Halifax Opportunities Trust is a charitable organisation
set up to fly the flag for community-based regeneration and renewal in Calderdale.
It is building on the positive foundations established by the West Central
Halifax Partnership Ltd, the organisation which led the seven year regeneration
programme responsible for transforming a large part of the previously run
down neighbourhood of St John's, close to the centre of the town, between
1995 and 2002.
The trust was incorporated on 12 October 2000, and its Memorandum
of Association sets out that it has been established:-
"to promote any charitable purpose for the benefit
of the inhabitants of Halifax in the county of West Yorkshire, in particular
but not exclusively the area known as West Central Halifax, especially by
the regeneration of the said area, by all or any of the following means:
- The relief of poverty in such ways as may be thought
fit;
- The relief of unemployment;
- The advancement of education, training or retraining,
particularly among unemployed people and providing work experience for the
unemployed;
- The provision of financial assistance, technical assistance,
business advice or consultancy in order to provide training and employment
opportunities for unemployed people in cases of financial or other charitable
need through help in setting up their own business or to existing businesses;
- The creation of training and employment opportunities
by the provision of workspace, buildings and/or land for use on favourable
terms;
- The provision of facilities for recreational and leisure
time occupation;
- The protection or conservation of the environment;
- The provision of childcare;
- The promotion of public safety and prevention of crime;
and
- Such other means as may from time to time be determined
subject to the prior consent of the charity commission."
