Conductor David Bremner imbues the West Riding band and its performers with a fine sense of musical assuredness to close the RNCM Festival David Bremner’s memorable appearance at the RNCM Festival was rounded off with outstanding musical assuredness as he led Brighouse & Rastrick in the closing concert on Sunday evening in Manchester Even an emergency half time soprano substitution didn’t disturb the New Zealander’s authoritative calmness (helped by Tredegar’s Robert Westacott’s excellent sight reading skills) as he expertly directed the West Riding band through a second half of eclectic antipodean challenges.  The intricate weave of Dani Howard’s engaging ‘Warp and Weft’  had earlier opened the programme; the strands of horizontal and vertical ensemble lines emerging from a patchwork blueprint to coalesce in a richly patterned canvas with line-by-line intensity.  Eloquent beauty was constructed by principal cornet Tom Smith on the Denis Wright ‘Cornet Concerto’  – a time capsule of elegance from an age when substance was crafted rather than merely manufactured for purpose.   The acclaim was richly deserved – the Cornishman now the complete performer.  The soloist’s understanding of line and shape was marked in its maturity – a tender malleability that at no moment sounded forced the tonality burnished by a modern purity that paid sympathetic tribute not artifice pastiche Eloquence of the deepest meaning came with Liz Lane’s ‘Silver Rose’;  a lament to both personal and collective loss of huge resonant meaning as narrator Dr Micha Lazarus was a relative of the original poet Isaac Rosenberg who died in action during the First World War recitation and music stilled the air.  Dr Micha Lazarus was a relative of the original poet Isaac Rosenberg who died in action during the First World War Edward Gregson’s own compositional homage in ‘Rococo Variations’  brought the first half to a close; the nods of appreciation neatly linked together by the MD even if at times the ensemble didn’t always feel as if it was quite on first name terms with their hosts.  The second half offered a fine appreciation of some of the leading and emerging composers currently writing for the Antipodean banding movement John Psathas’ ‘Saxon’  and Gareth Farr’s ‘Waipiro’  were used as the Championship and C Grade set-works at the 2000 New Zealand National Championships and have not really resurfaced until now.  It is a pity as both offered something new to the usual slew of test-piece fayre we hear all too often today.   Brighouse delivered them with concentrated intent as they did with 19 year old Estrella Wallace’s darkly moving ‘Ka mate te rea I te reaka kotahi’  that had a passionate dignity to its linguistic inspiration as they did with 19 year old Estrella Wallace’s darkly moving ‘Ka mate te rea I te reaka kotahi’  that had a passionate dignity to its linguistic inspiration whilst Paul Terracini’s ‘Gegensatze’  was a thoroughly imposing combination of symphonic boldness and brass band melodicism – the opposites attracting and completing each other fully  A fine concert and memorable weekend was brought to a close with Elgar Howarth’s ‘The Old Chalet’  - as embracing in the intimacy of its thoughtfulness of the late composer as it was distant in its echoes 4BR wants to ensure that the brass band movement remains vibrant and relevant challenge and critically examine those who run and play in it producing high quality journalism that informs as well as entertains our readers independent perspective on the brass band world - then why not consider becoming a supporter and help make our future and that of a burgeoning brass band movement more secure Support us     Saturday 10 May • Winter Gardens Complex May 5 • Ocean Brass are inviting applications for our Principal Cornet position as we prepare for an exciting schedule of concerts and contests in the second section through 2025 and beyond May 4 • Following a successful start to our 2025 contest season Rode Hall Band are looking for a good FRONT ROW CORNET player to join this enthusiastic friendly and progressive 3rd section band based on the Cheshire/Staffordshire border Rode Hall Band are looking for a good SOPRANO CORNET player to join this enthusiastic Posted by | Oct 16, 2024 | | 0 Brighouse & Rastrick Band’s 150th ‘Massed Bands’ concert will be held at Huddersfield Town Hall on Saturday October 26 (7.15pm) The concert hall and the Brighouse & Rastrick Band have so much in common not just in presenting great musical performances also an October date when Sir Charles Halle conducted the grand opening concert there with Huddersfield Choral Society As the largest venue close to their home town ‘Brighouse & Rastrick’ inevitably played at the town hall several times in the early days but were first inspired to plan their own first ‘Massed Bands’ concert in 1945 Those initiators would have been stunned to know that the series would be running have performed alongside ‘B & R’ over these decades but this time the choice of Guest Band was soon obvious – The KNDS Fairey Band from Stockport Faireys have already appeared on a record 37 previous occasions Guest Conductor for the evening is Dr David Thornton now Director of Brass Band Studies at Royal Northern College of Music He then became Musical Director with ‘Brighouse’ where he made a huge impression on both colleagues and audiences making him a perfect fit for this unique anniversary The programme for this celebratory evening will dip into the countless programmes of glorious music from down the years but also bring pieces from current times to give the audience a feast of fine music performed by two great bands Tickets cost from £18 and are available from Huddersfield Town Hall Box Office HERE and the usual Kirklees outlets What’s On in Huddersfield in October 2024 with Huddersfield International Market, Jeff Stelling, Halloween events and a spooky sleepover A reciprocal cocnert connection will be made by Brighouse & Rastrick and Tredegar in the next few weeks as they strengthen musical friendships with home visits Newly crowned Welsh Champion Tredegar is getting ready to head to Huddersfield on Saturday 29th March for the 'away leg' of a welcome double header concert exchange with Brighouse & Rastrick Band It will be the second time Tredegar has been invited to perform as part of the West Riding's famous concert series which was held for the 150th time last year The Huddersfield Town Hall performance will be followed a week later with Brighouse heading to Wales on a reciprocal concert visit to be held at Newtown's Theatre Hafren on Sunday 6th April B&R President Stephen Howes told 4BR: "We have a great relationship with Tredegar even at competitions where the players always seem to meet up and enjoy themselves together Those connections were strengthened in 2024 at the major championship events so it seemed like a good idea that we took the opportunity to team up for a brace of concerts." There will be no rivalry and the theme of a 'Springtime Celebration' is going to feature plenty of wonderful music from two great bands." Tredegar Band Chairperson David Thomas said: "One of the first messages of congratulations following our Area win came from Stephen so we are delighted to be able to travel to Huddersfield as Welsh Champion We know we will enjoy a warm welcome and we can assure the band it will be returned when they cross the border into Wales for the concert in Newtown." Concert goers will be treated to an array of favourites to reflect the theme and backgrounds of the two bands including music by Johann Strauss ll and Franz Von Suppe as well as pop Tickets are on sale through the normal Kirklees outlets at Huddersfield and Dewsbury town halls, Huddersfield Central Library, by telephoning 01484 225755 or online at www.kirkleestownhalls.co.uk Newtown tickets are available at: https://thehafren.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873668410 TAGS: Brighouse & Rastrick 4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month May 6 • Join presenter Martin Upfold for more great brass band music over the airwaves with this VE Day celebration special May 5 • 60 bands will look to take one step closer to the British Open this weekend in Blackpool May 5 • There has both audience and critical approval in abundance after David Childs gave the world premiere of James MacMillan's Euphonium Concerto 'Where the Lugar meets the Glaisnock' in Cardiff May 5 • Granite City Brass will celebrate its 175th anniversary thanks to sponsorship from leading vehicle assessor and towbar specialists Mototech Aberdeen Posted by | Mar 21, 2025 | | 0 Brighouse & Rastrick Band are looking forward to home and away fixtures featuring top Welsh band Tredegar Town Band The two bands are well acquainted having met many times over their long histories and are looking forward to performing concerts together at Huddersfield Town Hall on Saturday March 29 and in Newtown B&R president Stephen Howes said: “Although we meet Tredegar at contests up and down the country this will be a friendly encounter “Our two bands met last year at the European Brass Band Championships in Palanga “There will be no rivalry on this occasion and both bands are in good shape and will showcase ensemble and solo pieces on the theme of ‘Springtime Celebration.’” The Huddersfield concert is the next in B&R’s long-established series of Massed Bands Concerts Stephen added: “Tredegar are a very highly regarded band and have held the title of Welsh Champions 11 times “It is 12 years since their last appearance with us so this joint venture is long overdue We are delighted with the programme of musical favourites selected by Tredegar’s musical director Concert goers will be treated to an array of favourites to reflect the theme and backgrounds of the two bands including Men of Harlech the stirring Welsh march arranged by Gordon Langford; The Shepherd’s Song a beautiful pastoral piece arranged by Goff Richards; Blackbird Paul McCartney’s timeless classic with a unique brass band twist; and All in the April Evening Works by Johann Strauss II and Franz von Suppé bring grandeur and elegance to the evening All in all it’s a rare musical collaboration between two of the UK’s finest brass bands Tickets are on sale through the normal Kirklees outlets at Huddersfield and Dewsbury town halls, Huddersfield Central Library, by telephoning 01484 225755 or online at www.kirkleestownhalls.co.uk What’s on in Huddersfield in March 2025 with Chris McCausland, Lorraine Kelly, St Patrick’s Day and International Women’s Day events Brighouse & Rastrick Band will provide the entertainment as part of the latest Leeds Best of Brass series Brighouse & Rastrick will be in concert mode in Pudsey this weekend when they perform as part of the 2024/25 Leeds Best of Brass concert series (Saturday 15th March — 7.30pm) Led by Ian McElligott their programme will feature Robert Farnon's classic test-piece 'Un Vie de Matelot' as well as Mozart's 'Barber of Seville' and Peter Graham's 'Shine As the Light' alongside contemporary fayre in the form of Louise Trewartha's 'Flight' Chris Robertson and Shaun Crowther will also spotlight their talents alongside the band's trombone section in 'Still Small Voices' by Philip Wilby Saturday 15th MarchBrighouse & RastrickPudsey Civic Hall https://www.leedsconcertseason.co.uk/whatson-event/brighouse-rastrick-band/?venue=10011 Saturday 29th MarchRothwell Temperance BandPudsey Civic Hall https://www.leedsconcertseason.co.uk/whatson-event/rothwell-temperance-band-2/?venue=10011 Saturday 12th AprilLeyland BandPudsey Civic Hall https://www.leedsconcertseason.co.uk/whatson-event/leyland-band/?venue=10011 Saturday 24th MayHammonds BandPudsey Civic Hall https://www.leedsconcertseason.co.uk/whatson-event/hammonds-band/?venue=10011 Principal cornet Tom Smith claims a double accolade for his playing with Brighouse & Rastrick Band as Yorkshire challengers look forward to 2025 Members and supporters of Brighouse & Rastrick Band recently got together to kick start their 2025 season with a look back at 2024 at their annual Awards Night The opportunity was taken to review a year of on and off stage achievements — including their return to the European Championships in Palanga and their memorable 150th annual concert performance as well as their brilliant 'Zorro' Brass in Concert programme in Gateshead and more Writing on their Facebook page the band stated: "It was a wonderful evening leaving everyone with a renewed sense of camaraderie and ready to tackle the coming year head on We are fortunate as an organisation to be surrounded by incredible players and a wonderful team of supporters who keep us going year after year It was fabulous to spend an evening honouring them all." They added: "There were many other awards presented and we couldn't be prouder of the band we have We are fortunate as an organisation to be surrounded by incredible players, a dedicated committee, and a wonderful team of supporters who keep us going year after year. It was fabulous to spend an evening honouring them allB&R Denis Wick The 'Player's Player' and 'Player of the Year' awards (chosen by MD Prof David King) went to Tom Smith in recognition of a 2024 in which he further cemented his reputation as one of the leading cornet players in the banding movement The 'Bandsman of the Year' award went to Chairperson recognising the vast amount of work he undertook throughout the year May 6 • Whitworth Vale & Healey capture the essence of victory as there are also wins for Delph Dobcross Silver and St John's Mossley in Buxton Brighouse & Rastrick Band will be adding to the total of its hugely popular Huddersfield concerts for many years to come after celebrating landmark Brighouse & Rastrick has just celebrated its 150th massed band concert at Huddersfield Town Hall Although the West Riding organisation gave various concerts up to and during the Second World War the latter organised by the Huddersfield Transport Social Club in aid of their 'Comforts Fund' it was the band that started what was to become its hugely popular series in late 1945 Ever since the twice yearly events have seen them welcome a wide variety of banding guests — including their great rivals Black Dyke The most appearances though have been made by the KNDS Fairey Band under its different guises — taking their 38th bow to mark the 150th event this year The concerts have also been led by many hugely respected conductors as current Band President Stephen Howes revealed Such was his respect for the band and its musical reputation he waived his £900 fee Others who have led with the baton include the likes of Eric Ball and Richard Evans whilst David Thornton stated that he was "honoured"to accept the invitation to conduct at the 150th concert Legendary soloists have also appeared — the first being the great Jack Mackintosh And despite the usual cost of living challenges and plethora of other events people can now choose from on weekend evenings Stephen Howes informed the large and knowledgeable audience (much to their delight) that the concerts will continue "as long as we can afford to hire this place!" The next concert in the series will see Tredegar Band return for a second appearance next year on Saturday 29th March with the band making a reciprocal visit to Wales soon after We chat to the New Zealand trombone star and conductor about his appearance at the festival as a soloist and at the helm with Brighouse & Rastrick Can't see the audio player below? Visit soundcloud.com/4barsrest The 2025 RNCM International Brass Band Festival is brought to a close on Sunday evening at 6.30pm with the appearance of Brighouse & Rastrick Band under the direction of New Zealand conductor David Bremner They bring an enticing programme of repertoire that straddles both hemispheres of the banding globe Works by Dani Howard and Liz Lane sit alongside Edward Gregson's 'Rococo Variations' and the Elgarian sentiments of the Denis Wright 'Cornet Concerto' played by principal cornet Tom Smith in representing the north Gareth Farr and Paul Terracini proudly fly the AnZac musical colours We caught up with David to find out more about the music being played… but first asked him about if the RNCM Festival makes a significant mark on the antipodean banding movement Tickets: https://www.rncm.ac.uk/basket/?instance_id=17401 Brighouse & Rastrick Band Conductor: David BremnerSoloist: Tom Smith Programme:Warp and Weft (Dani Howard)Cornet Concerto (Denis Wright0Silver Rose (Liz Lane)Rococo Variations (Edward Gregson)Saxon (John Psathas)Ka mate te reo i te reaka kotahi (Estella Wallace trans David Bremner)Waipiro (Gareth Farr)Gegensatze (Paul Terracini) has announced the sale of three pharmacies - located in North Yorkshire West Yorkshire and Lancashire - to independent buyers Built around You.Your expert business property advisers The group comprises Gargrave Pharmacy in Skipton in North Yorkshire C.E Naylor Pharmacy within Rastrick Health Centre in Brighouse in West Yorkshire and The Village Pharmacy in Nelson in Lancashire they dispense an average of 13,215 items per month The pharmacies were previously owned by Adrian and Clare Naylor who Following a confidential sales process with Tom Young at Christie & Co, and with funding sourced through Christie Finance C.E Naylor Pharmacy has been sold to first-time buyer Gargrave Pharmacy has been sold to first-time buyer and The Village Pharmacy has been sold to Vivake Bhatia and Erez Bar-Ilan of BMT Healthcare North Ltd a small multiple operator which now has eight branches in its portfolio Senior Business Agent – Pharmacy at Christie & Co “When Adrian and Clare first approached us they were contemplating closing their three pharmacies believing there wouldn’t be much of a market for them due to the ongoing cost pressures facing the pharmacy sector We assured them that we could generate interest for all sites on a confidential basis Leveraging our expertise and market insights we conducted a competitive bidding process that garnered multiple offers on each of the three branches effectively demonstrating the continued demand for pharmacies across the north of England Our commitment to a discreet and efficient process ensured that Adrian and Clare’s businesses were successfully transitioned to enthusiastic new owners.” “First-time buyers have been increasingly active in the market and lenders are keen to support those with a proven track record in the technical aspects but also some management experience I was thrilled to support Aneela in acquiring her first pharmacy She is passionate about making a positive impact in the local community and it’s been a privilege to be part of her journey I wish her all the success and am confident that the pharmacy will thrive under her exceptional guidance.” The three pharmacies were sold for an undisclosed price Visit Christie & Co’s Business Search page to find out more about current listings. Keep up-to-date with our latest listings and more… © Christie & Co 2024 | A member of Christie Group You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience B&R marching at Uppermill (photo by B&R photographer Gordon Ratcliffe) Large crowds watch as B&R march at Greenfield (photos by B&R photographer Gordon Ratcliffe) Following this achievement the band are set to appear at Brighouse Central Methodist Church on Saturday 22nd June falling into an already busy month for the band The engagement list has appearances at Truro all after spending the first day of the month in a recording studio Patrons of the band will by now have claimed their free tickets for this concert and the remainder are now on general sale or by telephoning the band direct on 01484 718835 We appreciate your support, it really is invaluable, please share the article, and make sure to join the KLTV WhatsApp Community today! and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" How important is tackling knife crime in local communities to you View Results Kirklees Local TV is an internet-based TV station and film production company providing premier local news and entertainment for the diverse local people of Kirklees © 2024 Kirklees Local TV - Hosted by: Blacksmith Marketing Skip navigation www.calderdale.gov.uk FacebookTwitterRSS One Rastrick primary school will be expanded and another closed after proposals were approved by Calderdale Council’s Cabinet following a public consultation Castlefields Infant School in Rastrick will close its doors for the final time on 31 August 2016 whilst Longroyde Junior School will expand from 1 September 2016 to include children from Reception to Year 2 Both existing buildings will be part of the newly formed school with Longroyde becoming a through school for children aged from two to 11 It will provide the same number of school places based at two sites but with a single head teacher leadership team and governing body and will be known as Longroyde Primary School The existing buildings at both sites will be part of the new school and the Little Leopards nursery and the out of school provision at the Castlefields’ site will continue Previously parents of children at the Castlefield Infant School needed to apply for a Year 3 place at Longroyde Junior School Children will now automatically move from the infant to the junior site within the same school which is less disruptive to their education than changing schools at seven Parents and pupils will have a much longer relationship with the school bringing stability during the vital early years of education “We are determined that children and young people in Calderdale are given the best possible opportunities to succeed These changes will give children the best start in their education making sure that they have an excellent foundation for their future studies “By combining the two schools we can make sure that children make continued progress and improvement from the Foundation Phase to the end of Key Stage 2 Children will now have access to a wider range of facilities and resources which were previously managed separately by each school They will also be given the chance to work with younger or older pupils at the school allowing them to develop and improve important social skills You can search for archived press releases from 1999 to 2013. Press releases FacebookTwitterRSS © Copyright 2013 | Calderdale Council | Calderdale Council serves the towns of Brighouse To give you the very best experience, this website sets cookies on your computer. Do you always want to accept cookies from this site? Always accept cookies Read our Privacy policy Children in Rastrick now have a brand new state-of-the-art play area Work has just been completed at Oaklands play area in Rastrick The improvements to the site include a brand new toddler play area monkey bars and climbing poles for older kids and a new path and seating area for parents The project was designed in partnership with children from the nearby Longroyde Junior School who came up with ideas for what they would like to see in their local park The works are part of a programme of improvements to play areas that will see four parks and play areas improved across the Lower Valley area over the course of the next few months The project has been funded by Calderdale Council the community fundraising group Your Back Yard and Big Local lottery funding from Rastrick Big Local It has been overseen by Rastrick Plays Better a partnership of local residents and other local stakeholders Calderdale Council’s Cabinet member for Neighbourhoods and Communities “It’s great news that the play area at Oaklands has been very much improved I’m sure the new equipment will be very popular particularly as local school children had a say in what they wanted in their nearby park “This is a great example of community groups and the Council working together to improve facilities for local people.” a local community regeneration company which has been supporting the group “Rastrick Plays Better got a grant from Big Local to get us going we helped them treble that with bids to other funders As a result thousands of kids and parents across Rastrick will have a first class play area to enjoy “When Rastrick Big Local asked people what they were the biggest priorities they said a shortage of activities for young people with the development of a toddler track for kids to learn to ride a track for older children and a new zip wire In Autumn we will be improving Thornton Road and then Burnsall Road next Spring Road closures are scheduled for Gooder Lane Bridge End and Rastrick Common in Brighouse to allow for essential maintenance Calderdale Council is to carry out work on Gooder Lane and Rastrick Common between Huddersfield Road and School Green The work is due to start on Monday 28 February and involves the planing and resurfacing of the carriageway surface The work is due to be complete by Wednesday 16 March  To ensure the safety of road users and the workforce it will be necessary to close the road to traffic from 9am to 5pm Residents and businesses along the closure route have been informed and access for those living or working on the road will be maintained where possible in one direction or the other Access for emergency vehicles and pedestrians will be maintained at all times with traffic diverted via Mill Royd Street and Bramston Street Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Strategy “We’re carrying out essential maintenance on this well-used route to ensure the surface is fit for purpose This is a busy area close to Brighouse rail station and these improvements will make a real difference to those travelling “It is necessary to close the road to traffic whilst we carry out this work We’ve limited the timings of this closure to working hours to minimise disruption as much as possible We will also maintain access for residents in one direction or the other throughout the works  “We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause residents and businesses should benefit from a much-improved road surface.”  Conductor: Prof Nicholas ChildsCompere: David HoyleHuddersfield Town HallSaturday 26th March Two years later than originally planned and some 27 years after their last massed band stage appearance together at Huddersfield Town Hall Brighouse & Rastrick welcomed their near neighbours and traditional rivals Black Dyke for this much-anticipated concert It should have taken place in 2020 as part of the 75th anniversary of the West Riding band’s celebrated twice-yearly events so with Covid-19 restrictions finally coming to an end little wonder over 900 brass band lovers eagerly took to their seats to hear the combined splendour Prof Nicholas Childs had deliberately chosen an easy listening programme to appeal to purists and occasional punters alike as well as temper to the needs of a somewhat surprising number of changes in ensemble personnel.  Despite the absence of familiar faces in the ranks of purple and silver as well as black the quality was not diminished; the MDs strict control of tempi and especially dynamic marked from the word go.  Sousa's 'Liberty Bell'  was a playful opener that lent contrast to the warm ensemble sounds of Brahms’ 'Academic Festival Overture'  – the rich counterpoint scoring driven with the ironic boisterousness of student playfulness The reflective central interlude had an eloquent tenderness before the rousing drive of the finale brought a hugely satisfying performance to a close Rimsky-Korsakov’s 'Cappricio Espagnol' sent the audience to the interval with a spring in their step Daniel Thomas dazzled with a virtuosic 'Bravura'  and ‘Let’s Face the Music and Dance’  offered a stylish detour before the serious undercurrents of Dean Goffin's 'Rhapsody in Brass'; its telling rhythmic patterns underpinning the clearly defined opening section Rimsky-Korsakov’s 'Cappricio Espagnol'  sent the audience to the interval with a spring in their step Stephen Howes acknowledged the contributions of a host of volunteers who received gifts from Vice President before an operatic trio opened the second half ‘Nessun Dorma’  played with bravura character by Tom Smith and 'Introduction to Act III'  of 'Lohengrin'  were reminders of programmes from the past 75 years or more of these popular events whilst further memories were stirred with 'Cornet Carillon'  and 'Nimrod' The two movements of ‘Suite Gothique’  and ‘The Lost Chord'  ensured that the massed band tradition of glorious finales was not lost whilst the playing of the Ukrainian National Anthem was a signal of solidarity that stretched far beyond the borders of a small area of musical Yorkshire.   Visitors to Rastrick Library can now enjoy improved access following the completion of work to install a new ramp designed in a style to fit in with the rest of the Grade II listed building Rastrick Library was built in 1912 and was designed by a well-known local architect The impressive stone building retains many grand original features but the building previously suffered with poor accessibility with a set of steep steps making it difficult for those with wheelchairs pushchairs or mobility problems to visit the library A project to improve the access has been planned for some time as a joint venture between Calderdale Council and The Friends of Rastrick Library – a voluntary community group dedicated to increasing the usage of this popular library Work was able to progress following a successful bid by the Friends group to Big Local Funding of £60,000 was allocated to the project with additional funding provided by the Council but its completion was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic The library reopened in July for the first time since March 2020 meaning visitors could use the improved access for the first time The quality of the work has also been recognised by the Brighouse Civic Trust as the library access improvements have been awarded a certificate of excellence for the standard of workmanship and the overall design of the work work has also taken place to the gardens in front of the library The area around the War Memorial has also been redesigned and landscaping in the sunken garden at the front of the library is planned for the coming months Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities “Rastrick Library is a beautiful building with many historic features including original carvings and engravings It’s an important and well-loved facility for the local community but unfortunately the only access to the library was previously via a set of steep steps “In partnership with the Friends of Rastrick Library group we’ve had long-standing ambitions to improve this access and I’m pleased that these plans are now a reality “The new ramp access has been specially designed to fit in with the historic building and visitors to the newly reopening library can now enjoy these improved facilities and landscaping work.” Treasurer of the Friends of Rastrick Library “Rastrick library is a very busy community resource Friends and Library staff have long been aware that some residents accessed with great difficulty or were simply excluded by the original steps of 1912 “We were so grateful to everyone involved with the project design and build and to Rastrick Big Local for providing us with the grant of £60,000 We look forward to the Library serving all of Rastrick for many more years to come.” For the latest information about libraries in Calderdale, including opening times visit www.calderdale.gov.uk/libraries