Political opinion column with Yvette Cooper: Our communities coming together over Christmas
Merry Christmas to everyone across the Five Towns. From light switch-ons to Santa runs - and in my case, quite a bit of last minute Christmas shopping - people across our area have been getting into the festive spirit.
This is also an important time to thank all those who have been working even harder in our communities and public services.
To keep our town centres safe, West Yorkshire Police have announced extra neighbourhood police patrols during the festive period - part of the Government’s plan that I drew up to put more police back on the beat and to especially target town centres.
The extra neighbourhood police and patrols in Castleford and Pontefract town centres this summer had a real impact, with West Yorkshire Police reporting a significant drop in crime compared to the summer before. But we need to go further and that’s why I will keep championing neighbourhood policing in our towns next year.
Local postal workers are also running extra shifts in the run up to Christmas to respond to extra parcels, letters and cards and the nationwide delays that have caused problems this year - and I’ve been down to Whitwood sorting office early in the morning and seen the hard graft local posties put in from the early hours.
This is also the time of year when we see some amazing community heroes, individuals and organisations supporting neighbours, friends or families across Pontefract, Castleford, Knottingley and Altofts who are facing tough times or who are under real pressure with the cost of living.
That means people like Airedale Academy teacher Jed Schofield, who has run a festive pyjama appeal to get gifts and Christmas PJs to children who would otherwise miss out. His appeal is set to reach its 10,000th donation this year - supporting children’s wards in local hospitals too.
Places like The Addy in Knottingley, in their newly renovated building thanks to the funding we campaigned for, are running Christmas play sessions. Meanwhile The Community Shop in Knottingley is putting on Christmas meals in the run up to the 25th with affordable food for key workers and those in need. And of course the brilliant Airedale Baby Bank’s Christmas appeal has been collecting Christmas gifts for children and teenagers across our area.
Government support for families is important too - including help for our armed forces with 35,000 service personnel to get extra travel support to visit loved ones over Christmas. Other help including discounts on energy bills, the boost for the BCSSS mineworkers’ pension and action to get working families and children out of poverty will all follow in the new year.
But most important of all in towns like ours is the support that friends, family and neighbours provide for each other at Christmas time - wishing each other well, coming together and helping each other. That’s what Christmas is all about.