Message from Trust Chairman – David Durbin After our win over Whitehaven we now need three more wins for us to stand a chance of reaching the playoffs. As the season has had some strange results we are also now relying on others around us to slip up and our points difference at this stage could be the deciding factor. Can we get a full eighty minutes of error free rugby between now and the end of the season? Looking back at our game’s to date you would say no but stranger things than this have happened and with our full support behind the team we could pull it off. So let’s turn out in huge numbers, be vocal for all of our three games starting on Saturday against Toulouse. Our next fundraiser for the Squadbuilder is our market stall in the town centre on Saturday 16th so if you have any items you would like to donate please bring them down on Saturday or text me on 087790 852196 and I will be happy to collect them. We hope to see there because as always we will have bargains galore! After this we have a craft fair booked for Sunday 29th October at the Shay starting at 10am until 4pm. An ideal time to start thinking about that much needed Christmas present.

And finally the request for pre-loved and nearly new shirts/shorts and other merchandise/memorabilia is always ongoing as the sale of these has been a very successful fundraiser for the Squadbuilder. Please contact us should you have anything to donate. SUPPORTING September 2023 Email – halifaxrlindependenttrust@gmail.com Chairman – David Durbin – faxmad@aol.com -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update from Kara – Community Development & Community Manager Our summer camps have come to an end and over 600 children were involved in multisport, activities and nutritional healthy food making over the 5 weeks the camps were running. All the children and their families have engaged well with the Halifax Panthers and we have invited them to come to watch our French exchange game at the beginning of September. Project development has continued with new ideas and plans for violence reduction projects, over 50 active lifestyle projects, integration amongst our community projects and much more engagement throughout the Calderdale borough. As the schools are back primary school and high school delivery has started again with more schools being added to our partnered schools. The tour of the Wembley winning cup will commence in schools towards the end of this month, as well as the continuing of tours around community clubs, community socials groups and our sponsors. Kind Regards, Kara Colvin - 07309782215 Community Development and Engagement Manager Halifax Panthers

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Halifax Heritage Rugby League Lunch Club Regular Meetings on 2nd Monday of the month NEXT MEETING – Monday, 11th September 2023 at HALIFAX BOWLING CLUB Thrum Hall Lane, Halifax, HX1 4JT (Wheelchair accessible) 11am start with Steve Smith (Heritage Number 917) Bar open with two course lunch for £4.00 Car Parking available on Site Please book you place in advance (with or without meal) To reserve a place, text or e-mail: Chris Mitchell: 07947-827627 - chris-mitchell@live.co.uk BOOK EARLY

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Finance Our current balance is - £3538 Thank you as always for your support

Message from Trust Chairman – David Durbin

After a tough loss to take against the Eagles we showed our true colours with another fantastic win against the league leaders Fev. This never say die spirit will stand us in good stead as we head to Wembley to take on the Batley Bulldogs. I’m sure the last drubbing they gave us will still rankle with the lads and hopefully they use that to exact revenge and bring home the cup! Being at Wembley will of course bring back memories for all those fortunate to be there in 1987/88.Your Trust is asking you to commit those memories and those of other important games to you into a book that we are hoping to put together. Where were you and who with? What happened on the day or at the game? Do you have any pictures to support you story. If so could you please email them to me at faxmad@aol.com or bring them to any home game for us to collate. We would also be happy to visit you if that helps. Let’s make this a best seller!!

Another request I have is that we have vacancies on the Trust Board for another member and a Secretary. If you might be interested in either of these roles please get in touch with us for further details.

And finally the request for pre-loved and nearly new shirts/shorts and other merchandise/memorabilia is always ongoing as the sale of these has been a very successful fundraiser for the Squadbuilder. Please contact us should you have anything to donate. Let’s get down to Wembley in huge numbers and make it another one of those days to remember!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update from Kara – Community Development & Community Manager • Social tag rugby tournament and weekly tag games • Rugbees 7-11 year old elite coaching • Healthy eating cook out in community clubs • Try high camps in the planning • Ukrane inclusion programme • Over 50s walking rugby/football/yoga • Academy coaching and recruitment for the college teams • Filming for the 150th film at the shay • Plans for school programmes in primary and high schools

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Halifax Heritage Rugby League Lunch Club Regular Meetings on 2nd Monday of the month NEXT MEETING – Monday, 14th August 2023 at HALIFAX BOWLING CLUB Thrum Hall Lane, Halifax, HX1 4JT (Wheelchair accessible) 11am start with Tony Anderson (Heritage Number 934) Bar open with two course lunch for £4.00 Car Parking available on Site Please book you place in advance (with or without meal) To reserve a place, text or e-mail: Chris Mitchell: 07947-827627 - chris-mitchell@live.co.uk

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Finance Our current balance is - £4548 Thank you as always for your support

A message from our Chair - David Durbin Can we get on a roll and climb the table? After Sunday’s result it is clear we are not yet firing on all cylinders. If only I had a crystal ball to see towards the end of the season. The teams mistakes and inconsistency is taking its toll at present but thankfully other teams are also in the same boat keeping us in the title race. It’s certainly one of the closest seasons we have seen for a long time and one of the strangest as players seem to be on a merry go round from club to club. I guess as we progress further into the season all will become a lot clearer. What is clear is that we all need to get behind Simon and the team and give them our vocal support at Batley and especially on the 22nd as we take on London in the semi-final of the 1895 Cup with the winner going to Wembley. Who doesn’t like that winning feeling of seeing the team lifting a cup so let’s get down to Rosslyn Park in big numbers to give the lads that eighteenth man boost! Talking of a boost I would at this point like to give a big thanks to Ian Croad for supplying us with past seasons stock which we have been selling in order to give more funds to Squadbuilder. Your support also is greatly appreciated and our last contribution to the fund enabled the club to bring in Ben Crooks who already is showing his worth. We are always in need of your no longer worn merchandise so please get in touch with any Board member or ring me on 07790 852916 and I will arrange collection from you. Our next auction item is out this week so watch out on our social media platforms. Also there are still opportunities to be involved in our making of the film of our 150years of the Club, links can be found on Facebook or visit www.RUGBYDOCUMENTARY.CO.UK.

Onwards with our Panthers to Batley, see you there.

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Panthers’ Community Update from Kara Colvin • School delivery in primary schools and high schools • Inspire by 9s rugby tournament • Social tag rugby tournament and weekly tag games • Rugbees 7-11 year old elite coaching • Healthy eating cook out in community clubs • Try high camps in the planning • Ukranin inclusion programme • Over 50s walking rugby/football/yoga • Academy coaching and recruitment for the college teams.

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Halifax Heritage Lunch NEXT MEETING – 10 July 2023 (Bank Holiday) at HALIFAX BOWLING CLUB Thrum Hall Lane Halifax, HX1 4JT 11.00am start with Malcolm Agar Bar open. Interview starts at 11.00am, with two course lunch for £4.00 Car Parking available on Site Please book you place in advance (with or without meal) To reserve a place ring or e-mail: Chris Mitchell: 07947-827627 or chris-mitchell@live.co.uk If any of you can volunteer to be one of our guest(s) please contact Malcolm Kielty on 07946-510900

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Maureen’s Finance Current balance - £4262.00.

A message from our Chair - David Durbin A magnificent performance against Saints and now the wheels appear to have come of our wagon. Individual errors are certainly taking there toll at the moment and this is clearly affecting the teams confidence. This is when the true supporters stand behind the team and offer them every encouragement as we move into the second half of the season and this start’s at Swinton on Sunday when we can hopefully we can get our season back on track! Let’s make some noise and become that vocal eighteenth man in support of our Panthers! Talking of support, we are still in need of any pre-loved rugby shirts, shorts, hoodies etc so if you can help please do not hesitate to contact me on 07790 852196 to arrange collection or you can bring any items down on home match days to any of our stalls. Your generosity has enabled us to continue to support the Panthers Squadbuilder as you may have seen from our recent donation of £5000 during the Saints game. Other opportunities to support us are by attending our monthly quizzes on the last Wednesday of every month at the Ivy House, entering our Match Day Dining competition and making donations on match days. All of which is never taken for granted and very much appreciated.

See you all at Swinton.

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Panthers’ Community Update from Kara Colvin • School coaching delivery continues across primary and high schools. • Try High Camps were delivered in the half term break engaging with over 50 children. • Plans for a healthy eating project across community clubs is being implemented right now in time for summer. • Engagement through tournaments is happening across all ages in the community. • Plans for a development rugby league pathway is under plans. • The panthers academies are still training in the off season, with all three head coaches focussing hard on recruitment for the next intake in September. • The hydration station has been in full swing with over 1900 school children across Calderdale receiving a bottle of water. • More active assemblies have been planned in schools not reached in this wave of the hydration station. • Plans for a big Halifax homecoming are underway. Plenty more behind the scenes but this will be delivered later in the year!

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Halifax Heritage Lunch NEXT MEETING – 12 June 2023 (Bank Holiday) at HALIFAX BOWLING CLUB Thrum Hall Lane Halifax, HX1 4JT 11.00am start with Nigel Wood Bar open. Interview starts at 11.00am, with two course lunch for £4.00 Car Parking available on Site Please book you place in advance (with or without meal) To reserve a place ring or e-mail: Chris Mitchell: 07947-827627 or chris-mitchell@live.co.uk If any of you can volunteer to be one of our guest(s) please contact Malcolm Kielty on 07946-510900

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Maureen’s Finance Current balance - £3652.

   

Dear Trust member,   Due to the Easter break there won't be the usual newsletter but please see below a message from our chairman, Dave Durbin:   What a game for the neutral ,a great vocal crowd despite the poor conditions made for a fascinating game. We came so near yet so far. Too many penalties and not quite clicking in all departments yet as we lose to our local rivals the Bulls. Not any easy one to take. So, it’s onwards and upwards  as we take on the York City Knights this Sunday and hopefully get that win to spur us on   A healthy crowd again at the game which also helps with our fundraising for the club and of course it was good to see our Ambassador John Bentley, as well as Brian Noble, Tony Anderson, Karl Harrison and Jon Hamer at the game too. The fundraising as you know takes various forms and we have a market stall in town on Saturday 13th May, so if you have any bric a brac items you feel able to donate we are happy to collect them or alternatively you can bring them down on match days. As spring is here it’s an ideal time for that clear out! Memberships and our monthly quiz on the last Wednesday of the month at the Ivy House courtesy of Pete Mac is another way we hope you feel able to support .   The IMG piece is of course eagerly awaited as the Clubs vote for it on the 19th of this month. While in principle it should be correct that all clubs have a sound financial base there are several other area,s that need reviewing namely that of promotion and relegation a fundamental in any sport which has league’s. I guess all will be revealed shortly and let’s hope that some of the concerns have been addressed.   May we also congratulate the Panthers wheelchair team who had a resounding 122-2 win over Warrington on Sunday! We wish them lots of luck at their 'Magic Weekend' in Birmingham where they will be playing Wigan, kicking off at 4pm Saturday 15 April (this is being broadcast live on The Sportsman channel on Youtube).  

A message from our Chair - David Durbin The roller coaster of being a Panthers supporter has started. Two wins and two losses while disappointing is I guess better than the start of last season, although it is obvious that our games to date have been anything but smooth. Clunky is a word that springs to mind with some good patches and of course some pretty poor ones. Still we are only on game four, a long way to go and plenty of opportunity to put it right and get us towards the top of the table. Our support during these times is as important as ever as it easy when you are always winning but a true supporter is there through thick and thin. We have had good crowds to start the season so let’s stay behind Simon and the team and be that vocal eighteenth man! We will certainly need to be there when we travel to Featherstone for our Challenge Cup date! Remember that you still have the opportunity to renew or join with your Trust membership. We will as always be at the Shay for our home game, and of course you can still join via our website faxtrust.org. Another reminder is that the Match day dining competition is now for two people and represents excellent value for money. You can join by contacting Carroll on 07977 596051 or at carrollawillis@gmail.com Our thanks at this point go to Ian Croad who has kindly donated numerous new shirts of various sizes to the Trust which we will be selling at £10 each with all the monies raised going of course to the Panthers Players fund. Look out for these bargains on our match day stalls. Who doesn’t like a bargain?

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Panthers’ Community Update from Kara Colvin • School delivery has continued in the schools we have secured in the past as well as a new one being added – Cross Lane Primary. • Name the mascot competition was rolled out to 8 different primary schools across the wider area of Calderdale and 2 names have now been chosen ready to be released shortly – with the winning schools receiving a tour of the shay and to meet the players. • The college academy trams have gone from strength to strength with recruitment now starting for September 2023 intake. • The big sleep out will take place in March this year with players and myself involved – this programme will raise awareness of homelessness and much needed funds. • Healthy eating on a budget programme has been started in dean field school, encouraging youngsters to learn how to cook safely, healthily and using things they would normally have at home. • Prep for the women’s team has commenced with the shay stadium being the base for the women’s gym. • Community club coaching in all 10 community clubs has been happening also this month. • Community club engagement has been at a high since the start of the season and community club presence at game days has really shown. • The try high club has happened over half term and has been a great success. • Safety nets has launched and will commence at the end of this month, young men between 14-17 will complete a rugby session followed by a psychoeducation lesson to help them deal with adverse emotions and feelings. • Over 800 junior season tickets have been given to community clubs and 300 given to primary schools

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Win Match Day Dining for 2! We are still running our Match Day Dining competition. A draw will take place at several home games and the winner will receive a dining package for 2 people! The price to enter is just £10 for the whole season! Visit our website to enter or come see us on a match day. Pre-loved merchandise We are appealing for donations of rugby merchandise including rugby shirts, polo tops, t-shirts, coats, hoodies etc as our stocks are running very low! If you have any pre-loved items that you would like to go to a new home, please contact us or bring to one of our stalls on a match day.

Many thanks as always for your support.

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Halifax Heritage Lunch Monday 13 March 2023 - 11.00am Halifax Bowling Club, Thrum Hall Lane, HX1 4JT Special Guest – Bob Beswick 2 course lunch - £4.00 To reserve a place please call Chris Mitchell 07947 827627

Or email chris-mitchell@live.co.uk

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Maureen’s Finance Current balance £5053

A message from our Chair - David Durbin At last it’s the start of another season! It seems like an eternity since we have seen the Panthers in league action so it’s back to donning our Panthers gear, seeing friends and familiar faces, good days out as we travel to our away games and being able to cheer our team to victory! Our 150th year can indeed be one of celebration. Our win over the Sheffield Eagles with a determined all round team performance has given us the perfect start but as we all know it’s we’re you finish that counts. It will be a very tight league this year and I’m sure there will be plenty of highs and lows which all form part of being a Panthers supporter. Talking of which there is still time to join the Fax Trust which remains at £15 for the year with all the funds raised going to support the players fund. As always our monthly prize draw has prizes worth more than your membership and coupled with our newsletter is excellent value for money. Another opportunity which is very good value is the match day dining competition for just £10, with the winner receiving a match day meal for 2 and parking, all kindly donated by the Club. What’s not to like!! Another our fundraising activities is selling vintage shirts and memorabilia so if you have any you would like to donate to us we will happily accept them. You can bring them down on match days or I will be happy to collect them from you, just give me a call on 07790 852196. See you all Post Office Road as we take on Featherstone in the next round of this fascinating season!

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Panthers’ Community Update from Kara Colvin • Continuation of rugby coaching delivery across 10 primary schools and 5 high schools. • 2 of the high schools we currently coach at competed in a 4 high school Tournament. • Name the mascot competition has been live and delivered into 6 different primary schools to the one we current coach in. • Over 1750 children have been engaged throughout the name the mascot comp with all of them gifted a FREE junior season ticket each, the winning mascot names will receive a free stadium tour and be invited to our Bradford Bulls games in the summer. • All community clubs have been offered FREE season tickets for their under 16 players and this is underway in most of our community club teams – of which we have 10 in the family. • Project planning for the summer continues with programmes such as healthy eating camps for parents and kids, violence reduction against women training in high schools, and our successful holiday camps. • Holiday camps continue. • Preparations for our 150th year celebration also are in the planning. • Both college academy teams are thriving and prep starts for the September intake. • Support for the womens team has begun with special input from the panthers club and stadium. • Plans for Her Legacy programmes to run in the summer, as well as inclusion teams to be added to the panther brand. Kind Regards, Kara Colvin 07309782215 Community Development and Engagement Manager

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Win Match Day Dining for 2! We are still running our Match Day Dining competition. A draw will take place at several home games and the winner will receive a dining package for 2 people! The price to enter is just £10 for the whole season! Visit our website to enter or come see us on a match day. Pre-loved merchandise We are appealing for donations of rugby merchandise including rugby shirts, polo tops, t-shirts, coats, hoodies etc as our stocks are running very low! If you have any pre-loved items that you would like to go to a new home, please contact us or bring to one of our stalls on a match day. Many thanks as always for your support.

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Halifax Heritage Lunch 13 February 2023 - 11.00am Halifax Bowling Club, Thrum Hall Lane, HX1 4JT Special Guest – Richard Marshall 2 course lunch - £4.00 To reserve a place please call Chris Mitchell 07947 827627 Or email chris-mitchell@live.co.uk

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Maureen’s Finance Current balance -£3,116. The Trust has recently given the Club £5,000 for their Players Fund.

A message from our Chair - David Durbin Firstly, I hope you all had a good Christmas and I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year. Our new season starts with our friendlies against Wakefield and Hunslet and here’s hoping we have as good a season as last year and maybe even go one better! Simon’s recruitment has a very positive feel about it and I’m sure we will give the boys every encouragement as the season progresses. Your Trust as always will continue to raise funds for the Panthers players fund and of course is looking for your support. Trust membership’s which are now due, remain at £15 for another year and can be purchased on our website faxtrust.org .The ‘Match Day Dining’ competition sponsored by the club is also available along with Steve’s very popular Fantasy League. Who doesn’t like to pick their own team! Our online auctions will be continuing with some very interesting items indeed. Keep your eyes on our social media platforms! We are all looking forward to seeing you all on match days at the Shay where we will again be selling pre-loved merchandise and if you have any items you would like to donate please bring them along or I am willing to collect them from you, just give me a call on 07790 852196. THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT ITS BLUE AND WHITE !

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Panthers’ Community Update from Kara Colvin • The community panthers team have been completing the Try High camps along with Invictus and Calder Community Squash. • Plans continue for the 150th and involvement of a shay tidy up and refurb inclusive of all community clubs and schools. • Coaching in schools is still active and branching out to more areas of Calderdale now. • As the community clubs return to training each club will have the opportunity for free junior season tickets for all players – and having a panther presence at their training sessions throughout the season. • A healthy eating project will be completed this year to enabled the people of Calderdale to eat healthy on a budget as well as get exercise with panthers. • Primary coaching courses will be run throughout the year to enable more coaches to coach in community clubs – provided free from Halifax panthers. • Development continues for the women’s team and both college academies - the academies are growing strong and now the recruitment process starts for September intake. Kara Colvin 07309782215 Community Development and Engagement Manager – Community Panthers CIC

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Win Match Day Dining for 2! We are still running our Match Day Dining competition. A draw will take place at several home games and the winner will receive a dining package for 2 people! The price to enter is just £10 for the whole season! Visit our website to enter or come see us on a match day. Pre-loved We are appealing for donations of rugby merchandise including rugby shirts, polo tops, t-shirts, coats, hoodies etc as our stocks are running very low! If you have any pre-loved items that you would like to go to a new home, please contact us or bring to one of our stalls on a match day. Many thanks as always for your support.

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Maureen’s Finance Current balance £10,834, this includes a grant of £3,500 from CFFC for the 150 years Commemoration Film.

A message from our Chair - David Durbin Despite the disappointing end what a great season we have had! A massive thank you to Simon and all the lads for giving us some of the best rugby that has been played for a long time. Entertaining, quick and full hearted is all that you want from your team and this was delivered in bucket loads. No wonder Simon was nominated for coach of the season and Joe Keyes for the player award as this was thoroughly deserved. The start of the new season can’t come quickly enough for me and more of the same style will I’m sure take us that step further. Bring in on!! Your Trust Board are now in the planning stage for next year with an updated website in terms of merchandise, and of course you will still be able renew your memberships through it which runs out at the end of December. We will still be in attendance on home match days and if you have any pre-loved or unwanted shirts/shorts or any other rugby merchandise to donate please contact any Board members or myself on 07790 852196 and we will be happy to collect them from you. This has been a very successful way of raising funds for the Club which I hope you still feel able to support. If you have any ideas on other fundraising opportunities, please do not hesitate to contact us. The season might be over but we are still working on behalf of you and the club. David (faxmad@aol.com)

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Panthers Wheelchair Grand final winners!!! Halifax Panthers wheelchair rugby league club were classed as the underdogs in the games Grand Final. Leeds finished top of the domestic league having lost only once, that loss was in fact to Halifax at the beginning of the season when they were short of several internationals. Both sides were at full strength and it was Fax who won the archetypical game of two halves going in at half time 36-16 ahead. Leeds however came out and clearly had a different game plan with accurate out of hand kicking to turn the Panthers around time and time again, plus scoring back to back converted tries to claw their way back to 36-28. Fax pulled away again on their rare time in the Leeds half, 42 – 28. However, with 8 minutes to go it was 42-42. Rob Hawkins, who in his early days was a Shay ball-boy, scored twice and converted one for the Panthers to lead 52-42. With two minutes to go Leeds squeezed in for converted try and were now 4 points behind 52 -48. Halifax however held out and went wild with their celebrations in front of the Sky and BBC sports cameras. Now these players will be mostly on the same team as the World Cup starts for them on 1st November. All games being televised. We would love to see some of you at our games next season – Kind regards – Malcolm Kielty

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Panthers’ Community Update from Kara Colvin This month the community panthers have been; • Coaching in 3 different primary schools, active lunch times as well as after school clubs, securing some of the primary schools from the last academic year and now having two new schools on board with the programmes. • Coaching in 4 high schools, after school clubs only at the minute with a view to join in with the pe curriculum next year and coach within the pe sessions for all years. • Meetings and discussions have been had with Bradford girls’ grammar to coach their newly formed tag team – who will compete in games against other schools, branching out of Calderdale but the need and want is there so I’m on it. • Several primary schools are already on board for the shay show down tournament to happen next year so the planning is in progress now to have all the primary schools wanting to compete at Calderdale college for a huge tournament next year. • Community club coaching from panthers is still ongoing, with more community clubs asking for a panther presence which is amazing. • The last game for the men’s team at the shay proved a huge success with engagement with community clubs as we saw the biggest gathering from them – 498 people bought tickets for the game from community clubs alone! • The men’s and women’s academies have had their first games of the season and both came home with wins, the women’s academy has boosted its numbers and has a player chosen for the England DiCE pathway. • Work continues for the world cup game being held at the shay in the next coming week. • The end of October sees another try high camp – alongside Calder community squash and Invictus well being the panthers will be there once again. • Several different projects are awaiting funding, but funding has been received to run a healthy eating and rugby 40 week programme for not so affluent areas of Calderdale so this is now going to start taking place. • Violence reduction unit across Yorkshire are willing to work with panthers in the upcoming months so watch this space!! • The world cup trophies will be at the piece hall on the Friday before the shay host the world cup warm up game – alongside the Tongan player, French players, Halifax men’s, women’s, wheelchair and academy teams. • Name the mascot is going to get underway in schools this month to name our mascots and spread the panther brand. Kind Regards, Kara Colvin 07309782215 Community Development and Engagement Manager – Community Panthers CIC

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Maureen’s Finance Bank Balance as of 4th October is £10,675