Santa visits Mirfield Library and Norristhorpe School in charity Christmas film

The Kirklees Council annual charity Christmas film follows Santa’s journey to save Christmas.

His mission can’t be completed without the help of the Holme Valley Mountain Rescue Team (HVMRT) and a range of council workers.

The video aims to raise money for this year’s mayor's charity, HVMRT, and its volunteers have a starring role in the festive film.

Mayor of Kirklees, Coun Nigel Patrick said: “This year’s film from the council aims to spread some festive cheer and raise money for Holme Valley Mountain Rescue, this year’s mayor’s charity.

"The film demonstrates how everyone can be a hero and how little acts of kindness can make a big difference.

"I’d like to thank the volunteers at Mountain Rescue, Eorl Crabtree and the council workers who got involved in the film for being good sports.

"I hope that if you enjoy the film, you might take a moment to donate to the rescue team so they can continue to help people and save lives across Kirklees, parts of south Leeds, and Wakefield.”

HVMRT has seen its busiest year to date with more than 80 call-outs so far. It has more than 50 members who are on call to assist those in difficulty, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, whatever the weather.

The team’s main role is to search and rescue, but its specialist equipment and skills are often needed elsewhere like on missing person searches, particularly involving the elderly, vulnerable and children.

The team is also regularly called in by Yorkshire Ambulance Service to help in remote or difficult to access areas.

The team relies almost totally on donations and is run by volunteers. All rescue equipment, supplies, utilities, fuel, maintenance of rescue vehicles and training is funded through donations.

It is in recognition of this important work that the mayor has chosen HVMRT to be this year’s charity.

Owen Phillips and Kayleigh Gunner, team and deputy team leader of HVMRT said: "Throughout the trials that Covid-19 has dealt us, we are immensely proud of how the team has risen to the challenge and helped record numbers of people as the public took to the countryside in force throughout the lockdown.

"We couldn’t do this without the generosity of the public.

"We are hugely grateful to the Mayor of Kirklees for making us his chosen charity and would like to thank everyone who has donated this year to help us keep on doing what we do.

"Despite the hard work, beyond our professional services, we always try and maintain good team spirits and plenty of humour, so helping to make this video was a fun distraction at the end of a tough year.”

The film features frontline Kirklees Council staff in the cleansing, libraries, highways and respite teams, along with staff from Norristhorpe Junior and Infant School.

Ex Huddersfield Giant, Eorl Crabtree, also makes a star turn as narrator.

AlfaTech MOT and Testing Centre and Orange Design Studio also make an appearance alongside local people.