Nicolas Worsnop is a Partner with Chadwick Lawrence LLP Solicitors, specialising in Dispute Resolution. He was instrumental in founding Business for Calderdale, which was a Chadwick Lawrence concept, established in February 2008, and took over as Chair in September 2010.
Nick has lived in Halifax since he was 14, and attended Crossley Heath school. He joined Chadwick Lawrence straight from Law College in 1992, and, whilst the firm has several offices across West Yorkshire, Nick has always been based at the firm’s Halifax office.
Nick has a keen interest and affinity in matters affecting Calderdale. As well as his involvement in Business for Calderdale, he is a board member of Action Halifax, Marketing Calderdale, Northern Orchestral Enterprises, and The Square Chapel.
Nick has three children and lives in Holmfield.

Born in 1943 I attended two schools and infact disliked both of them. I started working for Dews Garages Limited, founded by my Grandfather in 1910, in 1957. Every Saturday morning and all of my school holidays, I worked in the engine reconditioning shop. I started a full apprenticeship on my 16th birthday, whilst also attending Huddersfield Technical College Motor Technicians course in which I loved and excelled, and completed my apprenticeship. I attended a three year Dealer course at Vauxhall Motors Luton, which I condensed into 16 months, additionally I attended Luton Technical college for further courses in Accountancy.I returned to our family business in Halifax in 1966, and started as a Car and Van Salesman; during which time I travelled London and the surrounding areas and sold fleets of Cars to customers including Shell, Parker Pen, and other such companies and Trucks to the BBC, TTT Tarmac, Brook Bond, Danish Bacon and many more. Whilst selling in London I set up a lease/Contract Hire deal with a large American Company, which was at the forefront of Contract Leasing, I think this was the start of Contract hire on a general basis in the motor trade. I was made an Executive Company Director in 1967.I was made General Director and Sales Director in 1969, and promoted to Joint Managing Director in 1986. I was made Chairman & Managing Director of Ernest Dews Limited in 1989, made Chairman & Managing Director of Dews Garages Limited in 1998. I amalgamated both Companies in March 1999, and was made Chairman & Managing Director of the Amalgamated Companies 1999. In 2007 I was joined by my son Craig, who had been working in London as a business consultant for P.A Consulting and because our shareholders were spread across the globe, we carried out an MBO and took complete control of the Company, which is now owned by me and my wife, and son and two daughters. We continue to strive and succeed, and I still thrive with the pressure and pleasure of everyday business trials.Over the years my hobbies have involved playing rugby for the Old Brodlians, racing single seater race cars in Hill climb, Sprint and short circuit, motor bike trials riding, Cross country horse events, and I was more than a reasonable water-skier from being 18 to 55 years of age. Today the aches and pains have taken over, and I play the occasional game of golf when I have the time, I am a very lucky guy.

Simon Walton is the tax Director of Riley & Co Chartered Accountants in Halifax.
He is a qualified Chartered Accountant and has extensive experience within the tax environment, having started his career working for the Inland Revenue.
Simon sits on the regional Working Together Initiative panel, which is a consultation forum between the Inland Revenue and tax professionals. He is married to Gemma and has two daughters, Megan and Harriet. His passion is following his beloved Accrington Stanley football club.

Helen Oldham has become the first female Managing Director of the Halifax Courier Ltd. She began her career in newspapers in 1986 in the advertising department at Ackrill Media Group, Harrogate, and comes to Calderdale having been at the helm of Wakefield Express Newspapers for the last four years and at the Burnley Express for two years prior to that.
Helen’s new role places her in charge of the Evening Courier and weekly titles the Brighouse Echo, Hebden Bridge Times and Todmorden News. Helen is really looking forward to working with the team at the Halifax Courier who have generated some great sales figures. Clearly there are challenges ahead due to the economic climate, but she’s confident that given the long tradition of the Courier and the talented people who work there, they will come through it. Calderdale faces challenges too, but there are some great initiatives under way to take the district forward, and she is really looking forward to getting involved. Helen, 44, lives with her 13-year-old daughter, Cleo.

Since 1985, Steve has devoted most of his working life in the voluntary and community sector in Bradford, Kirklees and since 1989, in Calderdale.
After cutting his teeth as a youth & community worker on Holmewood Council Estate and Woodside/Buttershaw Council Estates in Bradford, Steve moved to Halifax. Following a period as a voluntary detached street youth worker, he secured a post as a children and young people’s project worker at St George’s Church Lee Mount, Halifax. During the two years at St George’s, the project achieved outstanding results with the young people, and featured on an ITV programme as part of a live Church Service broadcast.
Following a couple of years in North Kirklees on the Fieldhead Council Estate as a Community centre Manager/youth worker, Steve was successful in applying for a Development Officer role in January 2000 at the Community Foundation for Calderdale – an independent grant making charity. Within 18 months he had secured a major Government grant making programme, that more than quadrupled grant making and staff numbers. This was recognised with a promotion to Assistant Director in 2001, and then to Chief Executive Officer in October 2004. In that time the Foundation’s invested funds have nearly trebled, and has maintained IIP and a Charity Commission recognised quality mark. Out of 58 community foundations in the UK, Calderdale has never been out of the top ten achievers.
In November 2008 Steve accepted the title – Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire.

Mike graduated from the University of Huddersfield with a degree in Business Studies, and joined the Leeds office of the largest commercial insurance broker in the world as a graduate trainee.
After two years he moved to a large independent broker in North Yorkshire, before joining Wilby Ltd in 2003 as an Associate Director, being promoted to the board as a full director after 6 months.
An Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute and a Chartered Insurance Broker, Mike is responsible for all areas of business development, marketing and running the busy schemes division at Wilby, as well as acting as account director on a number of larger and more complex clients.
Although he lives in Leeds, Mike has strong links to Calderdale, as his mother’s side of the family all hail from Northowram, and he has served on the development committee for the Community Foundation for Calderdale for a number of years. He is married to Joanne and they have three boys, Rowan, Harry and Thomas, and when not working or acting as Dad’s taxi, he enjoys a social round or two of golf.

Born in the Netherlands, and after finishing his education, Wim got involved with the caravan industry and successfully developed two caravan retail centre’s with his brother.
After moving to England in the early 1980’s, Wim founded BCA Leisure Ltd, which was based in Mytholmroyd for 20 years and moved to Elland in 2003. BCA Leisure Ltd supplies caravan manufacturing plants and employs some 120 staff.
He has also other business interests mainly in the Halifax area. Wim lives in Heptonstall with his wife Teresa and their 3 children Harrison, Claudia and William. Besides work, Wim’s hobbies are sailing, badminton and cars, and he considers himself very lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world with wonderful friendly people surrounding him.