On Thursday, 19th March, we were delighted to welcome back local historian David Glover to Foundry Street Community Centre for the second of his fascinating historical talks. 

This time, David explored “A Brief History of Shibden Hall.”

We learned that the name Shibden comes from Schepdene, an Old English term meaning “valley of sheep,” reflecting the area’s strong links to sheep farming and textile production.

We held our second Volunteer Morning on Saturday 28th February and were hoping to welcome a few more people than last time – and we were delighted to have 4 Trustees and 5 volunteers join us throughout the morning. 🙌

There was a long list of jobs to tackle and we managed to tick off most of them by the end of the session. ✔️ From helping around the centre to getting those little jobs done, it was a really productive morning.

Happy New Year to all our friends, volunteers and community members!

January gave us a gentle start to 2026. With the New Year falling close to the weekend and a rather dramatic storm forecast early on, a few sessions were cancelled. In true Yorkshire fashion, the storm never quite delivered what it promised. Still, it gave us a quieter month to regroup, refresh and prepare for a busy year ahead.

🛠 Volunteer Saturday Success

It has now been a whole year since Foundry Street Community Centre introduced the Chat Lounge, and it has become a much valued part of our weekly activities.

The Chat Lounge was created to offer a relaxed and welcoming space for people aged 55 and over.

It is somewhere you can enjoy a hot drink, take part in activities, and connect with others at your own pace. Whether you fancy a good natter or simply a quiet cuppa in friendly company, you will be very welcome.

• Every Monday morning
• 9.30am to 12.30pm

Here is what is on offer:

On Thursday 12th February we hosted another well attended history talk at Foundry Street Community Centre, delivered by local historian David Glover. The subject of the afternoon was the tram system of Halifax and the trams themselves.

The history of Foundry Street Chapel and the surrounding area

23 January 2026

On Friday afternoon, Sheila Eastwood, Trustee of Foundry Street Community Centre, delivered an engaging talk and slideshow exploring the history of the Methodist Mission that was based at Foundry Street Chapel for around ninety years.

December at Foundry Street Community Centre

A busy, festive, and record-breaking month!

December may have been cold outside, but inside the Centre it was full of warmth, mince pies, and community spirit.

Trustees & Management

There was no formal Trustee meeting this month; instead, Trustees and volunteers enjoyed a well-earned meal at a local Indian restaurant to celebrate a fantastic year 

We are excited to kick off our Volunteer Mornings throughout 2026 and we would love you to be part of it.

Starting on Saturday 31 January, we will be getting together on the last Saturday of every month from 8.30am until around 1.00pm to give the Centre a bit of TLC and tackle some small practical jobs.

Come for the whole morning or just pop in for an hour. Every helping hand makes a difference.

For our January session, we will be:

Join us for another local history talk on Friday 23rd January at 2pm, when we will be looking at the history of our very own Foundry Street Community Centre, which is very much linked to the social history of Bogden.

Anyone with an interest in the centre is welcome to attend, and to hear about what we have been doing and our plans for the coming year. We would particularly welcome anyone who is interested in volunteering or becoming a trustee.

Only full members will be entitled to vote. However, doors will be open from 6.30pm, when you can have a tea or coffee and a chat, and complete a membership application. If you would like to have a say in how the centre is run, please come along.

Agenda and other documents for the meeting may be obtained by emailing foundrystreetcc@gmail.com

This Friday 9th January from 1pm to 2:30pm Staying Well Calderdale and Calder & Ryburn Primary Care Network are hosting their grief support session.

The Comfort Room is a safe and understanding space to share, heal and remember.

If you are living with grief, whether recent or long past, you are warmly invited to join a supportive peer group where you can talk, listen or simply be among others who understand.

Open to anyone aged 18 years and over who is experiencing grief. 

☕Refreshments available. 

This Christmas marked a very special milestone, our first festive season with the Chat Lounge, which was formed in January 2025. To celebrate, everyone came together this Monday, 15th December, for a Christmas get-together full of food, laughter and good company.

Following our usual Chat Lounge session and seated exercise, everyone enjoyed a bring-and-share buffet, with a delicious spread including sausage rolls, quiche, Christmas cake, mince pies and more.