Where would you take visitors for a walk in Huddersfield? 

West Yorkshire think tank Same Skies is inviting locals to lead walks through places they care about and share what works well and what needs to change.

Huddersfield residents and organisations can nominate routes through their neighbourhood, the town centre or a park. The walks don’t have to be scenic or in the countryside.

Those who suggest routes will act as guides, giving the think tank a chance to learn from their knowledge and experience.

Same Skies director Andrew Wilson said: “We are inviting people to invite us for a walk.

“Our guides will be the experts in their area, and we want to learn from their knowledge and experience. We want to hear about what they think is fantastic just as much as what could be improved.”

Founded in 2015, Same Skies has organised walks with local people as guides since 2020. It says these have helped it learn about grassroots activity in Huddersfield.

The think tank wants to identify issues and opportunities that communities across West Yorkshire share, then bring people from different areas together to work on solutions.

Andrew said: “Same Skies takes a citizen-led approach. We believe it’s grassroots organisations that have the most to offer for the future of our region. That includes locally-owned commercial businesses, alongside community and voluntary groups.”

He said Same Skies wanted to champion those organisations and secure support from bodies including Kirklees Council, the NHS and the Mayor of West Yorkshire.

The Huddersfield walks will be the first stage of a new edition of the think tank’s ‘Alternative Manifesto Process’, known as AMPlify.

The process will last 18 months and develop proposals for local councils and the West Yorkshire mayor, drawing on community experience, academic research and professional expertise.

Same Skies says more than 350 people contributed well over 800 hours to the first AMPlify process. It championed 18 solutions, including proposals to tackle run-down high streets, the housing crisis and care for older people.

Andrew said: “We will be bringing together the experience of grassroots organisations from different parts of West Yorkshire, along with the best academic research and professional expertise, to create new solutions for the future of our region.”

Same Skies plans to ask election candidates to pledge their support for the proposals if elected.

For more information, visit sameskiesthinktank.com.