Dealing with drug issues before they become an issue
The Yorkshire Band of Hope Union is a charity founded in 1865, specialising in alcohol and drug awareness and are based in Huddersfield West Yorkshire.
The first Band of Hope was founded in Leeds 1847 by Mrs Ann Jane Carlile, a 72-year-old Irish Christian and a young minister named Jabez Tunniclif. Band of Hope was one of the great Victorian and Edwardian children’s movements. Millions of children belonged to the Band of Hope groups which met in churches throughout the United Kingdom.
Rev Jabez and Mrs Ann Jane
Band of Hope Leeds
Eight years later a national organisation UK Band of Hope (now called Hope UK) was formed amidst an explosion of Band of Hope work. Christians saw this as a way of providing activities for children that encouraged them to avoid alcohol problems and included Christian teaching. Fifty years later the movement had regular contact with ten per cent of the total population, the majority being children. There were over 10,000 weekly Band of Hope meetings. A school lecture service was provided in many parts of the country and teaching aids printed for Sunday Schools. Queen Victoria was Patron of the Band of Hope Union’s Golden Jubilee in 1897.
Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee 1897 Temperance Band Of Hope Coin
The Huddersfield Centenary Pageant Parade Saturday 22 June 1968. Band of Hope Rawthorpe children.
Today the Yorkshire Band of Hope Union is still going and is looking forward to the future. Times may have changed but the need is still the same to educate about the dangers of substance misuse. We are passionate that children and young people are given as much information in order for them to make informed choices as they grow up.
We work across the Yorkshire region and sometimes further afield. Our educators are trained to run interactive alcohol and drugs sessions in primary and high schools, youth and children clubs. We also run courses for professionals, parents/carers and adult clubs and groups.
The Yorkshire Band of Hope Union have a Christian ethos and foundation, we work with people of all faiths, belief and ethnic backgrounds. Our aim is to educate children and young people and help them to be able to make good life choices that enable them to grow into caring and capable adults? Not to promote our faith.
