Our Mission:

Calder Community Cares started out the week before the first COVID-19 lockdown, in March 2020. We realised that the people in our community might need help and support through what was likely going to be a trying time, and we got together to pick up meds, organise online shopping, and just make sure loneliness wasn’t hitting the people of the upper Calder Valley too hard.

We saw the great impact we were making and decided to keep it going with more and more projects. We sent out meal packages, created a food share, and started putting on socially distanced events for our community.

We love how Calder Community Cares is an outlet for all the kindness that is present in the people of the upper Calder Valley. We’ve seen our friends and neighbours come together for each other time and time again, and the fantastic response to our work has shown that is still the case.

Despite all the work we’ve done, we’re still a young organisation! Although we are applying to become a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO), we are currently not a charity. Although we are applying to become a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO), we are currently not a charity. Technically, we’re an Unincorporated Association. This means, whatever is donated to Calder Community Cares, along with any profits from our shop is put back into our voucher scheme and social projects. Applying for charity status takes time and a lot of admin. However, that hasn’t stopped us from helping the members of our community, and we hope to keep that going as long as we can.

Of course, we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the amazing kindness of our volunteers. All the people who work for us are unpaid and do this out of the kindness of their hearts. We’re so thankful for all their hard work!

Interim Impact Statement as at 01.02.23

As of the 1st of Feb 2022 we have provided the Upper Calder Valley community with:

• Given items to the move vulnerable people in the area including: Over 400 thermal cups, 200 thermal blankets, 40 air friers, 40 slow cookers 25 single boil kettles, food shopping vouchers £11.5 Hot water bottles 300. Electric throws, microwaves.
• Significant donations to Food Drop ins Ukraine Social Cohesion Activities
• Supported the most vulnerable people who live in The Upper Calder Valley- from Hebden Royd, and all the way through the Upper Valley to Hebden Bridge Todmorden and Cornholme

With the donations you give us and the pre-loved items you buy we have:

• Funded The Men’s Breakfast Club in Cornholme
• Given over 12k in cash, small electrical items, warm blankets and thermal mugs or food to the three main Food Drop-In services Cornholme Old Library- Calder Food Support and Todmorden Food Drop in etc
• Funded the overhead costs for 7 of the newly formed or existing ‘Warm Spaces
• Developed a new website that aims to track all the relevant details of warm spaces
• Distributed significant amounts of food vouchers ot the MOST vulnerable elderly, isolated or struggling families and helped signpost them to regular support from other services.
• Supported Ukrainian refugees who have moved into our community.
• Supported local families at Christmas with a free Santa Kindness scheme.
• Regularly donated humanitarian aid to Ukraine