BRONTË Society president Bonnie Greer’s latest efforts to improve links with the Haworth community have been welcomed by the parish council chairman.

Cllr John Huxley said he hoped the moves would benefit both the Brontë Parsonage Museum – which the society runs – and other organisations in the village.

He welcomed Ms Greer’s call for Haworth residents who were members of the Brontë Society to stand for voluntary posts on its ruling council.

He said: “I applaud the society for opening doors to that sort of opportunity. I know there are people in the village who are interested in the Brontës.”

Ms Greer had invited nominations for council vacancies from people with skills in tourism/visitor attractions, press/journalism/marketing, IT/digital technology, and publishing.

Cllr Huxley said: “There are people in the village who possess those skills. There’s no reason why they can’t join.

“I welcome that the Brontë Society recognises the local community has a part to play in maintaining the Brontë heritage.”

Cllr Huxley was delighted that museum’s new operations manager was actively recruiting local people for a committee which would organise events to celebrate the 200th anniversaries of the Brontë sisters’ births.

He was also pleased that museum representatives were again attending tourism group Brontë Partnership. He said their expertise would be invaluable on other committees discussing Haworth issues.

He added: “That’s the sort of thing we want – to see the Brontë Society branching out.”

Ms Greer made her rallying call to Haworth residents in a New Year address to members following a difficult year for the society, which saw wrangles over the organisation’s future direction and departures of leading figures.

She told members: “We must bring our membership age down in order to ensure that our beloved Society and Museum continue into the 21st century.”