By Sam Sharp, CEO of Huddersfield BID

It’s been another busy few weeks for the Huddersfield BID team, beginning with our latest Week of Action.

The whole team swapped their usual day jobs for picking up paintbrushes, gardening tools and plenty of hands-on maintenance.

Rain or shine, everyone got stuck in to refresh planters, paint over graffiti, remove outdated posters and give walls, utility boxes and other areas some much-needed attention.

We were also joined by colleagues from Kirklees Council on day 2, helping us make an even bigger difference across the town centre.

The results are already looking fantastic, and it was brilliant to see what can be achieved when everyone works together.

Next up is the return of Huddersfield Huddle at The Light on Thursday September 17 from 5pm.

Our Huddles are a relaxed way for local businesses and professionals to meet new people, catch up with familiar faces and build connections in a relaxed environment.

There are no speeches or formal presentations, just a friendly evening of conversation with Huddersfield’s business community.

We are also getting ready to celebrate the incredible people who help make our town centre what it is through the “Huddersfield BID High Street Heroes Awards.”

Businesses are being encouraged to nominate those hardworking, inspiring and dedicated individuals who deserve some recognition, whether they always go the extra mile for customers, support their colleagues or make a positive difference within the community.

All nominations must be with us by October 1, so you don’t have long!

Once the finalists have been announced, it will be up to the public to help choose the winners.

Voting will be open from October 5 to October 25, before we bring everyone together for the High Street Heroes Awards evening in November.

Keep an eye out for the finalists and make sure you show your local heroes some support when voting opens.

We will also be hosting a Retail Crime Workshop for Huddersfield town centre businesses on Wednesday October 14 from 10am to 12noon at 10 Queen Street, next to the Lawrence Batley Theatre.

The practical session will give town centre businesses useful advice they can put into action straight away, covering how the BID Ranger team supports businesses, the town centre radio scheme, crime reporting, banning individuals from premises and when to contact the police or Kirklees Council.

There will also be an update from the police on local trends and current priorities, making this a valuable opportunity to ask questions, strengthen partnerships and feel more confident when responding to crime and suspicious activity.

Then it is time for a little spooky fun. Our free Pumpkin Trail will take place from Monday October 26 to Saturday October 31, with families invited to explore the town centre and follow the trail between 10am and 4pm.

It is a great half-term activity and the perfect excuse to discover more of Huddersfield’s shops and businesses along the way.

Once Halloween is over, we will be heading straight into the festive season. Christmas celebrations will begin on Saturday November 28 with a special event featuring live singers, a mini market, ice carving and the launch of the Huddersfield Christmas Tree Festival at Huddersfield Parish Church.

Running from November 28 to December 12, the festival will transform the church into a wonderfully festive display filled with uniquely decorated Christmas trees.

Businesses, organisations and community groups from across Huddersfield town centre will each bring their own tree to life, creating a colourful celebration of local creativity, community spirit and festive cheer.

We are lucky to have many local businesses and organisations eager to get involved. We will be purchasing and providing the Christmas trees at Huddersfield Parish Church, so full creative control goes to them to design, make or purchase family-friendly decorations that reflect their business, organisation or charity.

It is a lovely way to showcase their creativity, promote their business and support local charities at the same time.

Visitors will be able to explore the displays, vote for their favourite tree and help us raise money for local charities throughout the festival.

The winning business or organisation will receive a festive hamper, while the charity represented by the tree with the most votes will receive £200.

It is shaping up to be a busy and exciting few months for Huddersfield town centre, and we cannot wait to enjoy it all with our businesses, residents and visitors.

Keep following Huddersfield BID and Hello Huddersfield on social media for event details, business opportunities and more updates from around the town centre.