Kirkstall Matters Issue 117 by Kirkstall Matters

KM KIRKSTALL KIRKSTALLMATTERS MATTERSIssue Issue116 117Summer Winter 2014 2014

Also in this issue... P4 - New KM Editor Required P6 - Queenswood Drive Speeding P10 - Public Park & Visitor Centre P14 - Burley Rugby Report P16 - Rachel Reeves Kirkstall Diary

Reconstructing Kirkstall: New development for our area

2014/15 looks likely to go down in Kirkstall history as a year of redevelopment in the area. Following years of stalemate on projects such as Kirkstall Forge and the BHS site, it seems that work is finally kicking off !

On the other hand, readers may be dismayed (or elated) to hear that Tesco have officially announced that they will not be developing a new store on the Kirkstall District Centre site. This is not surprising news following their recent financial issues and bad press. Read more on this in the Chairman’s update on page 2/3

our small community of local shopkeepers on Commercial Road. The plans certainly seem to transform what is currently a drab concrete eyesore with modern, modestly sized architecture, albeit with little greenery.

Hopefully, by the time development is finished, the remaining units will have been snapped up and we won’t be left with a ‘ghost-town’ shopping park. It would be great if the letcost is not prohibitive, allowing independent businesses to move into or open business in the area, so that we have a mix of stores, rather than simply chains.

In this edition of Kirkstall Matters, we look at these plans and evaluate what impact they may have on our area. BHS Site Kirkstall residents will recently have noticed that BHS have now vacated the property and the signage has been pulled down. This site, to be named as Kirkstall Bridge Shopping Park was granted planning permission approved in 2011 to knock down the existing buildings and construct new commercial structures to house retail and food & drink outlets. Currently BHS and Arcadia (retailing as Outfit) are confirmed occupiers, with M&S Simply Food, Costa, Pets at Home and Pure Gym (yes another gym!) having exchanged contracts. There will also be 356 car parking spaces. This redevelopment, estimated to cost investors London Metric £12m, was largely welcomed by interested Kirkstall residents at planning stage and will hopefully bring a new lease of life to this dilapidated part of Kirkstall, along with bringing local jobs to the area. This could potentially attract more people to the Kirkstall area, hopefully also increasing business for

Kirkstall Forge The plans for Kirkstall Forge look to be very impressive, boasting that the mix of retail, commercial and residential properties will create a thriving community with access to excellent amenities and transport links to the city. In addition we are looking at almost 500 new affordable homes. Hopefully, this community will not be isolated from the rest of Kirkstall and will serve to benefit both the rest of the Kirkstall ward, bringing residents and business owners to explore what our local area has to offer. This development is expected to bring over 2000 jobs to the area, so if successful this could benefit the local economy enormously. There are concerns that if the area does not

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get buy in, we could be left with, to quote Joseph Sheerin from Leeds-List “...another underused modern eyesore, that aims to be all-inclusive, rather than exclusive towards certain aspects of residential and commercial developments. Do we need to guard against the Forge becoming Clarence Dock mark two?”

Morrisons Retail Park Extension The KVCA has had also had word that there have been plans submitted to extend the row of shops within the Morrisons site, currently containing Boots and Dunnes into the adjacent car park. Councillor John Illingworth notes that this may affect the linking public spaces proposal outlined on page 10. We don’t have any further information on this yet but will endeavour to keep readers updated. Derelict Shop Kirkstall Hill/Eden Drive Councillors John Illingworth and Fiona Venner have recently met the owner of the derelict shop on the corner of Kirkstall Hill/ Eden Drive with a Planning Compliance Officer, as this issue has frequently been raised by local residents. The owner would like to bring the building back into use (possibly as housing) and will be working closely with the council in the planning of this. He has also committed to removing the debris outside the shop and painting the outside of it white, to improve its appearance. With all this development, it looks like Kirkstall is set to become a thriving hub and ‘up and coming’ neighbourhood. But with the Kirkstall Bridge area already a high traffic area, it is clear that either infrastructure will need to be improved or risk greater congestion. Email us your views to: kirkstallmatters@gmail.com Read more views on this redevelopment in the Chairman’s Update and Rachel Reeves Diary >

Kirkstall Matters | KVCA Editor Jennifer Budd kirkstallmatters@gmail.com Kirkstall Matters, 78 Broom Mills Road, Farsley, Leeds, LS28 5GR The views expressed in Kirkstall Matters are those of the contributors and if not attributed to individuals, they are from the editorial team. They are not necessarily the views of the KVCA. Production Kirkstall Matters is the magazine of the Kirkstall Valley Community Association (registered charity number 507822). It is published by volunteers. For details and dates on the next issue please email the editor or check our website: www.kirkstall.org.uk.

We also publish articles and news items regularly on our website: www.kirkstall.org.uk, on Twitter @kirkstallonline and our Facebook page. Articles, reader’s letters, poems etc. are welcome. Our preferred format is plain text with separate high resolution images but we can accept other formats. Ideally please email your file as an attachment to the editor or deliver it on disk to our postal address. If you can’t provide your article in electronic form, you can give it to us typed or handwritten. Distribution Delivered through the doors of Kirkstall and beyond by members of the KVCA. If you can help distribute on your local street, please contact Jenny Budd via email at kirkstallmatters@gmail.com Printed by PPS Grasmere

Note from the Editor Dear Readers, Following a relatively uneventful first half of the year, it seems the rest of the year is set to see some exciting new development. The KVCA have also become aware of various new environmental initiatives being considered for the area, many of which we have reported in this issue. With all this new stuff going on, it makes it even harder for me to inform you that unfortunately I am looking to hand the magazine over to a new editor. I have now moved out of the area - to Farsley - but am hoping to find a new editor, or group of community minded people to take on the project over the next year. You can find out more about what is involved further inside this issue.

About the Association The KVCA was founded in 1978 with the aim of promoting and benefiting the inhabitants of Kirkstall and the neighbourhood. We are a non-party political, nonsecretarian and registered charity. KVCA is also responsible for organising events and activities, for example through the Kirkstall Festival Committee. We act as a pressure group and a watchdog on developments affecting Kirkstall, and campaign and cooperate on a number of issues with other local organisations.

From the Chairman The year has passed very quickly and already the nights are drawing in fast! I’m going to start this piece following on from the news on the front page about the developments in the area, and will follow on with more positive news. Development As you will have read on the front page, it has been confirmed that Tesco is no longer looking to develop the district centre site. Whether or not you were in favour of the Tesco development, I am sure we all agree that something absolutely has to be done with this site, right in the heart of our neighbourhood. Despite a number of attempts to develop the land first as a residential development and later through Tesco, nothing has been approved and the site has remained a derelict wasteland and we, the community, have to pay the price. For how much longer? How much longer must we sit and stare at this eyesore? The latest ideas are coming full circle back to making a residential development. I seem to recall this was proposed once already and also failed. The fear we all have is that Tesco will simply landbank the site for another ten years, or will try to get planning permission (for something they have already said they

How to Join Joining the association is simple. The quickest way to join is through our website www.kirkstall.org.uk and click “Join the KVCA”, or you can fill in and return the form opposite.

Please get in touch. It would be a great shame if this excellent community information tool was to disappear.

Keep in touch: www.kirkstall.org.uk

@kirkstallonline

Finally, I wanted to extend a warm thank you to Ray Bapty for your kind Festival donation. I have only just picked up my post from my old property.

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- Jenny

KVCA Update

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KVCA | Kirkstall Matters are not going to build!) in order to push the value of the site up. The net effect? Even less chance that the site will be developed anytime soon. It is absolutely the priority now that Leeds City Council wrestle this land off Tesco and the site is brought back into use and I will be writing to all of our local councillors and MP to this effect. We deserve better as a community and I would urge you to write to them too. You will have noticed that the boarding has gone up around BHS (did you notice the old Allders signage revealed when BHS vacated?) which has now started its redevelopment over the next 12 months. This will be good for jobs in the local area (although it would be interesting to see the net difference to what was there already as BHS). However, the traffic situation as it is around that area is already critical and there is a serious risk that the development will cause the entire traffic system to grind to a halt. Speaking of Morrisons, they are looking to develop two more stores on the site. I urge you to go onto the Leeds City Council planning website and read the document associated. The traffic survey on the impact of the proposal (yes, you’ve guessed it, even more traffic) is a complete fantasy. Let us not forget that he traffic surveys for new developments are done (you guessed it) by the development company themselves. I’m also pleased to also hear that the new station at Kirkstall Forge is finally starting development and you will see some more movement around that site in the coming weeks.

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Community First Funding The Community First funding programme has now ended, and over the past four years the Kirkstall Community First panel has donated nearly £70,000 to local groups and activities in the neighbourhood. Given that it is typically match-funded by volunteer time, that’s an awful lot of volunteer hours going into our community, which makes all of our lives better, and I want to thank all the groups who have put time into their projects. Kirkstall Festival 2014 Kirkstall Festival was once again a marvellous day, I hope you were able to come down? The theme was “Le Grand Festival de Kirkstall” in the spirit of the Tour de France fever that swept Leeds just a week before the festival. It was my first year as chairing the festival, and thanks to our excellent committee (and great support by the abbey and parks staff) we welcomed over twenty thousand people throughout the day. Sadly however, there was one person who couldn’t make it. John Liversedge broke his leg the evening before the festival, and was in hospital over the whole weekend. I’m sure you know John as the previous chair and the main force behind ensuring Kirkstall Festival continued over the last 15 years. He’s up and about now after a serious operation to fix himself up, but the true irony is that John was due to take the role as safety officer on festival day…. We also partnered with Sneaky Experience to put on a film on the Friday evening, Monty Python and The Holy Grail which was a great evening, even if it did mean we got fewer hours sleep before the Saturday.

Bernard Atha, who stepped down as councillor at the last election after many, many years serving Kirkstall, opened the festival and cut the ribbon for our new “pétanque terrain” (French boules court) by the bowling green at Kirkstall Abbey which members of the committee and Leeds pétanque Club have tirelessly built in the run-up. This court will be maintained for the future so we hope you can get down and have some games! I must mention Roger Moran in particular who, rain or shine, did a huge amount of work on the site to ensure it was finished in time. Community Activity I’ve had a lot (and I do mean a lot) of comments about Kirkstall seeming to be a real centre of community activity, and we really do have a lot of great groups in the area, and more and more people coming forward to get involved in something they’re interested in. There are too many to mention right now (check out www.kirkstall. org.uk for more info about all the groups) but in particular I’m very impressed with St Stephen’s Well Garden which seems to have achieved so much in the last few months with very motivated and energetic volunteers from the neighbourhood. I’m confident that anything that you’d like to do will have a group in the area, so please, please get involved with one of them, it’s a great hobby (and that’s how I started!). As I have said previously, if every gave up two hours in their year, imagine what we could achieve. That’s your #2HourChallenge for 2015. Si x

Would you like to help with Kirkstall Festival? Would you like to get involved in Kirkstall Matters or Kirkstall Online? Could you help deliver Kirkstall Matters on your street?

Phone: Email: Hobbies:

Membership is FREE and includes delivery of Kirkstall Matters within the local area.

Post To: KVCA Treasurer, 18 The Rise, Leeds. LS5 3EP

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Kirkstall Matters | News

Could You be the Next KM Editor? After over two eventful years bringing you news, opinion and events from all over our local area and due to having moved to another area of Leeds and taking on a variety of career related commitments, I am regrettably hanging up my boots as editor of Kirkstall Matters magazine.

• • •

I really have had a great time putting my own stamp on the magazine and honing my skills, but now I feel it is time to let someone else give it a go.

•

We have a wonderful team of local residents that regularly submit articles, from Jill Stocks our enigmatic sports reporter to John Battle, historian extraordinare, as well as local community groups and clubs! This, coupled with the new slimmed-down format you receive today, means that putting together the magazine is not an onerous task. The role of editor I have provided an outline of what I do to help give interested readers an indication of what is involved in being the editor: • Co-ordinate the contributors to send articles.

•

Research and copywrite articles. Attend local events. Upload submitted articles and personally written articles to Kirkstall Online website. Design the magazine using a software of your choice - I use Adobe InDesign, but there are other options out there such as Microsoft Publisher. Organise print run with a local printer.

However, it should be noted that this is just how I do it - the new editor would have control over what they think they need to do in order to continue to bring this magazine to the people of Kirkstall. A certain amount of computer knowledge is required such as uploading content to the website and being able to create a document able to be printed professionally, however these are easy skills to learn and I am happy to teach the succeeding editor all they need to know. Benefits of being editor There were many reasons why I took on the editorial role, nearly two and a half years ago. The main reason was that I wanted to

do something where I could use my graphic design skills and could get involved in what was going on locally. The magazine provided an excellent opportunity to really get to know what Kirkstall (a new area for me) was all about and help to make a difference. In addition, I was looking at increasing my career aspirations and developing some of my skills. The magazine provided a fantastic platform to practice copywriting, hone my organisational skills and it ultimately assisted in demonstrating to prospective employers that I had interests outside of work, was community minded and had leadership aptitude. I point this out because being a part of something like this can be significant for jobseekers out there, old or young, who are looking to increase their employment potential and bulk up their CV’s. If you are interested helping to continue this magazine - which is a 30 year tradition in Kirkstall - please contact me on 07800 794036 or email kirkstallmatters@gmail.com •

Jenny Budd

Join the new Friends of Becketts Park Group Becketts Park is the largest green space serving the Headingley area and is well used for leisure, sport and play and also for parking for various events. There have been many concerns and suggestions for improvements regarding Becketts Park over the last few years. When visiting other parks in the area we see that they have more facilities than we enjoy on Becketts Park, and that they also have a “Friends of … Park”. We feel that it’s time for Becketts Park to have its own “Friends”. There are many people who already pick litter and try to keep the park looking at its best. This does not go unnoticed and is appreciated.

Becketts Park” and is looking for people to join the group. Cllr Sue Bentley has recently written to say that funding has been identified which is time limited and needs to be spent quickly. Weetwood councillors wish to protect the park by improving the perimeter fencing (protection from eg Traveller encampments) and at the same time add some other facilities such as new benches, bins, signage and the installation of adult fitness equipment.

If you would like to become involved and have a say in how Becketts Park develops in the future then please email Margaret at friendsofbeckettspark@gmail.com. Margaret is in the process of setting up “Friends of

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News | Kirkstall Matters

Martial Arts Another article from our resident wordsmith Ewan Povey. This time his exploration of the local area and extensive general knowledge leads him to the little known range of Martial Arts on offer in Kirkstall.

A few months back I was planning an article about fitness opportunities locally in Kirkstall. I was planning on attending classes to help get my blood pressure down and to have some experiences to write about. This all got stalled when the cardiologist told me to take it easy while they were running various tests. All was forgotten until I was recently trying to explain the counter intuitive principles of the ‘Internal Martial Arts,’ to a colleague in the Oxfam Bookshop. Specifically, I was trying to explain how one person could defeat two people who were trying with all their might to grapple him to the ground by ‘yielding to pressure.’ What errant nonsense is this? You win by giving in? Not exactly. Imagine if you were leaning on a tree. What would happen if tree yielded to you and moved aside? You would fall over right? Now imagine you were trying with all your might to push the tree over and it suddenly gave in but twisted to the right a little at the same time as ‘giving you a helping hand,’ with one of its branches to get you to your apparent destination on the other side of it. The tree has done nothing but help you in your apparent desire, while you in fact have gone head over heels and landed on your back with a bump and it is your own strength and aggression that has taken you there. Now it takes some training to do such things, but this illustrates on a very simple level the logic involved. In order to do such things much of the training focuses on one’s state of mind in a conflict situation, on one’s core strength, suppleness and footwork and on the subtle energies of breath, blood and mind.

these ideas by all us little people in these difficult times. What I have described here is so elementary that you would find such practices in most martial arts, Internal or External. Suffice to say that in the Internal Martial Arts the emphasis is on this kind of thing to a very deep level even if there is a fair amount of punching and kicking. Indeed one can yield in such a way to place someone’s groin with the full weight of their body onto ones knee quite effectively. Sometimes, in the hands of an experienced practitioner, one is simply brought to the ground effortlessly through their deep understanding of psychologokinetics (if one wants to call it that) They simply know how other people’s BODIES THINK AND MOVE and can bring you to ground with one finger, even though they are a 60 year old woman of 5 feet and you are an 18 stone 6 foot man. (apologies for simplistic binaries, but just to illustrate). Now here my research from some months back comes in useful. I know that there are at least two different martial arts organisations teaching in Kirkstall (I would say that what they teach constitutes internal martial arts, though they may beg to differ.) leeds-central-aikido.org.uk teach classes at Kirkstall Leisure Centre. Seniors- Tuesday 20.30 - 22.15 Tykes Saturday 9.00 - 10.00, Juniors Saturday 10.00 -11.30, Seniors 11.30 - 13.00. www.taichileeds.com or Yiheyuan Martial Arts teach at St Stephens Church Hall, Norman Street LS5 3JN, £5 pay as you go. All levels, beginners especially welcome. Primarily Tai Chi but other disciplines such as Qi Gong and meditation are taught along side. Why not drop in for a class and see where The Way of the Warrior takes you, what ever your age or fitness level! •

Ewan Povey

The masters can do some freaky stuff that needs to be experienced at the sharp end to be believed. I do think however that there is much on a theoretical level to be learnt from

Tackling Speeding on Queenswood Drive In July the three Kirkstall councillors, Lucinda Yeadon, John Illingworth and Fiona Venner, held a public meeting at the Queenswood Social Club about driving and parking issues in the Queenswood Drive area. The meeting agreed that the number one priority was the issue of speeding on Queenswood Drive. The last surveys, undertaken in 2011, showed that the average speed on Queenswood Drive is 28 miles per hour. Most people drive sensibly, but a significant number of people are driving at over 30, 40, 50 and even 60 miles per hour. Surveys will take place in the autumn of 2014. For a 7 day period, 24 hours per day, tubes across Queenswood Drive will monitor speed. When we get the results of the surveys, we will have an idea of the way forward. This may be engineering solutions, like more traffic calming, or reducing the speed limit from 30 mph to 20mph. However, the meeting was in favour of retaining the 30mph limit, but better enforcing it The meeting also discussed the issue of problems with parking on Queenswood Road, due to university staff and students parking there. A survey of parked cars will be undertaken, with a view to considering a residents’ parking scheme. We further agreed to investigate the possibility of a residents’ parking scheme for residents of Queenswood Rise, Court and Heights. This will help combat the problem of match day parking at Headingley. The meeting also agreed the following actions: • •

The next stage will to undertake the surveys in the autumn. We will be touch with local residents after we get the results, to discuss them and agree a way forward. •

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To request an elderly people crossing sign for the Queenswood Court area of Queenswood Drive. To investigate the possibility of a crossing at the top end of Queenswood Drive.

Councillor Fiona Venner

Kirkstall Matters | News

Life in Leeds - Past and Present A social science fair Ever wondered what social scientists do? What to find out about research into life in Leeds, and to add your stories and experiences? Come and discover the social sciences in fun and interactive ways with Leeds Beckett University at Armley Mills Industrial Museum. Discussions and debates, films, quizzes, prize draws, freebies and lots more!

Armley Mills Industrial Museum Wednesday 5th November 10.30 - 2.30

For further information and the full programme: www.leedspastpresent.eventbrite.co.uk www.facebook.com/events/1549726418580823/

MICE Money Councillors have a small fund we can use to support local groups called MICE (Member Involvement in Community Engagement). Groups we have supported include Kirkstall Educational Cricket Club, Hawksworth Wood, Gilbert and Sandford, Burley Top and Spen Hill Residents’ Association, allotments and city wide services, the Samaritans and Nightline. We usually give grants of £150-£300. If you are involved with a group which benefits Kirkstall residents and would like to apply for MICE money, please contact Councillor Lucinda Yeadon on lucinda.yeadon@ leeds.gov.uk •

Opening times: Monday closed all day except Bank Holidays Tues to Friday 10am - 5pm, Saturday 12noon - 5pm, Sunday 10am - 5pm Admission charges: Adult £4 Adult Concession/Leeds card £3.20 Leeds card extra £2.40 Child £2 Child with Breeze card £1.60 Family ticket £8.40 Family ticket with Leeds card £6.70 The Gate House: Licensed restaurant / café (accessible without museum entry).

Councillor Fiona Venner

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Opening Times: 11am - 3pm Tues-Sun Closed Mondays except Bank Holiday Mondays Admission free. Tel. 0113 2305492

Kirkstall Abbey | Kirkstall Matters Winter is always an exciting time here at the Abbey. The ruins look dark and foreboding, perfect for crisp walks and dramatic photography, particularly if we get a dusting of snow. We are looking forward to the Heritage Singers coming back to perform their annual festive concert on the 14 December which is always one of the highlights of my year, I just need to remember to wear thermals that day as the church is freezing in December! We are also welcoming lots of local schools who are braving the cold to learn about the history of the abbey, at least they get to wrap up warm unlike the monks who got just 15 minutes a day by the fire in Winter. In contrast Abbey House is warm and cosy with the smells of hot chocolate wafting in from the café. We are preparing to sprinkle the streets with Christmas magic as our elves prepare the grotto for Santa which is always lots of fun. Preparations for next year’s exhibition ‘How do I Look?’ are well under way and the curatorial team are searching our collections for wigs and whiskers, make-up and moustaches. We have a new member of the team here, whose role is to engage with our local community, his name is Patrick Bourne and he is our Assistant Community Curator. I am sure you will be hearing much more from him in the future. One of Patrick’s first jobs is to consult on an excellent suggestion from one of our regular visitors to set up an afternoon club for older visitors at the abbey. If you would like to talk to Patrick about this or other ideas you have for community projects please contact him on 0113 230 5492/07712 214269 or at patrick.bourne@leeds.gov.uk •

Sarah Allen

Abbey Christmas! Kirkstall Abbey House Museum Santa’s Grotto Saturday 6, 13 & 20 December 2-4pm Sunday 7, 14 & 21 December 10-12 & 2-4pm Friday 19, Tuesday 23 December 10-12 & 2-4pm Wednesday 24 December 10-12noon Visit Father Christmas in his magical candy cottage grotto, write him a letter, decorate a Christmas ornament and have a go at our Christmas trail and counting competition. No booking necessary. Normal admission applies. NB. Grotto price not included in admission: £4.00 per child (includes a present). Santa for children with additional needs Saturday 13 December 10-11.30am

Kirkstall Abbey The 12 Monks of Christmas Friday 12- Wednesday 24 December 10am-3pm A fun family trail around the Abbey looking for our 12 monks of Christmas. Each life size monk will display a different character from the Christmas Story designed by local children. Find the monks and answer the questions to win a prize. Carols with the Heritage Singers Sunday 14 December 2-3pm The Heritage Singers return for their popular festive concert. Weather permitting this concert takes place outside in the church. Please wrap up warm and wear sensible footwear. Hot chocolate and mulled wine will be available to purchase in the Visitor Centre. Don’t forget to check out our new shop in the Kirkstall Abbey Visitor Centre for a wide selection of festive gift ideas.

A relaxed session for children who may find a trip to see Santa a little overwhelming. Santa’s elves will be around to help children with craft activities and Santa will be in our Victorian Streets so children can choose how and when to approach him. This session is free but booking is essential so we can ensure it does not become too crowded. Please contact Sarah Allen for more details or to book a place. Tel: 0113 230549 email:sarah.allen@leeds.gov.uk Horsforth Methodist Choir Saturday 13 December 2-3pm Horsforth Methodist Choir return by popular demand to sing Christmas Carols in our seasonably decorated streets. Normal admission applies. Mini Elves Fri 19 & Tues 23 December, 10 –12 & 2 - 4pm. Festive fun, music and games for the under 5s and their carers.

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Kirkstall Matters | News

Public Healing Garden Project A group of Kirkstall residents are proposing to create a “Public Healing Garden” in the walled garden on the grounds of Kirkstall Abbey. In this edition of KM we bring you a short overview of what the space is intended to achieve and how it will benefit you, Kirkstall’s residents. It is intended that this garden will be a place where visitors can meet other people, relax, look after plants, exchange knowledge and experience on beneficial herbs, flowers and trees, on nutritious food and body’s health, and become part of a group committed to learning together over time. Chiara Tornaghi who is involved in the project said the space is intended to “...build awareness on how much knowledge there is across society that we can share, in relation to health, plants and food.” Although it will be a place open and welcome to be enjoyed by all, it would be designed in mind for the particular needs of neo-mums and pregnant women: a place that is safe for children, comfortable for sitting and breastfeeding, suitable for nappy change and pram accessible. Therefore, although it is an outdoor space, it would also need to have sheltered areas. It would be accessible 24/7 (as the walled garden is now), but also enclosed, to give peace of mind to parents that their children wouldn’t run into any danger whilst parents are relaxing. In the proposals there would be 12 growing areas dedicated to different senses and healing properties. They are not relandscaping the site, but instead are retaining the historical stones and putting what is already there to better use, whilst improving the available facilities and plants. In the spirit of community accessibility and inclusivity, everyone will be able to access the garden for free. Visitors could spend their time actively – for example gardening - rather than passively (as a consumer) as in many of the other leisure places around the city. Chiara highlighted that there is a particular need for something like this in our area: “Kirkstall doesn’t really have a square, and there are very few places where people can spend time which is not dedicated to consumption/to buy stuff, and we hope this will be a place where people can spend some quality time.” This project would make great use of what is a beautiful but little used space. As well as being a wonderful place to spend the day, there would be the added value of a the Gatehouse café and toilet facilities nearby, if visitors needed them and being close to other areas of beauty such as the Abbey, river and canal walks. The group is currently meeting once or twice a month to discuss the design of the garden. Everyone is welcome. Please get in touch with Chiara Tornaghi to get involved: chiara.tornaghi@gmail.com < Images: The garden as it is now

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History | Kirkstall Matters

Kirkstall Abbey & the Welfare Abbey The brilliantly successful Kirkstall “Farmers’ Market” held in the Cloisters of the Abbey brings back a flavour of the everyday trading bustle and wider community life of the original days of the medieval Cistercian monastery. Of course though, today, the market fits into the sheltered cloister perfectly. In the days of the monastery, the cloister was a private area confined to the monks and off limits to the general public. The market would be set up once a month all around the monastery but outside the walls. It was not only for local vendors and tradesmen, but a full blown medieval fair. Moreover, Merchants from Florence and Flanders attended to purchase wool from the Abbey’s great sheep farming granges. The Abbey was the community hub and also the centre of employment and social provision for the surrounding community. That work should provide payment in kind or provisions was a basic tenet built into the monastery foundations of the Middle Ages. It was there in the primary “Rule of Bendict” one of the founding Fathers of monasticism. Kirkstall Abbey took on labourers but included anyone unable to find employment or suffering from disabilities under a kind of “welfare to work scheme” for the whole local community. For 400 years the monasteries were the key to the economy of England. When they were expropriated and sold off between 1539 and 1547 over three quarters of a million pounds was raised for the Exchequer

from the sale, a huge amount of revenue added to the metals and wood requisitioned to contribute to building up the naval and military capacity of the King. The bells of Kirkstall Abbey ended up as cannon balls to be fired at the French. By 1536 at the time of their dissolution, the English monasteries, including Kirkstall, owned one third of all the land in England and most of it was used for productive farming. But the monasteries were also the local infirmaries for the neighbourhood, providing doctors, nurses, and even residential care of the elderly and destitute. Some of the monks travelled to universities and abroad for training and a few trained in medicine returning as monastery doctors. The monasteries provided education. They were responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of local infrastructure such as roads and bridges on their lands as well as the monastery buildings and so needed trained craftsmen such as masons and carpenters. They provided work on their estates and sheep farms and developed apprenticeships and training and work support programmes for those unable for one reason or another to get a job. Ten per cent of the annual income of the monastery was spent directly on charitable work in the community, caring for the sick, the old and the poor, providing basic food support to what were described as “victims of calamities”. No one was left to starve without some basic help. The monasteries were in effect the first “food banks”.

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The consequence of King Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries was to unleash a substantial number of wandering poor looking for work and sustenance. That basic 10% charity support (the first “social fund”) had disappeared. The wandering beggars were driven back to the new “parishes” under the new regime of Bishops. Local bishops were told to get parishioners to pay extra taxes to them to support the poor and were instructed to provide relief, but they did not have the resources of the monastery. They vehemently protested that locally they did not have the funds to support the returning poor in the face of new “poor laws” forcing the wandering “vagabonds” back to their local parishes and meagre “parish relief ” was no substitute for the universal “social security” of the Abbey. Nor was this shift in the medieval “welfare state “ unique to England. Notably Martin Luther (who had himself been a monk) recognising the great gap left by the dissolution of the monasteries proposed the setting up of a “common chest” to tackle poverty in every parish. But even he insisted that it should not be for “strangers from outside” the parish area because “many were cheats”. The dissolution of the monasteries led to a massive structural shift in both treatment and inclusion of the poor and attitudes to them. 500 years later that shift seems still reflected in public policy. •

John Battle

Kirkstall Matters | News

Public Park & Visitor Centre Councillor John Illingworth is putting together a proposal for a new public park and visitor centre in the Kirkstall Valley. In this issue of Kirkstall Matters we report on these proposals and outline what could happen should the proposals be approved.

Key to this proposal is ensuring that those less mobile members of our community are able to access and easily move around these spaces. The proposed active travel link that would run along the valley floor would be accessible by wheelchairs and mobility scooters, and to top it off, would be almost completely traffic-free.

Making open space accessible Just about a mile from Leeds City Centre are over 100 hectares of recreational open space which are accessible by some of the most deprived communities in Leeds. This area of woods, grass and water includes complex aquatic ecosystems and about 10 hectares of grade one agricultural land. It provides the residents that live in the surrounding communities opportunities for walking, cycling, running, canoeing, fishing, bird watching and a wide range of outdoor activities in what is a largely traffic-free environment.

The Route The proposed route encompasses already made and used paths, passing through the Kirkstall Valley Nature Reserve, and crossing the river via a proposed new footbridge at St Ann’s Mills. This bridge completes the original 1992 plan for the Kirkstall Valley Nature Reserve with a visitor centre at St Ann’s Mills. It is intended that the same building could provide a base for Leeds Canoe Club, and a new “Sustainability Centre” which will champion the cause of sustainable living and the Leeds response to climate change. The new link can readily incorporate additional destinations, such as the Hollybush Farm Conservation Centre, local shops and eating places.

Kirkstall Valley Active Travel Armley Mills to Kirkstall Abbey is about half an hour’s brisk walk, but takes only a few minutes on a bike. The ground is level and apart from crossing Bridge Road, the route is entirely traffic-free. There are numerous alternative routes crossing the valley in all directions. It is possible to follow the canal towpath most of the way, to include TCV Hollybush Farm, although canal bridges could be problematic for large mobility scooters. A more direct but steeper route is also feasible, leaving the towpath where the railway crosses the canal and skirting the “Goals” soccer facility to enter the Reserve at Redcote Lane. The towpath is route 66 - the transpennine cycle trail, which is excellent for long distance travel, but located between the canal and the river, it is only accessible at bridging points. This route is popular with cyclists and is therefore becoming full. For this reason it would be good to develop alternate cycle routes to the north east of the river, which are more accessible from local housing areas, and could eventually form an alternative active travel system linking Leeds City Station to Apperley Bridge This proposal is only presently at consultation phase, however if approved, this could provide a way to ensure that Kirkstall’s open spaces are sustainable, accessible and well used.

The Proposal Councillor Illingworth’s proposals are based around ensuring that these open spaces are easily accessible to people of all walks of life, and linking them together to encourage use.

For more details, please see http://kvp.org. uk and we will continue to inform you of developments as they progress.

This proposal outlines that very modest investment in footbridges would greatly improve access to the valley for the communities on both sides of the river. It would also create a sustainable off-road route linking Armley Mills Industrial Museum to Kirkstall Abbey and Abbey House Museum. Such links follow the successful strategy pioneered at Beamish and Ironbridge Museums of linking complementary attractions together to justify a longer visit. Hopefully, this would also translate and have the same impact on some of our less visited, little known open spaces.

www.kirkstall.org.uk

News | Kirkstall Matters

Green Corridor Vision for Leeds NW At the last KVCA meeting, we had a visit from Douglas Louis, Country Parks Officer for Leeds City Council (LCC) who set forth a new LCC vision to preserve, improve and promote green spaces and their connectivity for people and wildlife in North West Leeds. This vision aims to create a 43 mile circular route, connecting current isolated green spaces. The project requires input from local community groups, such as the KVCA, to identify a list of works required and secure funding which can bring these visions to life. Where would we see focus? This project proposes to mainly focus on less formally managed existing parks and countryside that are of value to people and wildlife, such as community parks, local green spaces and woodlands. However, their vision also includes other LCC and non-LCC land, such as semi-natural green space like Leeds Nature Areas and sites of ecological or geological importance. Through liaison with planning services and private landlords, the project would preserve and improve the quality of the green spaces that already exist, balancing the demand on those spaces with more formal uses such as sports and dog walking areas. However, the aim is not just to promote these spaces in isolation from one another, but to identify a green infrastructure - in the form of a walking route - that connects them. The main right of way route will be known as the NW Leeds Country Park and Green Gateway trail and will be 43 miles circular. It will also incorporate additional local routes, to and from the Green Gateway.

What kind of things might be tackled in our green spaces? The beauty of UK’s green spaces and their habitats are under constant threat from the impacts of modern life. KM readers will recognise well some of the typical examples of current issues that affect the quality of our green spaces: • • • • • •

Fly tipping and other rubbish Site vandalism and graffiti Ineffectual or lack of management for wildlife Little or no information on features of interest Lack of path network, seating or entrance features Little sense of connection to or responsibility for the green space from local community

Although our community groups make some progress with rectifying these issues, a coordinated effort with input from the council could be just what our area needs.

What is needed from the KVCA and wider community? In order to make these proposals a reality, it is important that key stakeholders such as community groups are involved. The priority is therefore to begin to map the trail so that physically connecting the green spaces will be easier to work towards and identifying a list of spaces and issues that need to be rectified. Local community groups are also needed to jointly fund a bid for creating the trail and local connecting routes. This funding would go towards signposting, leaflets and other promotional tools, interpretation panels and their installation. If you are interested in this project and would like to get involved, please email the KVCA chair on simon@simondawson.net

Therefore, through this project, typical solutions could be: • • •

Erecting entrance signage with green space name and LCC contact details Work with community groups to help clear-up the green spaces Secure funding for path/wildlife/history improvement projects

Local benefits The project aims to encourage local people to discover the green spaces on their doorstep, promoting the positive role that green spaces provide for people’s health and quality of life. Additionally, the project would strive to protect and enrich wildlife, helping to maintain populations of rare and threatened species by increasing resilience to change. If realised, this will create a continuous area of publicly accessible green space from the city centre to the wider countryside.

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Kirkstall Matters | Environment

A Year in Kirkstall in Bloom

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Environment | Kirkstall Matters

What’s going on at Hollybush Centre? Hollybush Learning Disability Project have worked hard through the summer tending our two raised beds at Kirkstall Abbey as part of the local community food growing project. Members of the local community are encouraged to pick the vegetables that we have grown, which include courgettes, spinach, broad beans and lettuce. We are really enjoying gardening in these historic surroundings alongside people living and working in Kirkstall. Feel free to come down and have a look if you’re passing! The Woodwork team now has a range of goods available for sale at Hollybush! We sell benches, trugs and bug boxes, and whole

ranges of amazing planters and boxes to order. We also build commissions for schools, landscape gardeners and private gardens. Larger items are made to order, and this makes it easy for us to create bespoke items exactly as you want them. Our cafe is open 4 days a week Tuesday – Friday 10.30am-2.30pm and offers a selection of simple breakfasts to supplement the lavish lunches! There will be healthy porridge with fruit, or buttered bagels and Hollybush honey, as well as other toasted things. We also have a small selection of gift such as socks, scarves, teddies, jams, cards all hand crafted by volunteers for sale during

cafe hours. We now offer free WiFi in the cafe and courtyard too! The Hollyvols team are always looking for volunteers. If you fancy having a practical day in a local green space undertaking conservation work, or building wildlife, food growing and green spaces in schools. Appeal - The new Roundhouse We have raised almost £5000 ourselves towards the £25000 it will cost to build a beautiful new volunteer room, but we need support to raise the rest! The Local Giving match £10 scheme reopens in mid-Oct! If you donate £10, the Government doubles it; if you sign up for £10 a month, it’s doubled for the first six months. If just eight people did this we’d have £1000! Visit http://localgiving.com/charity/ tcvhollybush to donate.

CHRISTMAS FAIR - SUNDAY 23RD NOVEMBER IN OUR 400 YEAR OLD BARN AND GROUNDS OF HOLLYBUSH

Come and pick up beautiful handmade gifts with an environmental twist, and join in our seasonal activities! There will, of course, be plenty of homemade cakes and hot drinks!

ALLOTMENTS IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE! The Station Allotments currently have a number of plots available to let out and no waiting list. Station Allotments are located next to Headingley Train Station with another entrance on Queenswood Drive. It’s a great time to take a plot on to get it ready for growing and eating next year. No prior experience needed but you need to be able to commit enough time to keep on top of it. Any enquiries please contact the lettings secretary on: 0113 278 7716 or 07967 642 702

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Sport | Kirkstall Matters

Burley Rugby Report After missing the deadline for the last edition of Kirkstall Matters, a reasonable amount of things have happened at Burley. We finished the end of last season off with a few good results and cemented our mid table finish in Yorkshire Division 3. With a bit of luck we could have finished a little bit higher up the table having had some very narrow defeats where the margin was a single score or less. However there is a saying that you learn to walk before you run, and that is the case as it’s not that long since our promotion from Division 4. A very good presentation dinner was held at the Cosmopolitan hotel in town where the prizes were handed out to culminate the end of a very satisfactory season.

During the close season we have secured a new long-term sponsor through a former Burley player. John Adams Coach Supplies Ltd have provided a package that will take us to our centenary season in 2021 therefore giving us some good stability off the field. With a new sponsor comes a new kit design, we have an excellent new design that was pleasing to all parties and see’s us incorporate our new sponsors house colours of Silver with a Gold trim over the shoulder area of the shirt. Inside the club we have decorated the lounge with a fresh coat of paint and some new lighting. And also painted the changing room and shower areas. Outside the building we have done some tidying up and got our new sponsor’s signs in position. We have also re-installed the flood-lighting that was damaged during the gales earlier in the year thanks go to a couple of our players 14

who are skilled in working with electricity as well as playing. Unfortunately we have had to put back our pitch levelling work until 2015 due to some slow moving with the arrangements. However, this has allowed us to create a full window in time when the pitch will be out of use, our opposing clubs for the April Home fixtures agreeing to reverse them leaving the pitch free to commence work from April 1st 2015. This will give us a full 5 months to have the work done and bed in for the 2015/16 season. On the recruitment scene we have been very busy and have brought in around 10 new very useful players with possibly more to follow. This has had a very encouraging effect on the start of the new season. We also have a new coaching set up from with in the club with last seasons leading try scorer Richie Christie taking on the role ably assisted by Evan Woodworth and other senior players as required. We have fielded a second team in all apart from the first week of the season when, by tradition, this is always a difficult time to get numbers as clubs wait for new or returning students to turn up. Many clubs struggle into October without fielding lower sides and we’ve been no exception in the past.

Stocksbridge. Week 3 brought the first home game in the League, a hard fought 9-9 draw against Rotherham Titans where defences were very much on top. Our unbeaten start came to a very abrupt end at Thornensains where the South Yorkshire side ran out 55-3 winners, they are probably the best team in the division and hit us hard. After the game in Thorne local rivals Bramley came down to Abbey Fields to close out September and Burley returned to winning ways with a resounding 29-3 victory, a contest that was hard fought up front but the speed in the Burley backs allowed them to hit the gaps in the Bramley defence to secure a bonus point victory as 4 Tries were scored.

Our second team now led by enthusiastic Andy Kanabar have started off the season with two very close defeats. Opening their season on the 13th September at Home to Old Leodiensiens from just round the ring road in North Leeds we lost a very close derby game by a single point scoring 14 points to their 15. The following week brought Morley III to visit us at Abbey Fields, a team who gave us a very heavy defeat in last years fixture, this year as per the previous week a single score separated the sides as we went down 15-10 to a last minute try, a little more experience would probably have seen us hang on for victory, but this is a massive improvement on last year. At Burley you are always welcome to come and watch the games and have a drink in the bar afterwards. For the fixtures list, please see opposite.

The new season has started very well with a new Captain in Richard Cuthbert and we went unbeaten for our first four games. A friendly win against Stanley Rodillians was followed by an excellent First Round win in the Yorkshire Silver Trophy, the score line a comfortable 29-10 against local rivals Aireborough from just up the road at Nunroyd Park, Guiseley. The following week saw us open our league campaign with a close 11-10 win down in South Yorkshire at

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If you are reading this and looking for somewhere to play then look no further, We train on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6.15pm onwards. All players whatever your level are always welcome as we aim for the introduction of a third team. •

Duncan Elsey

Kirkstall Matters | Sport August For- Against H Sat 30th, 3:00pm Aireborough Cup 29 – 10

September H Sat 6th, 3:00pm Rotherham Phoenix League 9 – 9 D H Sat 13th, 3:00pm Stocksbridge League 11-10 W A Sat 20th, 3:00pm Thornensians League 3-55 L H Sat 27th, 3:00pm Bramley Phoenix League 29-3 W October A Sat 4th, 3:00pm Baildon H Sat 11th, 3:00pm Hemsworth A Sat 18th, 3:00pm Northallerton H Sat 25th, 3:00pm Old Grovians

League League League League

November A Sat 1st, 2:15pm Harrogate Pythons H Sat 8th, 2:15pm Old Modernians H Sat 15th, 2:15pm Castleford A Sat 22nd, 2:15pm Aireborough A Sat 29th, 2:15pm Old Modernians

League Cup League League League

December H Sat 6th, 2:15pm Old Otliensians A Sat 13th, 2:15pm Stocksbridge

League League

Burley Rugby Team Fixtures Our First Team Fixtures until the end of 2014

Kirkstall Councillor Advice Sessions Kirkstall Leisure Centre, Kirkstall Lane, LS5 3BE. First Saturday of each month 10.30am Church of St Andrew The Apostle, Butcher Hill, LS16 5EG First Saturday of each month 2.00pm Hawksworth Wood Village Hall, Hawkswood Crescent, LS5 3PT Second Tuesday of each month 10.00am Burley Greenhow Community Room, Haddon Road, LS4 2HN Third Tuesday of each month 7.00pm

Councillor Fiona Venner

Queenswood Social Club, 77 Queenswood Drive, LS6 3HT Fourth Tuesday of each month 7.00pm

Tel: (0113) 268 4652 (Home) Tel: (0113) 247 6297 (Office)

Please don’t feel you have to wait for the advice sessions to come around. Contact us using the details below if you want advice or assistance.

fiona.venner@leeds.gov.uk

Councillor John Illingworth

Councillor Lucinda Yeadon

Tel: (0113) 267 3735 (Home) Tel: (0113) 247 6297 (Office)

Tel: (0113) 217 7330 (Home) Tel: (0113) 247 6297 (Office)

john.illingworth@leeds.gov.uk

lucinda.yeadon@leeds.gov.uk

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Rachel Reeves Kirkstall Diary As I write the cold weather is drawing in, but I was delighted we had another warm, sunny day this year for the brilliant Kirkstall Festival. I was pleased to be asked to give a reading during the Festival service and had a hugely enjoyable day, just as ever. This fantastic event really brings the community together and I would once again like to give my sincere thanks to all the hardworking volunteers who make this day possible. I know many local residents are keen to hear about the progress of Kirkstall Forge and I am delighted to say I visited the site in June after it was officially announced the scheme had been given the go-ahead by the government after many years of local campaigning. Kirkstall Forge looks set to be spectacular when complete. The new train station will also mean an easy 6 minute commute into Leeds City Centre. Getting this project from drawing board to agreement has been a triumph of partnership working and I am very much looking forward to the first train calling at the Kirkstall Forge station. I am keeping up to date with developments and am pleased to say works are progressing and further announcements should be made very soon.

Bramley Bonfire 5th November Bramley Park Bonfire at 7.00pm Fireworks at 7.30pm

In other development news, the proposed Tesco store on the Kirkstall Hill site will not be going ahead. However, I have spoken with Tesco regarding making this site more attractive and eradicating some of the problems that have unfortunately plagued the area, such as fly-tipping. I have put forward suggestions from the Gilbert and Sandford Residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association, who I know have been extremely active and involved in this project and I know Tesco would welcome further suggestions from the local community. There is a possibility this land may be purchased and developed by another retailer in the future and I am hopeful this area can be improved and become an asset to the local community.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting both Sacred Heart Primary School and Abbey Grange Academy. At Abbey Grange I had a great time talking to pupils about their love of books and local libraries. At Sacred Heart Primary I joined the Climate Corps day and faced rigorous questioning from environmentally astute pupils regarding how I help protect our environment. It was really great to see how engaged the children were in environment, energy and climate change issues and how much they knew about saving energy at home and protecting the environment.

Nationally, I have been campaigning against unfair and unjust welfare reforms, which have adversely affected many local residents. Every day my office is contacted by people experiencing severe benefit delays or problems, many of whom are disabled, ill and vulnerable. I have secured a number of parliamentary debates, holding the government to account on the chaos and confusion at the Department for Work and Pensions and attempting to abolish the much hated Bedroom Tax. September saw a victory on the Bedroom Tax, as MPs voted through the first stage of a Bill that would reduce the number of individuals affected. I will be continuing my campaign to abolish the Bedroom Tax completely and have pledged to immediately repeal this if elected to government next year. I am sure I will have more good news to report regarding the Forge and Tesco site in the next issue and hope to see many of you out and about in the next few months. Best wishes, Rachel

Haunting Cinema Experience in the Kirkstall Abbey Outdoor cinema specialists Sneaky Experience are set to screen movies such as The Exorcist and The Blair Witch Project inside our Abbey ruins from Friday 31st October to Sunday 2nd November. The movies will be shown alongside horror storytelling, slarming actors and evening ghost-tours. There will also be something for the children, with screenings planned for Monsters Inc. and ParaNorman, which can be enjoyed by all alongside apple bobbing, face painting and treasurehunts. See Kirkstall Online for more details and timings of showings.