Town Council - new mayor presents community awards
Tuesday, 23 May 2017
At the Annual Meeting of the Town Council Cllr Pat Fraser was elected to the post of Town Mayor. Accepting the nomination from fellow councillors Cllr Fraser thanked all the Town Councillors and Council Staff for their hard work and said that she would be looking forward to keeping them all in line during the next twelve months.
Cllr Fraser, who admits to being an 'Offcumden' said that she was proud to represent her adopted home, one that was friendly and welcoming and I joy to be part of.
Above: Cllr Fraser can be seen wearing her Mayoral Chain flanked by three of her four consorts, Ellen Fellows, Anna Warwood and Christine Bampton Smith who along with her absent sister Jennifer Fairclough-Wade would support her throughout the year.
Also, at the Annual Meeting of Hebden Royd Town Council two outstanding individuals were recognised for the support they had provided to their local community. Both very modest about their achievements. Trevor Banister and Zwyela Mitchell dos Santos were presented with their awards by Cllr Pat Fraser, the new Mayor of Hebden Royd.
Service to the Community Award: Trevor Banister
In the floods of Boxing Day 2015 Trevor started helping in the Flood Hub in Mytholmroyd, handing out supplies to those that needed them, in the evenings he continued to help by heading out to the homes of those affected helping with cleaning up and moving peoples belongings.
He often worked on his own and occasionally with others. Soon Trevor noticed how much debris was in the river, plastic sheets hanging from trees, cardboard, garden furniture…anything and everything. The detritus of the flood.
He quickly set up the 'Calder Valley Clean Up Group' and working alongside volunteers, corporate groups and the National Citizen Service he took it upon himself to systematically work along the River Calder clearing debris. Supported by local councils he created huge mounds of waste which was swiftly removed for disposal.
He continues to work with the National Citizen Service and is a very active Flood Warden in Mytholmroyd where he looks after the supply cabins located around the village.
See this short Look North clip of Trevor Bannister
Service to the Community Award: Zwyela Mitchell dos Santos
Zweyla first became involve with 'Fair for Youth' when she was 15, helping organise this annual festival for young people. The festival set out to prove that kids could do it, and they certainly did!
Music Arts, activities and education the list just went on and every year this event grew. Zweyla progressed up the ranks and was the prominent figure in the 2016 'Fair for Youth'.
As part of this festival she identified a need for a flexible, cheap and easy to access Public Address System and along with a few friends gained funding for their first PA. Hebden Bridge Community PA now provides equipment for events ranging from private parties to community festivals and corporate events and the project is self-financing (well almost). Members of the group are fully trained and this low cost service, administered and managed by young people is well respected.
Zweyla has, through the Hebden Bridge Community PA, now started working as a sound engineer and continues to train further. She has is a member of Calder Valley Youth Theatre, helps out at Together We Grow and has represented the Hebden Bridge Rotary Club as a young leader.