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West Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Alison Lowe OBE, has been working together with the charity Happy Days, Calderdale Council, and West Yorkshire Police to help combat the issues.

It forms part of the Government’s ‘Safer Streets’ initiative, with more neighbourhood policing officers on high streets across the country. 

Chief Executive Officer, Ellen Boothe is from Happy Days, a charity which supports homeless people and those in crisis. She said: 

“At Happy Days, we take a holistic approach, recognising that many of our service members live with complex needs, from adverse childhood experiences to trauma that affects them well into adulthood. We’re here to offer not just therapy, advocacy, and wraparound support, but also practical help like our community supermarket — all of which helps people rebuild their lives.

“By working closely with our partner agencies, we can respond quickly, making sure people get the right support at the right time. And we’re seeing the results — less harm, reduced anti-social behaviour, and more people finding stability before they ever reach crisis point.”

James Batty is a counsellor at Happy Days whose role has been funded through the West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin’s Safer Communities Fund. Mr Batty added: 

“Many of our service users have faced complex challenges from a young age, which has led to addiction and mental health issues, which then can often lead to anti-social behaviour. 

“However, this isn’t the life that our users set out to have, or want to have, and that’s why we offer a safe space and practical support to help them, reframe their lives, access rehab, and move towards recovery.” 

Working with partners is key to delivering the priorities of the West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin’s Police and Crime Plan. 

Deputy Mayor Alison Lowe said: 

“Because Happy Days has earned the trust of the community, it’s easier for police and other services to work effectively with those affected by serious crime and exploitation.  

“This helps us offer the right support, prevent people from entering the criminal justice system, and provide opportunities for rehabilitation and change.

“Neighbourhood policing is critical to community safety, but it’s not just about reacting to crime, it’s also about preventing it – that’s why these organisations are essential partners in tackling anti-social behaviour and supporting safer communities.” 

Chief Inspector May Preston, Neighbourhoods and Partnerships lead at Calderdale District said: 

“Officers often come across very vulnerable people in our everyday policing and staff at Happy Days have the expertise to support them.  

“Working in partnership with them allows us to take a whole systems approach to dealing with some of these issues, which are more societal rather than simply just about enforcement.  

“This partnership approach has already seen results, with over a 10 per cent reduction in shop thefts and a 30 per cent decrease in demand around our night-time economy.” 

Calderdale Council Cabinet Member for Ovenden, Danielle Durrans, said: 

“As Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, I work closely with partners like Happy Days to ensure vulnerable people receive the support they need.  

“Their ability to respond flexibly to complex needs makes them a vital part of our community safety strategy, improving outcomes not just for individuals, but for families and neighbourhoods. 

“Through our partnership and the Deputy Mayor’s support, we’re tackling issues like antisocial behaviour and public safety with compassion and collaboration.”   

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Happy Days charity has teamed up with trauma therapist and counsellor James Batty to launch Life Recovery Therapy and Training. A major feature of the new service will be its “Buy One, Gift One” approach. For every counselling session or team workshop event booked, the service’s therapists will donate their time to provide a therapy session free of charge to those accessing the charity’s services.

Happy Days supports people who are homeless or in crisis to live independent and purposeful lives. Its services include one of the few high tolerance winter shelters in the UK, supported housing, weekly wound clinics, a community café and a membership-based social supermarket.

As well as providing one-to-one therapy and counselling, a big part of the new service will be its work with businesses and community organisations to deliver tailored group training. James Batty said: “Our two-hour team training sessions are designed to build greater mental resilience throughout the Calderdale community, improving self-awareness and promoting a broader understanding of adverse life experiences , complex trauma and the impact it has on our physical health, relationships and ability to carry out our work and daily activities. “Happy days recognises that crisis doesn’t appear from nowhere, it is often deep rooted in our history and learning about why we react the way we do is an important part of recovery.

“We have identified common themes that we all face in life and have developed a psychodynamic framework to empower groups and individuals.

“We are keen to hear from employers, charities, care organisations and any other community groups that may benefit from this kind of training.”

Sessions will cover topics such as fear, anxiety and the nervous system, grief and loss, relationships and co-dependency, addictions and unhelpful habits, and supporting those with unprocessed trauma.

Weekly Life Recovery Therapy Workshops will start on March 18th in Elland where members of the public can sign up to learn more about how to nurture emotional health and build a strong foundation for long-term wellbeing in all areas of life. Places are available and can be booked by contacting liferecovery@happydaysuk.org.

For more information on Life Recovery therapy workshops and training courses contact liferecovery@happydaysuk.org
Life Recovery Therapy Workshops – Happy Days UK

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Mandate Systems is a family run business, based in Brighouse. For over 30 years they have been specialising in pressure systems written schemes of examination. Their team of highly skilled engineer surveyors, covering the length and breadth of the UK, ensure pressure system compliance on air, mixed gas and steam systems.

What made you decide to become a Foundation Club member?

We are a company that believes in giving back. When we were looking for a charity to support, we chose Happy Days, as they are a local charity, and one of our directors had heard about the great work they had been doing. After being invited to meet Sharon on site to see first hand what Happy Days was about, we were inspired to move forward with the support we had planned.

How are you hoping to be involved as a member?

Currently, we have committed to a regular monthly donation and we also offer ad hoc support, such as sponsoring a tee for the charity golf day.

Why do you think it’s important for businesses to support local charities?

I believe it is important to give back to the community. Local charities like Happy Days have identified a gap in services and have worked hard to develop a solution. Their passion is making a difference in other people’s lives. It is easy to just pretend that something isn’t happening or think it is miles away. There are real issues on our doorstep and we want to help the community we are part of.

What would you say to other businesses that might be interested in joining the Foundation Club?

If you are not sure whether to join the Foundation Club or not, I would recommend arranging to visit Happy Days to see their work and understand how your support will help. Seeing the variety of projects that they have and are planning towards will make you realise how much they will impact positively on the lives of those in greatest need in Calderdale. The vision they have to grow the services that they can offer requires vital funding to bring it to fruition.

To find out more about Mandate Systems visit www.mandatesystems.com 

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