No guest in episode 91. Viv chats to Dave about his weekend managing the North Sea Stage at Musicport in Whitby, a world music festival. Getting bands on and off stage, keeping their equipment safe, mending the wobbly stage flooring and generally ensuring all went well. An insight into one of those roles that, if it goes well, no one notices.

Creedy has been part of Hebden Bridge culture for many years. As a musician, a radio organiser, presenter and youth worker among other things. Irrepressible, enthusiastic and creative, he has made his impact on valley life and long may that continue. Hear some of his multifaceted history and some future plans

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...

We talk to Leonie Nimmo about efforts to ensure land workers in Palestine get support and appropriate seeds for the future food security of the region. Many people in the Calder Valley show support for the plight of Palestinians in demonstrations, showing films and organising fundraising gigs among other things. Local woman Leonie has been involved in food security here, in Manchester and internationally since the millennium. She talks about some of the practical food related things people ca...

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

Viv and Dave chat with Mark Wibsey who introduced walking football to Calder Valley. He is part of Calder Valley Strollers, one of several clubs open to new members. There are clubs in Mytholmroyd, Todmorden, Halifax and Burnley, it is available on several days through the week and there are Sunday sessions at Todmorden Sports Centre. It is good exercise, available to people who have always played and those who never had the opportunity because of the old rules on girls and women playing. The...

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

Viv and Dave talk to Madeleine Brooks and other members of the Gledhill Community Project about their plans to create a safe play and community space with seating, planters and sensory garden on a piece of land used for many years for illegal tipping. The area in Gledhill Street, Todmorden – between Adelaide Street and Victoria Road – needs clearing to make it safe and there is plenty of work for the local residents still to do. More members of the valley community bringing benefit to their a...

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, post master at Hebden Bridge, Banking Hub manager in Todmorden and charity activist. Satnam does not merely donate, he acts, whether it is jumping out of an airplane or trekking to Everest Base Camp. Satnam puts in a lot of effort for charities, partly because it is a part of his Sikh culture, partly because he’s just a decent man. Listen to his adventures on his eight day trek to Everest famous base camp area….and back

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...

We are proud to chat with Issy Pollard, Calder Valley's own Lioness, one of the players praised as ground breakers by the current crop of Women's Football Euro Champions, and thanked by them. Issy grew up in Old Town with supportive parents and teachers, was first picked for England at 16, a member of the Euro 97 squad, she now scouts and supports young female footballers. Many also know her as the owner of Rocket Dogz and she loves walking dogs on the moors around the area. What a star

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

We’re back! After a break for a couple of months Real Voices of Happy Valley returns as Viv and Dave chat with author and musician Paul Weatherhead, author of several books including ‘Weird Calderdale’, member of The Ukrainians and writer of comedy horror songs. He also has a podcast ‘Monsters, Myths and Maniacs’. Find out more and hear Paul’s podcasts at www.paulweatherhead.com/

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...

Viv and Dave chat to Matt Taylor, on a bench next to a pond he created on land he owns above Colden. Matt explains how he creates woodland management plants and loves to 'dig holes and hit things', especially when this ends up with trees getting planted

Viv and Dave talk to Josie McNamara, General Manager at Northern Powerhouse Boxing Academy, the first women-led boxing club in the UK. Its mission is to make positive contributions to the physical and mental well-being of the local community by providing a safe, inclusive space where everyone is welcomed and empowered through boxing, exercise, and social inclusion. Josie had been a ski racer in her native Scotland and has always had interest in girls’ and women’s sports. Find out more about N...

Viv and Dave chat with Todmorden based photographer and videographer Scott van der Zanden. Scott is the photographer for the West Holts stage and Glastonbury and has wide experience of work at events, gigs and festivals, weddings especially. Hear how he got into photography, his approach and style, the skill of capturing and the importance of ‘moments’. Scott also discusses his love of community, his volunteering roles and discovering his Calder Valley heritage. https://scottvanderzanden.com/