Over six hundred guests attended Dewsbury Town Hall to launch a DVD promoting the ‘We Belong to Dewsbury and Proud of it’ message.

The DVD will now play a major part in winning the hearts and minds of local people and promote the positive sides of this great industrial town.

The DVD will encourage a debate and be used to promote Dewsbury. There has been too much negativity about Dewsbury in recent months. Belonging to Dewsbury set out to redress the balance. People attending have agreed the event went a long way in doing that.

The message at the event was clear and simple: Dewsbury is a great town to live and work.

Its people are tolerant and hard working and they live together in harmony, they are keen to get to know people from different communities and across different ages to make sure everyone feel fairly treated and included.

The event was formally opened by the Mayor of Kirklees Council, Cllr Karam Hussain, and Cllr Mehboob Khan Leader of Kirklees Council and Deputy Leader Cllr Kath Pinnock and Shahid Malik MP for Dewsbury were the main guest speakers.

Entertainment was be provided by Pulse Radio with a live cultural event on stage showing off the talent of groups in and around Dewsbury, with children enjoying a number of activities as well as having their faces painted.

Anayat Mohammad manager of the Community Cohesion team said, “The tremendous turnout to this event clearly shows that communities in Dewsbury are making every effort to say WE belong to Dewsbury.

"There was a great mix of people from different backgrounds, and ages all having a great time. The Belonging to Dewsbury campaign will continue to build on this positive attitude from the people of Dewsbury to ensure the community is one, and at ease with one another."

Members of the Kirklees Council Community Cohesion Team are supporting the campaign and have developed a ‘Belonging to Dewsbury Pledge’. Belonging to Dewsbury programme is to promote a shared sense of belonging and positive relations between Dewsbury residents from different neighbourhoods, while promoting its rich history and culture, its strong tradition and the diversity of its people.

"It promotes heritage/ faith groups and different social and cultural backgrounds where people respect and value each other. The campaign which is supported by ‘Dewsbury Area Committee’ is aimed at local people who live and work in the town, including individuals, organisations and services from a wide range of communities to promote a sense of belonging.

If you are interested in joining the Belonging to Dewsbury Steering Group, please contact the Community Cohesion Team on 01924 324561.