What we do
As the name suggests, Halifax Opportunities Trust is based in Halifax in the borough of Calderdale, West Yorkshire. Our projects span the length of Calderdale from the economic centre that is Halifax to the suburbs such as Boothtown and Siddal and valley towns of Sowerby Bridge, Hebden Bridge and Todmorden but our home is very much centred in the Park Ward area.
The Charity was established in 2000 to continue some of the activities of the government funded West Central Halifax Partnership when it came to an end in 2002. Practically, our work involves helping people to find new or better jobs, to learn new skills, to start or grow businesses and to help raise their families.
Because we care passionately about the power of community and working to make vibrant, multi-cultural and self-sustaining communities across Calderdale we are very much driven by 4 core values.
These are:
Our values drive the work we do in:
As a registered charity we also have a set of charitable aims that are driven by our values and guide our frontline work. Our charitable aims are:
- To relieve poverty
- To relieve unemployment
- To provide education, training and work experience
- To provide business support, grants and advice
- To provide social and recreational activities
- To protect the environment
- To provide childcare and family support
- To promote community safety
- To promote health and wellbeing activities
The Charity remains committed to its core objectives outlined in its Memorandum & Articles of Association
Halifax Opportunities Trust is a social enterprise so it delivers commercial contracts and pursues business opportunities as a way of achieving its goals. This way of working means the organisation doesn’t have to rely on donations and grants. Halifax Opportunities Trust is community owned and led and is proud to be an active member of Locality and Social Enterprise Yorkshire and Humber.
More recently we have become a founding member of CalderdaleCAN, a community anchor network in Calderdale. Community anchors are independent community-led organisations operating in a local area. They are firmly rooted in a sense of place, and committed to positive economic, social or environmental change. Calderdale Council is the first Council to have adopted a community anchor policy, to state their commitment to working in partnership with us.