TOP television creator, writer, producer and director Sally Wainwright is to be made an Honorary Freewoman of Calderdale.

Councillors gave enthusiastic support to the proposal, recognising the impact setting much of her work in the borough is having on promoting Calderdale with tangible effects on the economy, which was made by Chief Executive of Calderdale Council, Robin Tuddenham.

Leader of the Council, Coun Tim Swift (Lab, Town), told this week’s full meeting of the council that since 2012 a series of dramas Sally had written had provided a real platform for Calderdale across the nation’s television screens.

These include Last Tango In Halifax, Happy Valley and most recently Gentleman Jack, the BCC/HBO series based on the life of 19th century lesbian landowner, businesswoman and diarist Anne Lister, which has taken things to a new level.

Coun Swift said of Sally: “It’s really wonderful someone with her track record and reputation is keen to use Calderdale as a base for so many of her television dramas.

“Gentleman Jack in particular has had a real international impact.”

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Coun Swift said this was demonstrated by figures showing 2,500 people visited Anne’s historic Shidben Hall home in Halifax in August 2018 – when the drama was screened this summer, 14,500 people visited in August 2019.

These sort of numbers were now impacting on the wider Calderdale economy as well, he said.

Sally herself has said the impact of the show on lesbian women had been incredible and Coun Swift said the council had recently been contacted by an American journalist planning to write a short article for the New York Times.

But she had received so many responses from women in 30 countries that it was apparent the series’ effect had been worldwide.

Coun Swift said Last Tango, Happy Valley and Gentleman Jack all had very different themes.

“Yet all of them have been filmed and presented in a way that has been fantastic for Calderdale,” he said.

Councillors agreed and a ceremony including a formal address from Mayor of Calderdale Coun Dot Foster (Lab, Sowerby Bridge) will be held next year.

Mr Tuddenham had announced the proposal when Sally Wainwright appeared at Todmorden Book Festival recently and discussed the possibility with her.