Dwell Time is currently recording podcasts for our Dwell Awhile series in partnership with the Yorkshire Visual Arts Network. These podcasts revisit conversations with artists interviewed for my ‘Resilience is Futile’ writer residency. ‘Resilience is Futile’ was a YVAN and Corridor 8 collaboration exploring the uncritical term ‘resilience’ within the Yorkshire visual arts networks. I mapped out a network of artists recommended as ‘resilient’ by their peers. With my Dwell Time co-curators Vanessa Haley and Lenny Szrama, I’m talking to the artists about how they have been since our initial conversations in 2019, and how Covid-19 and lockdown have impacted their practices and mental wellbeing. The podcasts will be published in October 2020 on the Dwell Time Press and YVAN websites.

Dwell Time has also partnered with designer Ashleigh Armitage to rebrand and produce graphics for the podcasts. Ashleigh is a designer working within the arts, cultural and educational sectors and is part of Dust Collective.

Dwell Time Press: http://dwelltimepress.wordpress.com
YVAN: http://www.yvan.org.uk

Through my mental health research I have been reading The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk, attended the Collective Trauma Summit 2020 and studying a second Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Mental Health. I am also part of the Creative Well programme run by the Culture, Health & Wellbeing Alliance for arts and wellbeing practitioners. This research feeds into my practice as a curator for Dwell Time, board member for YVAN looking at the impact of Covid-19 on artistic practice and my ongoing artistic practice ‘talking rubbish’.

‘Talking Rubbish’: So many colleagues and friends are struggling with processing thoughts and emotions into speech, and me too. What we’ve been through and going through is huge. We’re experiencing collective trauma of a pandemic on top of individual traumas. When our executive brain function is compromised through a trauma response, the speech part of our brain (Broca’s area) shuts down in part or fully as we go into flight, flight or freeze (survival) mode. Hence the terms ‘speechless’ and ‘lost for words’. The conversations we are having about the impact of Covid-19 on art practice are diverse and multifaceted but this impact on dialogue is really critical and the focus of a new project I hope to update on next time.

Keep talking. Dwell Time has a directory of mental health support services if you are struggling: https://dwelltimepress.wordpress.com/support/

Alice Bradshaw www.alicebradshaw.co.uk
Facebook www.facebook.com/alicebradshawartist
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Twitter twitter.com/alicebradshaw

Last month I wrote about Rev Coulthurst, Halifax’s vicar 1790-1817, and his support for the abolition of the dreadful Slave Trade. This month I introduce his successor.
Samuel Knight was born on 9th March 1759, a younger son of Titus Knight and his second wife Elizabeth Mellor. A sickly baby, six days later he was presented by his parents at the Parish Church font. There, the vicar, Rev. George Legh, initially refused to baptise Samuel, believing he had actually died before being placed in his arms. Little did the vicar of Halifax imagine that the infant he nearly excluded from baptism was one day destined to occupy his own position!

Titus Knight, originally a collier, was soon to become a Congregationalist, and went on to found Square Chapel. From a young age, Samuel showed a tendency to religious study, and although brought up a dissenter, he leaned towards the Established Church. At twelve he was placed at Hipperholme Grammar School, returning home after two years for private study, before again proceeding to Hipperholme as an assistant to the Master there. In due course, Samuel was noticed by George Burnett, a founder of the Elland Clerical Education Society. This group of evangelical clergymen was started in order to fund the university education of poor but gifted young men who otherwise could never have trained for the ministry. With the assistance of this group, aged twenty, Samuel went up to Magdalen College, Cambridge, where he excelled at Literature, the Classics, and Mathematics.

Finally he graduated Master of Arts. At Cambridge, various students combined to hold private evangelical religious services, and it was through these that Samuel came to know William Wilberforce. The two men held similar views, especially regarding the abolition of slavery.
Having taken Holy Orders, Samuel served initially as a curate in north Lincolnshire; there he married and had a family. In April 1798, Samuel was nominated by Rev. Coulthurst, vicar of Halifax, to the living of the new Holy Trinity Church, just erected at his own expense; and the Knight family moved to Halifax in July. They settled at Blackwall Lodge, and Samuel proved an ideal and popular minister at the new church, also taking many pupils at his vicarage. Although usually boys, these included Anne Lister of Shibden Hall, whom he taught Greek and mathematics, and who greatly respected him.

In December 1817, his patron, vicar Coulthurst, died suddenly. Almost immediately, a petition signed by many local parishioners was presented to the Earl of Liverpool, then Prime Minister, requesting Samuel Knight’s appointment to the vacancy at Halifax. This was an extraordinary occurrence, and almost unprecedented. Initially, Liverpool disapproved, as it seemed to infringe the Crown’s patronage, and – if accepted – might establish an undesirable precedent. But, swayed specifically by the influence of Wilberforce, and supported by the recommendation of the Archbishop of York, the Prime Minister waived his objections; and on 29th December 1817, Samuel received formal notice of his appointment as vicar of Halifax.

Samuel’s pastoral and other qualifications in office were many; he is described as “a Christian minister – an exemplary churchman – an able scholar – a sound divine – a kind neighbour, and a truly good and valuable member of society.”
In 1823 the vicar’s health began to fail, and on Christmas Day 1825, he preached his last sermon. A year later, his sons – both vicars – were summoned to his bedside, and he was attended by Dr Kenny, a character some will recall from “Gentleman Jack.” Samuel died on 7th January 1827; he was buried in the chancel of the Parish Church, though today his tombstone may be seen near the Minster’s nave-altar dais. In the north-west chapel is his fine wall-mounted memorial. His widow Frances died in 1832.

David C Glover

Through the months of lockdown, I’ve been fortunate to have a home studio and the capacity to pick up work in between childcare. Working from home with children is by no means easy by any stretch of the imagination, but the nature of my work is I can be done in short moments of opportunity and after bedtimes.

My studio had become a depot for 3000 copies of Dwell Time Issue 2 over lockdown, and recently I moved the publication stacks into Dwell Time Central in Huddersfield which had been closed and inaccessible over the initial lockdown. My studio has now become a working space again and I also cleared a hoard of packing materials into storage to make room for a sofa. The packing materials double up as den and sculptural material for my children and occasionally infiltrate the house as elaborate cat climbing frames and houses the children make for them.

Whilst Dwell Time Central had been forced to close, it now has the potential to open up with risk assessments and shop-like safety protocols in place. Like many businesses and art projects alike, the uncertainty of what may happen in the future poses some significant challenges and questions about how to operate. Just before official UK lockdown we took the decision to postpone our Issue 2 launch and we launched in July with an online film screening programme and postal distribution in lieu of the launch and venue-based distribution we had planned. https://dwelltimepress.wordpress.com/issue2/

Along with the decision to postpone our Issue 2 launch, Dwell Time publicised an open call for responses to Covid-19. This open call has been our most responded to to-date with over 400 individual contributions from across the world. Some very prominent themes of isolation, loneliness, grief, loss and hope resonate, whilst varied personal responses show a broad spectrum of unique experiences within the collective experience. Our plan is to produce Issue 3 from these responses in both print and digital. The open call is currently live and we welcome contributions from everyone. https://dwelltimepress.wordpress.com/c19-edition/

Dwell Time has also been commissioned by Yorkshire Visual Arts Network (YVAN) to produce a series of podcasts interviewing other artists about their current experiences of lockdown, how their practice has adapted and survived and any challenges they face including mental health which is Dwell Time’s focus. This is an exciting research and development project for us which looks at forming qualitative research into the impact of Covid-19 on visual artists in Yorkshire.

Part of my own ongoing R&D is studying mental health and I completed a Level 2 in Mental Health Awareness during lockdown. I’m now enrolled on another Level 2 focussing on children and young people’s mental wellbeing and am also undertaking free, short courses via Futurelearn from Kings College, Anglia Ruskin and Manchester Metropolitan University.

Lastly, Art Lab has also survived the pandemic and adapted to the new mode of zoom meetings. Whilst we miss the in-person nature of Art Lab at Dean Clough, the positive aspect of conducting meetings online is we can talk with artists from Mexico and London without the time and expense of travel. Art Lab has become critical to my own survival as an artist in discussing art practice directly with other artists and the reason I initially set up the group in January 2019. Artists are continuing to practice despite the challenges, in solidarity and in response to our ever changing world. The support networks we form are increasingly valuable. These meetings continue to take place on the first Monday of the month at the slightly later time of 8pm https://www.facebook.com/groups/deancloughartlab/

Alice Bradshaw www.alicebradshaw.co.uk
Facebook www.facebook.com/alicebradshawartist
Instagram www.instagram.com/alicebradshaw.co.uk
Twitter twitter.com/alicebradshaw

Following my graduation from Tante Marie Culinary Academy, Woking I had the pleasure of working as a private chalet chef in France several years ago and my Bakewell Tart became a firm favourite of my weekly afternoon tea says Alasdair Nunn of RachAls Kitchen.

I think it’s the marriage of the rich, crumbly pastry and the sweet, buttery almond filling combined with the familiarity of strawberry jam which makes this classic tart a real winner!

Makes a 26cm Tart or 6 Small “Individual” Tarts – Feeds Approx. 12 Pate Sucree Pastry:

300g Plain Flour
100g Caster Sugar
150g Butter
4 Egg Yolks

To make the pastry firstly preheat your oven to 200’C / Gas Mark 6 (180’C Fan).

Cream the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon in a bowl for approx. 5 minutes or until well combined.

Then beat in the egg yolks (one at a time) until fully incorporated into the mixture.

Sift in the flour and mix with your spoon until the mixture comes together as a ball of dough.

Tip the pastry out onto a floured work surface and knead briefly until smooth. Roll out the dough and then carefully place it into a lightly buttered and floured 26cm tart case.

Push the dough into the corners of the case, prick with a fork (all over to ensure the dough doesn’t rise) and then line the pastry case with parchment paper, fill with baking beans and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and parchment paper and bake for a further 5 minutes to ensure you don’t have a soggy bottom!

Remove from the oven and cool.

Bakewell Filling:

200g Butter 200g Sugar
200g Ground Almonds
3/4 Tbsp Strawberry/Raspberry Jam 4 Eggs – Beaten
50g Plain Flour
100g Chopped Glacé Cherries 100g Flaked Almonds
1 Tbsp Icing Sugar / Water

With an electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs and then add the flour and almonds. Mix well.

To Finish:

Spread the jam and cherries onto the cooled pastry case. Dollop the filling on top of the jam and cherry mixture and spread evenly. Sprinkle over the almonds.

Bake for approx. 30 minutes at 180’C (Fan) – If the flaked almonds start to brown cover the tart with foil.

Meanwhile combine the icing sugar with a few drops of cold water and transfer to a piping bag.

Once baked, allow to cool and then finish with a drizzle of icing sugar – Serve with a fruit coulis if desired.

All over the district, schools and businesses have changed the uses of science labs and factories to produce Personal Protection Equipment. Crossley Heath, Ryburn and Brooksbank are amongst schools providing masks to Calderdale Royal Hospital and local care homes.

A bespoke tailoring firm in Huddersfield changed the line of speciality from suits to masks to keep the employees and suppliers in paid work. Helen Bailey, Managing Director of Masks UK, explained‘Business slowed down rapidly long before the UK hit lockdown due to our international clients closing down tailoring shops around the world and, of course, suit clients here in the UK, only attending essential appointments. It took a couple of weeks from idea to going live online. I guess we just looked at what we had at our finger tips and went from there. The response has been incredible!’

Helen’s non-medical mask business is super popular online. Helen explained ‘We’ve delivered to some existing clients in Norway and various tailoring connections around the World. We had an Australian purchase on the website, that’s as far a field we can go!! It’s an ever growing number but I’d say we’re close to 500k masks so far (12th May 20). The masks use a fabric commonly used in sportswear: the outer layer uses cotton nanotechnology for ultra water resistance, and the inner layers are breathable and moisture-wicking cotton muslin cloth.

Using a re-usable mask helps to reduce the volume of medical masks being used by non-medical people. There are many patterns online for you to try making your own (see one below). The World Health Organisation states (31/05/2020) ‘there is not enough evidence for or against the use of masks (medical or other) in healthy individuals in the wider community’.

However, if you choose to use a mask, here are the main precautions to follow:
1. Clean your hands before touching your clean mask.
2. Position the mask so it covers your nose, mouth and chin.
3. Do not touch the main mask while you are wearing it.
4. After use, take off the mask with clean hands; removing by the ties. Do not touch the main mask on either side.
5. Wash the mask at a high temperature.
6. Clean hands after touching the mask.

At the time of writing this, I’ve been in lockdown with my 7 and 4 year olds for about a month. Like many others, I’m juggling home education and child care with my work. Whilst many projects are on hold for an unforeseeable length of time, some are adapting and shifting the modes of delivery.

Thankfully, our postal system is still operational and currently an option to distribute our arts about mental health publication Dwell Time whilst we remain in lockdown. We’ve sent our contributors copies and are looking at the possibility of an online launch and postal delivery for anyone who wants a copy. There will also be an online pdf available too. We’ve also published a special edition open call for work made in and about the Covid-19 pandemic and the isolation we find ourselves in. Anyone is welcome to contribute with words, images, video, sound files. Please email them to avavprojects@yahoo.co.uk All contributions are published on our website and shared on our social media. https://dwelltimepress.wordpress.com/c19-edition/

Zoom meetings have replaced face to face meetings of Art Lab and Halifax Mothers Who Make. Art Lab continues to ‘meet’ online via Zoom monthly and Mothers Who Make are tending to do shorter, weekly check-ins prioritising coping strategies and mental health. A pandemic is not necessarily the optimum time to be productive and creative and whilst these groups are for creativity, they are support groups fundamentally and the support needed right now is to counter the isolation and crisis we are all in. Some people have managed to make art work through the crisis and that can also a valuable coping strategy. Art Lab is open to all people making and interested in art and if you have some art to share please do join. Mothers Who Make is for any mother and any maker so if that’s you and you would like to join please do.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/deancloughartlab/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MWMHalifax

Whilst the time for my own practice has been reduced significantly, I’ve been making lots of crafts with my children and they’ve been helping me with a few projects. They’ve been enjoying colouring in my Same Skies Regional Democracy zines and these are also downloadable to colour in if you have access to a printer: https://wesharethesameskiesblog.wordpress.com/ They also enjoyed helping me make Corona Book Worm the 1st who started off life to be a prop for my now postponed/cancelled Huddersfield Literature Festival workshops with Magic Rock Brewery. The Book Worm is made from redundant crown caps (corona caps) which my eldest helped hammer holes through and my youngest helped cut the spacers for to thread them into them central cord. This is part of an ongoing project Cap Stories where we collect stories and illustrate them inside discard (rubbish) caps. This project may evolve into collecting coronavirus stories of life in lockdown https://capstories.home.blog/

I’ve also been continuing with some studio drawings that are repetitive circles with automatic writing and scribbles. I use leftover beetroot juice and ink, bubble wrap prints, charcoal and pen and, when I get some time on an evening, these are my rubbish drawings processing the conversations and thoughts of the day.

Alice Bradshaw www.alicebradshaw.co.uk
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Welcome everyone to this 2nd edition edition of The April 2020 Skircoat Green Directory.

What a month it has been! Even though we are in lockdown, we will continue to bring you the interesting articles, news and businesses our readers have come to expect. Please remember, essential services life care, nhs, electricions, plumbers and Funeral services are still on hand should you need them. And for those businesses that are also on shutdown like restaurants and retail, take a note of who is in the magazine. Some have moved to online deliveries or takeaways. We need to support all our local businesses to ensure they are here on the other side of this virus.

Enjoy this Digital edition of the directory and please do share with those who may have a little extra time on their hands!
Simply click on the arrows to the right of the image below and see this months magazine in full (or tap the image and then swipe left & right if on a mobile device!)

Welcome everyone to latest 2020 edition of The Skircoat Green Directory.

What a month it has been! Even though we are in lockdown, we will continue to bring you the interesting articles, news and businesses our readers have come to expect. Please remember, essential services life care, nhs, electricions, plumbers and Funeral services are still on hand should you need them. And for those businesses that are also on shutdown like restaurants and retail, take a note of who is in the magazine. Some have moved to online deliveries or takeaways. We need to support all our local businesses to ensure they are here on the other side of this virus.

Enjoy this Digital edition of the directory and please do share with those who may have a little extra time on their hands!
Simply click on the arrows to the right of the image below and see this months magazine in full (or tap the image and then swipe left & right if on a mobile device!)

St Cuthbert Day

20^th March 2020

Dear Minster Friends,

I’m writing this letter to everyone associated with The Minster as your Vicar during this global pandemic which is now affecting all our daily lives and has now resulted in the government restricting movement and the way we order our lives until the Coronavirus is firmly under control.

Following Government advice and instructions from both the National Church of England and our own Diocesan Bishop, I now write to confirm, that with the support of the Church Wardens and other colleagues, we have taken the decision to close the Minster until further notice. This decision is to support the government in trying to limit unnecessary travel and communal gathering, in order to protect the whole community and try to slow down the rate of infection until such time as we are told we can reopen with confidence.

This is a painful restriction on us all. This means we can’t be the gathered church at this time, and that we will need to pray at home as a dispersed community.

This situation leaves The Minster with a number of challenges: Worship, Pastoral, and Financial. These I will take in turn with advice.

The Worship of the whole people of God is one of the main spiritual things we do as Christians that sustains our daily living and existence. I encourage you to pray at home, and we shall be putting some material on the Minster website to support this. I also encourage you to join in worship broadcast on the BBC, both daily worship on Radio 4 and the proposed televised service on BBC One on Sunday mornings. The Church of England website will also provide you with material for praying each day under the heading of Daily Office. Presently, for those of you with smartphones the ‘Time to Pray’ App has now been made available free of charge; see https://www.chpublishing.co.uk/apps/time-to-pray  it is also available on Google Play and the Apple Store. Baptisms will be put on hold. Weddings and Funerals will be subject to Government guidelines at the time.

David, Jane and I intend to meet together for prayer and the Eucharist. Therefore, we are asking you to send through to the Office your prayer requests so that we can include them in our offering to God. This will continue for the duration unless illness or lock down prevents us from doing so.

Pastoral Matters: one of the great strengths of attending Church is the Pastoral Care that each worshipping community provides for one another. Many people living on their own suffer from isolation and loneliness, and families are struggling with work, mortgages to pay, childcare, and now Schools closing indefinitely. The Revd David Carpenter, the Lecturer and Chaplain to the congregation, will head up our new Pastoral Care system, that aims to keep in touch with as many people as we can who are part of the Minster community, whether you class yourself as congregation, choir family, welcomer, bell ringer, Civic Leader across the town and Borough, member of staff, or simply a Friend of the Minster. We shall be dividing people into groups, and key leaders both Clergy and Lay, will be phoning and emailing people, in order to stay in touch, and provide a listening ear and support. As Christians, we take up the mantle of being Christ’s feet, his mouth, his ears, his healing hands. I encourage all of you to care for your neighbours in your street as well as your friends. Please leave messages on the Minster phone (01422 355436) and via email admin@halifaxminster.org.uk and the Office will be open daily Monday-Friday 10am-1pm to pick up messages and respond to requests for prayer and help.

Financial: Over the last twelve years since I’ve been here, we’ve turned around a £50,000 year on year deficit, and for the last three years we made a small surplus. We are now planning to stay closed until the middle of the summer, when we hope some restrictions might be lifted. This means we need to somehow stay financially afloat, paying staff, paying the Parish Share each month so that the Diocese can pay Clergy Stipends, and our monthly bills towards insuring the building and other committed expenditure. We’ve had to cancel lots of events and bookings, and with the Minster closed there will be no visitor donations and revenue from the Minster shop. Many committed members of the Minster community contribute financially monthly through Planned Giving: either by Standing Order, the Envelope Scheme, or by cash donation, and all Gift Aided. For those who already contribute by Standing Order we remain hugely grateful for the knowledge that your money will arrive each month. For those of you who contribute by Envelope or cash donation, I enclose a Standing Order Form that will enable you to continue making that vital financial contribution, but without the need to physically place your Envelope or cash in the plate, whilst the Minster remains sadly closed. We want to reopen as soon as we are allowed and in the knowledge that we remain financially a going concern. If you would like to talk to our Treasurer Peter Naylor about setting up a Standing Order and Gift Aiding your contribution, please either ring the Office or email Peter treasurer@halifaxminster.org.uk. If you want to send a cheque to cover your donation then please send to Mr Peter Naylor, Causey Hall, Causeway, Halifax, HX1 1QL.

I’ve never had to write a letter like this before and it all feels very surreal. Some will liken it to the Great War years, but for a younger generation, we’ve never had to live through a time like this, and for many people, there is an uncertain future. As Christians we place our hope in God through Jesus, who by the power of his Spirit encourages and enables us to Keep Calm and Carry On! Julian of Norwich that great mystic from East Anglia, professed her faith by proclaiming that through faith in God All Shall be well, all shall be well, all manner of things shall be well. And that is my hope and prayer for all of us. Stay safe, Stay in touch.

Keep us, good Lord,

under the shadow of your mercy

in this time of uncertainty and distress.

Sustain and support the anxious and fearful,

and lift up all who are brought low;

that we may rejoice in your comfort

knowing that nothing can separate us from your love

in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This letter comes with my love and gratitude to everyone associated with The Minster, and that of my wonderful colleagues, David and Jane, Mick and Sheila, Church Wardens.

Hilary

The Revd Canon Hilary Barber

Vicar of Halifax Minster

Important contact details:

Canon Hilary Barber 07905987089 h.barber@halifaxminster.org.uk

The Revd Jane Finn 07709222591 j.finn@halifaxminster.org.uk

The Revd David Carpenter 07460443368 d.carpenter@halifaxminster.org.uk

The Minster Office 01422 355436 admin@halifaxminster.org.uk

Peter Naylor Treasurer 01422 355436 treasurer@halifaxminster.org.uk

I remember as a child in London finding my way to school in fog so thick I had to feel my way along the walls of houses. It was called ‘smog’ – a combination of smoke and fog.  Halifax had the same problem.  It was so bad that in 1837 Anne Lister described Halifax as ‘a large smoke-canopied commercial town’.

In 1870 along came ‘The Smoke Abatement Act’ which prompted John Wainhouse to build a chimney the following year. He owned the dye works in Washer Lane and was concerned about the contribution his factory was making to the air pollution – not to mention the effect it had on his nearby home (now The Wainhouse Tavern).  He decided to build a chimney that would carry the smoke up and away from the valley and his home.

Before it was completed, Wainhouse sold his factory , making the chimney redundant. So he decided to change its purpose and annoy his neighbour, Sir Henry Edwards at the same time.

Sir Henry kept annoying him with various threats of summonses, so Wainhouse decide to get his revenge.  Sir Henry cherished the privacy he enjoyed at his Pye Nest home and boasted that even when he was strolling round his grounds he could not be seen. Wainhouse decided to invade that privacy which he did by increasing the height of the chimney and turning it into a folly that the public could visit.  He couldn’t know it at the time, but it was to become the tallest folly in the world.

It took over three years to complete and cost of £15,000 (over a million pounds today) being finished in 1875.  Did Wainhouse achieve his objective? Yes indeed! Wainhouse Tower is over 250 feet high and the Victorian public could climb its 403 steps to the top and not only gaze into Sir Henry’s Pye Nest home’s grounds, but could see for miles in all directions. You still can on Bank Holidays, if you’ve got the energy.

Trish Colton’s A-Z of Halifax book launch is on 6^th March at 7pm at the Old Rishworthians Rugby Club, Copley Village.