The campaign, called Hudds Loves NHS, has been initially launched in Meltham by local company Zest for Print. The aim is to thank all the dedicated NHS workers, raise money for Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Charity and to give Huddersfield residents and businesses the opportunity to decorate their property to show their support for key workers during these challenging times.
The digital printer has donated 2,500 posters to the local community which are being distributed by shops in the area, including the Coop and Meltham Convenience Store.
Chris Woodhead, managing director at Zest for Print, says “This is a difficult time for everyone, and I wanted to do something that helped raise money for an important charity, and help cheer up the people of Huddersfield. I’m so pleased that I’ve been able to launch such an important campaign and I hope to see it spread from Meltham, where I’m based, across the rest of Huddersfield and Holmfirth.”
The campaign was developed by Chris in conjunction with fellow Huddersfield University graduate, Adrian Cooper from SixteenTen Studio. Adrian is now based in Toronto, Canada, but remains a Yorkshireman at heart and wanted to help express his thanks to the NHS who are continuing to support his family and friends in the UK during these challenging times.
Other local businesses and organisations have quickly got behind the campaign with Meltham Fire Station, Holmfirth Fire Station and Huddersfield Fire Station all sponsoring individual banners to host on their sites to raise awareness, alongside their ‘Stay at Home’ message. Meltham based business, Towndoor, has also sponsored a banner and donated a generous £10,000 to the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Charity to show their support.
Chris Woodhead, managing director at Zest for Print, says “We’re delighted that Meltham Fire Station and Towndoor came on board as one of our first supporters, followed by fire stations in the local area.”
Dan Bamforth, managing director at commercial property specialist Towndoor, says “I was initially intrigued by and delighted to see the colourful ‘Hudds Loves’ window display at the newsagents and the post-box surround spring up in Meltham Village Centre during these most strange and difficult times for us all. It soon became apparent that a valued client of ours Chris at Zest for Print was involved. I was approached for permission to place some banners on a property we own but felt instantly compelled to make a meaningful donation on behalf of Towndoor, our clients and all the people in the village. Meltham is a super place and has a real community spirit about it, which our business is proud to have been a part of it for 40 years. There are simply no words that can describe the gratitude we all feel towards the NHS, care workers, emergency services, key workers and so on right now. We will come through the other end stronger and united as never seen before.”
Local Councillor and Trustee of The Carlile Institute, Richard Noon is supporting the campaign. The Carlile Institute has been lit up recently in blue to show support for the frontline workers.
Richard Noon says “Meltham is a very special place; we have a strong history of supporting those in need and the last few weeks have been no different. It has been humbling to see local firms willing to support such a campaign, as it is to read the outpouring of support across social media and through the meltham.org support-line. The Meltham residents, myself included, are rightly proud of our local, everyday heroes - and we’re grateful to local firms for their amazing support to bring some colour, hope and joy to the town centre”.
The campaign, currently in its infancy, will stay in place as long as lockdown across the UK lasts. The aim for Zest for Print is to raise awareness about the amazing work that the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS charity do, both during the Covid-19 crisis and throughout the year.
Emma Kovaleski, Fundraising Manager at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Charity says “The kindness, compassion and generosity of our local communities has been beyond outstanding, and over recent challenging weeks, we have seen an outpouring of support on behalf of our local NHS services at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT).
I cannot thank Zest for Print, Towndoor and everyone associated in Hudd Loves NHS enough. Their support is helping our NHS workforce and patients, both in the immediate and longer term.
We have an approach called One Culture of Care at CHFT, where we encourage kindness, compassion and respect throughout our workforce, where people feel valued and can bring their best self to work – this approach has now been filtered out throughout our communities, and Hudd Loves NHS is a perfect example of One Culture of Care in action.”
To support our NHS Charity and say #ThankYouCHFT, visit www.cht.nhs.uk/about-us/our-trust-charity/ or donate by visiting www.justgiving.com/campaign/thankyouchft or by texting ThankYouCHFT to 70085 to donate £5.
