Real Voices of Happy Valley

Viv talks to Luke White of the Men’s Book Club, based in Todmorden with members from all over the valley. He talks about how and why he set up a men’s book club, which has attracted a large number of members. Luke tells Viv about the kind of books they read – all fiction but not all written by men. The book club meets on the second Thursday of each month at The Fox (formerly The Pub) in Todmorden. This is an extended version of an interview Viv played on her monthly Bookends radio show at www...

Dave talks to Maureen and John Readle, local volunteers with the Canal and River Trust, keeping our canal in good condition, clearing towpaths and maintaining the locks. They say is payback for their years of canal holidays, but others volunteer for plenty of reasons of their own. Find out more about the canal system and how to volunteer at www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

Dave and Viv speak to Peter Lassey of the White Ribbon Campaign UK which started in Mytholmroyd and aims to prevent violence against women and girls. It does this by addressing the root causes of men’s violence against women: harmful attitudes, behaviours around gender and harmful expressions of masculinity that perpetuate gender inequality and gender-based violence. Find out more about white ribbon at www.whiteribbon.org.uk

Dave & Viv chat with Jenny Shepherd of Ban the Burn and Sarah Crane of For Peat’s Sake about the proposed Wind Farm on Walshaw Moor. They believe this would damage the peat moors which are essential for the environment to slow the flow of water down the hillsides and cause further flood problems for the area. They have had to learn a lot about the science of the environment and keep up to date on research. While being supporters of sustainable energy sources they maintain that in this cas...

Satnam Singh is a well known face in Hebden Bridge after running the Post Office for 15 years. He is now getting known in Todmorden as he manages the Banking Hub at Tod College, bringing bank services back to the town. Satnam airs his views on the importance of banking to the community, new technology and his own experiences of the post office scandal. Then Dave asked him about his charity work and trek to Everest Base Camp…the answer will fill up the next episode of Real Voices of Happy Vall...

Viv and Dave meet Roger King in Calder Holmes Park Hebden Bridge, just after a Dancing for Life session. The group meet every Wednesday morning to dance outdoors, in all weathers, because it is refreshment the mind and body. Roger is also a DJ and counsellor, very Calder Valley.

Listen to Dave talking to Mary Clear, community activist on the importance of kindness and the power of small actions in improving life and environment in the Calder valley and beyond

The Great Cornholme and Portsmouth Get Together stretches a mile or so along the villages taking in a variety of activities and community groups. Viv and Dave talk to the organisers Rebecca Slaven, Emma Carter and Jim Haughey. Local resident Rebecca is involved in Inspire, Motivate, Transform – feel good movement and dance – and leads a keep fit group, Jim is part of Vale Baptist Church and Emma is part of Active Calderdale. They work closely with the Lionesses of the Valley and others to dev...