The Fire and Water Board

Get to know the gang..

Phil Hawdon

Chair of the Board of Trustees, Phil is an architect and has worked in Sowerby Bridge since 1975. He is a founder and producer of the town’s Winterlight Festival and has been actively involved in negotiating the Community Asset Transfer of the Fire & Water buildings with Calderdale MBC. Phil has also advised other local groups through The Community Foundation, represents Fire & Water on Locality’s Community Anchors Network, on the Sowerby Bridge Development Board and on the High Street Action Zone steering group with the council.

Steven Langton

Steven is originally from the North East, but moved to Warley in October 2022 after living in and around West Yorkshire for the past 20ish years. He is a solicitor who specialises in construction and engineering law, and in his free time he loves music, walking, running, and generally being outside. One of the main reasons Steven moved to this area was because he always felt a sense of creativity and community whenever he visited. Soon after he moved, he found Fire & Water and it really summed up what had drawn him here. Steven joined Fire and Water because after moving to a new area he wanted to be involved in a community project which is striving to provide a real benefit to the area. Having found Fire and Water he was really inspired by the plans of the project and the amount of potential there is.

Dot Foster

Dot has lived in Sowerby Bridge for the last 14 years, was elected as a local councillor in 2014, and re-elected in 2018. She is a school governor at a local schools and works as a caseworker. She has a background in horticulture. Dot is always keen to get involved with local projects and sees Fire and Water is a really exciting opportunity to bring back into use derelict buildings in the centre of the town for the benefit of the community. She sees the potential for the buildings as enormous, from performance space to offices, creative spaces to riverside garden and is looking forward to continue to help make this dream a reality.

Malcolm Gardner

Malcolm has had Structural Engineers offices in Sowerby Bridge for over 25 years. He was heavily involved in the development of the Wharf and saw the regenerational effect of this project. He is a past chairman of Sowerby Bridge Forum and although now retired is still involved in the management of the Wharf. He is keen to see the Fire and Water project develop and the further regeneration and benefits it will bring to the community of Sowerby Bridge together with the Calder and Ryburn Valleys generally.

Viv Jorissen

Viv has been in property construction, management and letting for over 40 years. For over 10 years, she also worked for The Princes' Regeneration Trust helping to find new uses for old buildings and was greatly involved in the restoration of Sowerby Bridge Wharf. She is very enthusiastic about the Fire & Water Project and the effect it will have on Sowerby Bridge

Clare Nestor

Clare took redundancy in 2017 after a 25 year career in Citizens Advice that took her from volunteer adviser to a senior national post. She became involved in Fire and Water because she moved to Sowerby Bridge but after 3 years hadn’t made friends or set roots. She initially did some DIY sessions where she got to use some power tools and knock walls down! In her nine years on the F&W board she has contributed to fundraising through T shirt sales and the sponsored calendar as well as supporting countless events over the years. For Clare the development of Fire and Water offers a fantastic opportunity to the community of Sowerby Bridge: a space that can be shaped in whatever way people want it to be.

Zoe Blake

Zoe is a senior civil servant, specialising in organisational development and design. She’s worked for the civil service for 8 years and previously as a senior manager in the water industry. Zoe moved to Sowerby Bridge with her family 4 years ago from Mytholmroyd and loves the sense of community in Sowerby Bridge. Zoe also has a small business which she runs with her husband in Sowerby Bridge and is committed to success of our town and its people.

Lucy Rose Fee

Lucy isn’t a board member, she’s engaged by us periodically to deliver specific contracts. Lucy is a freelance producer, artist and facilitator. Over the past few years, she has contributed to the local arts scene with performances, workshops and collaborative works. More recently, she has developed a comprehensive arts programme for Sowerby Bridge Fire & Water and has been a community producer for Northern Broadsides' Iron People project. In her personal practice, Lucy specialises in mixed media art. She has produced various, often immersive, events in Manchester and Sowerby Bridge. Lucy is dedicated to fostering inclusive and supportive artistic environments and is a mental health first aider. Beyond her professional work she enjoys making her own clothes, printmaking, wild swimming, singing, writing and attending live music events.