Royal Visit: Hebden Royd Town Clerk, Jason Boom sharing a joke with Charles on the Old Bridge at lunchtime today. Click to enlarge. More photos (6 July)

Picture House Digital Launch with Prometheus on Friday, 6th July. Read more

Calderdale Council has today announced plans to set up a £250,000 fund to help flood-hit businesses in the Calder Valley get back on their feet. Read more (4 July)

Flood clean-up continues: Calderdale Council, its partners, residents, businesses and volunteers are continuing the clean-up. Read more, including details of drop-in sessions today in Tod, tomorrow in HB and Friday in Mytholmroyd (3 July)

HANDMADE PARADE - Nearly 700 people took part in the parade and several thousands more lined the route to enjoy amazing giant puppets, dazzling artwork, a riot of colour and toe-tapping music. News and links, including one to Guardian gallery and to Calendar. See also: HebWeb photo gallery.

Hebden Bridge WI raised £1575.35 for people affected by the flood on their refreshment stall in the Rag Market this weekend.

Calder Valley Flood Victims - very active Facebook group

Mytholmroyd Net: video footage of the Gala, and latest news on Mytholmroyd's flood clean up

Flood warning: 2.35pm Friday. Sandbags back out along Market Street as Hebden Bridge prepares for the possibility of more floods - and the royal visit. (6 July)

The fabulous Hebden Bridge WI Rag Market was the place to grab a bargain on all your favourite haberdashery and craft goods last weekend. Over 1200 crafters, sewers, knitters, flocked to the market at thenew Waterfront Hall - the perfect space for the Rag Market, airy and light, full of chatter, colour and lots of smiles all weekend. Read more (4 July)

Festival: Granny Turismo
- photo from Sarah Mason

ARTS FESTIVAL Carnival weekend as the Festival hit the streets of Hebden over the weekend. Read latest news from the Festival. (3 July)

Festival: Julie Felix Saturday evening
- photo from Craig Shaw

Bus problems continue - one woman reports no replies from councillors or Metro - she (and baby!) may be forced to move. See Forum

THE SUN SHINES ON THE HANDMADE PARADE

- 30 more photos

Town Council give £10K to Flood fund - see Floods: the Aftermath news page. And, the latest flood relief info

PICTURE HOUSE: After much effort from Staff, Friends of the Picture House and passers-by the Picture House only missed one screening after being flooded up to a depth of 5 ft in places.

See Yorkshire Evening Post five minute video of interviews with Environment Minister, Richard Benyon, Craig Whittaker MP and an Environment Agency spokesperson.

Richard Benyon spent Tuesday morning in Hebden Bridge, meeting those hit by the weekend's floods and visiting Central Street infants School. (26 June)

With the Parade, Mytholmroyd Gala and Arts Festival opening, "it's going to be a massive celebration in our valley on Saturday showing the world that rain and mud won't crush our spirits! Andrew Kim, Parade director." HebWeb Forum

Central Street School update Yrs 1 and 2 can return to Central Street School from Tuesday, 26th. Nursery Children will be going to Stubbings School from Wednesday. Craig Whitaker MP will be visiting the school between 10 and half past with the Minister for the Environment. Read more

Hebden Bridge Fringe programme - Benidorm meets Shameless (drama), learn to crochet, Pakistani story telling, Burlesque Taster Class, Dance Workshops, Vintage Pop Choir, The Speed of Dating (comedy), Cabaret, Literary Quiz, poetry and prose, and finishing with a Bellydance Spectacular. Read more

Prime Minister praises "the resilience" of Calder Valley community - see Floods: the Aftermath news page. And 300 tonne crane brought in to move boat. (28 June)

EMERGENCY FUND for people and groups affected by the Calderdale Floods June 2012, set up by the Community Foundation. Please make a donation.

Info, links and photos on our Flood news and photos page - large versions of photos now available, just click photo.

With his Olympic Torch, White Ribbon campaigner Chris Green with Halifax champion wheelchair racer Hannah Cockcroft. Hover over image to see aftermath of floods involving £10k losses at the White Ribbon office in Mytholmroyd.

Yorkshire Post: Clean-up starts as communities count cost of flood devastation. "Businessman Marcus Doyle said that his Home...Oh shop in Hebden Bridge, part of the Yorkshire Soap Company, was a 'complete write-off' . . There's tremendous support from the community.."

Guardian Northerner: Hebden Bridge mops up after the floods. "At the Bookcase, an independent bookshop which makes a point of stocking the work of local writers, the proprietor Kate was awaiting a visit from the loss adjusters."

HebWeb Forum threads Calder Valley floods: helping the victims, and the Floods, the politics - can we do anything to prevent or mitigate further flooding.

FLOODED: Below - Hebden Bridge at 11.30pm Friday. Burnley Road, Market Street, Albert Street, Crown Street, Bridge Gate, Old Gate and more. The worst flooding in Hebden Bridge for over 30 years. More photos - now with enlarged versions if clicked.

HANDMADE PARADE

Above: from the Parade workshops. See HebWeb News for latest info on the parade, route, events in park, more photos from workshops, and photos from previous 4 years. The biggest and best yet.

Mytholmroyd Net - serving the community of Mytholmroyd for 12 years

Guardian Northerner outlines some of the major events lined up for Hebden Bridge and "some of them thar surrounding hills".

Hebden Bridge Fringe programme launched - Benidorm meets Shameless (drama), learn to crochet, Pakistani story telling, Burlesque Taster Class, Dance Workshops, Vintage Pop Choir, The Speed of Dating (comedy), Cabaret, Literary Quiz, poetry and prose, and finishing with a Bellydance Spectacular. Read more (24 May)

Calder High Parents urge school leadership to address concerns - "to help Calder High to be a successful and exciting place in which to learn". Read more

Victoria Road plans unveiled at "Public Exhibition" of proposals. Developers "committed to engaging with the local community." See Planning Watch.

Bus problems: First to take over from Tyler. See Forum thread

Police are called to the NatWest bank, Hebden Bridge, when Mayor of Calderdale Nader Fekri refuses to leave, after the machine swallowed his card. Even though he was off to Germany on council business in a few hours, staff refused to give him his card back! See Yorkshire Post. (Photo: Jason Elliott)

Crimsworth Farm Raw Pink Sauerkraut!

Hebden Bridge in the spotlight: Hebden Bridge and the Paul Barker book on Radio Four Wednesday (9th), 4pm

Guardian Northerner features Spaw Sunday in Cragg Vale, Luddenden and Midgley. (8 May)

Hebden Bridge in the spotlight over the weekend. Full page article in the Sunday Observer on Free food, sharing and caring. Reviews on Paul Barker's book on Hebden Bridge in the Saturday Guardian ("West Yorkshire's cool and quirky corner") and Independent ("a microcosm for local life buffeted by the winds of change).

Janet Battye holds Hebden Bridge's Calder ward for the Liberal Democrats by 145 votes on a 45% turnout, higher than the national average. The Greens push Tories into 4th place. More results

Grant Success for Village Turbine: Blackshaw Head based Pennine Community Power has won a grant of £30,000 which will partly fund a community wind turbine at Blackshaw Head. Read more

Small Ads - "I am very pleased to say the response was terrific and both properties are now let." (Less than a week)

Small Ads - "We placed a job ad on the Hebweb recently, intending to keep it there for 2 weeks, but we had to take it down after 3 days due to the huge response generated"

Five hundred words on Hebden Bridge - "Everything in the house was heated by the fire, all the old terraced houses used coal for heat and cooking back then, the valley had a serious smog problem." Read more from Dave Bridges' 500 words.

The girls are back in town! This year’s Arts Festival is filled with wonderful wordsmithery from women singer/songwriters, poets and authors. Read more

Mayroyd Development - rejected plan revived - see Planning Watch and Forum discussion.

£75,000 available for community groups: Hebden Royd Town Council invites groups to apply for grants, especially those who need help most in the current climate. Read more

FREE BUSES: for one week as First take over from Tyrer. Read more. Update: HebWeb Forum correspondents report non-arrival if buses is worse than ever. New bus timetable

Burlesque in Abundance! Full line-up announced for Hebden Bridge Fringe. See Fringe website for latest details: box office opens Saturday, 16th

Victoria Road Playground: Friends of The Little Park have told the HebWeb that the second phase of planned improvements to Victoria Road playground is due to commence in September. Read more (12 June)

Inspiral Carpets at the Trades - first sell out for Arts Festival. Read more

Flood Sirens test in Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd. Read more

Calder High is not on the Secretary of State's Priority School Building Programme list, published today. Nor is any other Calderdale school.

POLICE STOP PARENTS LEAFLETING outside Calder High. The HebWeb has a copy of the leaflet and has contacted the police asking what law could be broken. Updated. Read more

Town Hall Team now complete with the appointment of Amy Leader as the new business development officer. Read more, including all HebWeb coverage of this groundmaking project since 2007

Elvis mayors: see the Mayors of Calderdale and Hebden Royd, and former Mayor Rev James Allison on stage limbering up for Fanny and Elvis at the Hebden Royd Town Council Civic Dinner.

Ted Hughes Writing Competition is launched!

Local papers: HB Times office to close, journalist Susan Press tells HebWeb - see Forum thread. Update from Cllr Tim Swift: Halifax Courier to go weekly. "Those interested in the many goings-on in the upper valley are increasingly likely to turn to the 'Hebweb', the flourishing local website of town news and views." says Martin Wainwright, writing in the Guardian's Northerner Blog

Berringden Brow: Fourth and Final book. The final instalment of locally-set "Berringden Brow" saga is now out! "Life's Rich Tapestry" sees middle-aged heroine Jess working on a university research project . . . Read more (30 March)

Hebden Bridge's favourite films. The people have voted! It's Brief Encounter, the winner, followed by Local Hero and Pulp Fiction. More info and details of showings at the Picture House. (26 March)

Fox and Goose Pub Co-op: Following extensive discussion on the HebWeb Forum in January and February, moves to buy out the Fox and Goose and run it as a co-operative pub are moving forward. Read more (16 March)

Calder High given 'notice to improve following Ofsted. Less than a week after Riverside received its unfavourable Ofsted report, the inspection of Calder High raises further questions about the education of Hebden Bridge children and students. Read more (6 March)

Riverside School put into 'special measures' following Ofsted.
Read more

Calder High: Former Calder High teacher of 27 years, Anne Todd, tells of an atmosphere of mistrust and anxiety among staff, lack of experience among management, deteriorating behaviour since the last inspection and streaming imposed without consultation. Read more in the HebWeb Forum.

Jason Elliott's 500 Faces of Hebden Bridge

Small Ads - I just wanted to let you know that through my small ad on your site I found my ideal new home, meeting all my requirements. Thank you very much for such a great resource

Asbestos keeps on killing: 2 of the children of a Hebden Bridge asbestos worker have died from the dust. See Yorkshire Post and Metro articles. And the HebWeb feature on Acre Mill.