Hall is our hub, by Staying Well neighbourhood worker Helen Doodson

“Not many people realise that The Town Hall in Hebden Bridge is one of a handful of community Town Halls in the UK,” explains Amy Harbour, Director of the Town Hall.

“The building is operated by Hebden Bridge Community Association; a charity that was set up to manage the asset transfer from Calderdale Council and to run a community hub. The result is a building where people work, play and celebrate.”

As well as 35 business units, there are many different types of activities that may interest you.

For young families there’s a baby signing course called Tiny Talk, imaginative play for 0-5 year olds with Pyjama Drama, and a multi sensory singing and musical class at Rhythm Time.

Older children may be interested in Cubs, Scouts or Calder Valley Youth Theatre, who all meet in the building.

If you’re looking to learn new skills there’s gentle and patient technology classes to help take the fear out of getting online (Tea and IT), language courses, Café Culture, and Hebden Bridge Women’s Institute.

For those of you after some performing arts there’s Singalong With John on Wednesday afternoon, Calder Valley Women Singers on Wednesday evening, or Washday Workshops offer a schedule of performance workshops.

If it’s something a bit more physical you’re after, there’s weekly Yoga, Pilates, Zen Tone and meditation classes. We host a lot of activities for older generations and we’re particularly proud of the support we give the Alzheimer’s Society and Verd de Gris for their work with people with dementia,” explains Amy Harbour.

“Verd de Gris hold a weekly creative arts for Dementia session on a Tuesday which receives the most amazing praise from the people that attend, whilst the Alzheimer’s Society’s Happy Café on a Friday morning is extremely popular.

“Happy Café started as a monthly event in a small room. It’s now in our biggest space every week, and still continues to grow!”

We can’t forget to mention some of the brilliant festivals the Town Hall takes part in: the Hebden Bridge Piano Festival, the Folk Roots Festival, and the Hebden Bridge Arts Festival.

Helen Meller, Director of the Arts Festival said: “The Arts Festival moved in to the Town Hall three years ago and it is the perfect home for us. The Town Hall operates so brilliantly and organically as a community hub - both as a venue and a community connector. Everyone is catered for - literally in the wonderfully friendly café - and in the diverse array of events on offer.

Drop in on any day of the week and there will be something going on, coming up or people that you know.

Business or event, leisure or pleasure, it really is the heart of the local community and has the community at its heart.”

For a list of activities at The Town Hall in Hebden Bridge check www.hebdenbridgetownhall.org.uk