will be used.
There will be a professionally-made cake in the shape of a 2D Coronation Crown on display until about 1 pm. On arrival at the church, people will be asked to collect a ticket for a free slice of either sponge cake, fruit cake or vegan cake in exchange for their ticket after 1 pm. The colour theme for the Platinum Jubilee is purple, which the church will be using for decorations and flowers, together with the union flag. We encourage you to wear something purple or dress in 1952 fashions.
