South Leeds Life 59 February 2020

Your FREE community newspaper

Issue 59 | February 2020

What’s happening in Beeston, Belle Isle, Cottingley, Holbeck, Hunslet, Middleton & Stourton

WORLD ON FIRE

THE CLIMATE EDITION

In this issue:

Residents plant 2,000 trees

page 2

Meet the XR protesters page 4

by Kushmina Begum and Ed Carlisle

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s billions of eyes around the world watch helplessly the unprecedented wildfires in Australia, one of a growing number of extreme weather events globally, we are publishing this special edition to ask: what does this mean for residents and communities in South Leeds?

How can we help tackle climate change on a local and global level so that our children and families lead a healthier, happier and more sustainable life in the future? What can we do in 2020 to ensure that we are closing the gap so that natural, extreme weather events occur less often?

Over the course of this issue we will be covering a broad range of topics including the science and the protesters, but also how local people have made changes to their lives.

We aim to give you a simple guide to climate change and how you can make your life more sustainable.

We will, of MA LI T course, also cover your usual news CR ISIS topics, but watch out for this logo, signalling a story that links to the climate crisis.

What is climate change and how will it affect us?

The Earth’s average temperature is 15°C but has been much higher and lower in

Primary school eco-warriors

page 11

Bushfires in Australia are burning on an unprecedented scale. Photo: Bertknot via Creative Commons the past. There are natural been the hottest five in the last but they do. We live in a society fluctuations in the climate but 140 years.

Higher soaked in fossil fuels, and it is scientists say that now temperatures mean there is these that are contributing to temperatures are rising much more energy in weather an ever-more polluted and CO2faster than at any other time. systems leading to worse heavy environment, which is in Scientists believe that we are storms. turn trapping heat around the adding to the natural Across the globe, the flooding Earth. greenhouse effect with gases in Bangladesh is a direct result Many South Leeds residents released from agriculture and of the rising sea levels. suffer from lung conditions industry trapping more energy Increasingly strong hurricanes such as asthma and COPD as a and increasing the batter the Caribbean, cyclones secondary result from the temperature. This is known as affect Mozambique and heavy car emissions of our climate change or global typhoons hit the Philippines. congested environment. Clean warming.

Locally, here in Central and air campaigns are not working This summer in Leeds, the South Leeds, we were subject fast enough to benefit real temperatures were some of the to the Boxing Day floods of people, in their real lives, tight highest on record. Summers 2015 - and the past months now. are no longer predictable and have more massive floods in This special edition features this winter has had some of the South Yorkshire. We are also easy ways and helpful tips on warmest, but also the wettest, affected by global impacts such how to become more days. as higher food prices. sustainable as an individual, 18 of the world’s 19 hottest It's hard to make sense of couple, family, community and years have occurred since how those events and realities society as a whole.

2001. The last five years have link with how we live our lives Simple, easy, small steps to

make a bigger difference to your lives, health, wealth, mindset and the local environment in which you live. Stress-free actions to embed into your everyday lives almost as easy as brushing your teeth!

In this edition, we feature local people who are working to live more climate-friendly lives and thoughtful stories to inspire you as a reader to do more. Peppered throughout this edition are humble examples, Climate Tips, and suggestions to help you get creative and take action now!

There are opportunities across our communities, for people to help build a healthier and happier society. We are calling on all of our readers to join in and be part of the change we all need to see.

Award winning cycle trail

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NEWS

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SCHOOL LIFE 10-11 LIFE ON EARTH COMMENT

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CULTURAL LIFE

WHAT’S ON

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LEGAL NOTICES 22 SPORTING LIFE 23-4

Get the latest news at www.southleedslife.com - new stories posted daily

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South Leeds Life | February 2020

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Our aims To inform people of events, activities, issues and opportunities taking place in the South Leeds community; To encourage the involvement of the wider community in communicating their experiences; To foster community spirit and involvement; and To provide a platform for local people to contribute and respond to community life more fully.

South Leeds Life is pleased to publish views from across the political spectrum, provided they comply with our editorial guidelines.

We remain a neutral publication with a diverse readership, as such we do not endorse any particular political party.

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Artist’s impression of new refill counter to be installed at Asda’s Middleton store There will also be a range of new recycling facilities, including a reverse vending machine for plastic bottles and cans and hanger recycling.

Roger Burnley, CEO of Asda, said: “We’re on an ongoing quest to remove and reduce the amount of plastic in our business – and to find new ways to help our customers to reuse and refill our products. It’s a journey we can’t go on alone, which is why we invited our suppliers to innovate with us and I’m delighted that household names like Kellogg’s and Unilever have joined us in testing new ideas and approaches

to sustainability at our Middleton store.

“Over the coming weeks and months we will be testing and learning from the customers in Middleton to understand how we can reduce our environmental impacts whilst still maintaining the great service and quality our customers demand.

Our first priority will be to look at how we can reduce and remove plastic and I am excited to learn from our customers and see where this journey will take us.”

The move is part of Asda’s commitments to reduce the amount

of plastic it uses. Having removed 8,000 tonnes from its own brand packaging since 2018, it recently brought forward commitments to make almost a third of plastic packaging from recycled sources by the end of 2020, and reduce plastic by 15% by February 2021. It will also make all packaging – of whatever material – 100% recyclable by 2025.

CLIMATE TIP: Food waste has a big environmental impact, and costs us all money. Do everything you can to throw away less food, and both the planet and your bank balance will thank you.

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Two thousand trees planted in Hunslet D

ozens of volunteers of all ages got digging together during CR ISIS January 2020, planting 2,000 saplings across Hunslet - in what is planned as the first phase of a major tree-planting initiative across south Leeds.

Over five days, the volunteers planted the trees on the edge of a number of local green spaces: Hunslet Moor, Leasowe Recreation Ground, and Pepper Road Park. The project was led by environmental charity TCV, and arranged by the MA LI T

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hoppers in Middleton are to be at the forefront of CR ISIS Yorkshire supermarket Asda’s research into new packaging technology, as the local store becomes the retailer’s national test-bed for innovation to reduce plastic.

From May, the store will become the first Asda store in the UK where shoppers can fill up their own containers of products, including Asda’s own-brand coffee, rice and pasta.

The Yorkshire based supermarket has also asked well known household brands to work with them on their quest to reduce plastic – meaning shoppers will also be able to use refill points for Kellogg’s cereals such as Coco Pops and Rice Krispies and Unilever’s PG Tips tea.

Customers shopping at the store will be asked to give their feedback on different trials – allowing Asda and its suppliers to understand more about how these innovative new ideas work in practice. Trials will last for at least three months before a decision is made on whether to roll out, retrial or stop.

In addition to the refill stations, the store will include a ‘naked florist’ offering plastic-free flowers and loose produce with items such as cucumbers and mushrooms being taken out of their plastic packaging.

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South Leeds Life is written by and for local people. People who live, work and play in the LS10 and LS11 areas of South Leeds.

The website and newspaper are produced by South Leeds Life CIC, a social enterprise registered with Companies House, No 9998695.

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Asda Middleton to be the retailer’s first sustainability trial store

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Leeds City Council Inner South Community Committee, with the trees - UK native broadleaves, including English Oak, Silver Birch, Hornbeam, Wild Cherry and Hazel provided by energy company OVO. Increasing tree-cover nationally and internationally is widely seen as a key way to tackle climate change.

Trees absorb greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) as well as enabling soil to better capture these gases too.

And against the backdrop of ongoing concern about

Volunteers have been planting tree saplings on Hunslet Moor and other sites

poor local air quality and the health impact for local communities, trees play a crucial role in cleaning pollution out of the atmosphere.

They also help reduce flood risk, and improve ecosystems (natural networks of animals and plants), and mental wellbeing for local communities.

Brenda Barlow, chair of Friends of Hunslet Moor, was out helping for two days with her grandson Joshua.

She commented: "It's been wonderful, seeing the community come together, helping to create a greener Leeds. We've also planted the trees in such a way that we hope they'll stop other problems like flytipping and antisocial quad biking. Joshua and I are proud to have been part of it".

Cllr Paul Wray, Hunslet and Riverside, who helped arrange the scheme and lent a hand with the tree planting, said: "Hunslet and Riverside and Beeston and Holbeck Wards have some of the lowest tree coverage in Leeds, owing mostly to their long industrial past. But the evidence is clear, trees and nature not only protect our environment by capturing carbon but are vital for our own ongoing health and well-being

needs. If we're to tackle many of our communities deep seeded health inequalities, we need to make sure nature is within easy reach of all of our citizens."

Cllr Gohar Almass, Beeston and Holbeck added: "We're working hard with different Leeds City Council departments and other land owners to identify the land needed to plant tens of thousands of tree saplings across both the wards during the next planting season.

Sites will be confirmed later this year after officers have completed the required ground checks."

Trees cover just 13% of the land in the UK, compared to a European average of 35% - and campaign groups including Friends of the Earth are lobbying the government to double tree cover by 2045. The issue received considerable attention during last year's General Election - but government funding for tree-planting has been dropping in recent years in England.

Further planting is scheduled around the local area for next winter.

Contact the Leeds City Council Inner South Community Committee or TCV (Hollybush) for more details or to get involved - or watch out for more information in South Leeds Life.

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February 2020 | South Leeds Life

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Hua Liu is officially a ‘Point Of Light’ H

ua Liu who works for Health For All on their Lychee Red Chinese elders project was selected by the Prime Minister’s Office at 10 Downing Street to be Wednesday 22 January’s Point of Light.

This isn’t the first time Hua has been recognised for her outstanding work.

As we reported last August, Hua appeared on The Independent’s 11th ‘Happy List.’

We’ve also reported on many of the activities and events Hua has organised including Chinese New Year celebrations and the Lychee Red choir.

The founding of the group exemplifies both Hua’s and Health For All’s can-do approach. She called to the Beeston Village Community Centre to ask what

could be organised for elders from her community. Health For All’s Toshal Bhatia who manages the centre worked with Hua to start the group, making space available in centre and helping with initial fundraising. The Lychee Red group quickly went from strength to strength.

Her Point of Light citation reads: “Hua Liu, from Beeston, is bringing together Chinese elders across Leeds facing loneliness and social isolation through her volunteer project ‘Lychee Red’, run in partnership with charities Health For All and Time To Shine.”

Hua commented: “As a new immigrant and mother of three children, I never imagined that I would become who I am today and to

receive such a great honour in the UK. My local charity, ‘Health For All’, allowed me to serve the community and bring happiness to older people.

They inspired me and changed my life.”

Points of Light are outstanding individual volunteers – people who are making a change in their community.

Every week day the Prime Minister recognises an inspirational volunteer with the Daily Point of Light award.

First established by President George HW Bush in 1990, over 6,000 US Points of Light have been recognised in the USA. UK Points of Light was developed in partnership with the US programme and launched in the Cabinet Room at 10 Downing Hua Liu (front left in white dress) with members of Lychee Red, Chinese New Year 2018 Street in April 2014.

Lean Lunch - clean van Tackling Period Povery L

eeds’ Online Food Delivery Service, Lean CR ISIS Lunch is the proud new owner of a zero-emissions electric van.

Lean lunch have been delivering nutritious meals to workplaces in central Leeds, including parts of Holbeck and Hunslet by bike since 2017.

The new vehicle will allow the company to deliver further afield while still staying true to its commitment to play a part in improving the local community and the planet.

To celebrate the latest addition to the Lean Lunch outfit, the team will be hosting a roadshow around Yorkshire, providing new businesses and individuals the chance to sample its delicious, nutritious and vibrant food, as well as to talk to the team directly and learn more about the offering.

The Lean Lunch team, together with their green van, C

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will be popping up at Leeds Dock on Thursday 6 February.

All visitors are welcome and will be able to chat directly to Founder, Sat Mann, along with Executive Chef Dave Ebsworth, about the Lean Lunch service, the varied array of meals on offer and the process and ethos of the brand.

Nutritionist Lisa Chothia will also be on hand to answer any questions about health and wellbeing.

Founder Sat Mann says, “We are very excited to own this zero-emission electric van. It means we can get out there and meet new people, in further afield places, and share our vision of nourishing a sustainable future with healthy, tasty food, so all businesses and individuals can be at their best”.

Lean Lunch was started in 2017 with a simple idea – to have a positive impact on individuals and businesses by

helping them rethink their lunchtime routines.

By delivering simple and inspiring choices of expertly balanced fresh dishes that are packed with nutrients and goodness, Lean Lunch aims to improve nutritious habits, delivering long-term benefits to wellbeing, businesses and the environment.

The Lean Lunch menu changes from week to week, depending on seasonality and the chefs’ inspiration. Each meal starts by being at least 80% plant-based, with the option to add protein always available. Tuscan Bean Stew is a hearty vegan winter-warmer, while Nutty Singapore-Style King Prawn Noodle Salad packs a punch on an otherwise gloomy day.

Executive Chef Dave Ebsworth says, “For us, the pleasure of eating always comes first. Once we know a dish tastes as delicious as possible, with exciting and exotic flavours, we then make sure the dish is nutritionally balanced with both macro and micro nutrients, which ultimately means a more goodness-packed lunch, ensuring both employees and employers are performing at their very best throughout the day”.

Keep updated with Lean Lunch via @LeanLunchUK (Instagram) or visit their website www.leanlunch.co.uk

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by Abbie Randall

ERIODS. Now I’ve got your attention, I’d like to explain a little more about ‘Period Poverty’ and what that means to the women and young ladies of South Leeds.

Men please keep reading, we need your help too!

Considered a taboo subject, menstruation is actually one of the most natural things most women will experience in their lifetime and ladies, there is NOTHING to be ashamed about when it comes to your monthly cycle.

There are a lot of products on offer to help cover that time of the month but what happens when you can’t afford to purchase these essential items. The government levy VAT on sanitary pads and tampons which means they are considered a luxury!

Every month women and girls will stuff their pants with toilet roll they’ve taken from their work or school toilet, this is both uncomfortable but also unsanitary and degrading as they offer little protection and are bled through easily. The cost for purchasing the ‘luxury goods’ (tampons or pads) has been calculated on average to be £10 a month or, wait for it. £128 a year!

Some girls skip school at that time of the month because they haven’t got access to sanitary protection, this means girls are missing out on valuable and sometimes critical lessons at school for something that is natural and easily managed with the right support.

According to Freedom4girls a Leeds teacher was so concerned about girls missing classes she approached the charity for help.

There are some places in Leeds that are building up

momentum in tackling this problem, Freedom4girls is one of the charities. Leeds City Council themselves have started a pilot scheme to try and combat this form of poverty in Leeds and research sustainable long-term solutions to tackle period poverty.

The Hunslet Community Hub and Library is a pioneer for providing sanitary products as a result of this initiative, if you are in the area and short of items or know someone who is please drop in.

I dropped in to see how the system works and the ladies on

the desk are very discreet and friendly, you just need to say the word “Pack 1” to someone with a purple lanyard and they will discreetly pass you a pack of pads. If you really can’t face speaking to someone go into the little cubicle and there is a box of products for you to use as you need.

It’s a great service and will hopefully help out women in the local community. If you’re in the position to please consider donating tampons or pads to them and there are many other ways to help too.

David from the Holbeck Foodbank explained how their system works: “We already give out sanitary

products with the food parcels if it’s to a woman or family with teenagers. We receive the products from FareShare through the food aid network in Leeds and have done for a couple of years.”

Angus Smith, Assistant Headteacher at Cockburn School told us: “At Cockburn School we recognise that if girls do not have access to a safe and hygienic way to deal with menstruation, this can impact on their education. We provide girls with sanitary products freely and have done for a significant number of years.

“We feel that doing this not only gives girls the sanitary products, but helps to take away the stigma associated with periods and gives girls the confidence to ask for products.

We are part of the The Red Box project which supports schools with free period products.”

If you are able to, please consider donating sanitary products along with food to the foodbanks. Also check out freedom4girls and have a look at their services and support, if you don’t need support yourself perhaps you can offer your own time to help someone else! One way I have tried to help in vigilante style is leaving boxes of products if I visit a public place such as the White Rose toilets and similar places.

I think the last thing we need to realise is that periods are normal and shouldn’t be something hidden away from society. Girls growing up need to know that they are normal and there are plenty of ways they can deal with their monthly gift from mother nature. If you or a family you know is struggling with this issue please approach the above services for help and don’t suffer alone!

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Extinction Rebellion: meet the climate protesters

by Rebecca Kellett

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prominent new feature of the climate change CR ISIS landscape has been the sudden emergence of Extinction Rebellion (XR).

This movement of climate campaigners formed here in the UK in 2018 and has now gone global. A volunteer-led network, it aims to build a shared sense of urgency about the climate crisis, amongst communities everywhere – and pressurise governments to take serious action on environmental issues.

Members of XR have particularly gained attention (and some would say, notoriety) for high-profile protests on bridges and main roads in cities across the world; most locally, they blocked Victoria Bridge by Bridgewater Place for five days last July (2019). The protest – and climate change itself – became one of the most discussed topics online and offline, in the local community at that time.

I spoke with two local members of XR, Luc Cockburn and Helen Hart – to find out more about the group, and what they hope to achieve through protests and demonstrations. Luc works in retail in town; Helen is selfemployed.

Rebecca: What does XR want to achieve?

Luc: We want the government to make the climate emergency a priority, and focus on changing legislation and practices towards tackling it. We also want everyone to be aware of how this will affect their lives, and help them see that we can all be part of positive change.

Helen: Yes, and ultimately, we want what everyone wants: a safe world to live in, and to bring our children and grandchildren up in. A world where everyone can access and afford healthy food, clean water, and a safe warm place to live.

Rebecca: What kind of people are involved in XR? Luc: All kinds of people.

There's a huge youth movement right now, which is fantastic because the kids will be running things some day!

But also, there are also lots of older people who've been living sustainably for decades.

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meetings and going to protests, are either students and young people (perhaps because they realise that if they don’t act their future will be perilous), and people at or near retirement – who have more time, and aren’t worried about the impact of being involved on their jobs.

change that set the ball rolling towards the government declaring a climate emergency.

The easiest option for people is to ignore the problem and carry on as normal – but we all need to be jolted and reminded that if we continue business as usual, the planet will be irreparably damaged.

involved: last summer, some of us attended local events like Breeze and Beeston Festival, and also the colleges, talking with people about the climate crisis.

We’re training up speakers to give presentations. It was a group from XR who presented the problem to Leeds City

large amounts of extra CO2 into the atmosphere, on global temperatures, has been predicted since the late 1800s; and that global warming would have certain ‘fingerprints’ such as winters warming faster than summers (whereas if the warming was about heightened heat from the sun, warming

Members of Extinction Rebellion blocked Victoria Bridge in Holbeck last summer Luc: True – but also, people from all walks of life have been getting involved: donating, talking to their friends, family and colleagues. It’s not just about the people who have more free time to chain themselves to things! It’s about all of us: we all live on this planet, so it’s for all of us to protect it, because we’ll all suffer the effects of climate change.

Rebecca: Why do you do demonstrations that cause such disruption? Could you get attention in other ways?

Helen: Standing in the rain with placards is not the way I’d choose to spend my spare time, if I didn’t feel it was necessary. But climate change, and the devastating effects it will have on our lifestyles, will sadly cause so much more disruption than one of our demos could ever do.

Luc: These kind of protests, non-violent direct action, have proved very effective throughout history. Movements like the ones for women to get the vote, and for civil rights in the US: they caused disruption, to get attention. And we’ve achieved so much: it was the attention we drew to climate

Helen: Also, it’s worth adding, we live in a system that favours big business. Oil companies have known about the dangers of climate change for decades – but instead of looking to tackle it and find alternatives, they’ve funded misinformation.

We’ve been forced to take direct action, to combat that.

And I feel we may have a chance of turning things around.

Rebecca: Do you do more than just protest?

Luc: Absolutely! We’re all involved in loads of local action - for example, gardening and ‘rewilding’ schemes, and projects tackling waste food. A lot of us have day jobs which work towards a greener and more sustainable world too. I work in a zero-waste shop; another member does insulation work to make homes more warmer; and there are scientists and educators researching, and spreading the word.

Helen: Also, there are many XR members who aren’t comfortable with taking part in demonstrations, because of their jobs or caring responsibilities for example.

But there are many ways to be

Council, who then declared a Climate Emergency. We’re organising tree planting around Leeds, including Beeston.

There are over a dozen groups working on actions other than demos, but it’s only the demos that get the interest of the media.

Rebecca: Are you sure climate change is a big deal?

How do you know?

Luc: The scientific evidence proving that there’s a climate emergency is overwhelming – human emissions of greenhouse gases have drastically altered the natural rhythms of our planet, and closely-monitored temperature statistics show an accelerating change. Meanwhile, worldwide flooding, fires, storms, and other natural disasters are happening with increased frequency. We really didn't need to end up in this place, and we need to drastically alter our behaviour to avoid things getting worse in the future.

Helen: I’m the sort of person who has to find out for myself if something is true, so – after reading all sorts of articles – I did a couple of short online courses from Exeter University.

I learnt the effect of releasing

would increase equally).

To be honest, I discovered things were even worse than I’d feared. And it’s not just a question of a few more storms and a few more floods: most of our food comes from low-lying farmlands, so climate change has huge implications for food security and cost.

Rebecca: If people want to find out more about climate change, or get involved locally

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in tackling it, what can I do or where can I go?

Luc: There's more ways to get involved than ever! Sign up for updates and opportunities from XR at www.rebellion.earth, or find Leeds XR or other local environmental groups on social media. People are always welcome at the fortnightly Leeds XR meetings, there’s a local XR team who are happy to come give talks, or just drop us a line if you want to chat to someone about this stuff.

Also, find out when the City Council are holding public meetings, and go listen to others and voice your opinion.

And starting at home is a great way of getting going: try cutting down single-use plastics; recycle more - terracycleuk .co.uk is great for finding places to recycle packaging that won’t go in your green bin). Ask around your school or workplace to see if anyone is like-minded and wants to start a group to make improvements within the organisation: for example, sourcing supplies from greener brands, or starting a carpool.

Rebecca: Is there anything else you want to say?

Helen: The fact that something has to be done to prevent a climate crisis turning into a climate disaster is clear.

The sooner our government acknowledges the severity and acts, the less drastic the changes will have to be.

Luc: And we don't need a few people living 100% perfectly green lives; we need everyone to make the changes that they can, because it all adds up.

Thanks!

Find out more about climate change NASA have great online resources about climate change: climate.nasa.gov.

They also have a child-friendly site: climatekids.nasa.gov.

'The Uninhabitable Earth' by David Wallace-Wells is a concise, hardhitting, and inspiring book on the challenge and opportunity of climate change.

'This Changes Everything' is a wide-ranging book by Naomi Klein, dissecting the foundations of climate change, and the call for a radically different future.

'No one is too small to make a difference' is a short and accessible compilation of speeches by Greta Thunberg.

'SOS - what you can do to reduce climate change' by Seth Wynes is a simple guidebook to reducing your environmental impact.

'How to Save the Whole Stinkin’ Planet' by Lee Constable and James Hart is an acclaimed and enjoyable book for kids to better understand environmental issues, and what they can do about them.

CLIMATE TIP: Don’t buy them, borrow them from the Library

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News 5

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Why I care about global heating

Four climate myths Climate change has always happened: this is just natural

by Alaric Hall

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o you believe your mobile phone works?

Yes. (Unless you just dropped it in the bath, obviously.)

Do you know how it works?

No. Actually, nor does anyone else. Some people know how to etch ten million transistors onto a square millimetre of silicon.

Some can send radio waves up twenty thousand miles, hit a tiny satellite, and bounce them back to Earth. Some can even work out just how much more slowly time itself goes for the satellite than it does for us down here.

Science is so big that no single person can grasp it all.

But it works. If it didn’t, we wouldn’t be putting selfies on Instagram.

Just like they collaborate to make a phone work, millions of scientists around the world are measuring how our planet is heating up. And if you believe they can put a tweet instantly on

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It’s true that the earth’s climate has never been stable. But it’s changing quicker than at any time in the existence of our species, and there’s no doubt that humans are causing it. If you’re causing yourself a problem, you can do something about it: what’s the point of putting your head in the sand?

There are too many people: other people should have less kids

Part of the world’s larget offshore wind farm in Cumbria. your screen, you can believe them when they say the world’s a degree hotter than it was in 1880.

And there’s no mystery as to why. Over the last hundred and fifty years, by burning oil, gas, and coal we’ve increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by half — and carbon dioxide is great at trapping heat. If Earth’s atmosphere is a duvet that we’re snuggling under, carbon dioxide (and other greenhouse gases like it) are like super-cosy eiderdown. Which is great until your duvet gets too thick and you wake up feeling boiling hot.

It can be hard to imagine what difference adding another one, two, or even four degrees to global temperature will really make. Warmer weather might sound nice in a Leeds January, though wetter weather — which we’re experiencing more and more — probably doesn’t.

Photo: Jeremy Morton

But global heating is making disasters more frequent, more serious, and less predictable.

Forest fires in Australia, the Americas, Central Africa and Siberia may seem far away, but insurance premiums are rising, pension investments are getting shakier, and, as unpredictable weather takes its toll on agriculture, food’s getting pricier.

And for a lot of species climate-change is a life-or-death issue. Right now, we’re causing the Earth’s first mass extinction since the dinosaurs were wiped out: an eighth of the Earth’s species are already at risk of vanishing.

Meanwhile, for people in many parts of the world — and lots of us in South Leeds have family in high-risk regions like Africa, coastal cities, or South Asia — global heating will cause catastrophes ranging from the collapse of farming economies

to irreversable flooding. The refugee crises of recent years are just the start.

Averting these catastrophes is a lot cheaper and easier for everyone than suffering them.

The really crazy thing is that most of what we need to do are things we’d want to do anyway.

Who wants Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (the King of Saudi Arabia) controlling world energy supplies when we have renewable sources on our doorstep?

Who wants to breathe dangerous air when we could breathe the clean stuff? Who wants to pay hundreds of quid burning gas to keep their house warm when with proper insulation you might not need any heating at all?

Climate change is happening, but it’s a crisis we have to use to make a better world for ourselves — starting with a better South Leeds.

With fewer people, there would be more resources to go round.

But as usual, our main problem isn’t a lack of resources, but unequal distribution and inefficient use. Human population growth is already slowing, but we’re pouring fossil energy into increasing the growth of cow, pig, and chicken populations. Measured by weight, there are more of these than humans and all other animals combined! I’d rather have less battery-farmed pigs than less people.

There’s no point us changing because other countries won’t Per person, people in Europe and America are still the main drivers of climate change. Although places like China are burning huge amounts of coal, a lot of that energy is going into making products for us in the West, so it’s on our tab. It makes sense for countries that already got rich by burning fossil fuels to lead the way in fixing the problem, for our own sake as well as everyone else’s.

There’s no rush So far, most global heating has been caused by humans directly, burning fossil fuels. But it’s becoming a runaway train. Even if we stopped adding more carbon dioxide tomorrow, vistas of Arctic tundra are now unstoppably melting, releasing carbon of their own. The sooner we can put the brakes on our directly caused global heating, the more chance we can keep the situation under control.

Global warming – cause or effect?

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by Bill Birch

here is no doubt that humankind is heading towards a real crisis.

However, what appears to be happening is that world leaders are confusing two different things. That is CAUSE and EFFECT. In focussing on trying to limit the amount of Carbon Dioxide being pumped in to the atmosphere (which incidentally has risen from 0.03% to 0.04%), they have ignored all the other indicators that clearly point to the mounting crisis.

Thus, it is that leading experts choose to “bang on” about climate change, whilst steadfastly refusing to even talk about the real problem, which is exponential world population growth.

The graph shows it took thousands of years for world population to reach 1 billion then in just another 200 years or so, it grew sevenfold. In 2011, the global population reached the 7 billion mark, and today, it stands at about 7.7 billion. This is the problem that is truly unsustainable.

If we look at the changes happening on our planet, all of them are driven by more people wanting more stuff.

All of the key problems on a planet are the direct result of population growth.

These include such problems as: • The world generates 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste per year. The World Bank’s current estimate is that this will increase to 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050.

• The world’s tropical rain forests are being destroyed at a rate of 31,000 square miles per year. The Amazon rain forest is a typical example.

Since 1978 some 289,000 square miles of South American tropical forest have been destroyed.

• The rate of desertification is increasing. About 2 billion people live on the drylands that are vulnerable to

desertification, which could displace an estimated 50 million people by 2030. More than 75% of Earth's land area is already degraded, according to the European Commission's World Atlas of Desertification, and more than 90% could become degraded by 2050.

The commission's Joint Research Centre found that a total area half of the size of the European Union (1.61 million square miles), is degraded annually, with Africa and Asia being the most affected.

• Over fishing of the world’s oceans reveals that wild fish catch has peaked and that if the trend continues then world fish catch will decimate fish stocks in the oceans by 2100.

All of these trends are driven by more people wanting a better quality of life and who can blame them, but world governments being unwilling to look at the reality of the situation means that just reducing the total carbon footprint per person is utterly futile.

Both UK Parliament and Whitehall Mandarins are

obsessed with the idea of going carbon neutral. However, what is clear is that if the other world governments don’t follow the UK Government’s lead, then all of this will have been in vain.

What is needed is a Plan B to be pursued along with the Plan A. Why are we (as a country) not taking measures to increase our sea defences in the same way that Holland does? Why are we not looking at Energy security? Why are we not working towards food selfsufficiency? Possibly most controversial of all, why are we not looking at net zero

immigration?

Time is short. Population Matters and it is the underlying cause of the looming world crisis. David Attenborough recently stated “All of our environmental problems become easier to solve with fewer people, and harder – and ultimately impossible – to solve with ever more people.”

Solving the problem of everincreasing world population is very difficult indeed. However, being in denial about the real cause of humanities problems will not make them disappear

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Free trials of electric Credit Union helps vans for organisations more people than ever over Christmas L

Cllr James Lewis and Christopher Plumb

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eeds City Council and Highways England CR ISIS have launched a new scheme giving businesses, organisations and charities in West Yorkshire the opportunity to drive electric vans free of charge for up to two months.

As part of the EV Trials scheme, businesses and organisations will also be able to register to trial a range of private hire vehicles and ebikes.

The scheme will tackle air pollution to protect the health of everyone in our region by helping businesses and organisations to reduce their emissions from travel.

Launched at a sold-out event at Headingley Stadium, the new scheme will build on the growing popularity of ultra-low and zero emission vehicles in West Yorkshire. Since 2017, the number of electric and hybrid vehicles registered in our region has more than doubled.

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already expressed their interest in the EV Trials scheme with organisations from a range of sectors, sizes and industries getting in touch. This includes businesses ranging from dog walkers, gas distributors, catering companies and healthcare organisations.

Organisations participating in the EV Trials scheme will receive tailored advice to better understand how much money and emissions they could save by investing in greener and cleaner vehicles.

In a recent consultation more than 70% of Leeds residents surveyed said that they would consider switching to a low emission vehicle already or would do so if barriers were removed.

Councillor James Lewis, Executive Member for Resources at Leeds City Council, said: “Everyone has a responsibility to reduce emissions, help tackle air pollution and reduce their carbon footprint. We know that changing to electric vehicles

would be a leap in the dark for some so this trial is to support businesses to understand the charging regime without having to make an upfront financial commitment.

“Not only are electric vehicles better for the environment, they’re also cheaper to run and maintain than traditional diesel and petrol vehicles.

“We’d encourage businesses and organisations from across the region to consider taking up a free trial. EVs could help them save on running costs while reducing levels of pollution in Leeds.”

Christopher Plumb, Highways England Air Quality Specialist, said: “We are excited to be supporting this project by Leeds City Council which encourages more businesses to try out electric vehicles.

“This project forms part of a programme of activity by Highways England to improve air quality across our network.”

For more information about the scheme, please visit: www.leeds.gov.uk/evtrials or email evtrials@leeds.gov.uk

eeds Credit Union saved its members more than £1.7 Million in high interest charges during the 2019 Christmas period.

The interest that a credit union charges on loans is limited to a maximum 42.6% APR, but is often much lower depending on circumstances.

This means that those who took a loan from the credit union will collectively pay £1.7 million less in interest repayments than if they had gone to other high cost lenders.

The £1.7m saved is a real boost for the local economy and keeps this amount of money in local people’s pockets, rather than flowing out of the community to unethical high-cost lending companies.

As well as providing affordable credit, the Christmas Club savings scheme has been going from strength to strength to make Christmas a less daunting time of year financially, particularly since the demise of other large savings clubs. Customers saved more than £720,000 in Christmas club accounts during 2019, averaging nearly £400 each.

This positive news comes as Leeds Credit Union is shortlisted for both ‘Savings Provider’ and ‘Lender’ of the Year alongside household names such as Yorkshire Building Society and HSBC at the Yorkshire Finance awards, for their work in providing ethical financial services in the local community.

Chris Smyth, Chief Executive of Leeds Credit Union commented: “I am delighted that the credit union has been able to help the local community save £1.7m in interest charges. This is particularly significant following the Christmas period

where families can often feel the purse strings tightening.

“In regards to saving, the level of Christmas club savings by our members has increased every year for the past 10 years, and it’s fantastic that we were able to help our members better plan for their Christmases with this account”.

Leeds Credit Union has branches at Dewsbury Road Community Hub (Monday to Friday 9am-3pm, except Wednesdays 10am-3pm); Middleton St George’s Centre (Monday to Friday 9am2:30pm) and a weekly session at Hunslet Community Hub on Tuesdays, 9am-1pm.

Leeds Credit Union branch at St George’s Centre, Middleton

Station plans submitted F

urther to our December front page, a full planning application has now been submitted for the new White Rose station.

Contrary to some media reports this does not affect whether Cottingley station will be closed which will be decided separately and following consultation later this year.

Comments on the plans, ref: 19/07911/FU, close on Friday 31 January.

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Defibrillator rehoused in Cross Flatts Park

Cllr Angela Gabriel with the new defibrillator cabinet

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ross Flatts Park is now home to an automated external defibrillator (AED) that is accessible to all after local Councillors funded an external cabinet to house it.

For just over three years the AED, bought by the Cross Flatts parkrun, has lived inside the kitchen at the Watsonian Pavilion in the Park.

It has been a fantastic asset to the Park and both local residents and Councillors were extremely grateful to the parkrun for funding it.

However, its location meant that it wasn’t accessible 24 hours as day as the Pavilion isn’t open all of the time.

At the last Inner South

Community Committee meeting it was agreed that Councillors from Beeston and Holbeck and Hunslet and Riverside would jointly fund the external cabinet to ensure that the defibrillator is always accessible should anyone need it.

It is now located in front of the Pavilion, next to the café door ready to be used should the occasion arise.

Councillor Angela Gabriel, Chair of the Inner South Community Committee, said: “It was incredibly generous of the Cross Flatts parkrun to buy the AED and my colleagues Andrew Scopes, Gohar Almass, Elizabeth Nash, Paul Wray and

Mohammed Iqbal and I were delighted to be able to help further by funding the external cabinet.

“Publically accessible defibrillators really can mean the difference between life and death and so I am very pleased that anyone who is unfortunate enough to need one in Cross Flatts Park will now be able to be given the assistance they need.”

Mark Hodgkinson, Cross Flatts parkrun Event Director, said: “Cross Flatts parkrun and Junior parkrun are delighted that our event defibrillator is being made available for use outside of our event times. We hope that the defibrillator will never need to be used but very pleased that, if a defibrillator is needed by someone in Cross Flatts Park, one is now accessible.”

Using a Public Access Defibrillator is very straightforward, they have audio instructions and will not let you cause harm to the patient. To access the defibrillator call 999 and they will tell you the access code to unlock the cabinet.

More than bargains at the Salvation Army shop W

by Abbie Randall

alking into a Salvation Army building you will probably expect a warm welcome, this is exactly how I was met this morning when I visited the Salvation Army on Hunslet Hall Road.

The shop is modest in size but brimming with an atmosphere of love and caring as many people from very diverse backgrounds came in and out, looking through the offerings and snapping up bargains. Vanessa (Shop & Community Manager) explained that seeing the smiles on people’s faces when they find a bargain is one of the highlights of the job.

There really was an eclectic offering from vinyl records for 50p to good quality children’s toys at reasonable prices, there really was something for everyone. Don’t forget to have a look in the ‘freebie box’ on your way out too, if you have an old VHS player you might just be in luck!

February 2020 | South Leeds Life

Vanessa (right) with volunteers in the shop We both shed a tear or two as we talked about the diverse outreach she provides especially the food parcels and toy donations around Christmas time and also how she has brought together communities who might not otherwise have got to know one another. The shop provides a warm and safe environment for friendships to be forged and communities to come together.

The Church provides

emergency food parcels and if you or someone you know is in need, drop in and Vanessa can help you through the process. If you feel you’d like to donate they welcome store cupboard basics, preferably tins that have ring pulls and are easy to open and cook.

All are welcome please pop in, they’re open Monday to Thursday 9:30am-1pm, even if you don’t find a bargain you will certainly find a warm and supportive welcome no matter how your day might have started. Donations can also be made during this time of clothing, toys etc as well as the aforementioned food items.

CLIMATE TIP: We can all be more environmental by buying less new stuff: hit the charity shops (to buy and donate stuff), or choose to buy secondhand or refurbished goods on websites like ebay and gumtree, and you'll save a load of money, and be helping the planet.

On the beat

by Insp Lucy Leadbeater

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s many will have seen this week, knife crime and violent crime have again hit the national headlines.

Figures released last week show that West Yorkshire Police have managed to reduce crimes involving a knife or sharp instrument by 8% for the period up to the end of September. This is excellent as these types of crimes can have devastating consequences and

25, harmed by knife crime.

Across the Inner South area we have done lots of policing activity as part of Operation Jemlock. This has included: providing extra visibility and pro-active policing in higher risk areas; arresting outstanding wanted persons who are involved in serious violent crime or knife crime; as well as attending schools to talk to young children about the dangers of carrying knives.

This month we have worked on a number of initiatives across the three wards. On Thursday 23 January Cockburn School, the Leeds United Foundation, the Safer Schools Police Officers and partners such as My Life Experience came together at Cockburn John Charles Academy to deliver a day to the students about making positive choices.

Throughout the day the students heard from a number

United match!

Then on Saturday 25 January, your local Neighbourhood Policing Team, the West Yorkshire Police & Crime Commissioner and local Councillors joined with residents (including young residents!) and local businesses to take part in a series of Community Action Events in parks across the area.

This included Middleton Park, Cross Flatts Park, Cottingley Cemetery, Holbeck Moor Park and Hunslet Moor Park. During the event everyone came together and conducted clean ups of the parks, which included knife sweeps to search for any discarded or hidden weapons.

One knife was located and seized by police from Cross Flatts Park and has now been taken off the streets.

These events brought the

Jamie Shackleton joins students from Cockburn John Charles Academy and Cockburn School often involve young people which have a significant impact on the rest of their lives.

In order to tackle knife and serious violent crime West Yorkshire Police launched Operation Jemlock in April 2019. Through this operation there has been a variety of activity including; education, enforcement, partnership working and pro-activity. Since April West Yorkshire Police have seen a 12% reduction in the number of people, aged under

of key speakers who delivered powerful messages about knife crime and the dangers of getting involved in it.

The day finished with an awards event where a small number of students were recognised for their hard work and motivation regarding making positive choices. They were rewarded with a visit from Leeds United player Jamie Shackleton and have been inviting to attend as guests of honour at a future Leeds

community together to make the parks safer and feel safer as I strongly believe that parks should be a place of enjoyment for all.

There is still a lot of work for police and partners to do to tackle knife and violent crime however, we are definitely going in the right direction.

Community events this weekend have shown the successes we can have when we work in partnership and we will continue to do so.

Mark Burns-Williamson, the Police & Crime Commissioner (centre) joined Cllrs Kim Groves and Judith Blake, staff from Asda and Police officers for a litter pick and kife sweep in Middleton Park.

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South Leeds Life | February 2020

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Free transport to health appointments

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lder people and those with additional support needs in Beeston and Holbeck are being offered free door to door transport to GP and other health appointments.

The scheme is being trialled in South Leeds as part of the Connecting Leeds project and aims to cut the number of missed appointments which cost the NHS an average of ÂŁ30 each.

People with a senior bus pass or blind or disabled card

holders can call and book a ride from their home to their health destination. They will be met and assisted by specially trained drivers who will be able to help them with getting into and out of the vehicle and carrying any personal items.

The trial, which runs until 27 March 2020, will be free and operate in the Beeston and Holbeck. People using the trial will be expected to provide feedback following their journey which will then be used to help design the service in the future.

The service will operate between 8am-5pm seven days a week, journeys can be prebooked any time up to 12 noon the day before the requested journey.

To book this service please call (0113) 378 2464 8am4pm Monday to Friday or email: D2D.Hub@leeds.gov.uk

Turning the clock back

Noster Road and surrounding streets in Beeston went back to the 1960s as cars were removed and wheelie bins replaced by galvanised dustbins.

Filming took place over three days in January for what South Leeds Life understands to be the movie The Heist. The film stars Helen Mirren and Jim Broadbent and is based on the true story of the theft of a portrait of The Duke Of Wellington by Goya, from the National Gallery in London in 1961.

The Nosters and Marleys have become a popular location, with scenes for The Damned United and DCI Banks being filmed here. Rap star Stormzy also visited to do a photo shoot for Vogue magazine in 2018.

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Unity housing CEO “humbled” by recognition in Honours List A

li Akbor, Chief Executive of Unity Homes & Enterprise, has spoken of his pride at being awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours List.

Mr Akbor, who joined Unity in January 1999 and also serves as Secretary/Treasurer of BME National, was honoured for services to the community in Leeds.

Responding to the announcement, he said: “I am deeply humbled to receive this award, which is something I never envisaged.

“I regard it as recognition for the work that Unity staff and Board members – past and present – have done over more than three decades.

“I am part of a team, this is a team achievement and I trust each team member feels suitably proud. There can be no greater honour for me than to work with them.

“From a personal perspective, I also want to thank my family and friends for

Ali Akbor OBE, Chief Executive of Unity Homes & Enterprise their support and encouragement over the years.

They have always been there for me and we will celebrate this special moment together.”

Tom Riordan, Chief Executive of Leeds City Council, said: “This prestigious honour is thoroughly deserved.

“Ali has played a prominent role in improving the lives of so many people in Leeds and beyond over many years.

“Alongside the provision of

decent homes, he understands that social and economic regeneration, access to life opportunities and the removal of equality imbalances are essential for local communities to thrive.

“I am delighted for him and his family.”

Unity Homes & Enterprise own and managed social housing in Beeston, Holbeck and Hunslet as well as in Chapeltown and other areas.

Holbeck Together set to take over community centre T

he transfer of St Matthew’s Community Centre from Leeds City Council to Holbeck Together took a step forward last month when the Council’s Executive Board approved plans to grant an initial six year lease on the building.

Holbeck Together (formerly Holbeck Elderly Aid) have been delivering services to the local community for 27 years and are the main user of the building, on the corner of Holbeck Moor.

Over the last few years they have been developing plans to

refurbish the building to make it more attractive, accessible and better suited to current usage. Holbeck Together have worked with corporate partners to develop plans which include a full time café and creating flexible office space on the first floor in the former balcony. A new, larger, kitchen and a lift would also be included.

Holbeck Together are still working to secure the funding to see these improvements, hence the short initial lease.

But Leeds City Council have

Asset Transfer: St Matthew’s Community Centre in Holbeck

agreed in principle to a long lease which would allow Holbeck Together to raise funds for the improvement works.

The Council has also approved revenue funding for five years of £143,747. This will save the Council over £40,000 during this period and lead to a nil revenue cost in the future.

St Matthew’s church was built as one of the “Million Act” or “Waterloo” churches in the early nineteenth century as part of the peace dividend following the Napoleonic Wars.

Parliament voted £1 million to build churches in the newly industrialising areas of the country, that were not being served by existing churches.

The building is Grade II Listed and was converted into a community centre in 1981.

The current scaffolding on the building is related to roof repairs being undertaken by Leeds City Council and does not relate to any refurbishment work.

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South Leeds Life | February 2020

10 School Life

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Westwood’s eco-warriors Using education to W

such a huge impact on the world is inspiring. “If you believe you can do it, you can and you will!”

We have touched on the use of single use plastics and where we can cut back. For example, instead of having a bottle of hand soap, a bottle of body wash and a bottle of face wash, you can have a single bar of soap that does the job of all

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Learning about the natural environment here in South Leeds

by Sophie Jones

activities throughout the school, but fundamentally we will learn about environmental topics and climate change.

We hope to plant new trees and introduce plants to the classrooms to help improve air quality indoors. As part of our eco day we will organise a clothes swap; just because you don't wear it anymore doesn't mean nobody will.

We would really like it if other schools could get involved on Earth Day. Imagine if all the schools within South Leeds took part and the impact that could have.

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or the young people who come to TCV CR ISIS Skelton Grange on a school visit, we don’t focus on the fears and risks of climate catastrophe.

Instead we focus on having fun with nature and encouraging them to get outdoors. If they learn to love their natural surroundings, we can hope they will be inclined to look after them.

I was motivated to start doing voluntary work in Leeds after completing some for my university degree at Leeds Beckett, it feels great to give back to the local community.

The work we do at Skelton is definitely influential in some MA LI T

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e are a small school-based eco club consisting CR ISIS of 5 children who range from years 3 to 6 led by 2 adults. We meet every Tuesday after school.

We try to look at ways in which we can do better for our immediate environment and what is happening elsewhere in the world.

Westwood Eco Club started because we care.

We care about where we live, we care about nature and we care about the world as a whole.

We want to reduce littering both in our community and wider - this will help to keep our planet clean and save the animals. We know we can't save the world, but maybe we can save our little Westwood Eco Club members on a litterpick Three. Who knew? part of it.

For our Christmas Fair we We have only been meeting for a few short weeks, but in made Christmas crackers from that time we have looked at a cardboard tubes and used variety of topics. We have learnt newspaper and instead of little about the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, plastic toys inside we made Recycle and we are trying to flower seed packages which implement those into our daily will help the bees in the summer. We also collected a lives.

We have a selection of variety of containers and preloved uniform within school turned them into plant pots.

Hopefully, we can become a that anybody can access which will hopefully cut down on the recycling point for pens and crisp packets but we are still need to buy new every time.

Greta Thunberg is someone awaiting news on that. who has left an impression on However, we have still made us. To see a young girl, not collection boxes for pens etc for much older than us, having each of the classrooms and if MA LI T

we cannot be a direct recycle point, they will be taken to the closest point which is in Leeds City Centre.

We are currently planning an eco day in school. This will be on Wednesday 22 April, which is Earth Day. For this we will encourage children to walk to school and leave the car at home.

There will be a variety of

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by Westwood Eco Club

children’s lives. Unfortunately, a lot of children these days don’t spend as much time outside as they should, but many of them come and learn a lot about bugs and nature, leaving with massive smiles on their faces.

In my experience I find that kids aren’t playing outside as much anymore. A lot of the children can be quite reserved at the start of the day, perhaps due to not spending as much time finding worms and making mud cakes as I did. However, as the day goes on, they do come out of their shells and get really engaged with the activities.

Although we have returned our small patch in south Leeds into a haven for native wildlife and biodiversity, this is only a

small part of the action needed to avert climate catastrophe.

Despite the work we do, much more needs to be done across the city, country and beyond. However, I believe education is the way forward in getting this message across.

If you’re interested in getting involved with Skelton Grange, there are many ways you can.

You can apply to be a volunteer and help-out with day to day running of the site, or like my role, apply to become a volunteer officer and lead educational or conservationbased sessions.

If getting down and dirty isn’t your thing then we welcome you to come and visit us, or make a donation so we can continue our work. More at: www.tcv.org.uk/skeltongrange

Huge improvements at Cockburn John Charles T

he Yorkshire Evening Post last week published its annual article highlighting the worst performing schools in the Leeds area and for the first time in its history, and further to the former South Leeds Academy in Belle Isle being officially closed and re-opened by the Cockburn MultiAcademy Trust (MAT), Cockburn John Charles Academy was not featured.

This follows a summer which saw the academy achieve record progress and outcomes for students, the vast majority of which have now moved on to study at their first choice of further education provider.

Executive Headteacher of Cockburn MAT, David Gurney, said: “This is an incredible achievement for the academy in the short time that it has been

part of the trust which ensures that all students receive the education they are entitled to and the outcomes which will enable them to realise their ambitions.

“I am extremely proud of the high standard education that the schools who are part of the Cockburn MAT have on the children of south Leeds.”

A parent of a year 7 student has also passed on this note of praise to the academy staff: "My daughter attends your school and I just wanted to say how happy I am with how she has settled since starting year 7 in September.

“I truly hope when OFSTED do inspect they see the amazing school you have become. Thank you very much and I am looking forward to year 7 parents evening in March."

Head of School, Siobhan Roberts, said: “I am hugely proud to lead an academy with such a dedicated staff and a hardworking cohort of students.

“This news validates the unwavering focus of the team in delivering rapid improvements which have had a clear and measurable impact on the outcomes of students, which will in turn have a huge impact on the future life choices these young people are able to make.

“I would also like to give thanks to the parents and carers and local community who have supported our school on our journey of ‘Transformation to Excellence’ which has again seen record numbers of applications for places in Year 7 for September 2020.”

L-R: Rhiann Curtis Y9, Melanie Barbosa Y11, Kian Sharp Y11, Pavol Svab Y7 and Manpreet Kaur Y7

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School Life 11

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Salads, compost and eco-bricks at St Mary’s

by Jeremy Morton

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upils at Hunslet St Mary’s Primary CR ISIS School take environmental issues very seriously as I discovered when I dropped in on group learning how to grow salads indoors.

Nathan Atkinson, Director of Rethink Food and a former headteacher, was in school to show the children how to grow crops in a Tower Garden in the corner of the classroom.

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Nathan showed the children how to plant seeds in rockwool plugs for the soilless system.

Once in the tower an automated pump system ensures the plants get enough water, nutrients and oxygen to grow and give them 13 hours of light every day, no matter whether it’s summer or winter outside.

Before they could move to the tower the plugs were put in a propagator to germinate and watered.

As well as growing their own

food pupils throughout the school have been making ecobricks. They collect plastic rubbish and stuff it into empty plastic drinks bottles.

Packed to the right density the bottles become structurally useful eco-bricks. However some of the children have noticed that many of the bottles haven’t been stuffed fully. After approaching staff they are now collecting the bottles and finishing the job in their own time.

Pupils will be taking the eco-

bricks to Citu’s new Climate Innovation Distric where they will be used to build compost bins for the residents.

Speaking of compost, families at St Mary’s are being urged to bring their food waste to the school’s compost bin, as many of them can’t compost at home.

The bin has been created from a brown wheelie bin, with the addition of drilled air holes, a hatch and tap at the bottom and the addition of some worms to do the work.

Pupils at Hunslet St Mary’s primary school with teacher Matt Keddie

Leeds Youth Voice Summit A

free event for schools on tackling the CR ISIS Climate Emergency in Leeds takes place on Wednesday 12 February, 9:30am-2pm at Leeds Civic Hall.

Against a backdrop of: • Greta Thunberg and the global YouthStrike for Climate movement • Leeds City Council declaring a climate emergency C

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February 2020 | South Leeds Life

• UK Youth Parliament voting “protect the environment” as their 2020 campaign The Leeds City Council Health and Wellbeing Service and the Voice, Influence and Change team are proud to offer this free to attend event for students from high schools and colleges.

Join us on the day to; learn more about the effects of and science behind climate change,

take part in a Q&A panel with the Leader of Leeds City Council and work together with city councillors from the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee to develop solutions. There will also be encouragement to consider ways to reduce the carbon footprint of your school community.

There are 5 free places per school – 4 students & 1 member of staff.

To book your free places for your 4 students and member(s) of staff please visit: bit.ly/ClimateSummit2020 For queries or further information please email vic@leeds.gov.uk or call 07891 277433

Cultivating character at Cockburn C

ockburn School has been working hard in 2020 to develop the character of their students.

The school, which already achieves excellent academic progress, also understands the need for students to leave as well rounded citizens with a strong moral purpose. The school motto ‘Learning for Life’ encompasses more than just working towards exams.

Everything in the school centres around 10 core Values and Expectations, and this year there has been an increased focus on these.

Cockburn is proud to work closely with a range of prestigious business organisations, including legal company Pinsent Masons and multinational information technology company IBM. These organisations and many more continue to stress the importance of ‘soft skills’.

Candidates with strong soft skills are in high demand for many different types of jobs.

Soft skills are the interpersonal attributes you need to succeed in the workplace. These are related to how you work with and relate to others - in other words, people skills.

A recent LinkedIn study found 57% of leaders say soft skills are more important than hard skills.

Cockburn School develops students understanding of

careers and further education from Year 7 to Year 11 and developing character plays a big part in this.

This term has seen assemblies, visits and rewards that have highlighted the importance of respect, responsibility and politeness and all staff have come together to make sure students are rewarded for getting it right and challenged when they fall short.

A culture of ‘First time, Every time’ promotes students taking responsibility for their own behaviour, without being prompted.

With the world of learning and employment becoming a global marketplace, Cockburn students are being set up to succeed and prove that the young people of south Leeds can be successful citizens for the new decade.

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South Leeds Life | February 2020

12 Greener Life

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Blackberries are Disposing of disposables? Cycli not the only fruit F C C

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by Becky Howcroft

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n recen surveys we have taken as a CR ISIS church for ou new community hub, the environment is up there with crime, prostitution and drugs as an issue of major concern in South Leeds.

The M621 motorway cuts our community in half, with the constant traffic belching out fumes into the streets and schools surrounding it creating a harsh environmen for local people. We feel the people of Holbeck, Beeston and Beeston Hill deserve better.

As a Christian I love Psalm 24. "The world is the Lord's and everything in it" The MA LI T

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t's easy to think that growing your own food is a big job, for little reward CR ISIS but not necessarily!

Barbara lives in Hunslet Moor, in a back-to-back terrace with a small (4m x 4m) yard; yet she manages to grow a huge amount of produce in pots, and says doing so has a really positive impact on her. She grows a range of berries, herbs, pumpkins, potatoes, edible flowers, sunflowers (she shares the seeds around her street) - and last year grew enough grapes to make her own wine!

She says: "I've been doing this 6 years, and it makes you feel so much better. I really struggle with depression, but you get lost in it, you feel one with nature - even in just a little garden like mine! I've never been taught how to do it, but you learn as you go. And it needn't cost a lot of money - once you get going, it costs nothing."

Barbara with a home grown pumpkin MA LI T

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Rosy red apples, ready to pick in Holbeck Cemetery

by Cheryl Johnso

Growing food, feeling good St Luke E

of our sucessful harvests of foraged fruits, or even recipes for the great dishes we’ve cooked with our free goodies.

Unlike a lot of foraging forums, on Leeds Suburban Foragers we’re mostly curious novices to wild food.

This means we help each other out with identifying our finds (so nobody gets poisoned,) share ideas of how to use what we find, and we talk about safe and legal places to go picking.

In a time of staggering food waste, plus an increased awareness of the carbon footprint of our food-miles it’s, at best, a missed opportunity to let perfectly edible wild apples rot on the pavement. If you’re wanting to eat more seasonally, avoid overpackaged fruit, or reduce your carbon footprint, I’d definitely recommend adding a bit of foraged food to your diet.

Don’t wait until blackberry season though… start by sniffing out some wild garlic this spring.

Want to get involved in suburban foraging? Here’s some ideas: You could join the Leeds Suburban Foragers Facebook Group.

Join a community foraging and nature walk lead by Incredible Edible Kirkstall, also on Facebook.

Edible Leeds - Wild and Wonderful runs regular Wild Food & Foraging Courses edible-leeds.blogspot.com Pick up a copy of the classic forager’s Bible ‘Food for Free’ by Richard Mabey (Collins Gem), or borrow it from the library.

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Free apples in the shadow of Bridgewater Place

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lackberry picking is a simple late Summer pleasure, CR ISIS which many of us will have enjoyed since we were little; cramming more blackberries into our mouths than we managed to take home, fingers and clothes stained with berry juice.

These are much-loved childhood memories, for even a hardened suburbanite like me. But why stop there? What else could we pick?

I used to think that foraging was just a countryside activity. Something which is only possible on a quiet hedgerow-lined country lane in the Dales. Or maybe getting lucky and finding bilberries while walking on Otley Chevin or Ilkley Moor. But a few years ago I noticed than our urban environment is heaving with free wild food every year, which simply goes to waste. Municipal planting schemes mean our roadside verges and neighbourhood parks are full of apple and cherry trees. Wasteland and ginnels are colonised by blackberries, blackthorn and roses.

Even city centre flower pots contain useful culinary herbs, if you know where to look!

Before long I was regularly out picking cherry plums from a housing estate in Belle Isle, collecting tiny red apples from a tree in Holbeck Cemetery, harvesting blackcurrants from council planted borders in Holbeck, gathering wild garlic in Middleton Woods, and even picking hazelnuts from a footpath behind a supermarket in Beeston.

I started to think I was the only person who was urban foraging. So on a whim, I set up the Facebook group Leeds Suburban Foragers to see if anyone else was out there!

Turns out there are lots of us. The idea of the group was to make more people notice the free food on our doorsteps, by sharing our favourite foraging spots across the city and calling out fruit trees which need a bit of harvesting. Group members share photos of picking sites we’ve found, MA LI T

finished, this means no harsh chemicals or environmental impact. Use a menstrual cup and you lessen your impact even further, they’re made from medical grade silicone but one menstrual cup can last a woman years if looked after properly and only requires sterilising once before use and once after, usually by boiling in a pan of water for 10 minutes.

Reusable pads can be made from old bath towels, fabric from cotton clothing and there are plenty of patterns online and YouTube tutorials of how to sew them. If you’re in the position to, there are a few places that donate cloth pads to women around the world suffering period poverty, see freedom4girls.co.uk If a baby is mostly cloth nappied throughout their time in nappies they can save hundreds of nappies from landfill and avoid exposure to chemicals by using cloth.

I spoke to some Mums who use cloth during the day and then a reusable overnight just for piece of mind regarding leaks through the night. They reported that their bill went down just from making this simple switch, from roughly £10-15 a week for nappies down to almost £5 a week.

If you just don’t know where to start but are looking at making some changes, check out the Leeds Cloth Nappy Library (find them on Facebook) that weeks fortnightly at the United Free Church, Malvern Road, Beeston on Tuesday mornings. Make sure you book an appointment, pop in and they will be happy to go through the process of cloth nappies for your baby and help you find the right fit.

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ollowing my article on period poverty in the CR ISIS community (page 3) I felt moved to pen a piece exploring the impact sanitary products, tampons, sanitary pads, incontinence pads and nappies are having on the environment and just what we can do to minimise our own impact.

Like it or not at some point most of us will have to use one of the above listed items and I can almost guarantee most of them will be packed with harsh chemicals that are both bad for your skin and the environment.

Mums in the local community have commented on the difference using reusable cloth nappies have had on their babies’ skin, my own child suffered terrible nappy rash until I switched to cloth and almost overnight it disappeared and they very rarely suffered from it again.

Disposable nappies can contain a range of chemicals “Look at my lovely cloth nappy!” depending on their source such as dioxins from bleached yourself at risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome, nobody should have to cloth which can cause cancer.

The BBC estimate that in the UK worry about that.

An alternative for all of the an estimated three billion nappies are thrown away each year in the above is to use reusable nappies UK and if you consider on a good or sanitary pads and even internal day an average baby may go protection for your period, also through 6-8 nappies that’s a lot of known as a menstrual cup.

Reusable nappies and pads work waste.

A similar situation is true for in a similar way, they’re usually disposable sanitary protection, for made from a variety of cloth ease I will use sanitary pads and material and washed after each tampons as an example but use.

A woman can either purchase incontinence pads and similar items also have a similar impact. or make her own set of sanitary Packaged in plastic and pads for the month and only do containing not only plastic but one wash when her period has MA LI T

by Zoë Mitchell

similar chemicals as nappies pads and tampons can be just as harmful to your health and the environment.

Once used they are disposed of and can’t be used again contributing to plastic and chemical waste in our landfills or going into the incinerators.

There’s also a risk with tampons if you use one for too long, you put

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by Abbie Randall

Greener Life 13

Email: info@southleedslife.com

on-Hartlebury

kit, and you have ou want to give it don't steal. Both and Middleton bikes. Try it first There are always found should you

ter over 30 years ought I'd give it a ycling as a child, ads were much back onto two te daunting, but he saddle (tip: buy s a case of where

many cycle routes s. The canal is a to go off road, but of pedestrians, right of way. Near ually a bit busier, er out, you find it elatively flat, but pley, there are phill (downhill on hes. Going under uite nerve-racking

e city centre. Well o work by bicycle.

Cheryl and Nigel getting out into the country on their bikes From where I live, door to door, from my house to work, by bus took 30 minutes, by bike a whole 12 minutes.

Once you know your route, and find the best route, it's amazing.

From most surrounding areas of Leeds there are cycle routes into the city centre, some shared pathways with pedestrians, some segregated stretches and some just a line in the road. Beware, some designated cycleways can be confusing, most are straightforward, just stop and have a think. I found with certain less clear

ones, that I use the main part of the road.

No matter where you cycle, you must adhere to the highway code, that means stopping at red lights, going the right way down a one-way street, (some have a cycleway going the opposite way, these are marked, and very convenient). Your first few trips negotiating the city centre can see your bike seat bypassing the padding and disappearing up the back of beyond, but as with everything, the more you do it, the easier it becomes.

e’s set to become an eco-church?

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world is on loan to us and we need to take responsibility for it. We want to nurture and care for the gift that is our world – not destroy it.

We know there’s many things we could do as a congregation if we look at other churches around the country who have decided to take action on this issue.

When it comes to our building, we could take inspiration from St Anne’s Church in London who fundraised to put solar panels on their roof so they could generate energy in a green way.

We could consider switching to a green energy supplier for the church building and community hub and we could consider using

LED bulbs for lighting. As a community which meets regularly, we could commit to doing things such as walking to church and using washable plates, cups and utensils so that when we do meet together, we don’t negatively effect the environment.

Volunteers from St Luke’s have been nurturing beautiful flowers and wildlife outside the church for a while and this is something we could continue to do.

As a church we would be interested in linking with other community groups to see how we might tackle environmental issues together. If you would like to connect do contact us on (0113) 271 7996. It would be great to talk more.

St Luke’s church in Beeston Hill is building a community extension

By Kushmina Begum This month I took semi-part in the latest food trend ‘Veganuary’ (where you give up meat and diary products for a month to essentially live like a vegan).

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With a bike, you go at your own speed and you can beat traffic into and around town. You can access the whole of the city centre. Each journey costs nothing, it is totally free. Free parking, some employers even provide locked sheltered storage (Victoria Gate being one of them). It is absolutely ZERO emissions. It's great for exercise, it can be as gentle as you like, increases blood flow, good cardio, burns calories, and builds a cracking set of leg muscles. Sometimes the views in front aren't too bad either, (sadly not the case for the person cycling behind me, sorry, but needs must).

It's a great tonic for mental health too, just being out in the fresh air, sun on your face and wind in your hair, along the canal, heavenly. Traffic jams, 9 times out of 10, you can whizz past standing traffic, waving on your way past and be home with a hot (or cold) drink before the car drivers have even got 100 yards.

Now the downside. Drivers of motorised vehicles, whilst 99% of drivers will be courteous (I love these drivers) you do get the odd few that aren't. Everybody has a name for these, that can't be used in print. Be very aware of everything around you.

Listening to music through headphones is a big no-no, you need to be able to hear what's going on around you.

You are small and without the security of a cocoon, extra caution is needed with buses and lorries. Rule of thumb, if you can't see his wing mirror, he can't see you, stay well back and never pull alongside these vehicles at lights, they can't see you.

The weather! Don't let it put you off, waterproofs on, layer up. You will always warm up and dry off at the other end. Oh, and have the time at the other end to have a hot drink.

That's it for now. I hope to see more of you out on the road. Stay safe and enjoy.

Veganuary: an ‘insider’s perspective’

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February 2020 | South Leeds Life

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Reasons for doing it: • Health – to improve the skin’s elasticity and joints , concentration, alertness in Winter months • To explore different vegetables, plant based food, non-animal based products (protein substitutes like soya) • To learn about world food products (the supermarkets seem to stock everything you could every need nowadays!!)

• To ‘eat 5 a day’ and more vegetables in my diet • To learn new recipes and try new foods (think outside of the box) • To take good pictures and send to my favourite people (hoping to encourage them to eat more vegan friendly and also make their mouth water from my pictures!!! Haha!)

Successes of Veganuary: • Learnt new recipes e.g. quinoa, chickpea and kale dish • Eaten more vegetables • Eaten considerably less meat (lamb etc) and chicken which will have a positive impact on the world and animal produce • Family members started to buy vegan meals after seeing my pictures and juicy captions • Immediately and for the rest of the day, body and mind felt a lot healthier after consuming a vegan meal • Sweet potato falafel is a new favourite food of mine

What I didn’t do well: • Didn’t do veganuary everyday – my skin and muscles need protein to repair so I ate roughly two real meat dishes a week for health reasons • What will I take forward for the rest of year?

• Endeavour to eat 50% vegan based meals a week which is a sustainable target

Tips for a newbie starting out : • Start small: intention is everything. My nephew started eating shop bought vegan meal deals for his lunch and now does this a few times a week. He reported on increased productivity at work (he works for a law firm) and health benefits such as happier moods, clearer skin as a result of eating more salad in all his meals!!

• Don’t go overboard and buy into money orientated marketing: there is no such thing as ‘plant based foods’ or ‘clean food’ if you will. Most of the things you can do yourself or have at home anyway in the food cupboard. Positive change should not cost a lot of money or stress!

• Look on the change4life website – you will learn more there about vegetables and seasonal foods that are good for your health and it is a good starting point for ideas

CLIMATE TIP: Did you know: microwaves are a far more energy efficient way to cook than gas or electric ovens and hobs? And kettles are very energy-intensive: only boil as much water as you need! You'll also save on your fuel bills.

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South Leeds Life | February 2020

14 Comment

Climate Crisis? Start by talking to your neighbours

The Climate Crisis

As a parent and company owner I am trying to cut my carbon footprint and that of my CR ISIS flower shop. Not only because of recent news of extreme weather, but because a cleaner more sustainable world is better for everyone, so we should all play our part. A cleaner,healthier world is better for everyone and everything in it - FACT! We recycle at home, and have cut down on food waste. At work we try to source British grown flowers where possible and offer recycled, recyclable vases and a recyclable wrap for our bouquets.

I think as long as everyone does something, even if it’s a little something, then we’re heading in the right direction.

Nicci McCulloch MA LI T

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The world is talking about climate change like never before. But even if you’re not sure about the science or the details, our society is clearly warped and unhealthy on many levels.

Could the climate crisis (even if you don’t believe in it!) offer an opportunity to question why we’re living as we are, choose a different path, and create a better future?

But time is short. Scientists insist we need to act now – to limit the worst effects of climate change, and build strength in our communities for the difficulties ahead.

Cake sales and recycling are great, but they won’t resolve the huge challenges we’re facing. We need wide-ranging transformation of our communities, our economy, our politics, and more – and would that be such a bad thing?

Where to start? Transition Towns is a project that helps communities tackle environmental challenges together. They make the case for all the obvious things: renewable energy, home insulation, better public transport, and more. But they stress that the first and most important step is building friendship and trust in your neighbourhood – because these things will give us the strength and creativity to tackle any problem.

So, start today: talk with your neighbours!

This edition of South Leeds Life has been put together, not just because of the Australian bushfires on the TV news, but because we know that many people in South Leeds are extremely concerned about the Climate Crisis. Some have made changes to their lives, others are asking what they can do. We hope that by bringing the issues together we have contributed, a little, to the solution.

Your letters and comments C

In our view

Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife

The weather is what it is always has been. Fires in Australia are not unusual.

Climate is part and parcel of our planet’s evolution.

Dennis Kitchen

Parnabys It’s with a heavy heart that I see once again the Parnaby estate in Hunslet must bear the brunt of further ‘development’ in the name of progress or sacrifice to the motor car. The eyesore of what looks like landscape open heart surgery at the bottom of the estate where we played as children in the late sixties.

We witnessed the first wave of destruction when the ‘Leeds Motorway City of the 70s’ M1 was built tearing out the heart of the adjoining Westburys, demolishing beautifully built, at my guess Edwardian homes.

There is nothing of more value and importance in today’s society than the motor car nothing must be allowed to impede or stand in its way. Multi vehicle ownership has deemed it unsafe to step off a kerb or cross a street in every town and city in the UK. It’s a misdemeanour to be a pedestrian now!

My guess is that this latest ‘Park & Ride’ will be little more than an eyesore, prove ineffective, and another sacrifice on the altar to the motor car.

My condolences to the Parnabys and not

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Top Tweets Keep up to date, up to the minute, by following South Leeds Life’s Twitter feed: @SouthLeedsLife.

Twitter is the 140 character ‘micro blogging’ site. It’s free and you can sign up at twitter.com. It’s a great place to find the very latest news.

Here are some of our favourite recent tweets: @MattDMillington This graphic in our #Do1Thing coverage frightens me the most. Leeds should NEVER be in the top 10 here...

The ways we get around the city is killing people, literally, and way too many!

Parnaby Crescent 1967 (demolished when the M1, now M621, was built). © West Yorkshire Archive Service, via leodis.net forgetting the genocide that was also visited on the nearby Stourton community again in the name of progress.

Tony Callaghan

LS1.1

Thanks for your article, we're glad to hear that you like our Temple development and our commitment to Leeds. We are incredibly proud to be part of LS11 and hope that the below explains our reasoning behind LS1.1 in more detail.

Temple is a new district in Holbeck LS11 and we are very proud to be a part of regenerating the area.

Our Temple development is about making connections that fill the gap between the city centre core of LS1 and the traditional Holbeck community of LS11.

The tagline we have adopted of LS1.1 seeks to recognise that connection and draw the communities closer, rather than make a distinction and create more separation.

We are extremely proud of LS11, and the LS1.1 name recognises the importance of LS11 but also recognises that this highest quality development will provide new job opportunities, prime business space, shops and services just minutes’ walk from Leeds City Station. It will bring Holbeck closer to the city, connecting its people to lots of opportunities and rectifying a historical detachment caused by Beeston & Holbeck ward motorways and highways. LS1.1 is Includes Beeston from Cross Flatts Park to the Ring Road, Cottingley and Holbeck. simply a code used in our branding to recognise that Temple The three councillors are: connection in the middle.

Gohar Almass 07445 878 333 gohar.almass@leeds.gov.uk Our intention is for Temple to Angela Gabriel 07946 632 468 angela.gabriel@leeds.gov.uk create jobs, learning, accessibility, Andrew Scopes 07860 400 645 andrew.scopes@leeds.gov.uk amenities and public realm that all draw the neighbouring Holbeck Hunslet & Riverside ward community into Temple to provide an inclusive, forward-thinking and Includes the city centre, Beeston Hill and Hunslet. The three councillors are: culturally-rich district.

We Mohammed Iqbal 0113 226 8796 mohammed.iqbal@leeds.gov.uk recognise that Holbeck already Elizabeth Nash 0113 275 8594 elizabeth.nash@leeds.gov.uk has people with ideas and energy, Paul Wray 07528 512 649 paul.wray@leeds.gov.uk and they just need the connectivity. We hope that Middleton Park ward evidence of our ongoing work with several community groups and Includes Belle Isle and Middleton. The three councillors are: organisations – including helping Judith Blake 0113 378 9000 judith.blake@leeds.gov.uk ‘Holbeck Together’ with their Kim Groves 07891 741 832 kim.groves@leeds.gov.uk recent re-brand and our current Paul Truswell 0113 378 8811 paul.truswell@leeds.gov.uk ‘Once Upon A Time In Holbeck’

Your Leeds City Councillors

short story competition in conjunction with Slung Low - demonstrates this commitment.

We’re both conscious and keen that we bring everyone on this journey with us, and have held various workshops and consultation groups with local stakeholders who understood and supported the brand messaging we are using for both Temple and LS1.1. The many, many organisations we are working with in Holbeck have agreed and appreciate that LS1.1 promotes the idea that these communities are at the centre of the city and its consideration.

Connectivity is engrained in everything CEG does. It is central to the work being carried out at Kirkstall Forge in Leeds, where a new £15.9 million train station, housing, the Forging Futures education campus and physical pathways through the development to the River Aire and Leeds Liverpool Canal ensure that the local community are active partners in what we do.

Temple is a new district with a new identity, but most importantly it is an area that looks both ways, and our primary long term objective is to provide a positive link between two very important communities and create a better and more established integration.

CEG

Election turnout I was interested to read about Hilary Benn's travels before the General Election.

However, In Stourton Grange, we only had a visit from supporters of one candidate.

With such a poor effort by candidates at a time of unprecedented political turmoil and one candidate publishing a south of England address, is there any wonder that a number of the electorate did not vote?

David Spencer

Join the debate Comment online; by email: info@southleedslife.com; or post to: 224 Cross Flatts Grove, Leeds, LS11 7BW. Letters may be edited for publication.

@LeedsPRSHousing Last week was the 18th MultiAgency Walkabout in #Holbeck #SouthLeeds which saw many partners attend for a morning of gathering information, tackling issues with the streets and properties along with interacting with the local residents. @CituUK For the foundations of the new offices in the Climate Innovation District, we are using repurposed steel tubes from redundant oil platforms.

The same rods that once helped fuel the #ClimateCrisis are being reused to help solve it. #Reuse #Recycle @LeedsRecycles Washing clothes on cool, quick cycle HALVES the micro plastics going into the water.

Also clothes last longer and keep their colour. Win-win for the planet and your wardrobe! #PlasticPollution @Petercl04558275 Smoke grenade training for ‘The Good Book’ @SlungLow now you see me, and now SMOKE!!!

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February 2020 | South Leeds Life

Comment 15

Email: info@southleedslife.com

MP’s notebook

by Hilary Benn MP

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t the end of this year, world leaders will gather in Glasgow CR ISIS for a big climate change conference as the scientific evidence of our changing climate accumulates.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is predicting that the average global temperature in 80 years’ time is likely to be between 3°C to 5.5°C above late-19th century levels if no action is taken to reduce global CO2 emissions.

Climate change is already affecting the UK with rising sea levels, higher average temperatures and more frequent very wet days.

And globally, we are seeing heat waves, drought, extreme rainfall and coastal flooding which - unchecked could result in human beings having to move home.

A decade ago I met some people in Kenya who had done exactly that because it had stopped raining where they were living. They left their village and pitched up in a town where they built benders to live in made of twigs, carboard and bits of plastic from the local rubbish tip, C

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and then they waited to see if the rains would return.

There are those who think this isn’t happening and who rubbish the science. I’m not a scientist, but I think we should take what they say seriously. And I would put this question to the doubters; are you absolutely sure that you are right and the scientists are wrong?

Because if you’re mistaken, then you’re taking an enormous risk with everyone’s future.

The task we face is very practical.

How we reduce our CO2 emissions and then get rid of them altogether?

We have made some progress as a country. UK emissions have fallen by about 40% since 1990. We have done this by burning a lot less coal, producing more renewable energy from wind turbines and using energy more efficiently. While we still have a long way to go, the UK’s experience shows that we can make progress.

So, what do we need to do next?

First, replace petrol and diesel cars with electric ones. More and more car manufacturers are making electric vehicles available and their efficiency and range are improving, but we need to solve the problem of

how to charge your car at home at the end of the day without trailing cables out across the pavement.

Secondly, change the way we heat our homes and cook our meals. This is likely to mean either electric or hydrogen-powered boilers and cookers.

Thirdly, lots of emissions come from ships transporting goods around the world which are currently powered by diesel engines. In future, batteries, hydrogen or ammonia will be the new sources of power.

Finally, there is the tricky question of aviation. No-one has yet developed a way of lifting 250 people into the sky to travel 3,000 miles other than by burning kerosene, which emits a lot of C02.

In Leeds, this issue is coming to a head with the proposed expansion of Leeds Bradford airport.

The Committee on Climate Change said last year that the UK's planned increase in aviation would need to be curbed to restrict CO2 emissions. There are those who say that flying should be taxed much more heavily, but then you end up with it becoming the preserve of the well off. And the problem with each area facing a decision on expansion

Get involved with South Leeds Life This newspaper is brought to you by people like yourself. Apart from our Editor, everyone is a volunteer. They care about what’s happening in South Leeds and want to help keep other informed.

Hilary Benn MP on their own is that, knowing how many jobs depend on their airport, they fear that turning down their expansion will simply result in a neighbouring airport getting the go ahead. It is the Government that needs to deal with this because airport expansion is unsustainable.

Every single country faces the same challenges, dilemmas and choices as we do, and international agreements between nations are so important to hold us all to account for the commitments we make and the progress we demonstrate. That’s why the meeting in Glasgow this November matters. If we want to make a difference, then each one of us must commit to action so that we can pass on a safe and secure planet to our children.

Hilary Benn is our Member of Parliament. He represents the Leeds Central constituency which covers Hunslet, Middleton, Belle Isle, Beeston, Holbeck, Cottingley in south Leeds as well as the city centre, Hyde Park, Woodhouse, Little London, Lincoln Green, Burmantofts, Richmond Hill and Osmondthorpe.

There are lots of jobs needed to keep the news flowing: • Writing articles • Taking photographs • Distributing newspapers • Selling advertising • Managing social media You don’t need to be an expert, we can help get to grips with the job.

You just need a bit of time and commitment.

Does this sound like you?

Get in touch and let’s have a chat about how you can join our team Ring 07894 583966 Email: info@southleedslife.com

Contact: hilary.benn.mp@parliament.uk, www.hilarybennmp.com Constituency office: Suite 7, Unity Business Centre, 26 Roundhay Road, Leeds LS7 1AB; phone: 0113 244 1097

Child Friendly Leeds Awards shortlist announced

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outh Leeds is well represented amongst the names of the people, places and organisations shortlisted for the seventh Child Friendly Leeds awards revealed last month.

The annual awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 6 February this year, and will celebrate all the hard work that is happening across the city to make Leeds the best place for children and young people to grow up in.

Planning for the awards has been carried out by a group of ten enthusiastic and dedicated young people, ‘Tentastic Productions’, who have been meeting at Leeds City Varieties each week to make all the important decisions on the organisation and running of the event. The group revealed the theme of ‘Space’ for the awards, which promises for an awards ceremony that is out of this world.

There are eight categories presented at the Child Friendly Leeds Awards, each with five

shortlisted nominations.

Councillor Fiona Venner, Leeds City Council executive member for children and families, said: “It was overwhelming the number of nominations we received this year, reflecting the continuous hard work that goes on across the city, by people, places and organisations, to make Leeds a child friendly city.

“It’s great that while we have this opportunity to celebrate this work through the Child Friendly Leeds Awards, the fact that the whole event is planned and organised by a group of young people from the city makes it even more special.”

The awards are hosted by Leeds City Varieties and this year seven business have sponsored the awards, including: aql; White Rose Shopping Centre; City Varieties Music Hall; Victoria Leeds; Trinity Leeds; Harvey Nichols; and First Direct Arena. Their commitment shows the continued dedication from the

Child Friendly Leeds ambassador network.

Amongst those nominated are: Libby Tinworth of Health For All and Daniel Pollock, Head of Year 11 at Cockburn John Charles Academy, both nominated in the Adult making a difference for young people (21+) category.

The LS-TEN skatepark in Hunslet and Beanstalk Nursery in Beeston are nominated in the Best place in Leeds for children and young people Middleton-based charity Health For All and Skelton Grange Environment Centre in Stourton are amongst the nominees in the Overall contribution to making Leeds a child friendly city category, along with aql (Adam Beaumont) based at Salem Church in Hunslet.

For more information please visit the CFL awards page on the Child Friendly Leeds website here: www.leeds.gov.uk/child friendlyleeds/cfl-awa

Skelton Grange Environmental Centre

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South Leeds Life | February 2020

16 Cultural Life

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Eating ethically at Sheaf Street Cafeteria

by Imran Marashli C

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verything from scratch.

Organic where possible.

Local.

Fresh.

This motto sums up the ethos of a café, tucked away in the shadow of the Tetley, that is bringing the burning issue of sustainability to light.

The Grub & Grog Shop on Sheaf Street, Hunslet, began before veganism and vegetarianism became the unignorable cultural trends that they are today. Back then, it was a matter of identifying a gap in the market.

But now that concerns about ethical food and sustainability are at the forefront of efforts to fight climate change, it is an example of the way forward as the world grapples with the challenge of feeding an evergrowing population while protecting the environment.

The wooden furniture, upbeat music and plants provide an earthy and organic feel that is backed up by the food and drink served: fresh salads, soups and a mix of

A friendly welcome awaits at the Grub & Grog Shop vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals, while out-of-date beers are sold at cut-price deals to combat waste.

Local is the watchword. Most of the produce comes from a farm in Tadcaster, explains comanager Jim Hirst. “The menu is dictated by what they have grown that week. The specials board changes depending on what’s ready that week.

“Everything is, where possible, UK-grown or -sourced.

The only oil we use is rapeseed oil, which is grown half an hour away. The salt is UK salt. All

pulses and grains are from the UK.” Last year, Greggs launched its vegan sausage rolls to much fanfare, while some of the world’s largest fast food chains, including KFC and Burger King, are creating vegan products to supply a growing demand. But replacing burgers with fake meat is not everyone’s cup of tea. Does sustainable food have to be flavourless?

“There is an element of that when people try to do fake meats and mimic meatballs,” admits Mr Hirst. “As soon as

you go down that route, the only real flavour you’ve got is salt.

“We celebrate what’s in season, for example beetroot – we’ll grate them and make them into patties, use them in salads or coleslaw.

“It’s more about what the vegetable is and where it’s come from, not doing too much with it to morph it into something else.”

A common criticism of vegetarianism and veganism is that it is a niche fad, popular with millennials and not with the wider population. But by offering both meat and meatfree meals, the Sheaf Street cafeteria aims to transcend generational and cultural divides.

“I don’t think the focus should be on veganism as such. It should be on where things have come from,” underlines Mr Hirst.

“You can have something that’s vegan, but it’s gone through avocados or almonds, which might not directly affect animals, but in the long run, they do.

“It’s more about farming processes and using things as

locally as possible,” using substitutes like squash that grow all year round.

“There’s a big reason why we use local food. In a holistic approach, you’re looking at keeping the money in the local economy longer rather than big companies like McDonald’s doing a vegan offer and the money going somewhere else.”

Some might be put off by the idea of paying £6 for baked beans on toast or a salad. Is eating healthily and ethically sustainable for people’s pockets as well as for the planet?

“We used to be a lot cheaper, but we pay our staff quite well.

We’re not that expensive,” says

Sheaf Street Cafeteria in Hunslet

Hirst. “The produce is [of] the highest quality, local, and in a lot of cases cheaper than the supermarket.

“Maybe people take advantage of the label of organic or sustainable, but if you’re buying local it doesn’t have to be expensive. There isn’t a value in things like that.

“People just want the cheapest food possible and don’t think about the other things, people on minimum wage doing the packing. That’s kind of forgotten about.”

The Grub & Grog Shop is open daily 8:30am-4pm. Sheaf Street Cafeteria is on the corner of Crown Point Road and Sheaf Street.

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February 2020 | South Leeds Life

Cultural Life 17

Email: info@southleedslife.com

Once upon a time in Holbeck ...

by Jeremy Morton

H

olbeck and its citizens in all their glory – sometimes gritty, sometimes funny, always real – was celebrated at event to mark the culmination* of the Once Upon A Time in Holbeck project on 15 January.

Slung Low, Holbeck’s own theatre company, hosted the evening at The Holbeck where the concert room was packed with an audience eager to hear stories and cheer winners. The project was sponsored by CEG, the developers behind the nearby Temple district around Water Lane.

Alan Lane, Slung Low’s Artistic Director, was Master of Ceremonies for the evening and kicked off proceedings by explaining how the project had called for residents to tell their stories about the area, which he described as: “A varied, vivid and magic real place, whose residents are worthy of being listened to.

(This competition is) a celebration of the things in your head which are worthy and valuable.”

The stories that came forward demonstrated just that with tales of horses being hosed down in laundrettes, circus performers who slept with lions and crowds sweeping fascists off the moor in 1936.

The winning story was written

by David Kelly, who imagined the events of the last century seen through the eyes of one of the founding fathers of Holbeck’s industry.

David said: “It is an honour to have my work recognised by

The Holbeck was packed to hear the stories this great initiative. I feel very passionately about Holbeck’s history, having lived here for 28 years, so I wanted to take this opportunity to capture some of the community’s highs and lows.

“The main character in the story, Matthew Murray, was created so his life would reflect major milestones in our community’s history, from the Battle of Holbeck in 1936 to the thrill of watching the football crowds pass through on Leeds United match days.

I’m very proud to be part of this great community and this project has been a great way to commemorate its rich history.”

An extra prize had to be added when judges read the twelve stories written by children at Kidz Klub. They

were all so good that BAM donated a set of arts resources to the group so that they can carry on creating.

Lisa Riley wrote about the people she’s met in her role as Receptionist at Marshall’s Mill.

On her first day she met a man who told her about all the old industries that used to be in Holbeck pointing out: “Without South Leeds there wouldn’t be a North Leeds.”

Paul Brown wrote about his role as a Policeman back in the day and conjured up a vivid picture of the factory nightwatchman with his stove and piping hot mugs of tea.

Ian Pickup told how a band of volunteers took over the Holbeck Working Men’s Club (as it was) when it faced insolvency and closure six

years ago and kept it going until they partnered with Slung Low last year.

A tale of the legging of Moseley’s fascists was told to Pete Clark by his Granddad.

The only time he ever heard him swear was when he referred to the “blackshirted bastards” at which Pete’s Nan would batter him around the head for using profanities in front of the kids.

A group of women from Ellie’s World community shop in the Recreations submitted a conversation they had. It touched many subjects including the difficulties of raising children on your own, flights from abuse and saving your neighbour’s parking spot.

Alan Lane described it as “All the things Holbeck is: Funny,

Beeston Festival goes green

by Becky Howcroft

O

n 27 June this year, Cross Flatts Park will CR ISIS once again be filled with music, stalls showcasing local community groups, food from around the world and many other delights that make Beeston Festival the largest and most popular festival in South Leeds.

In 2020 Beeston Festival is announcing that it is going green and is exploring ways of how it can be sustainable. The Festival is now in its 26th year and has grown significantly since it’s early years; an estimated 7000 people attend the event with many travelling from across the city to Beeston to see what is has to offer.

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volunteers spend hours clearing up the large amount of waste left behind by Festival goers; as the Festival’s popularity has grown, so too has the amount of waste left behind. This year the Festival Committee want to address this issue by exploring working with Zero Waste Leeds to drive up recycling.

There are other measures and activities the Festival is considering in relation to the

ambition of being a sustainable event.

There are many opportunities for action – working with food vendors to drive down waste; giving out an award for the most environmentally friendly stall; sourcing compost toilets; running craft activities with recycled materials and generating public art related to sustainability and the environment.

The Festival Committee are

Can Beeston Festival reduce food waste?

thinking about these things – but are actively seeking out other ideas from the community for how the event can become greener and more sustainable.

Festival Secretary Mark Day said, “Beeston Festival is an amazing community event which impacts the community in a really positive way – it gives people a sense of pride in their area, brings out the best of our community spirit and provides a fun day out for all the family.

“We want to add into the mix, a positive impact on the environment and we would like local people to contribute their ideas for how we can do this.

Please post your ideas on the Beeston Festival Facebook page, tweet us @BeestonFestival or email beestonfestival@gmail.com.”

hard, and full of solidarity.”

Holbeck Cemetery contains many fascinating people and their stories including a circus performer called Mary Bailey.

Eve Tidswell told the story of how she slept with the lions “to calm them down” and the secret behind training a horse to understand English and answer questions.

Steve Peacock recounted childhood memories of Holbeck – his playground. He described Holbeck Feast’s rides: “ Speedway, Caterpillar, Carousel, Waltzers, Dodgems, Moon Rocket, Octopus, Dive Bomber, Ghost Train, Chair-oplane, Helter Skelter, Ferris Wheel, Rotor and many side shows including The Bearded Lady.”

Prizes included £200 shopping vouchers and Leeds United tickets, with the first prize being a murder mystery weekend donated by Reed Smith. Other donors of prizes were BAM Construction, Jon Howe, Jonathan Morgan, Leeds United Community Foundation, Pierre Angulaire, I Consult Yorkshire and Thompson Brand Partners.

Head of sales and marketing at CEG, Aisling Ramshaw, said: “This initiative started because we realised that while we had a wealth of information on the architectural history of Holbeck, we were missing the human stories.

“Holbeck is so rich in history

and a lot of these memories are held with the people who live in the community. When we heard some of the stories, we realised that something needed to be done to help record them, but also to celebrate those memories that have played a huge part in Holbeck’s history.

We’re looking forward to adding to our catalogue of stories and would encourage anyone else with a memory, whether that’s a photograph or a story, to come forward and share them with us.”

Alan Lane added: “This project has been about listening and valuing the stories and experiences of the people who live and work in Holbeck.

The quality of the stories that featured last night was testament to what a good idea this is. Holbeck’s history is crammed full of stories of the extraordinary, the bold, the brave, the generous, the kind and the hard working. The event made clear that this wonderful history promises so much for Holbeck’s future. This is a really exciting time to be in this part of the city.”

All winning entries will be uploaded onto the Temple Leeds Facebook page. *Furthermore, the initiative, Tales of Holbeck, will continue to accept stories and images celebrating the community, these can be sent to holbecktales@slunglow.org

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South Leeds Life | February 2020

18 What’s On IN BRIEF Free films at Hunslet Hub Hunslet Community Hub are starting two monythly film clubs. The Secret Cinema kicks off on Monday 3 February showing family friendly films at 3:45pm with free popcorn and soft drinks thrown in. The Friday Afternoon Matinee will feature heartwarming films from the past.

The first feature is on Friday 28 February at 2:30pm.

Craft Market in Cross Flatts Park A new monthly craft and homemade food market is starting at the Bridge Cafe in Cross Flatts Park, Beeston on Saturday 29 February, 9:30am-12:30pm.

Beeston Parish Centre presents ...

Beeston Parish Centre have got together with Barclays Mortgages to host a charity quiz night on Tuesday 18 February, 7:30pm. Teams of up to five are invited to answer Valentine’s and general knowledge questions. There will be food and a raffle and the bar will be open. All proceeds will go to Wheatfields Hospice. Tickets from Lindsey on 07961 016052 .

Then on Saturday 29 February, the Salvation army’s Boundless Voices will be in concert at 7pm. Tickets are £5 and include a pie & peas supper. Tickets from Doreen (0113) 414 4317.

Beeston Parish Centre is located on Town Street, next to St Mary’s church.

Sharp Lane Community Centre The centre on Cranmore Grove runs regular activities including a Monday coffee morrning and lunch on Wednesdays as well as games evenings on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

They also organise trips out and host special parties such as their Christmas party, when they were joined by Elvis!

Fairtrade Afternoon Tea As part of Fairtrade Fortnight, Beeston Hill United Free Church on Malvern Road is hosting a free afternoon tea on Saturday 22 February from 2-4pm. A range of Fairtrade goods will be on sale including food and drink products, books and Palestinian handmade products.

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.

By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices, Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife

Join our Community Journalism course A

t South Leeds Life we believe everyone has a story to tell and with a bit of coaching anyone can be a reporter in their community.

So we have teamed up with Slung Low to bring you a training course to give you the skills and confidence to write for us.

Over the course of three evenings and a Saturday we will look at all the elements you need to write your own articles including: • Citizen journalism in the UK • Finding a story • Taking better photos • Structuring a news story • Writing headlines • Interviewing • Staying within the law • Op-ed opinion and comment pieces We are taking a practical approach so get ready to write and

share your work in a supportive group. At the end of the course we will be publishing your work on South Leeds Life.

Our Editor, Jeremy Morton, will be leading the course and sharing what he has learned as Editor of South Leeds Life over the last ten years.

The course runs at The Holbeck on Wednesday 11, 18 & 25 March 6:30-8:30pm and Saturday 28 March 10am-4pm.

Like all events run by Slung Low, the course is Pay What You Decide: come on the course and then decide how much it was worth or how much you can afford. If you’re skint don’t worry, just book on the course. Booking is essential, go to: www.slunglow.org and click College.

The Community Journalism

Course is just part of Slung Low’s Cultural Community College spring term. Check out the website for other great Pay As You Decide Courses including: • The Holbeck Choir • Modern Calligraphy • Salad Gardening • Woodland Surveying

• Manjit’s Kitchen (Asian cooking) • Find Your Story (creative writing) • Snooker • Body MOT • Stitch Up (beginners’ crochet) • Plus four Big Ideas talks

Children’s activities for half term S

chools in Leeds break up for a week’s half term holiday on Friday 14 February.

We’ve been looking around at some the activities on offer that week.

The Tetley, Hunslet’s own art gallery, has extended its popular Family Art Workshops to run all week.

The free daily sessions run from 11am-3pm from Saturday 15 through to Sunday 23 February.

The do-it-yourself craft sessions are suitable for children of all ages and abilities. Just drop in, children must be accompanied by an adult. www.thetetley.org The Hunslet Club’s Activity Camp will run Monday to Friday (see advert for details).

The Friends of Middleton Park will be hosting free play sessions on Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 February, 1-3pm, at the Visitor Centre, by the lake, off Town Street. Sessions

for primary aged children may involve crafts or outdoor play. www.fomp.org.uk There’s more outdoor activities at Skelton Grange Environment Centre in Stourton on Tuesday 18 February. The day of outdoor games and bushcraft (shelters, fires and cooking) activities led by experienced leaders runs from 10am-4pm and costs £30. www.tcv.org.uk/ skeltongrange Free family fun is the offer on Monday 17 February at Trentham Park in Beeston. Junk robot building, an obstacle course, and nature insipred outdoor craft activities are all on the agenda between 1:30-3:30pm. There’s no need to book, just turn up, but children must be accompanied by an adult.

There’s a chance to explore Leeds Museums’ huge collection of insects and creepy crawlies with critter themed crafts and a tour of the amazing store,

Midweek services in Middleton Middleton Park Baptist Church are holding monthly midweek services for people struggling to get to chuch on Sunday due to shift work. The next service is Tuesday 11 February, 10:30am.

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Free family art workshops at The Tetley art gallery

containing over 1 million objects! The Discovery Centre is on Carlisle Road near the Royal Armouries in Hunslet and the free event takes place on Wednesday 19 February, 10am-12pm.

Booking reqiured.

Workshops with fashion

fabrics are on offer at Leeds City Museum on Millennium Square, Monday to Friday 10am12pm and 1-3pm each day during half term. Reuse and recycle crafty materials to design a funky outfit for your favourite toy and

parade it down the table catwalk, create a rainbow using plate weaving and take our textile trail around the museum! Don’t forget to bring your favourite toy with you.

Free, drop in. Suitable for all ages.

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February 2020 | South Leeds Life

What’s On 19

Email: info@southleedslife.com

The north’s largest apprenticeship recruitment fair returns to the arena T

he largest apprenticeship recruitment fair in the north returns to the Leeds early this month.

Taking place at the first direct arena from 4-8pm on Monday 3 February, the Leeds Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair will feature more than 100 organisations exhibiting apprenticeship vacancies available now.

The list of employers taking part includes Channel 4 Television, Deloitte, Eversheds Sutherland, first direct, Leeds City Council, Keepmoat Homes, KPMG, Network Rail, PwC, Volkswagen Group and many more. For a full list of exhibitors and a copy of the exhibition guide please visit: http://www.startinleeds.com/ leeds-apprenticeshiprecruitment-fair-2020-2/ The fair will kick-start a range of activities taking place throughout the city as part of National Apprenticeship Week 2020, helping young people who are looking to start their careers.

Apprenticeships are a great way

to start and grow a career with over 7,000 people in Leeds starting their training in the workplace every year.

There are currently over 500 apprenticeship standards approved for delivery in the UK, from intermediate through to master’s degree across a wide range of roles ranging from construction to the legal sector and engineering to retail.

Visitors to the event can also access the Help Zone where organisations, including Aspireigen, Leeds Employment Hub and Start in Leeds, will be on hand to give careers information and guidance.

The event is being organised by Leeds City Council’s employment and skills service and is open to anyone who wants to know more about apprenticeships and meet businesses who are recruiting to apprentice roles.

Apprentices work towards a nationally recognised qualification with free training and payment, leading to real opportunities and career

progression.

Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive member for learning, skills and employment said: "It’s great to see the return of the Leeds Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair for another year, which encourages meaningful and open conversations around employment and apprenticeships.

"As the largest apprenticeship fair in the north, we are committed to bringing employers and young people together to provide real opportunities for them to explore different sectors of work, which they may not have had the chance to do otherwise."

Leeds Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair is for anyone considering an apprenticeship now or in the future.

The event is free with no need to book in advance so attendees can just turn up on the night. For more event information follow @Leedsapphub on Facebook or visit the weblink above.

Leeds Repair Cafe goes large with The Big Fix W

ith the world's eyes increasingly on CR ISIS extreme weather, plastic and air pollution, and climate change, Leeds residents are pulling together to host a major event to get the city fixing and reusing, instead of throwing things away.

The popular Leeds Repair Cafe, part of an international movement, has been running regularly since 2016, with 100s C

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of people having gathered at their events - to work together to fix up a wide range of household items that would otherwise have been thrown away. Items include: toys, electricals, clothes, homeware, and computers.

On Saturday 15 February the group are linking with the national 'Big Fix' campaign, to up their game - and host a large scale event in the heart of the city, at Kirkgate Market. The

Don’t throw it away, get it fixed at The Big Fix

event will run 11am-4pm in the indoor events space by the market's food court. It's free, although donations are welcome. A wide range of skilled volunteers will be on hand, with tools, to work with participants to fix up their items. More volunteers are very welcome, especially those willing to help with fixing.

Ed Carlisle, one of the coordinating team, comments: "More and more of us are aware of environmental issues, and want to become greener - and obviously, save money too! The Repair Cafe has proven to be a great way to do all that, and we really want to build that movement across the city and region.

“Our aim ultimately is to have locally-led Repair Cafes in every community, and we're happy to advise and support anyone anywhere to make that happen. Join us at the market on the 15 February if you can, or be in touch anytime".

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South Leeds Life | February 2020

20 What’s On

Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife

What’s On Your guide to events and activities across South Leeds in February Please check that regular events are not affected by school holidays, 15 - 23 February Full contact details can be found in our online What’s On guide at www.southleedslife.com/events Every Monday Women & Girls’ Drop In 9:30am-12pm Asha Neighbourhood Project 43 Stratford Street, Beeston Hobbies2gether craft group 9:30-11:30am St George’s Centre Middleton Lychee Red – Chinese Elders Gp 10am-12pm Parocial Hall, North Lingwell Road, Middleton Julie’s Ancestry Group 10am & 1pm BITMO’s GATE Aberfield Gate, Belle Isle Road Crafts 10-11:30am Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Avenue Breastfeeding Support 10:30am-12pm Hamara Centre, Tempest Road, Beeston SLLAH Drop In Coffee morning 10:30am-12pm Assissi Place, Belinda Street, Hunslet Walk and Talk 11am-12pm BITMOs GATE, Aberfield Gate, Belle Isle SLLAH Salsa-cise 11:30am-12:30pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Beeston MEA Lunch Club 11:30am-1pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Ave SLLAH Lunch Club 11:45am-1pm Cottingley Community Centre Trinity Network Lunch Club 12:30pm Nesfield Road, Belle Isle Trinity Network Lunch Club 12:30pm Oakley View, Dewsbury Road, Beeston Bowling 12:30-4pm Cross Flatts Park Women’s Wellbeing Group 1-3pm Middleton Family Centre, 256-262 Sissons Road Learning Disability Advice 1-3pm Connect In The North, Office 42, Sugar Mill Business Park, Oakhurst Road, Beeston Dance 2-3pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Avenue Men’s Boxercise 2:15-3:15pm Hamara Centre, Tempest Road, Beeston Blossom Kinship Group 4-5:30pm Middleton Parochial Hall, North Lingwell Road Connected 4-5:30pm Middleton Family Centre, 256-262 Sissons Road DAZL Cheerdance Team (6-12yrs) 4:30-6pm Tenants Hall Enterprise Centre, Acre Close, Middleton

DAZL Urban Cheer (13-16yrs) 4:30-6pm Tenants Hall Enterprise Centre, Acre Close, Middleton DAZL Contemporary (7-12yrs) 6-7pm Tenants Hall Enterprise Centre, Acre Close, Middleton DAZL Youth Company (13-19yrs) 6-8pm Tenants Hall Enterprise Centre, Acre Close, Middleton Rainbows, Brownies, Guides 6-8:30pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Cardinal Road, Beeston Super Circuit 6pm Involve Learning Centre, off Church Street, Hunslet, LS10 2QE Kickboxing 6-8:30pm Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street Hunslet Warriors Juniors 6-7pm Warrior Park, The Oval South Leeds Spartans Girls Rugby 6-7pm Corinthians RUFC, Ring Road Middleton, by Leisure Centre DAZL DanceFit (women 16+) 6-7pm Middleton Community Centre, Acre Road How To Meditate 6-7pm Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Ingram Road, Holbeck South Leeds Sisters running 6.15pm South Leeds Stadium Coffee & Craft Middleton 6.15-8:30pm St Cross Church, Acre Road, Middleton St Matthew’s Youth Club 6:30-8:30pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Yoga 6:30-7:30pm; 7:30-8:30pm St Anthony’s Church Hall, Old Lane, Beeston Girls Group 7-9pm South Leeds Youth Hub, Middleton Road, Belle Isle DanceFit 7pm Middleton Parochial Hall Middle Tones Singing Group 7-9pm Tenants Hall Enterprise Centre, Acre Close, Middleton Adult Jazz & Tap Dance 7-8pm Cottingley Community Centre Zumba 7-8pm Hamara Centre, Tempest Road, Beeston

Every Tuesday Mums & Tots 9-11am Manorfield Hall, Newhall Road, Belle Isle Tots, Tea and Toast 9:30-11:15am St Luke’s Church, Malvern Road, Beeston Heart to Heart Breakfast

Full details of every event including map and contact details are available at www.southleedslife.com/events

9:30am Asha Neighbourhood Project, 43 Stratford Street SLLAH Breakfast Buddies 9:30-11:30am St Andrew’s Community Centre, Beeston Gentle Exercise 9:45am Trinity Network, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle Holbeck Together’s Tea & Toast 10am-12pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Community Gardening/ Litterpick 10am-12pm Church of the Nazarene, Lupton Street, Hunslet Muslim Pensioners Group 10am-12pm Vale Circles Centre, Tunstall Road, Beeston Baking 10-11am Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Ave Breastfeeding Support 10am-12pm Middleton Family Centre, 252-262 Sissons Road Women’s Friendship Group 10am-12pm Hunslet Methodist Church, Telford Terrace, Balm Rd SLLAH Mixed Exercise 10-11am St Anthony's church hall, Old Lane, Beeston Community Coffee Morning 10-11:30am Beeston Library Knit & Natter 10:30am-12pm Middleton Park Visitor Centre Storytime 10:30-11:30am Hunslet Community Hub, Waterloo Street Tai Chi (gentle exercise) 11:15am-12:15pm Hunslet Community Hub, Waterloo Street SLLAH Chair Based Exercise 11.30am-12:30pm Cottingley Community Centre MEA Lunch Club 11:30am-1pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Ave Couch to 5k running group 12-1pm meet outside North Star Coffee, Boulevard, Leeds Dock (starts 14 January) SLLAH Lunch Club 12pm Arthington Court, Hunslet Holbeck Together Community Lunch 12-1:30pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Lunch Club 12:30pm Salvation Army, Hunslet Hall Road, Beeston Trinity Network Lunch Club 12:30pm Nesfield Road, Belle Isle Trinity Network Lunch Club 12:30pm Oakley View, Dewsbury Road, Beeston Bowling 12:30-4pm Cross Flatts Park Lunchtime Meditation 12:30-1pm Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Ingram Road, Holbeck Credit Union 1-4pm Hunslet Community Hub, Waterloo Road Stay & Play 1:30-3pm Building Blocks Nursery, Maud Avenue, Beeston Craft Group 1:30pm Trinity Network, Oakley View, Beeston SLLAH Line Dancing 1:30-2:30pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Beeston SLLAH Social Afternoon 1:30-3pm Woodhouse Hill

Community Centre, Hunslet Holbeck Together Afternoon Social 1:45-3pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Line Dancing 2-3:30pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Ave Teen Spirit Boys Group 4-6pm Middleton Family Centre, 256-262 Sissons Road Kidz Klub Beeston 4-7:30pm Beeston Hill United Free Church, Malvern Road Rainbows, Brownies, Guides 4:30-9:15pm Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street Girls Group 4:30-6:30pm Hamara Centre, Tempest Road, Beeston DAZL Streetdance (6+yrs) 4:30-5:30pm Watsonian Pavilion, Cross Flatts Park, Beeston Your Space Journaling Group 5-7pm The Happy Yak Café at Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Ingram Road, Holbeck DAZL Streetdance (Learning Disability 13+yrs) 5-6:30pm Middleton Community Centre, Acre Road, Middleton Inside Out wellbeing group 6-8pm Middleton Parochial Hall, North Lingwell Road Women’s Fitness Boot Camp 6-7pm Leeds Urban Bike Park, Ring Road, Middleton, LS10 3TN Hunslet Rainbows, Brownies and Guides 6:15-8:45pm Hunslet St Mary’s Primary School, Church Street Coffee and Craft Middleton 6:15-8:30pm St Cross Church, Acre Road, Middleton Hunslet Nelson Rounders Team 6:30pm Hunslet Nelson Cricket Club, Gipsy Lane, Beeston DAZL DanceFit (women 16+) 6:30-7:30pm Middleton Community Centre, Acre Road Craft & Social Evening 6:30pm Woodhouse Hill Community Centre, Hunslet Carr Free Football Sessions 6:30-7:30pm 8-12 year olds 7:30-8:30pm 13-16 year olds Holbeck Community Centre, Elland Road, LS11 0AB Fitness Boot Camp 6:45-7:45 Middleton Park Visitor Centre, off Town Street South Leeds Lakers running 7pm from Beeston Co-op Qi Gong 7:15pm Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Ingram Road, Holbeck

Every Wednesday Bacon Butty Breakfast and Wednesday Weigh In 9-11am Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Ave Welfare Rights Advice Surgery 9am-12pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Messy Time 9:15-11am Middleton Play & Learning Centre, Throstle Lane Parents and Toddlers 9:15-11:15am Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street Get Fit Where You Sit

9:15-10:15 Lane End Primary School, Beeston Road City Tots 9:30-11am City Evangelical Church, Cemetery Road Pop Up Council Services 9:30am-12:30pm Cottingley Towers Open Doors Tea & Toast 9:30-11:30am St Andrew's Methodist Church, Old Lane, Beeston Chair mobility 10-10:45am Trinity Network, Belle Isle, Nesfield church hall Breaklfast Club & Foodbank 10am-12pm Hunslet Methodist Church, Telford Terrace Rags to Riches Sewing Group 10am-12pm Tenants Hall Ent. Centre, Acre Close, Middleton Women’s Walking Group 10-11am BITMOs GATE, Aberfield Gate, Belle Isle Shopping Trip to Morrisons 10am-1pm Holbeck Together, Domestic Street Holbeck Together Coffee Morning 10am-12pm Ingram Court, Holbeck Money Advice 10:15am-3pm St George’s Centre, Middleton Adult Social Care advice drop in 10:30am-12pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Acre Road Walk &Talk Walking Group 11am-1pm MEA Social Centre, Middleton Park Avenue Free Zumba 12-12:45pm Middleton Leisure Centre Hatha Yoga 12:15-1pm Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Ingram Road, Holbeck Community Lunch 12:15-3pm Ingram Court, Holbeck Grandparents’ Support Group 12:30-2:30pm Tenants Hall Ent. Centre, Acre Close, Middleton Trinity Network Lunch Club 12:30pm Nesfield Road, Belle Isle Trinity Network Lunch Club 12:30pm Oakley View, Dewsbury Road, Beeston Ladies Group 1-3pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck At Home In Holbeck 2-3pm Ingram Road Primary School Parnaby Pals Memory Cafe 2-4pm Parnaby Tavern, Middleton Road, Hunslet Carr Walk and Talk 2-3pm meet outside Greggs, Middleton Park Circus Knit and Crochet Group 3-5pm Costa Coffee, Crown Point Retail Park Aerobics and Dance 3:30-4:30pm Cottingley Primary Academy DAZL Dance class (6-12yrs) 4:45-5:45pm Watsonian Pavilion Cross Flatts Park, Beeston DAZL Dance class 5:30-6:30pm Cottingley Community Centre 1st Beeston Beaver Scouts 6-7:30pm St Andrews Community Centre, Cardinal Road, Beeston Hunslet Warriors Juniors 6-7pm Warrior Park, The Oval South Leeds Spartans Girls Rugby 6-7pm Corinthians RUFC, Ring Road Middleton, by Leisure Centre City Kids (R-Y6) 6-7:15pm City Evangelical Church, Cemetery Road Chocolate, Chat and Chill 6-8pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Cottingley Youth Club 6:30-8:30pm Cottingley

Facebook: facebook.com/southleedslife Community Centre Mindful Self Compassion 6:30pm Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Ingram Road, Holbeck DanceFit 6:30pm Middleton Parochial Hall, Town Street Zumba 7-8pm Hamara Centre, Tempest Road, Beeston Free Walking Football 7-8pm Middleton Leisure Centre Youth Group 7-9pm South Leeds Youth Hub, Middleton Road, Belle Isle Martial Arts 7-9pm Beeston Juniors, Cardinal Square Clubbercise 7:30-8:30pm St John & St Barnabas Church Hall, Belle Isle Camera Club 8pm upstairs at St George’s Centre, Middleton

Every Thursday Mums & Tots 9-11am Manorfield Hall, Newhall Road, Belle Isle Stay & Play 9-11am St Anthony’s Church Hall, Old Lane, Beeston Table Tennis 9:45-11:15am St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Holbeck Together Community Cafe 10-11:30am St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Ping Pong 10-11:30am Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Ave Little Explorers Baby Group 10-11:30am Middleton Play & Learning Centre, Throstle Lane Community Craft Cafe 10am-12pm Church of the Nazarene, Hunslet Hall Road Middleton Park Estate Volunteers 10am-3pm Middleton Park Visitor Centre New Lives Group 10-11:30am Cottingley Children’s Centre Storytime (under 5s) 10:15-10:45am St George’s Community Hub, Middleton SLLAH Yoga 10:15-11:15am St Andrew’s Community Centre, Beeston Craft Group 10:30am Trinity Network, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle Volunteer Centre drop in 10:30am-1pm Dewsbury Road Community Hub, Beeston Storytime (under 5s) 11-11:30am Dewsbury Road Community Hub, Beeston Dru Yoga 11am-12pm Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Ingram Road, Holbeck Holbeck Together Line Dancing 11:30am-12:30pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck MEA Lunch Club 11:30am-1pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Ave Couch to 5k running group 12-1pm meet outside North Star Coffee, Boulevard, Leeds Dock (starts 14 January) SLLAH Lunch Club 12-1:30pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Beeston Trinity Network Lunch Club 12:30pm Nesfield Road, Belle Isle Trinity Network Lunch Club 12:30pm Oakley View, Dewsbury Road, Beeston Lunchtime Meditation 12:30-1pm Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Ingram Road, Holbeck

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New Lives Group 1-2:30pm Two Willows Children’s Centre, Cardinal Square Muslim Ladies Group 1-3pm Vale Circles Centre, Tunstall Road, Beeston Green Gym 1-4pm Lady Pit Lane Allotments, Linden Avenue, Beeston Breathe Easy gentle exercise 1:30pm Hunslet Methodist Church Telford Terrace, off Balm Road BAFF Dancercize 1:30-2:30pm Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street SLLAH Social Afternoon 1:30-3pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Beeston Fun and Games afternoon 1:30-2:30pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Ave Holbeck Together Craft Group 1:30-3:30pm Cleveleys Court, Holbeck Vale Circles Autism Hub 2-7pm Vale Circles Centre, Tunstall Road, Beeston Men’s Circuit Training 2:15-3:15pm Hamara Centre, Tempest Road, Beeston Volunteer Centre drop in 2:30-4:30pm Hunslet Community Hub, Waterloo Road (from 13 Feb) Kidz Klub Middleton 4-7:30pm Middleton Primary School, Middleton Park Avenue Kidz Klub Holbeck 4-7:30pm The Holbeck club, Jenkinson Lawn DAZL Hip-Hop (6-12yrs) 4:30-6pm South Leeds Youth Hub, Middleton Road, Belle Isle Footbal sessions 5-8pm Old Cockburn Sports Hall, Primrose Lane, Beeston South Leeds Lakers Juniors running club (8-14) 5-6pm John Charles Centre for Sport astroturf pitch Community Choir 5pm Cockburn School, Gipsy Lane Mini & Junior Rugby 6-7pm Leeds Corinthians, Ring Road, Middleton DAZL Hip-Hop (13+yrs) 6-8pm South Leeds Youth Hub, Middleton Road, Belle Isle General Fitness 6-7pm Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street Hunslet Nelson Rounders Team 6:30pm Hunslet Nelson Cricket Club, Gipsy Lane, Beeston Discovering Buddhism 6:30-8pm Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Ingram Road, Holbeck Ballet Burn 7-8pm South Leeds Conservative Club, Wooler Street, Beeston Bingo 7pm St matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Youth Group 7-8:30pm Middleton Community Centre, Acre Road Yoga class 7:30-8:30pm Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street

SLLAH Stretch and Tone 9:45-10:30 St Andrew’s Community Centre, Beeston Under 5s Storytime 10-11am Dewsbury Road Library Hunslet RLFC Brakfast Club 10am-12pm Phoenix Suite, South Leeds Stadium, Middleton Grove Holbeck Together Tea & Toast Breakfast 10am-12pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Holbeck Together Shopping Trip to Morrisons 10am-1pm Holbeck Elderly Aid, Domestic Street Cuppa, Toast and Online help 10-11:30am Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Ave Middleton Minstrels Women’s Choir 10:30am-12:30pm Tenant Hall, Acre Close, Middleton Dancing In Time 10:30am-12pm St John & St Barnabas Church, Belle Isle Road Breathe Easy gentle exercise 11:30 Parochial Hall, North Lingwell Road, Middleton MEA Lunch Club 11:30am-1pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Ave SLLAH Luncheon Club 12-1:30pm Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street Holbeck Together 2 course Community lunch 12-1:30pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Trinity Network Lunch Club 12:30pm Nesfield Road, Belle Isle Trinity Network Lunch Club 12:30pm Oakley View, Dewsbury Road, Beeston Bowling 12:30-4pm Cross Flatts Park Krok Po Kroku (Polish Group) 12:30-2:30pm Tenants Hall Enterprise Centre, Acre Close, Middleton SLLAH Ballroom Dancing 1-2:30pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Beeston The GATE Men’s Group 1-3pm BITMO’s GATE, Aberfield Gate, Belle Isle Road Holbeck Together Walking Football 1:30-3pm Holbeck Elderly Aid, Domestic Street Holbeck Together Afternoon Social 1:30-3pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Gentle Chair Exercise Class 1.45-2.45pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Ave Rhymetime 2pm Beeston Library, Town St Family Boxercise (from 11 Oct) 5-6pm Tenants Hall Enterprise Centre, Acre Close, Middleton Girls Football 6-7pm Beeston Juniors, Cardinal Square Church Lads’ & Girls Brigade 6-8pm St John & St Barnabas Church, Belle Isle Road Friday Night Project 6-9pm Middleton Leisure Centre 5th Middleton Brownies 6-7:30pm United Reformed Church, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle 1st Beeston Cub Scouts 6:15-7:45pm St Andrews Community Centre, Cardinal Road Youth Group 7-9pm South Leeds Youth Hub, Middleton Road, Belle Isle 5th Middleton Guides 7:30-9pm United Reformed Church, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle 1st Beeston Scouts 8-9:30pm St Andrews Community Centre, Cardinal Road, Beeston

Every Friday Tea & Toast 9am Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street Charity Shop, Tea & Toast 9am-12pm Beeston Hill United Free Church, Malvern Road Welfare Rights Advice Surgery 9am-12pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Toast and Games morning 9:30-11:30am Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Ave Breastfeeding Support Group 9:45-11:15am Mothercare cafe, Crown Point Retail Park

February 2020 | South Leeds Life

What’s On 21 Every Saturday Breakfast Club 8:30-11am Vale Circles Centre, Tunstall Road, Beeston Cross Flatts parkrun 9am Watsonian Pavilion, Cross Flatts Park, Beeston Middleton Woods parkrun 9am Leeds Urban Bike Park, Ring Road, Middleton Breakfast Club 9-11am Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Ave Zumba 9:15-10:15am Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street Police Contact Point 9:30-11:30am St George’s Centre, Middleton DAZL Urban Cheer (7-13yrs) 9:30-11am South Leeds Youth Hub, Middleton Road, Belle Isle DAZL Tinies (3-5yrs) 9:30-11am South Leeds Youth Hub, Middleton Road, Belle Isle Hunslet Nelson Rounders Team 10am Hunslet Nelson Cricket Club, Gipsy Lane, Beeston Kidz ‘n’ Co 10:30am-12:30pm Cottingley Community Centre Yoga 10:30-11:30am Beeston Parish Centre, Town street Bingo Afternoon 12:30-3:30pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Ave Women’s Cardio Cricket 1:15-3:15pm Old Cockburn Sports Hall, Primrose Lane, Beeston (starts 18 January) Tennis For Free 2-3:30pm Cross Flatts Park

Every Sunday Cross Flatts junior parkrun 9am top of Cross Flatts Park Street Cricket 10am-1pm Old Cockburn Sports Hall, Primrose Lane, Beeston Women’s Cricket League 1:30-4:30pm Old Cockburn Sports Hall, Primrose Lane, Beeston (starts 12 January) Saturday 1 February Coffee Morning 10am-12pm St Andrew’s Comm Centre, Cardinal Road, Beeston South Leeds Community Orchestra 10am-12pm St Cross Church, Acre Road, Middleton Volunteer Rangers 10am-12pm Holbeck Cemetery, Beeston Road Coffee Morning 10am-12pm Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street Hilary Benn MP Advice Surgeries 10-11:15am St George’s Centre, Middleton 11:30am-1pm Vale Circles, Tunstall Road, Beeston Councillor Advice Surgery 10-11:15am St George’s Centre, Middleton Monday 3 February Mostly Men 10am-12pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Beeston Nature visits for Families and Childminders 10am-1pm Skelton Grange Environment Centre, Stourton Holbeck Together Carers Group 12:30-2:30pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Writers’ Club 1-2:30pm Hunslet Community Hub, Waterloo Road Secret Cinema

3:45-4:45pm Hunslet Community Hub, Waterloo Road Lego Club 3:30-4:30pm Dewsbury Road Community Hub, Beeston Tuesday 4 February Friends of Stank Hall 7:30pm The Broadway pub, Dewsbury Road, Beeston Wednesday 5 February Hunslet Rugby Memories 12-2pm The Prospect pub, Moor Road, Hunslet Hunslet Tenants & Residents Ass 6:30pm Church of the Nazarene, Grove Road Thursday 6 February Hunslet Carr Residents Assoc 6:30pm Community Centre, Woodhouse Hill Avenue Beeston Community Forum 7:30pm The Old White Hart pub, Town Street Friday 7 February Whistlestop Opera: The Marriage of Figaro 7:30pm Slung Low at The Holbeck club, Jenkinson Lawn Saturday 8 February Valentine Coffee Morning 10am-12pm Hunslet Methodist Church, Telford Terrace Digital Drop In 10am-1pm Hunslet Community Hub, Waterloo Street Trinity Reflection Cafe 10:30am-12pm Nesfield Road, Belle Isle Sunday 9 February Free Community Meal 1-3pm Church of the Nazarene, Hunslet Hall Road, Beeston Sunday Lunch Club 1-3pm Vale Circles Centre, Tunstall Road, Beeston How To Beat Up Your Dad 5pm Slung Low at The Holbeck club, Jenkinson Lawn Monday 10 February Tea, Cake and Conversation 12:30-2:30pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Sing Aphasia Choir 1-3pm Tenants Hall Enterprise Centre, Acre Close, Middleton Tuesday 11 February Police Drop In 10am-12pm Hunslet Community Hub, Waterloo Street Learn My Way – computer skills 12:30-1:30pm Hunslet Community Hub, Waterloo Street Camera Club 3-4:30pm Dewsbury Road Community Hub, Beeston Beeston Local History Group 8pm Beeston Parish Centre (small hall), Town Street Wednesday 12 February SLLAH Curling 10:30-11:30am St Andrew’s Community Centre, Beeston SLLAH Generation 55 12-2:30pm The Broadway pub, Dewsbury Road, Beeston Bereavement Support Group 1-2pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Beeston Code Club 3:30-4:30pm Dewsbury Road Community Hub, Beeston Thursday 13 February Toy Library 11:15am-12:15pm St George’s Centre Community Hub, Middleton Friday 14 February Valentine’s Day Entertainment 1:30-2:30pm Trinity Network Dewsbury Road, Oakley View Beeston Saturday 15 February Ramblers Meet 9am Beeston Parish Centre Young Archaeologists Club 10am-12pm Middleton Park

Publicise your event with South Leeds Life’s free listings Call 07894 583966 Email: info@southleedslife.com Post: 224 Cross Flatts Grove, Leeds, LS11 7BW Visitor Centre, off Town Street South Leeds Community Orchestra 10am-12pm St Cross Church, Acre Road, Middleton Coffee Morning 10am-12pm Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street Belle Isle United Reformed Church Community Cafe 10:30am-12:30pm Nesfield Road Discovering Buddhism 10:30am-12:30pm Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Ingram Road, Holbeck Councillor Advice Surgeries: 10am Hunslet Community Hub 11:15am Dewsbury Road Hub 12:30pm The Hunslet Club 1:45pm Middleton Railway 2:45pm Dock 29, The Boulevard 4:15pm Woodhouse Hill Com Ctre Sunday 16 Febuary Sunday Lunch Club 1-3pm Vale Circles Centre, Tunstall Road, Beeston Leeds Dads meetup 2-4pm The Holbeck club, Jenkinson Lawn, Holbeck Heaven’s Gate 5pm Slung Low at The Holbeck club, Jenkinson Lawn Sound Bath 6:30pm Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Ingram Road, Holbeck Monday 17 February SLLAH Generation 55 12:30-2:30pm Whistlestop pub, Town Street, Beeston Code Club 3:30-4:30pm Hunslet Community Hub, Waterloo Road Tuesday 18 February Wild Play Day 10am-4pm Skelton Grange Environment Centre, Stourton The Writers Club 1-2:30pm Beeston Library, Town Street Free Play Activities 1-3pm Middleton Park Visitors Centre, off Town Street Charity Quiz Night 7:30pm Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street Wednesday 19 February Dog Check Up & Chip 11am-3pm BITMO’s GATE, Aberfield Gate, Belle Isle Road Free Play Activities 1-3pm Middleton Park Visitors Centre, off Town Street After Work Wednesdays Open Mic 6-11pm Sheaf Street Cafeteria, off Crown Point Road, Hunslet Thursday 20 February Coffee Morning 10am-12pm Parochial Hall, North Lingwell Road, Middleton St Luke’s Tenants & Residents 6pm St Luke’s Primary School, Beeston Road Leeds Film Club 6:30pm Cineworld Starbucks, White Rose Shopping Centre Saturday 22 February Digital Drop In 10am-1pm Hunslet Community Hub, Waterloo Street Fairtrade Afternoon Tea 2-4pm Beeston Hill United Free Church, Malvern Road Sunday 23 February Sunday Lunch 12-2pm St Matthew’s Community

Centre, Holbeck Sunday Lunch Club 1-3pm Vale Circles Centre, Tunstall Road, Beeston Winter Woodland Walk 1-3pm Middleton Park Visitors Centre, off Town Street The Last Quiz Night On Earth 5pm Slung Low at The Holbeck club, Jenkinson Lawn Monday 24 February Hunslet TARA Coffee Morning 10am-12pm Hunslet Community Hub, Waterloo Street Wellness Space Afternoon 1-3pm Ingram Gardens Community Centre, Holbeck Middleton Community Group 7pm St Cross Church, Acre Road Tuesday 25 February Learn My Way – computer skills 12:30-1:30pm Hunslet Community Hub, Waterloo Street Wednesday 26 February Volunteer Rangers 10am-12pm Hunslet Cemetery, Middleton Road SLLAH Curling 10:30-11:30am St Andrew’s Community Centre, Beeston Tiny Tetley 10:30-11:30an & 11:45am12:45pm The Tetley, Hunslet Rd Cop Shop Dementia Café 1-3pm Elland Road Police Station, Beeston Arm In Arm Memory Café 1:30-3pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Midd. Park Ave Code Club 3:30-4:30pm Dewsbury Road Community Hub, Beeston Drink and Draw 6-8pm The Tetley, Hunslet Road Thursday 27 February Hunslet Remembered 10am-12pm Hunslet Community Hub, Waterloo Road Toy Library 11:15am-12:15pm St George’s Centre Community Hub, Middleton Friday 28 February Open Day 10am-6pm Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Ingram Road, Holbeck Free Legal Advice 2:30-4:30pm Dewsbury Road Community Hub, Beeston Hilary Benn MP Advice Surgeries 4-5pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck 5-6pm Beeston Library, Town St Councillor Advice Surgeries: 4-5pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck 5-6pm Beeston Library, Town St 6:30-7pm Cottingley Community Centre Making the World A Better Place 6:30pm Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Ingram Road, Holbeck Saturday 29 February South Leeds Community Orchestra 10am-12pm St Cross Church, Acre Road, Middleton Hunslet Moor Litterpick 12-2pm Moor Road Boundless Voices Concert 7-9pm Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street Spring Cabaret 7pm Slung Low at The Holbeck club, Jenkinson Lawn

South Leeds Life | February 2020

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22 Legal Notices Proposal to remove the Foundation that is The Learning Trust (South Leeds) from Westwood Primary School.

School Details: Westwood Primary School, Bodmin Garth, Leeds, LS10 4NU School Category: Foundation School Implementation date: 1st April 2020 The governing body of Westwood Primary School are publishing proposals to remove the school’s foundation, The Learning Trust (South Leeds).

Consultation This follows a consultation carried out for a period of [6] weeks from 18th April 2017 outlining the intention to remove the foundation. (A summary of responses to the initial consultation are outlined below).

List of those previously consulted • The families of pupils at the school; • Teachers and other staff at the school; • The trustees of the Learning Trust (South Leeds); • The Local Authority, Leeds City Council; • The governing bodies of other foundation schools , maintained by Leeds City Council and for which the Learning Trust (South Leeds) acts as a foundation; and • Any trade unions that represent staff.

Following the initial proposal in the consultation, the governing body received no responses from parents and other interested parties.

A full Governing Body meeting was held on 4th July 2017 where the governing body initially resolved to publish proposals to remove the foundation trust and a further meeting was held on 16th January 2020 which confirmed this decision. A unanimous decision to move forward with this proposal was taken at both meetings.

Proposals Following the statutory process for removing a foundation under the Schools Organisation (Removal of Foundation, Reduction in Number of Foundation Governors and Ability of Foundation to Pay Debts) (England Regulations 2007), the school is required under regulation 4 to publish proposals.

Any person has the opportunity to comment on or object to the proposals. If this is the case, they should do so by post to The Chair of Governors, Mrs Eileen Hallas c/o Westwood Primary School, Bodmin Garth, Leeds, LS10 4NU, or via email Ramseyc@westwoodprimaryschool.org The closing date for responses is Friday 6th March 2020.

As outlined in the consultation document, is the governing body of Westwood Primary School proposes to remove the school’s foundation for the following reasons: • More effective use of time for the governors, the Headteacher and the leadership team.

• Greater financial control for the school allowing resources to be targeted to directly improve outcomes for the children at the school.

• To focus on wider collaboration with a range of schools across the city to ensure the best provision and practice is always available for our children.

Copies of this proposal document will go to: • The Trustees of the Learning Trust (South Leeds); • Leeds City Council; • The Secretary of State for Education; • A local newspaper; • Middleton Library; and • All noticeboards at all entrances to the school.

Transfer of Land Westwood Primary School became a foundation school on 1 July 2011. By virtue of the School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2007, on that date all land used for the purposes of the school vested in the governing body of the school. However, this land has not been formally transferred to the Learning Trust (South Leeds) from Leeds City Council at the Land Registry and therefore the current position is that whilst Leeds City Council retains the legal title to the land, they hold it on trust for the Learning Trust (South Leeds) for the purposes of the school.

Should this proposal be approved by the governing body, the land used by the school will be transferred directly from Leeds City Council to the Governing Body of Westwood Primary School.

On 29 November 2019, the Office of the Schools Adjudicator also directed that the freehold land of Westwood Primary School shall be transferred to the governing body of Westwood Primary School on removal of its foundation.

The requirements of the school premises Regulations 1999 will continue to be satisfied.

No payment to any party will be made in relation to the land.

The proposed constitution of the governing body after the foundation is removed will be as follows: Proposed constitution of Governing Body 1 Headteacher 1 LA Governor 1 Staff Governor 2 Partnership Governors 2 Parent Governors 5 Co-opted Governors Total 12 Governors (This will be set out in a revised draft instrument of government for Westwood Primary School.)

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Proposal to remove the foundation that is The Learning Trust (South Leeds) from Clapgate Primary School School Details: Clapgate Primary School, Cranmore Drive, Leeds, LS10 4AW Category: Foundation school with a Foundation Implementation date: 1 April 2020 The governing body of Clapgate Primary School is publishing proposals to remove the school’s foundation, The Learning Trust (South Leeds).

Consultation This follows a consultation carried out for a period of six weeks in 2017 outlining the intention to remove the foundation (summary of responses to the initial consultation outlined below).

List of those previously consulted: • The families of pupils at the school • Teachers and other staff at the school • The Trustees of The Learning Trust (South Leeds) • The Local Authority, Leeds City Council • The governing bodies of other foundation schools maintained by Leeds City Council and for which The Learning Trust (South Leeds) acts as a foundation • Any trade unions who represent the school staff Summary of responses following the consultation on removing the school’s foundation: Following the initial proposal in the consultation, the Governing body received two responses, one of which was from a governor who was in favour of the proposal. The other raised no objections.

These responses were considered at a full governing body meeting of Clapgate Primary Governors on 16th May 2017, where it was unanimously resolved that proposals be published for Clapgate Primary School to leave The Learning Trust (South Leeds). A further meeting was held on 9th January 2020 which confirmed this decision.

Proposals Following the statutory process for removing a foundation under the School Organisation (Removal of Foundation, Reduction in number of Foundation Governors and Ability of Foundation to Pay Debts) (England) Regulations 2007, the school is required to publish proposals under Regulation 4.

Now the Governing body has published proposals any person/s has the opportunity to comment on or object to the proposals. If this is the case, they should do so by post to The Acting Chair of Governors, Mrs L Spirrett c/o Clapgate Primary School, Cranmore Drive, Leeds, LS10 4AW or by e-mail to lynnespirrett62@gmail.com by 16th March 2020.

As outlined in the consultation document, the governing body of Clapgate Primary School proposes to remove the school’s foundation for the following reasons: • More effective use of time for the governors, the Headteacher and the leadership team • Greater financial control for the school allowing resources to be targeted to directly improve outcomes for the children at the school • Greater flexibility to work with a variety of schools Copies of this proposal will go to: • The Trustees of The Learning Trust (South Leeds) • The Local Authority (Leeds City Council) • The Secretary of State for Education • A local newspaper • St George’s Centre – One Stop • Be placed on noticeboards at all entrances to school Information on the transfer of land Clapgate Primary School became a foundation school on 2nd June 2014. By virtue of the School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2007, on that date all land used for the purposes of the school vested in the governing body of the school. However, this land was not formally transferred to The Learning Trust (South Leeds) from Leeds City Council at the Land Registry and therefore the current position is that whilst Leeds City Council retains the legal title to the land, they hold it on trust for The Learning Trust (South Leeds) for the purpose of the school.

Should this proposal be approved by the governing body, the freehold of the land used by the school will be transferred directly from Leeds City Council to the Governing Body of Clapgate Primary School.

A decision was confirmed by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator on 29th November 2019 directing that there will need to be a transfer of the freehold land of Clapgate Primary School from Leeds City Council to the Governing Body of Clapgate Primary School on the removal of its foundation.

Requirements of the School Premises Regulations 1999 will be satisfied.

No payments to any party will be made in relation to the land.

The proposed constitution of the governing body after the foundation is removed will be as follows: 1 Head teacher 1 LA Governor 1 Elected Staff Governor 2 Elected Parent Governors 2 Partnership Governors 5 Co-opted Governors Total number of Governors 12 This will be set out in a revised draft instrument of government for Clapgate Primary School.

Goods Vehicle Operator’s Licence Russell Lindley trading as Lindley International Ltd of 17 Armley Grange Mount, Leeds, LS12 3QB is applying for a licence to use 1D The Copperworks, Haigh Park Road, Leeds, LS10 1RT as an operating centre for 8 goods vehicles and 6 trailers Owners or occupiers of land (including buildings) near the operating centre(s) who believe that their use or enjoyment of that land would be affected, should make written representations to the Traffic Commissioner at Hillcrest House, 386 Harehills Lane, Leeds, LS9 6NF, stating their reasons, within 21 days of this notice. Representors must at the same time send a copy to the applicant at the address given at the top of this notice. A Guide to Making Representations is available from the Traffic Commissioner’s office.

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February 2020 | South Leeds Life

Sporting Life 23

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Middleton Park FC: Sports centres set for 16 years in the making £130,000 investment T

by Wayne Dixon

his month will mark the 16th year since I registered Middleton Park FC with the local FA and we started to prepare three teams (U14’s, U15’s and U17’s) to play their first season of league football in the Charles Rice Junior football league.

The early days were a real challenge, as a 21-year-old man trying to create an organisation with no money, no experience and only Google to advise me – it was a challenge!

The first few years were rocky both financially and on the pitch, with teams regularly taking double figure loses and having to spend hours fundraising so we could get out of our second hand kits and develop our own club identity.

16 years on … what’s changed? Well, we now have 16 junior teams from Mini Tots (U3’s) to Under 12’s; three Senior teams which includes a Veterans team (Over 35’s) and over 200 playing members.

What has been crucial to the development of the club has

L

Leeds United Academy coaches work with MPFC U6 and U8s been establishing a functional committee of committed individuals who all hold a specific role and responsibility.

A more recent addition to the club has been the creation of our fundraising committee who now take sole responsibility for the club’s events and fundraising, in turn supporting the sustainability of the club.

They helped us win £1,000 from Radio Aire’s Cash for Kids just before Christmas. Our committees currently have a handful of volunteer vacancies including Welfare Officer (x2), Football Development Officer (x2) and more.

Winning funds from Radio Aire’s Cash For Kids

Corinthians continue to sweep all before them

More exciting for the club has been our link with Leeds United Academy. We have now seen a progression route for our more advanced players to move to and all our kids are assessed by the Academy on a regular basis and this has allowed many children to move into Academy football.

On Saturday 11 January Leeds United sent their Academy coaches to work with our U6 and U8 teams on our own pitches which was exciting for the kids and really enjoyable for all.

One thing that is really special to me is seeing the boys I started with now returning as men with their children and some of them volunteering at the club too, it shows what a great community club we have now created.

If you would like to get involved with the club through sponsoring us, coaching, playing or volunteering on our committees, please contact us at info@middletonparkfc.co.uk or call me, Wayne Dixon on 07852 311717.

2020 started as 2019 finished for Middleton’s Leeds Corinthians RUFC as they won three league matches at Wibsey (10-29), at home to Skipton (63-0) and at Sheffield Medicals (24-47) to remain top of the league.

They also progressed to the quarter final of the Junior Vase Cup, beating Houghton 17-29.

Next up they face Knottingley, currently in second position, at home on Saturday 1 February, kick off 2:15pm.

by Jeremy Morton

eeds City Council has approved funding of £500,000 to make improvements across a number of sports centres in the city including Middleton Leisure Centre and the John Charles Centre For Sport. £30,000 has been allocated to refurbish the studio and make improvements to the changing rooms at Middleton Leisure Centre to compliment the new gym, which is currently under construction.

The running track and hammer net at South Leeds Stadium, together with the indoor running track at the Indoor Athletics Centre will all be refurbished as part of the £100,000 investment at the John Charles Centre For Sport.

Additionally, a meeting room will be created within the Aquatics Centre and office improvements made to South Leeds Stadium.

The running track at South Leeds Stadium is to be refurbished The report approving the expenditure, which you can read in full here, commented: “Within leisure centres it is recognised that customers look for a good standard of facilities and when these fall below standard, the number of users to a facility reduces. This in turn results in lower customer satisfaction and therefore income levels for the leisure sites.”

The scheme of works has

been agreed following consultation with the Active Leeds senior management team, the Executive member for Environment and Active Lifestyles (Cllr Mohammed Rafique) and ward councillors, as well as customer comments.

The other centres receiving investment are: Kippax, Kirkstall, Pudsey, Rothwell, John Smeaton, Scott Hall and Garforth. The funding is part of the current year’s budget.

CLIMATE TIPS: A local family report that buying wetsuits (£10-15 each from charity shops) was one of the best things they've ever done, saving them money, and the planet too. They now take regular daytrips and breaks around the UK, and swim in lakes and the sea without freezing to death - so they no longer crave overseas holidays!

Cycling is a great planet-friendly way to travel - but even bikes have a carbon footprint. If you're looking to buy a bike, or have an old one to give away, visit the Bikes College in nearby Wortley (thebikescollege.org) - a popular community business who refurbish thousands of unwanted bikes each year, then sell them on at knockdown prices. Bikes can also be borrowed from the

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South Leeds Life | February 2020

24 Sporting Life

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Hunslet looking strong in pre-season

by Ian Pickles and Jeremy Morton

A

new look Hunslet RLFC have had a good preseason with wins against Bradford Bulls and Batley Bulldogs, both from the Championship.

First up was a young Bradford Bulls team, who were first to put points on the board.

The home side found their feet half way through the first half with new half back pairing of Danny Rowse and Dominic Brambani starting to look the part. Rowse was instrumental in the try that levelled it up on 25 minutes when he put through a barnstorming Josh Tonks to score. 6-6 Now Hunslet’s more experienced players were running the show. After some great ball work Vila Halafihi went over on the half hour from close range under the posts giving Danny Rowse an easy conversion 12-6. Five minutes later Jordan Andrade, like an unstoppable truck, sucked in enough defenders for Hunslet to ship it to the left for trialist Anthony Boardman to score.

16-6 at the break.

Anthony Boardman, who has now signed a 12 month contract, bagged his second try after Danny Rowse had delayed

Zach Braham on the charge

Photo: Stephen Gaunt / Touchlinepics.com

a fantastic pass. 20-6 Pre-season friendlies are there for a reason, and that’s to try out new players in a match situation.

Chrimes and Markland looked lively, Hallas ran strongly and Zach Johnson looks a tricky customer, but the momentum swung back towards Bradford with

Hunslet’s changes.

With the re-introduction of Andrade, Straugheir and Braham though, Hunslet soon got back on top and finished the game strongly. Tonks looked odds on to score before a brilliant try saving tackle.

Andrade was held up over the line, but then sealed the win

taking 4 men over the line with him, right on the hooter.

Rowse converted to make it 26-18 to top off a brilliant Man of the Match winning debut.

A week later an almost full strength Batley Bulldogs team ran out at South Leeds Stadium.

An even first half finished

with Batley leading 4-6. The Bulldogs extended their lead six minutes into the second half.

The teams traded sets in an even tussle which Hunslet eventually broke halfway through the second half. Duane Straugheir almost broke the line with an impressive charge but was stopped just short of

the line before Kieran Hartley forced his way over from dummy half. Rowse converted to make it a two point game.

The last twenty minutes were played with passion by both sides, but Hunslet won the match in stoppage time when Ben Markland downed a kick through to score and Rowse once again kicked the extras to give Hunslet a 16-12 win.

Coach Gary Thornoton has expressed his delight at the positive start: “There’s still a lot of work to be done but I have to be pleased with how things are going.

“We’d very probably have lost both those games last season, when we all too often allowed good leads to slip away. But our game management is now so much better, and that’s down to our new halfbacks Dom Brambani and Danny Rowse.

“They don’t take the wrong options and they’re very good at guiding our forwards through a match.”

The final preseason match will be against Leeds Rhinos for the Harry Jepson OBE Memorial Trophy on Friday 31 January at South Leeds Stadium, kick off 7:30pm.

Hunslet then start their League 1 campaign away at Keighley Cougars on Sunday 16 February.

England call up for local majorettes 2

019 ended on a high for seven dancers from South Leeds as they were chosen to represent England at the Majorette European Cup in Spain.

Seven majorette dancers from Leeds Baton Rouge Majorettes Team: Lauren Wilson (aged 30) Ella Wilson (aged 25), Amylee Ibbotson (aged 20), Lacey Brownsword (aged 13), Elliemay Tomlinson (aged 14) for the senior team and Rosie Freeman (aged 9)

and Ava Brownsword (aged 10) for the junior team have been selected.

All are from the Middleton and Belle Isle area of South Leeds.

Not only have the dancers been selected to represent their country by dancing in the England Team, but they have also been given a once in a lifetime opportunity to compete at the European Cup which is to be held in Blànes, near Barcelona in July 2020. This is

a fantastic opportunity for all dancers involved.

The girls and their families are now busy raising funds and sponsorship to cover the costs of competing. Travel and accommodation will be about £500, plus they must meet entry fees, team kit, costumes, and a training facility in Spain.

If you can help in any way with fundraising or sponsorship contact Lauren Wilson at leedsbatonrouge@googlemail .com

Award winning biking on our doorstep

Leeds Urban Bike Park in Middleton has won the coveted Trail Of The Year award in MTB magazine, in association with Sram. The magazine praised LUBP’s Red Trail which snakes through Middleton Woods for its accessibility and flexibility. Riders are encouraged to ride the trail repeatedly gaining speed and confidence on each outing. The trail, as well as the pump track and BMX track, are free to ride, or you can hire bikes from the centre, which also boasts an excellent cafe.

Photo: Sim Mainey