South Leeds Life 118 April 2025

Your FREE community newspaper Issue 118 | April 2025

Covering Beeston, Belle Isle, Cottingley, Holbeck, Hunslet, Middleton, Riverside & Stourton

EXTRA CARE FLATS

OFFICIALLY OPENED

Residents at Hunslet Moor House are already building a community

by Jeremy Morton

Hunslet

Moor House, the block of extra care apartments on Hunslet Hall Road, was officially opened on 21 March with the cutting of a cake by its first residents Anne and Barry Piner.

Residents of the scheme were joined by councillors, Hilary Benn MP and representatives of the many partner organisations that had worked together on the project.

Speaking to staff and residents it is clear that they have already formed a close community in a very well designed building.

Anne said:

“It meets all our expectations and more. Everyone is so friendly, it’s like having another extended family in a way. The atmosphere in here is lovely and I’m so, so pleased that we made the decision to move (from) a four bedroom Victorian terrace with lots of steps and stairs, (it was an) accident waiting to happen.”

Barry moved from Cottingley Towers where he had become very isolated. He was so impressed when he visited that he brought his packed up possessions in a van when he came to sign the tenancy so he could move in straight away.

“I can’t thank the staff enough” he said. “Housing managers, care staff, cleaners they’re all brilliant and they work as a team and help one

another. I’m back out of myself. We all get on like a family.”

Grace said her new home was “amazing.” She suffers from kidney problems and mobility issues, often having to crawl up the stairs in the house

in Middleton that she shared with her daughter’s family.

“I like it, it’s amazing. Everyone is happy, we are friendly to each other, the staff are amazing” she said. “I enjoy the walk-in shower, I use the

lifts, it’s just good for me. My family are happy, they can’t stop visiting me.”

Scheme Manager Vicki North explained that residents have moved in over the last three months and there are only a

few apartments still to be let.

“Being able to move the residents in over a period of time has been really good because it’s meant we’ve got to know them really well, got to know the families really well, get everybody settled in and that’s been really important” she said.

“Extra Care is Brilliant. All of these people would have had to move to a care home if they couldn’t have come here. It keeps them independent for longer and that’s what they’re looking forward to.”

As well as the apartments, Hunslet Moor House boasts a bistro which is open to the public as well as residents. A large social space and an activity room. It also includes a newsagents run by Zab, described by Steven Sorrell from Preferred Homes as “an absolute cornerstone of the community.”

Zab’s shop was the last unit remaining in a derelict 1970s shopping precinct on the site. He was accommodated in a portacabin during the build, and now has a purpose built unit that can be accessed by the public and by residents.

Steven Sorrell from Preferred Homes thanked the many partners from architects and builders to council housing and social care staff and Westward Care, who own Pennington Court next door and provide 24/7 personalised care as well

Continued on page 3

Anne and Barry Parker cut the cake to officially open Hunslet Moor House

About us

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.

South Leeds Life is a member of the Independent Community News Network.

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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.

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

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Councillors

on the City Plans Panel approved planning permission for the first residential blocks at Aire Park, the development on the former Tetley brewery site, at the meeting on 13 March.

This was a ‘reserved matters’ application looking at the detailed plans, following ‘outline planning approval’ covering the entire site had being granted in 2018, as we reported at the time.

The plans give details of seven blocks to be built on two plots at the north east edge of the site bounded by Crown Point Road and Bowman Lane. The accommodation comprises 418 apartments, including 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments. The blocks range in height from 7 up to 15 storeys, these are lower than those allowed for in the outline permission.

The area around the blocks will be crossed by publicly accessible footpaths and a service road. Each plot will have courtyards including children’s play areas, grassed lawns and a number of private spaces for

residents only.

Most of the properties will be for private rental, but one of the blocks, comprising 44 apartments, 29 1bed, 7 2-bed and 8 3-bed, will be given over to ‘affordable housing’.

Yeadon) echoed the few public comments that felt that the plans were not bold enough.

“It strikes me … that there’s a lot of red brick there. It’s boring quite frankly.” He said.

Beeston-based

storage systems

specialist Avanta UK Ltd, a leading name in workplace storage and interior fit-out solutions, is proud to celebrate 25 years of success and growth.

Founded in 2000 through the merger of Abacus Storage (Castleford) and Pennine Storage (Bradford), the company has grown into a trusted nationwide provider, delivering large-scale projects for

This represents a slightly higher percentage than conditioned in the outline approval. The meeting heard that Vastint, the developers, are looking for a housing association to manage the block.

The plans were widely welcomed by councillors and there was little discussion, although Cllr Colin Campbell (Liberal Democrat, Otley &

Avanta UK celebrates 25 years of innovative workplace designs Councillors approve first residential blocks at Aire Park

“I appreciate it’s part of a very large site, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to feel that if I … cycled down the road I wouldn’t feel that this is a really nice building, a building we can be proud of.”

Despite these comments, the application was approved unanimously.

creating additional office space in a facility, or installing tailored storage for large-scale e-commerce returns with pallet racking and mezzanine flooring, Avanta’s expertise ensures clients maximise space and productivity.

major partners such as Next and Jet2 across the UK.

Avanta UK has designed, supplied, and installed innovative workplace solutions and storage systems for clients ranging from SMEs to multinational organisations across a range of sectors and industries. Over the years, the company has built an impressive client portfolio, working with household names such as Next PLC,

Jet2, TK Maxx, Barbour, and 3PLUK. As workplace storage needs evolve, Avanta UK has remained at the forefront of innovation and efficiency. The rise of internet retail, warehouse automation, and reorganisation has created new challenges, and Avanta has consistently adapted to deliver cutting-edge solutions. Whether designing environments for the latest robotic picking systems,

“We are extremely proud to have been established for 25 years in fast paced and evolving sectors,” said a representative at Avanta. “Warehousing and logistics, for example, has grown over recent times and it is pleasing that some of the customers that have been with us right from the beginning (The likes of NEXT, Jet2, Brenntag) have grown and are still with us to this day.”

Despite wider economic fluctuations over the past 25 years, Avanta has been able to maintain steady growth thanks to its experienced team, strong industry relationships, and commitment to quality. With ISO9001 and ISO14001 certifications, and accreditations from SafeContractor, Constructionline, and CHAS, the company is well-equipped to act as the Principal Contractor on largescale projects.

The 2023/24 financial year proved to be pivotal for Avanta, with the company completing the largest single project in its history working with Jet2, as well as the largest single pallet racking project for The TJX Companies group. Following a successful two-step management buyout by existing employees, Avanta UK is now confidently looking to the future.

Avanta UK is also a proud corporate partner of Leeds Hospital Charity and pleased to support their Sparkle Campaign.

GGI of the new blocks

Meet Asha Neighbourhood Project’s new CEO

This year Beeston’s Asha Neighbourhood Project will be celebrating it’s 40th anniversary and has appointed a CEO, Alia Nessa to strengthen its work with families and predominantly women in South Leeds.

Alia Nessa, who was born and raised in Beeston, says her new role is like “coming home again.” Having used the youth club as an 11 year old girl to build her own self esteem and confidence, she has first hand experience of how Asha’s uniqueness drove her own ambition to work to empower

women, reducing health inequalities and social isolation. She brings over 23 years of experience in the charity sector and this year was selected as a UN delegate participant for the 69th Status of Women Commission discussing gender equality and women’s empowerment on a global level.

“My vision is to strengthen its foundation and enhance its resilience, ensuring that it can continue to serve its community for many more years.

“I want to help Asha expand, develop and evolve to meet the needs of all women and

families in the area.”

As a practising integrative psychotherapist, Alia hopes to offer specialist creative therapies to women and families in South Leeds, more mental health support for young people and offer leadership and coaching programmes for young women to become tomorrow’s leaders as the Centre boasts 26 different languages currently.

As a finalist in last year’s Yorkshire Business Woman of the Year awards, she knows only too well the importance of diverse and inspiring role models for South Leeds families.

Extra Care flats officially opened

Continued from page 1 as running the Bistro. He finished by saying:

“Success for us is about people being happy, getting back their independence, living in a nice apartment which meets their needs and ultimately enjoying their life.”

Councillor James Lewis, Leader of Leeds City Council, said:

“The thing that really matters to me is that when we talk about increasing the number of houses,

that can sound like a number that appears in strategies, but actually it’s about making sure we’ve got houses for everybody in Leeds.

“Making sure that we’ve got that mix so whether it’s people coming to start their careers or a new job, bringing up families or places like this for older people to live in and have the facilities, the independence and be living in a really beautiful modern building.”

Hilary Benn MP

reiterated the thanks given to everyone involved in creating Hunslet Moor House and said:

“In the end this is about the people for who this place is now home and, if you ask me, is this the kind of place I’d like to come to when I’m even older than I am, the answer is yes.”

The official proceedings were topped and tailed by children from neighbouring New Bewerley Community School choir singing Penny Arcade and Eye of the Tiger.

Rising stars from The Hunslet Club shine on screen

Twotalented young actors from The Hunslet Club’s very own theatre company, The Hunslet Rogues, are making waves in the television industry, proving that with dedication and support, dreams can become reality.

Annabel and Imogen, two rising stars nurtured by The Hunslet Rogues, have recently landed roles in major productions, including the BBC’s hit drama Waterloo Road. Annabel also appeared in the Netflix series Toxic Town. Their success highlights the power of grassroots arts initiatives in unlocking young people’s potential, regardless of background and circumstance.

Adding to this, Imogen is also starring in the new series Adolescence – the show that everyone is talking about!

Working alongside Ashley Walters, Stephen Graham, and a fantastic cast, Imogen gained invaluable experience in a unique filming style, pushing

She is hoping to offer more flexibility to opening times so the centre can be utilised and maximised more than ever as well as more entrepreneurship and mentoring and coaching programmes.

From April the Centre will be starting a series of celebrations, workshop and themed weeks to celebrate the 40th anniversary with a big event in July and November so watch this space!

Asha Neighbourhood Project is based at 43 Stratford Street, LS11 6JG. For more information visit their website, or Facebook page, or phone: 0113 270 4600

her skills to new heights.

“At The Hunslet Club, young performers are given a platform to develop their skills, confidence, and passion for the arts,” said Jennie BaldwinBaker , Operations and Finance Manager at The Hunslet Club.

“We are incredibly proud of Annabel and Imogen. Their hard work and determination have led them to incredible opportunities, and we hope their journey inspires other young people to believe in themselves and follow their dreams.”

As The Hunslet Rogues continue to support aspiring performers, Annabel and Imogen’s success stories are a testament to the transformative power of community-driven theatre and sheer hard work, dedication, commitment and passion.

For more information about The Hunslet Rogues and The Hunslet Club visit our website www.hunsletclub.org.uk or follow us on social media.

Alia Nessa has taken up the rol;e of CEO at Asha Neighbourhood Project in Beeston by Kushmina Begum

Imogen and Annabel in Waterloo Road

The Preferred Homes team with councillors and Hilary Benn MP

NEWS IN BRIEF

Hamara and Leeds Rhinos Foundation Community Iftar

In a celebration of unity, inclusivity, and cultural understanding, Leeds Rhinos Foundation and Beestonbased Hamara came together to host a special Community Iftaar at AMT Headingley Stadium on Saturday 22 March. This unique partnership between two leading charities highlights the power of collaboration in breaking down barriers, particularly in sport. By fostering engagement between communities traditionally underrepresented in rugby league, the event aimed to create greater accessibility and inclusivity in the sport, demonstrating that rugby is a game for all.

First companies move into Aire Park

Legal firm Devonshire’s and TPT Pension Solutions are the first tenants to make Aire Park on the former Tetley brewery site their Leeds base. The firms have taken space a 3 South Brook Street.

Council sells land for social housing

Leeds City Council is selling a plot of land at Clarence Road, near Leeds Dock in the Riverside area of Hunslet, to Homes England for affordable housing. The site sits between Leeds Museum’s Discovery Centre on Carlisle Road and Citu’s The Place development off Clarence Road and runs through to Sayner Lane. Homes England, the public body that funds affordable housing, will sell the site on to a housing association for development.

South Leeds arts charity shortlisted for Northern Music Award

Holbeck-based arts charity Pyramid was shortlisted for the Flare Audio Music and Culture for Wellbeing Award at this year’s Northern Music Awards sponsored by

Ticketmaster and Live Nation, hosted by music therapy charity, Nordoff and Robbins.

High Rise Music, Pyramid’s weekly group for people with profound and multiple learning

disabilities (PMLD), is in the running for this prestigious award which aims to celebrate groups that use music, arts and culture to support people with health, wellbeing and

socio-economic issues.

James Hill, Director of Pyramid, said:

“We’re very proud to see our High Rise Music Group shortlisted for the Flare Audio Music and Culture for Wellbeing Award at this year’s Northern Music Awards. High Rise has, for over fifteen years, enabled people with PMLD discover the joy of performing and co-producing music.

“High Rise supports people, irrespective of abilities or disabilities, to come together to create new and innovative music. Its members regularly work with professional musicians and have previously collaborated with Opera North and the Leeds Lieder Festival.

“The group have also produced many original musicals which have been performed in venues across Leeds. It’s great to see this talented group get the spotlight they deserve.”

Sandy Trappitt, Director of Fundraising, Nordoff and Robbins, said:

“At Nordoff and Robbins, our music therapists use the power of music to help people across the UK connect, communicate and truly express themselves.

“We included the Music and Culture for Wellbeing award as part of the Northern Music Awards, alongside our artist

University supports new parents and caregivers in South Leeds

Parents

and caregivers in South Leeds can receive free support in the crucial first 1,000 days of their newborns’ lives as part of a study led by the University of Leeds.

Parents and primary caregivers of children aged 510 weeks living in Beeston, Holbeck, Middleton and Hunslet, as well as Gipton, Harehills, Seacroft, Killingbeck and Burmantofts are being invited to take part in a free group support programme, designed to give infants the best start in life.

The programme aims to empower caregivers by creating a support network and social opportunities where they can share experiences and seek advice, as well as gaining knowledge about parenting together.

“We want to create a safe, judgement-free space where parents and caregivers in Leeds can learn, meet other families and help shape the future of infant care” explained Senior Family Wellbeing Worker, Marcus Uhuru.

The sessions will be delivered by experienced family

wellbeing workers, using plain language, in family-friendly, accessible locations in the community.

The supportive sessions will take place in small groups of 810 caregivers, meeting regularly every few weeks.

The first 1,000 days are critical for children’s future health, wellbeing and development, but for new parents and caregivers it can be a challenging and tiring time.

Those seeking guidance and support in classes, baby groups or coffee mornings may be faced with unaffordable costs, leaving them with limited options to meet people having a similar experience.

To meet the needs of caregivers facing these challenges, the My First 1000 Days project provides parents with a group support programme covering helpful topics including safe sleeping, crying, feeding, healthy cooking, physical activity, early communication and baby massage.

To sign up to the first group, which starts in April, visit the

My First 1,000 Days website: myfirst1000days.co.uk/getinvolved

The ambitious project aims to improve health, wellbeing, psychological, cognitive, and social outcomes for caregivers and infants, bringing together expertise from across medicine, psychology, arts, biology and disability studies.

Parents taking part in the study will be asked to fill out a series of questionnaires and take part in optional interviews and focus groups about their

experiences and thoughts on group care. By doing this, they can play a key role in shaping the future of early years care in Leeds and beyond.

Dr Camilla Nykjaer in the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Leeds, who leads the physical activity strand of the work, said:

“It takes a village to raise a child – group care is creating that village of support. By bringing together caregivers, facilitators and community members, these groups create

and industry honours, to shine a light on some amazing Northern organisations who embed creativity into their health provision. The nominations we received this year were inspiring and we look forward to announcing the winner on the night.”

The High Rise Music Group has ambitious plans to share its message of inclusivity and joy in its most recent collaboration with Leeds Lieder Festival, entitled ‘Happiness, a sharing’. The group will perform work inspired by the theme of happiness, co-produced with Leeds Lieder musicians, at an intimate concert at Archive in Leeds on Friday 4 April 2025 from 10am to 12pm. For more details and to book tickets, please visit: pyramid.org.uk/ happiness-sharing25

Pyramid’s High Rise Music Group was one of six shortlisted organisations for the Flare Audio Music and Culture for Wellbeing Award. Unfortunately they were pipped to the post by The Liverpool Philharmonic at the Northern Music Awards ceremony, on Thursday 27 March at Liverpool Olympia. The event featured performances from Blossoms, Lightning Seeds, The Zutons, Luvcat, Chiedu Oraka and very special guest, Dr John Cooper Clarke.

a supportive environment where everyone can contribute to the wellbeing of both the caregiver and the baby.

“We know that the experience of support, shared identity and connectedness within groups can act as a potent resource for lifestyle change, enhancing group members’ engagement with their own health and that of their baby.”

My First 1000 Days is delivered in collaboration with Leeds City Council, colleagues at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, the community and the private sector. It was made possible thanks to a generous philanthropic donation from Leeds alumni, Duncan and Jaynie Ford.

Photo: Shutterstock

Email: info@southleedslife.com

Beeston community unites for Iftar celebration

by Rebecca Townesend

It was a full house for the Beeston Hill Community Association Community Iftar on Monday 17 March.

The Hamara Centre was buzzing with over 150 people in attendance who came to break the fast Muslims in South Leeds are observing for the month of Ramadan.

One of the organisers Shaz told me:

“The Iftar had an amazing turn out with many people of different cultures and beliefs. I’m so thankful for those who helped fund and support the event.

“The community spirit was in full swing. All the hard work and effort most definitely put in definitely paid off. We outdid last year Iftar for sure!”

Another of the organisers, Sam, told us she has been helping out Shaz offering her creative skills. She told us:

“I’ve got a lot of friends that are Muslim and I just think it’s

good that we can learn about people’s religions to get a better understanding” Chloe, who is a Muslim

Revert, told us she came from Dewsbury to support one of the organisers and added “it’s nice to see Muslims, non-

Muslims, people of different colours and religions just all get together and be as one, the way it should be”. Sarata was helping out and she told us:

“It shows how much of a diverse place Beeston is, and it also shows how when we come together as a community we are stronger than divided. And

we saw it in the summer when we saw the far right … Beeston is one of those places where we all get along, we all share our culture and religion and I think it’s a wonderful thing that we’ve come here today.”

In addition to an amazing array of food, there were activities for children, some poems were read plus

Staying fit and healthy through fun at Pennington Court

AtPennington Court Care

Home in Beeston, social activities are at the heart of everyday life.

In recent months, Pennington Court residents have enjoyed live music and a performance of Irish dancing for St Patrick's Day, a singalong to old love songs for Valentine's

Day, and a festive light switchon and parties for Christmas. It's not just at special times of the year when things get lively at the home, however. In addition to pamper days and relaxed coffee mornings, Pennington Court residents regularly enjoy activities including days out, group craft afternoons, games including darts and indoor archery, and social music sessions, with everyone picking out their favourite songs to sing along and dance to every Tuesday.

Staying active and engaged in later life is essential for maintaining a healthy body and mind, which is why Pennington Court staff have made it a priority to foster a fun, sociable atmosphere at the home, through activities which encourage both physical activity and social interaction.

If you are interested in finding out more about the care suites, apartments and respite options available you can contact Pennington Court by calling 0113 228 4040 or emailing pennington @westwardcare.co.uk

You can also read about the range of care options on offer at the home at: www.westwardcare.co.uk/ourlocations/pennington-court

welcomes from the organisers and a local Imam. Imam Muhammad Ahmad Saamir Arshad of Jamia Masjid Abu Huraira Leeds commented:

“On Monday, we came together as one community, united by kindness, compassion, and understanding. This Iftaar was more than a meal, it was a reminder of the strength of togetherness.

“Ramadan teaches patience, generosity, and self-reflection, values that go beyond faith and bind us all as human beings. As we broke bread, we remembered all those facing hardship and oppression, both near and far. From the homeless on the streets of Leeds and across the UK to those suffering injustice around the world, we stand in solidarity with them.

“The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught us that the ummah is like one body. When one part suffers, the whole body feels the pain.”

Sam summed up the evening saying:

“I think Beeston is brilliant, it gets put down quite a lot, but the community here and how people get on is just absolutely amazing”.

A packed room at Beeston’s Hamara Centre

Obituary: Robert ‘Bob’ Pickles (1945-2025)

Weare sad to report the death of Rugby League stalwart Robert ‘Bob’ Pickles (2 March 1945 - 10 March 2025)

Robert was born in Leeds and brought up in Middleton. He played Junior Rugby League for Middleton, Hunslet schools and Yorkshire.

He signed for Hunslet RLFC aged 16 in 1961 and made his debut in 1965 at Bradford Northern. After a short spell at Keighley he returned to play for New Hunslet where he set a new points record for a single game of 23 (1 try and 10 goals) v Blackpool Borough.

After retiring from professional Rugby he played for Bison sports before going on to Coach Hunslet Junction, Hunslet Trafalgar and Middleton Juniors ARLFC.

In 1988 he went to act as talent scout for Bradford Northern before moving on to Leeds Rhinos in 1990 where he oversaw a Leeds Academy side and signed talent such as Rob Burrow, Adrian Morley and Terry Newton that

went on to be the nucleus of a successful Leeds Rhinos team.

After retiring he maintained his interest in Hunslet RLFC and until recently was a regular supporter.

Robert leaves a partner

Diane, and two sons Ian and Stephen.

A celebration of Robert’s life will take place at South Leeds Stadium’s Parkside Suite on Thursday 10 April 2-7pm.

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Robert ‘Bob’ Pickles

Diversion of historic cobbled path in Beeston confirmed

by Jeremy Morton

Following a public enquiry last December, the Inspector has published her findings and confirmed Leeds City Council’s decision to divert FP207, the public right of way along the ‘cobbled path’ by Cockburn School in Beeston.

The expansion of Cockburn School to create more secondary places in South Leeds necessitated the building of a new block of classrooms, which further exacerbated an existing shortfall in outdoor space for PE at the school.

The Council was granted planning permission to build a new 3G artificial rugby/football pitch and tennis/netball courts on adjacent land that was part of the former South Leeds Golf Club.

The school asserted that it required a single secure perimeter for the safety of students and visitors and that therefore the path should be diverted.

Planning permission for the pitches was granted on this basis, but public rights of way

are subject to a separate procedure. Hence the enquiry. In her report the Inspector, Helen Heward, considered technical legal issues, but

King Pins bowling is coming to White Rose

King Pins, a striking new bowling and entertainment destination, has announced it will open its fifth site in Leeds’ White Rose Shopping Centre later this year. The new venue promises a top-tier bowling experience with state-of-the-art lanes, immersive games, and a vibrant social atmosphere.

King Pins is set to become the area’s new go-to destination for family-friendly games and activities. Guests will be able to enjoy ten-pin bowling, tech darts, shuffleboard, ice-free curling,

American pool, karaoke, and arcades. The site will also feature the addition of crazy pool, a brand-new game for the King Pins concept which will be exclusive to Leeds.

For guests fancying a bite to eat or a refreshing drink, King Pins, will have a bar and onsite eatery designed to ensure the good times keep rolling in between games. Further information on the food and beverage offering will become available ahead of the launch.

Since launching their first two sites in Manchester in summer 2023 and May 2024, Kings Pins has quickly

overall balanced the safety of Cockburn School’s perimeter with the loss of amenity and historic value of the path. Arguments on both sides are

expanded across the UK following a recent launch in Bristol’s Cabot Circus. The brand’s fourth venue, King Pins Glasgow, is set to open in June 2025.

James Travis, Brand Manager at King Pins, said, “We’re absolutely thrilled to bring King Pins to Leeds! King Pins is more than just a bowling concept, it’s an entertainment experience packed with fun for everyone. From our state-ofthe-art lanes to immersive games, delicious food, and signature cocktails, we’re here to set a new standard for social entertainment in Leeds. White Rose is the perfect location for us, and we can’t wait to welcome guests to experience King Pins like never before.”

Steven Foster, Centre Director at White Rose Shopping Centre, said: “King Pins will be a fantastic addition to our brands here at White Rose, joining Cineworld and The Escapologist to bolster our leisure offering and complementing our wide range of shops and restaurants. Our guests will love King Pins’ mix of games and entertainment, with something for visitors of all ages, and we look forward to its opening later this year.”

convenient, or commodious for footpath users. However, the loss of the use and enjoyment of the local heritage value of this section of FP207 by the community and wider public interest is a disadvantage. Against this, the proposal would have public benefits, particularly in enabling the Academy to ensure the safeguarding of children by the provision of a single secure perimeter fence around the school and sports pitch site.”

Alan Shaw, a Trustee of the Friends of Middleton Park told South Leeds Life:

“I would say that the Friends of Middleton Park are obviously disappointed in the judgement, but recognise that the Inspector was to a certain extent tied in her judgement by the original planning application and associated planning case law connected to previous decisions and circumstances elsewhere.

considered and given weight.

In her conclusion the Inspector says:

“The diverted route would not be materially less safe,

“We do however note that the Inspector suggested in her judgement that there is still an opportunity to challenge the structure of the diverted PROW and the requirement for it to be a permissive bridleway, so we will be discussing this as an organisation and possibly following up with the council in the hope that hopefully, common sense will prevail and the need for a built path across the grassland might be reconsidered.”

Cllr Andrew Scopes (Labour, Beeston & Holbeck) commented:

“I'm glad the Planning Inspectorate looked at this case and has taken the complaints seriously. Ultimately, I think granting the diversion is reasonable and proportionate even though it is a loss to those of us who do use the current route.”

Cockburn School was also approached for comment. You can read the Inspector’s report in full at bit.ly/PROW207

“I think that the Friends (and other local residents) supported by the Peak and Northern Footpaths Society made a valiant effort to challenge the judgement but we were stymied by the existing planning decision and associated caselaw.

The path by Cockburn School will no longer be accessible by the public

with Leeds Credit Union

How to make the Easter holidays more affordable Money matters

The Easter holidays come at a tricky time for some households, with many still feeling the financial effects of the ongoing cost of living crisis.

However, by thinking outside the box and keeping an eye out for money saving offers and cheap days out, you can ensure your kids have a fun-filled half term without spending the earth.

Greg Potter, Head of Member Experience at Leeds Credit Union, explains how.

Movie magic

With unpredictable weather on the horizon, there's no better way to enjoy being indoors than with a film the whole family can enjoy.

But with adult cinema tickets often costing more than £10, the cost of a family trip to the multiplex can soon become too much to justify, especially if you have several children who all want their own snacks.

Luckily, many cinemas offer special kids' screenings, with tickets sometimes costing as little as £2.50, even for adults. Better still, those that do offer these screenings typically do so throughout school holidays, meaning you'll have plenty of dates and times to choose between if you have a participating cinema nearby.

All the main cinema chains offer some form of reduced ticket scheme for kids/families, so have a hunt for the best option and bear in mind that some tickets are even cheaper if purchased online, with weekday screenings usually cheapest. Showings of older films can sometimes be cheaper than brand new releases too.

Tickets tend to sell quickly too so book ahead to avoid disappointment!

Movie magic II

If you don't have easy access to a cinema, you can recreate the fun of a trip to the big screen at home for a fraction of the cost.

Either curl up on the sofa, make a comfy sitting area on the floor using cushions, pillows and blankets or build an indoor den by draping sheets over a couple of chairs, then round up the family for some blockbuster action.

If you already have an account with the likes of Netflix, you're spoiled for choice when it comes to picking a film to watch; if not, simply sign up for a free trial of Amazon Prime and you're good to go (just remember to cancel your membership again before the trial runs out and you start

incurring costs)!

Other ideas

If you want to save on expensive days out this half term why not try:

Organising a treasure • hunt. Just hide clues or riddles around your home and leave a reward like chocolate at the end.

Having a cardboard box • challenge. Get some cardboard boxes and tubes out of the recycling box and let your children's imaginations run wild. Equip them with some safe scissors, sticky tape and felt-tip pens and see what they can come up with. Submarines, dens, animals - anything is possible!

Housing support for vulnerable Leeds’ homeless to continue

Beeston-based

charity Turning

Lives Around is set to continue providing housing support and homelessness prevention services for vulnerable people in Leeds for another three years.

Leeds City Council has renewed the contracts related to Beacon Leeds which Turning Lives Around (TLA) delivers in partnership with fellow local charities Touchstone and Foundation, and Carr Beck, TLA’s 24-hour intensive specialist support and accommodation service for women who are alcohol-dependent.

Visiting your local library.

• Whether you spend a few hours reading there, choose some books to take home or partake in any activities that are available, libraries have something for everyone and are free!

Launched in 2017, Beacon supports 240 homeless adults and families with multiple disadvantages providing trauma informed support plus a range of community based and intensive support accommodation.

Check out local galleries

• or museums. Many offer free (or reduced) entry for children and put on adventure trails over school holidays so why not head over and enjoy some culture for an afternoon?

Leeds Credit Union provides affordable financial services to people in Leeds.

Working with other specialist agencies, Beacon enables clients to manage or overcome personal challenges while gaining skills around budgeting, looking after themselves and their home. On average, a hundred Beacon clients annually move on to independent living in more permanent homes sourced through private rental, housing associations or Leeds City Council.

Believed to be the only specialist service of its kind for women in the UK, Carr Beck provides a safe, supported environment where up to six alcohol-dependent women at any one time, can manage and reduce their alcohol consumption. Established in 1996, Carr Beck has supported some 200 women, enabling them to move on with their lives, healthily and independently, reconciling with family, attending university, embarking on careers, providing peer support.

Steve Hoey, CEO of TLA, said he was delighted that the contracts for these valuable housing and homelessness prevention services had been renewed by Leeds City Council.

“This is excellent news on many levels,” he said. “It gives clients and colleagues the security that their great work and support can continue for another three years, helping to break the cycle of homelessness which both Beacon and Carr Beck have proved to do.

“In addition, at a time when homelessness is on the increase throughout the UK, continuing to invest in services like these is essential. Recent Government figures related to a rough sleeping snapshot carried out last autumn, showed the largest increase –up 43% – was in Yorkshire and the Humber, while other data points to a 20% increase in homelessness amongst women in the UK,” said Steve who is working with Homeless Link, campaigning with other organisations to bring about change that will end homelessness.

One of the areas for change that Homeless Link is calling for is around homelessness funding and the need to focus less on expensive ‘quick fix’

crisis response and more on long-term solutions and homelessness prevention. Leeds Central and Headingley MP Alex Sobel recently met Steve at a Homeless Link lobbying event in London and is supportive of the campaign.

“The extra £1bn for homelessness prevention from the Government was a rare win for lobbying and is directly benefitting TLA’s work. It is pleasing to see Leeds City Council getting on board and building into the contract renewals uplifts to allow for inflation and the extra National Insurance costs that take effect 2025/26. We have also had domestic violence and abuse practitioner funding confirmed for 2025/26 which is another area of support in high demand,” reported Steve.

“Funding these services at a realistic and appropriate level helps to safeguard them now and for the intermediate future, enabling us to continue helping the people who need it, putting them on the path to a stable home and away from repeated homelessness.”

Calling for change to end homelessness, Steve Hoey (right) with Alex Sobel, MP for Leeds Central and Headingley

Email: info@southleedslife.com

Modified bike warning as Holbeck man sentenced

Police are warning of the dangers of illegally modified electric bikes after the rider of one was sentenced over a collision which caused the death of a man in Leeds.

Oury Diallo, aged 22, of Meynell Approach, Holbeck, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on 10 March for causing the death of 51-year-old Vincent Cullinane by careless driving in relation to a collision in Leeds city centre on 21 April 2022.

Shortly before 5.40pm that day, Mr Cullinane had been riding his pedal cycle on the pavement in East Street when he was involved in a collision with Diallo who was also riding on the pavement.

Diallo had modified his pedal cycle with an after-market battery, which independently powered the bike, making it a motor vehicle under road traffic legislation. He was sentenced to seven months imprisonment,

suspended for 18 months. He was also given a 15-day rehabilitation order and 200 hours community service and disqualified from driving for four years and until an extended test is passed.

Detective Sergeant Steven Suggitt, of the Major Collision Enquiry Team, said:

“Vincent Cullinane’s family have been left absolutely devastated by his death in a collision which shows very clearly the dangers and risks of illegally modified electric bikes, scooters and other similar vehicles. These ‘powered transporters’ are classed as motor vehicles by definition and are subject to all the same legislation as cars and motorbikes.The unregulated power they produce and the speeds they can achieve create clear potential risks to the safety of others.

Standing up for young people in Parliament

“Anyone using such a vehicle faces being prosecuted and having their vehicle seized.”

Girls shine at women’s

Women

and girls from across the city gathered in Beeston to celebrate a Women in Careers event on Monday 3 March at the United Free Church on Malvern Road in Beeston Hill.

Over 30 girls from across South Leeds heard from a wide variety of women at the event, organised by the Shine Project, and learnt about a range of different career paths.

Emma Watson, a young person who attended the event

Zani Cai from Beeston recently delivered a speech in the House of Commons advocating for fair pay for young people. Zani has been elected as a UK Youth Parliament Member for 2024-2026. She argued that lower minimum wage for 16 and 17 year olds compared to those over 18 was unjustified. You can watch her speech at bit.ly/ZaniSpeech.

Zani is also a member of the Youth Climate Social Action Group at

careers event

said:

“It was a really good event! It was great to talk to nurses, women who work in finance, retail and the charity sector too!”

And midwife Andrea Hill commented:

“It was great to be a part of the careers fair and to chat to the girls about a career in healthcare. They asked some great questions and hopefully it helped to inspire them to think big about their futures.”

The Shine Project, run by St Luke’s CARES, has been supporting girls in South Leeds for over ten years. They are committed to supporting young people through the challenges they face and provide them with new experiences to help them grow and develop. The charity’s hope is that all the girls they work with will reach their full potential.

For more information see their website: stlukescares.org. uk/projects/the-shine-project

Green Futures with Health for All and a student at Cockburn School.

Midwife Andrea Hill chatting with a Shine member

On 27 April Danielle Germaine from Middleton will run the London Marathon three years after being diagnosed with oesophageal cancer.

The diagnosis came out of the blue after she noticed a change in her swallow. There was no family history or anything else to alert her, but she had a 6cm mass in her oesophagus – the pipe that connects your mouth with your stomach.

There were tests, waits for results followed by chemo and radiotherapy in the summer of 2022, at one point not being able to eat or drink and using a feeding tube.

A fresh new look and offer at Holbeck Together’s Café Cancer survivor Danielle to run the London marathon

Danielle is a runner and says this has helped her get through the cancer and the mental trauma of diagnosis and treatment. She even ran the Great North Run in 2022 between the chemo and an operation to remove part of her oesophagus.

“The endurance from running helped with treatment. It’s the mental strength to keep going when it’s tough. Getting better has been like another physical challenge like when you train for a race” she said.

“When I couldn’t control what the cancer was doing or what treatment I was going to get offered, running and keeping fit was one thing I could do to help myself. I was angry when I found out that to get rid of it the cancer would require life changing treatment.

Parents and pupils protest at loss of Beeston crossing warden

by Jeremy Morton

Chants of “Save our lollipop lady” and “Save our lives” plus car horns adding their support in the background soundtracked a small but lively protest outside Beeston Primary School on 13 March.

As we reported in September, the council has decided to withdraw the funding it provides to the school to employ a crossing warden, citing the zebra crossing that was installed a few years ago and the 20 mph speed limit as being sufficient.

Parent Esther Amoako said:

The oesophagectomy means my stomach is smaller now and restricts how much I’m able to eat.

“I accepted that the cancer was going to take enjoyment of eating away and I told it I wasn’t going to let it take running away from me and that it was not stopping me spending time with my family.”

Danielle ran with South Leeds Sisters before Covid and is now a member of the South Leeds Lakers running club.

“I found a lot of support from people I know in the running community - they’ve been really supportive and checked in on me and cheered on my recovery milestones.

She’s a regular at Middleton Woods parkrun

“I did the Couch to 5k programme after surgery and some weeks it took me 40 minutes to get round. It was tough because I had my lung collapsed for surgery and 2 large cavity openings from open surgery to recover from.

“Whatever pace I go at, I always get lots of support from the lovely volunteers and feel welcome to join in every week.”

Danielle is keen to raise awareness of oesophageal cancer whose symptoms include difficulty swallowing, heartburn and losing weight when you’re not trying to. She is also raising funds for OPA Cancer Charity which supports patients with oesophageal and gastric cancers. You can donate at bit.ly/DanielleOPA

“I think we need her (the crossing warden). Although we’ve got that crossing, it doesn’t bother people. We still get people driving past even when she’s stood in the middle. We’ve got kids who come to school by themselves, with no parents. When she is here you’ve got the peace of mind that at least they can get to school safely. People may say it (the zebra crossing) is very close to the school, but anything can happen. Even with her in the middle we get people who run across it and it’s so risky – lives are being put at risk. The crossing is not enough.”

The protest was organised by Sasha Watson, another parent at the school. She told us:

“It was really lovely to see people out here supporting this cause and it shows that people feel really strongly about it. We’ve managed to gather

nearly a thousand signatures on paper which is really good. The entire community are behind this, not just parents.”

Councillor Andrew Scopes (Labour, Beeston & Holbeck) who has been trying to get the Council to reverse the decision, commented:

“I am supportive of the parent-led campaign to protect the Crossing Patrol outside Beeston Primary School. While the crossing does not meet the Council’s criteria, I do not believe enough work has been put in to looking at the speed and volume of the traffic, or nearby corner and junction which needs to be better understood before any decision which could impact on Children’s safety is made.”

A Leeds City Council

spokesperson said:

“We take road safety extremely seriously as part of the council’s commitment to our Vison Zero ambition to see no one killed or seriously injured on our roads by 2040. We understand the decision to cease the crossing service outside Beeston Primary School has been a disappointment to some parents. However, we operate to a strict set of criteria which this particular crossing, which already has a zebra crossing and is in a 20 miles per hour zone, does not meet. Over the last three years, there have been no recorded injury collisions outside the school.

“We work with a number of schools across the city where they contribute to the costs of

Justinside St Matthew’s Community Centre there is a wonderful local spot to meet your friends over coffee and a light bite to eat. It has just undergone a make-over so it’s a great opportunity to pop by and try it out.

The café space, which is run by Holbeck Together, is open to the public Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9am-12:30pm.

“We're thrilled to share our revamped café with the community," says Elissa Newman, Chief Officer at Holbeck Together.

"It has recently undergone a bit of make-over thanks to local organisations Seagulls Paint and GME Painting Contractors,

maintaining a school crossing warden, this was offered to Beeston Primary School last September and the council agreed to continue funding the service until the end of the current financial year to give them time to consider the funding. They have subsequently said they are unable to contribute to the costs. As the road in question does not meet the criteria for a council-funded crossing warden we cannot continue to fund it and so the last day the service will be in operation will be March 28, 2025.”

South Leeds Life understands that the school is already under extreme budgetary pressure and that some support staff are currently being laid off.

whose efforts have transformed the space. We wanted to offer a space that creates a welcoming and cozy atmosphere for everyone to enjoy and we look forward to seeing lots of regular and new customers popping by.” With profits from the community café supporting the activities, advice and support provided by Holbeck Together, it’s a great way to show your support and contribute to your local community.

The café offers speciality coffees, teas and cold drinks alongside an expanded selection of cakes and light snacks including hot sandwiches.

You can also pre-order and collect your refreshments by calling 0113 245 5553

Address:

St Matthew’s Community Centre, St Matthew's Street, Holbeck, LS11 9NR, on the corner of Holbeck Moor.

The freshened up cafe at St Matthew’s

Danielle after completing the Leeds 10K in 2022

The protest outside Beeston Primary School

Glowing Ofsted report for Greenmount Primary School

The report of an inspection by Ofsted of Greenmount Primary School in Beeston has been published with the school found to be Good and Outstanding for Leadership and management and Personal development.

The inspection was carried out on 7 January 2025 and Inspectors reported that:

“Pupils are proud to be ‘Greenmountaineers.’ They apply the school’s CLIMB values of confidence, learning, independence, motivation and

belief to their learning and behaviour. This helps them to become motivated and confident learners. Pupils benefit from a newly-refined, ambitious curriculum. Pupils achieve well.”

Inspecors praised the school’s approach to providing pastoral care and support for families new to the UK and pupils’ knowledge of fundamental British values.

Reading skills and the development of a love of reading are prioritised and inspectors report that:

“The school goes above and beyond to provide exceptional opportunities that support pupils’ personal development. The school introduces pupils to a range of well-chosen role models. Pupils’ aspirations are raised by learning about inspirational people such as Hannah Shields, the first woman from Northern Ireland

to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Pupils in key stage 2 have opportunities to work with local universities to explore potential careers. Pupils have leadership responsibilities, such as roles as eco leaders who litter pick in the locality.

Pupils enjoy spending time playing games with residents at a local care home. This develops respectful multigenerational relationships.

Pupils take part in a variety of sporting and musical activities. They have many opportunities to participate, compete and perform.”

Ofsted no longer gives an overall effictiveness judgment, but grades primary schools across five areas:

•

Quality of education

• Personal development

Behaviour and attitudes

• Leadership and

• management

Early years provision

• At its last inspection in 2019 the school was graded as Good in all five areas.

The school was approached for comment.

You can read the full report at: reports.ofsted.gov.uk

Cockburn School receives national recognition for performance

Cockburn School has been recognised nationally for its excellent results in 2024 based on data from the Department for Education and Ofsted, analysed by SSAT, the Schools, Students and Teachers network.

Cockburn School was recognised for being in the top 10% of schools nationally for student progress in the 2024 end of KS4 exams.

The SSAT Educational Outcomes database compares all state-funded schools in England.

To be recognised with an Educational Outcomes Award is a significant achievement and a testament to the work of the

whole school community.

Sue Williamson, Chief Executive of SSAT said:

“Congratulations to Cockburn School on winning an SSAT Educational Outcomes Award. This success is down to the superb learning and teaching, outstanding support and inspirational leadership of staff.

“You have made a huge difference to the lives of the young people in your school. Thank you.”

Rob Dixon, Headteacher of Cockburn School said:

“It is a great honour to receive national recognition for the progress our students make.”

Results Day at Cockburn School

Classroom calm

Cockburn Reach Academy pupils are enjoying learning in their new classrooms. Starfish love hearing each other read in their calm, peaceful space.

A pupil from Greenmount Primary School helps a resident of Pennington Court care home to make a wreath

Celebrating the magic of reading at Cockburn John Charles Academy

This year’s World Book Day at Cockburn John Charles Academy was more than just a celebration of literature—it was a full immersion into the joy and magic of reading.

The academy embraced the day with an array of activities designed not only to highlight the importance of books but also to foster a deep love of reading that will continue long after the event itself.

One of the standout moments was the school’s bookmark competition. Students from all year groups were invited to create a bookmark inspired by

their favourite book.

The creative entries filled the school hallways, each unique design showcasing the students’ passion for their chosen novels. From fantasy epics to heartfelt contemporary stories, the bookmarks served as a colourful reminder of the wide variety of genres and worlds that reading can open up.

In addition to the bookmark competition, students participated in a series of exciting form-time quizzes, testing their knowledge of popular books, authors, and literary facts. The quizzes

sparked friendly competition, with students eagerly engaging with one another to demonstrate their literary knowledge.

Classrooms and corridors were also transformed into literary wonderlands, as each form group decorated their classroom doors based on a favourite book. The imaginative displays from towering castles to enchanted forests brought books to life in ways that inspired students to explore new genres and authors.

Throughout the day, a special reading by students of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Black Cat

captivated the school. The eerie and suspenseful tale was shared in segments, allowing students to immerse themselves in the gothic atmosphere and discuss the themes with their peers. It was a thrilling experience that drew students of all ages into the art of storytelling.

To further ignite the love of reading, pop-up book shops were set up around the school, offering a range of titles for students to explore. The excitement was palpable as students browsed the bookshelves, discovering new favourites and rediscovering old classics.

Staff members also got involved, sharing their personal book recommendations, with posters around the academy showcasing the diverse range of books that had shaped their own lives.

Mrs Roberts, Headteacher, expressed her excitement about the day’s events, saying:

“World Book Day isn’t just about celebrating the written word; it’s about creating a lasting connection between students and the books that inspire them. We hope that this day not only sparks interest in reading but encourages students to make reading a lifelong habit. It’s a privilege to witness their creativity and passion for books in so many different forms.”

The day’s activities, coupled with the collective enthusiasm of both students and staff, made World Book Day a true celebration of reading. It was a reminder that books are not just tools for learning but gateways to imagination, creativity, and personal growth.

Middleton Primary at Lineham Farm

Middleton Primary School ensures that each child attends a free 5-day, 4 nights residential during their time at school.

The children in Year 4 spent Monday to Friday staying at Lineham Farm in the countryside. They spent the four nights at the 17th century

farmhouse in the middle of 120 acres of land.

Throughout the week the children took part in a plethora of activities that really embraced

Asda’s surprise story for Hugh Gaitskell Pr

Ahead of World Book Day on 6 March Asda relaunched its instore book donation points with the aim of supporting families in accessing books through their nationwide partnership with literacy charity the Children’s Book Project.

To help launch the campaign, Asda and the Children’s Book project put on a surprise storytelling spectacular at South Leeds school – Hugh Gaitskell Primary with the support of Asda Middleton Community Champion – Sarah Robbin. The children were transported into a magical world where their imaginations come to life, with storytelling sessions, face painting and dress up.

primary schools full of children receiving at least 2 new books each.

Asda community champions will also be hosting reading activities and bringing ‘StoryTelling Magic’ to life in their stores and local communities in partnership with BBC’s Tiny Happy People.

the outdoors. These included orienteering, bushcraft, walking, biking and archery as well as life saving skills such as making fires and setting up camp.

With an onsite chef this residential really did give the children an incredible all-round brilliant experience from start to finish.

Here are a few wholesome quotes from the children “the climbing and crate stacking was so scary but by the end I really loved it!” “It was the best time, and we got to do so much fun stuff with our friends”.

Middleton Primary are so proud to offer this experience to their pupils at no charge, giving them memories and skills to last a lifetime.

The children took part in challenges to win a golden token and were invited to choose free books from the Book Hut using their golden book token. Over 550 children took a book home from the event. The storytelling event was hosted by BBC presenter Ben Shires, who works on TV channels such as CBBC and Match of the Day.

The initiative launched by Asda enables customers across the UK to donate pre-loved children’s books instore, for onward gifting to families with fewer books of their own.

Since the launch of the partnership in September 2024, over 100,000 books have already been collected, which means that the equivalent of over 50

The Children’s Book Project is on a mission to tackle book poverty in childhood. They take donations of surplus new and pre-loved books and gift them via schools, community groups and food banks to children that have very few books of their own. In over 388 Asda superstores, including stores across Leeds, local families are invited to donate any books they’ve grown out of, dropping them into a dedicated donation trolley hosted by the store’s Community Champion. Together the two organisations expect to give over 20,000 children the chance to

Books ahoy!: Hugh Gaitskell pupils get into the spirit of storytelling

On target: pupils from Middleton Primary try archery

World Book Day at Cockburn John Charles Academy

ytelling spectacular rimary School

participate in book gifting festivals hosted by their school or community group, where they will be able to choose and take home, books of their own. Book poverty has a measurable impact on children’s social and emotional development, as well as their education outcomes, and the charity’s core mission chimes with Asda’s wider, ongoing initiatives to support low-income families. Through this partnership more children will have the chance to choose books they are excited about, to share stories with their wider family and to lose themselves in a story.

Asda Middleton Community Champion Sarah Robbin said:

“It was absolutely brilliant to see the smiles on the children’s faces and they came into the hall that had been transformed into a magical storytelling space. They had lots of fun and went

home with new books to read and enjoy. All children should be able to access a book without the cost being a barrier. Now is a great time for families to have a bit of a clear out and donate any books that their children may have grown out of which will then go on to benefit many other children in our area.”

Mrs Kate McNulty, Hugh Gaitskell headteacher said:

“On behalf of everyone at Hugh Gaitskell Primary School, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Asda and the Children’s Book Project for choosing our school to host such a wonderful event. The excitement and joy on our children’s faces as they entered the transformed school hall were truly heartwarming. The space was brought to life in a magical way, with engaging storytellers and fun activities that captivated their imaginations.

“It is so important to make reading an exciting and immersive experience for our pupils, and this event did exactly that.

One of the most special aspects of the day was seeing our children select and take home beautiful books to keep. This generous gesture will undoubtedly help to nurture their enthusiasm for reading and encourage a lifelong love of books. We are incredibly grateful for the time, effort, and generosity that went into making this event so memorable.”

Just one play

As part of the Lord Mayor’s charity appeal ‘Just One Day’, 27 February was designated ‘one day to play and the Lord Mayor, Cllr Abigail

visited Lane End Primary School in Beeston, a school that recognises the importance of play, making their normal lessons more playful by adding extra playtime and dressing up just for fun!

Lane End Primary headteacher, Jane Hopwood, said: “Lane End Primary School believes in the power of learning through play. Our children loved meeting the Lord Mayor and have been inspired to be playful throughout the day. We’ve been problem solving, creating, and building outside in the sunshine at dinner time. Staff and children also explored how to improve play in school and hope to invite the Lord Mayor back so she can hear our ideas.”

Inspiring careers in meteorology at Cockburn Laurence Calvert Academy

Aspart of the school’s Curriculum Enrichment and Careers Week, ITV weather presenter Kerrie Gosney visited Year 7 and Year 10 students for an engaging workshop focused on careers in meteorology.

Kerrie shared her personal journey from a passion for weather to becoming a weather presenter, offering students a glimpse into the world of meteorology and broadcasting.

The workshop explored how meteorologists use technology and data to forecast weather, while also detailing the skills and education required for careers in this field. Kerrie’s insights on the challenges and rewards of being a weather presenter captivated students, especially as she shared her behind-the-scenes experiences.

Both Year 7 and Year 10 students found the session inspiring, with many expressing an increased interest in meteorology. The visit was a valuable link between the geography curriculum and realworld careers, encouraging students to think about their future paths and the diverse opportunities in geography and broadcasting.

Izzy, a Year 10 student from CLCA, shared, "It was great to explore the various career paths we could pursue with a Geography GCSE. It was also fascinating to get a behind-thescenes look."

Natalia, a Year 7 student from CLCA, said, "It was amazing to meet someone I usually see on TV. We learned a lot of new information about the weather

and different career opportunities."

Miss Fretwell, Subject Leader of Geography, commented, "Kerrie’s visit has been incredibly inspiring for our students. It not only enhanced their understanding of the geography curriculum but also helped them see how their passion for subjects like geography can lead to exciting

careers in meteorology and beyond. I was incredibly proud of the students’ respect and exemplary behaviour throughout the session."

Kerrie Gosney’s visit was a great success, offering students a motivating and educational experience that broadened their career horizons.

ITV weather presenter Kerrie Gosney talking to students at CLCA

Marshall Katung,

In our view

The power of community

Hunslet Moor House is a very impressive building. Spacious apartments, walk-in showers, well appointed kitchens, balconies; but what is really impressive is the sense of community that you feel just four months since its first tenant moved in.

Social interactions and activities are so important to the quality of our lives, whether that’s amongst older people; or those fighting cancer such as Danielle on page 10; neighbours learning about each others culture and religion at the community Iftar on page 5; or those making art to celebrate their community on page 18.

Crossing needs a rethink

Zebra crossings and 20mph limits are great when drivers observe them, but there is clear evidence that many don’t respect the busy crossing outside Beeston Primary School. The council is right to have a set of criteria to judge whether it should pay for crossing patrols, but it must have the flexibility to override those criteria when the situation demands it. The council should think again and reinstate the crossing patrol.

Hunslet battle on Hunslet RLFC have not had the bounce of the ball so far this season.

The newly promoted club is fanowned and doesn’t have the resources that other Championship clubs have, and injuries mean that they haven’t fielded their best team yet, but the squad show a determination to improve. As the club motto says “So we shall again.”

The May issue of South Leeds Life will be out on Wednesday 30 April

Your letters and comments

Silver Birch

I've walked past this tree (right) for years without really noticing it. Recently I realised it is probably the biggest Silver Birch I have ever seen. Normally they're a coloniser species, and probably reach a girth of about a foot, and have a lifespan of maybe 30-50 years. This one is almost directly opposite Middleton Railway. The road system has been radically altered around it, but prior to this the land here has been an open parkland known as Hunslet Moor for at least 200 years.

My question is simple, really: does anyone know of a larger/older example of a Silver Birch?

Martin Pickersgill

Beeston crossing patrol and council finance

To the Leeds City Council Spokesperson: The reason why there has not been any collisions or accidents at school times is because the school crossing patrol person keeps everyone safe. When there is a visible presence drivers slow down, i believe by removing the school crossing patrol, drivers will drive faster and therefore not stop in time for the unmanned zebra crossing.

Nigel Johnson-Hartlebury

Keep our lollipop lady before someone gets killed what is £3,000 when a child has their whole life ahead of them. Safety comes first, the amount of cars I have seen even going through the zebra crossing whilst the crossing attendant is there is a lot and this shouldn’t be put forward to the general public and the school to maintain the road safety of our children and people who cross the street everyday.

Beverley Beaumont

I’ve set up a petition for the Lollypop lady. We need her to safely cross the children and the community. The road outside Beeston Primary school is an extremely busy junction and even though it’s got a zebra crossing, drivers don’t follow the rules of the road. Even with a lollypop lady it’s still dangerous hence why she has a body cam but

without her it’s a accident waiting to happen. I fear that we are going to lose lives all for the sake of 3 grand per year.

Sinead Egerton

As a concerned Beeston business owner, resident and Grandad who has two Grandchildren that attend Beeston Primary I wanted to ensure that parents of children at Beeston Primary and residents of South Leeds were aware of the news article which was recently published in the Yorkshire Post.

Your Leeds City Councillors

Beeston & Holbeck ward Includes Beeston from Cross Flatts Park to the Ring Road, Cottingley and Holbeck. The three councillors are:

Shaf Ali (Labour) (0113) 378 8810 sharafat.ali@leeds.gov.uk

Annie Maloney (Labour) 07554 969236 annie.maloney@leeds.gov.uk

Andrew Scopes (Labour) 07860 400645 andrew.scopes@leeds.gov.uk

Hunslet & Riverside ward Includes the city centre, Beeston Hill and Hunslet. The three councillors are:

Ed Carlisle (Green) 07738 921277 ed.carlisle@leeds.gov.uk

Mohammed Iqbal (Labour) 0113 226 8796 mohammed.iqbal@leeds.gov.uk

Paul Wray (Labour) 07528 512649 paul.wray@leeds.gov.uk

Middleton Park ward Includes Belle Isle and Middleton. The three councillors are:

Rob Chesterfield (SDP) (0113) 378 0900 rob.chesterfield@leeds.gov.uk

Wayne Dixon (SDP) 07852 311717 wayne.dixon@leeds.gov.uk

Emma Pogson-Golden (SDP) 07794 577586 emma.pogson-golden@leeds.gov.uk

cases like this rather than investing it in staffing costs to keep our children safe which flies in the face of their ‘Vision Zero’ aspirations.

You just couldn’t make this it up! I think Leeds is long overdue a change of colour residing in the civic hall.

Mal Simpson

Please don’t close Middleton gym, it’s used by many people locally and it would be a shame to see it go especially since the equipment was replaced to modernise it.

Sarah Scales

Animal Farm

I took my fifteen year old daughter, soon to be sixteen to see Animal Farm at Leeds Playhouse. They have covered Orwell and dystopian theory in school, so this was a good opportunity to test the knowledge and understanding. We both enjoyed the play. It was very well adapted to the stage with ‘excellent theatre ‘ for the more complicated scenarios. On the return train home, we had much to discuss, both of us having read the book recently. The politics? It demonstrates that extreme Left or extreme Right politics have the same result, just a different journey to get there. More please.

Robert Walker

An absolutely amazing show so well done. The sounds of the animals were brilliant. Just loved the donkey! It was a excellent evening. Thank you.

Shirley Beevor

Highlighting what I feel is gross negligence when it comes the management of the City’s public purse.

It is an absolute travesty that whilst this Labour Council continues to impose cuts to many services as outlined in the news piece, nobody seems able to hold Council Officers to account (including Councillors) for the huge amount of taxpayers money being spent on preventing my South Leeds business from placing floral planters on the highways of Leeds.

When LCC loses its High Court action which it has taken to prevent the my business from taking LCC back to the Competition Appeals Tribunal (which it will) many more hundreds of thousands will be at risk.

LCC set aside £1.2 million to defend the last case, the second will be no different. We as a business have done everything in our power to prevent further litigation but the bunker mentality of council officers has left us with no other alternative.

It seems LCC would much prefer spending taxpayer’s money on funding

Keep up to date with

This was so well done, I honestly felt like I was seeing, feeling and hearing animals on the set. Plenty of emotional tension, humour and darkness, a great night.

Amanda Harpin

Illegally modified bikes

Seven months sentence suspended for causing a man’s death! Why wasn’t he put in prison long term? It doesn’t make sense, he must have known the adaptation on his bike was illegal and the fact it caused a man’s death is terrible.

Mike

The same rules apply to private escooters unmodified or not. xiufen gu

Join the debate

Comment online; by email: info@southleedslife.com; or post to: 224 Cross Flatts Grove, Leeds, LS11 7BW.

Tree-mendous: the giant Silver Birch on Hunslet Little Moor

Email: info@southleedslife.com

MP’s notebook

with Hilary Benn MP

Noteverything in life is certain, but one thing is. We will all get old, and our thoughts will then turn to where are we going to live out our days.

Well, I saw a wonderful answer recently when I attended the formal opening of Hunslet Moor House. Built on the site of an old shopping centre, it provides extra care affordable apartments which Leeds City Council has 100% nomination rights to. This is really good, but nothing quite prepared me for what I encountered when I walked through the front door. There on the right is a bistro/cafe which was absolutely buzzing. It's been put there as part of the development not only for the residents but also for the local community to use. You can come in and have a cup of coffee or a bite to eat. It was unlike any other sheltered accommodation I've ever been into, and I thought the

architects had done a wonderful job of creating a welcoming space. The flats are lovely too and there is also a guest suite so that family members coming from far away can stay over.

As it so happened, I know two of the residents who had moved in recently and they were both full of praise for their new home. Now, we all know that it is people who make places rather than buildings, but this is one example of where the two have come together to make a home that the residents are clearly very happy to be in. Can we please have more developments like this?

I have had quite a number of emails from people anxious about the benefit changes that have recently been announced, and I am busy replying to them.

The first thing to say is that the current system is not effective in supporting disabled

people and the cost is unsustainable.

Spending on disability benefits has increased by 45% in real terms since the Covid pandemic and, without taking action, it would rise by a further £18 billion over the next five years. The number of working age people claiming personal independence payment (PIP) is set to more than double this decade from 2 million to 4.3 million. Every day, there are more than 1,000 new PIP awards and that’s the equivalent of adding a population the size of Leicester every single year. This is not sustainable long-term. And when you look at other comparable countries, including Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and the United States, their spending on equivalent benefits has fallen or remained stable over the same period.

The second thing I would say is that the system isn’t working

for many disabled people themselves. To take just one example, we have nearly 1 million young people not in education, employment, or training - that is one in eight of the next generation. We cannot simply shrug our shoulders and accept this because it’s not good for those young people and it’s not good for the future of our society.

And that is why the changes are going to put more support and more effort into helping people to get into work for the first time or back into work, with an additional £1bn a year for work, health and skill support through a new “pathways to work “ programme. Universal Credit payments will be rebalanced by increasing the standard allowance above inflation for the first time ever.

Existing claimants will be protected by holding the health top-up steady in cash terms while they benefit from the higher standard allowance. There will be an additional premium for new claimants with the most severe, life-long health conditions, who have no prospect of improvement and will never be able to work. The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) will go entirely. It’s failing

people and unhelpfully labelling them as either ‘can’ or ‘can’t’ work, when the reality is that health conditions can fluctuate and many want support to work.

There will be a new ‘right to try’ guarantee that work - in and of itself - will never lead to someone being called for a reassessment. This is in addition to rules in place which allow people to try work and return to their old benefit without the need for reassessment if it doesn’t work out.

On PIP (Personal Independence Payment), from next November people will need to score a minimum of 4 points in at least one activity to qualify for the daily living element. This will not affect the mobility component of PIP. This will focus PIP more on those with the greatest needs by ensuring that people who are unable to complete activities at all, or who require more help from others to complete them, still get support.

This will mean, however, that some people with lower-level needs will no longer get PIP. This change will not happen overnight. It will apply to new claims and award reviews from next year, subject to

parliamentary approval. And of course, as is the case currently, if someone is unhappy about a decision following a PIP assessment or reassessment, they will continue to be able to appeal to the Tribunal. Changes will apply to existing recipients of PIP when they reach their next review - which is usually every three years. If your disability or health condition is a severe and lifelong one, and your circumstances remain unchanged, then you will be protected and you will never be fully reassessed. For those who are affected by the new eligibility changes we are consulting on how best to support this group, including how to make sure their health and care needs are met.

I know this is a difficult issue, but it’s worth remembering that, even after these changes, the welfare budget will continue to grow over the next few years.

Beeston Primary School: The Best Start for Your Child’s Education

As parents, we all want the best for our children, especially when it comes to their education. Choosing the right primary school is a crucial decision which can shape their future.

Beeston Primary School has an Ofsted judgement of ‘Good’ with ‘Outstanding’ in the Early Years and we would love for you to enrol your child and give them the highest quality of education. Our passionate and experienced staff create a nurturing and stimulating environment where children can thrive and develop a love of learning from an early age. Our curriculum is well-rounded and ensures that children receive a balanced education, fostering both academic excellence and personal growth.

At Beeston Primary School we pride ourselves on our inclusive and supportive school community. Every child is valued and encouraged to reach their full potential.

Enrolling your child at Beeston Primary School means giving them the best possible start in their education journey. We invite you to visit our school, meet our dedicated staff and see firsthand the wonderful opportunities which await your child.

We have places available for September 2025 – why not consider Beeston Primary School as your first choice?

Register your child today and join our thriving school community.

For more information or to arrange a visit, please contact our school office on 0113 271 6978 or email mainoffice@beestonprimary.org

Visit our website www.beestonprimaryschool.co.uk

Storytime

by Hon Ald Elizabeth Nash

At Abbey House Museum, the former gatehouse to Kirkstall Abbey, there is an interesting exhibition, “Storytime” of children`s books, jigsaws, toys and games devised to encourage children to learn and continue to read. The oldest book on display is one from 1810 called “Jack Sprat and his Cat”.

The Hunslet firm of Waddingtons is well represented with over a dozen exhibits, the earliest of theirs being a “Storytime Jigsaw” dated 1935. Other Waddington jigsaws followed called “Pondo” 1960, “Stingray” 1964, “Walt Disney” 1977, “Disney Alphabet” 1981, “Cinderella” 1985, “Huga Bunch” 1985.

And, of course, in the 1960s following the widespread of television, books and games were produced such as“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”, “Dr Doolittle”, “The Jungle Book”, “Walt Disney board games”, “The Magic Roundabout” book, “Pinky and Perky” pop-up book, “Batman” jigsaw, “The Jungle Book” game, “Z Cars” game and “Blue Peter Annual”.

Inevitably, most of the exhibits date from the twentieth century and the late nineteenth century when manufacturers spotted a market for the desire of parents to help their children to improve their reading ability, not only for the pleasure of doing so but also for better job prospects.

It was not until 1870 that school attendance was compulsory when the Education Act came into force and local corporations were obliged to provide schools for children in their areas. Prior to that, parents had to be wealthy to pay for their children to learn to read and be educated. In 1822, the Church of England and the Methodist Ministry encouraged its clergy to set up schools for the poor in their parishes. This was not universal, and schools tended to be in rural villages and needed a local wealthy person to sponsor them.

The setting up of such a school is well described in Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre” first published in 1847. After fleeing from Thornfield Hall after her aborted marriage, Jane becomes destitute and is taken in by the Parson St John Rivers and his sisters. St John asks Jane to become a teacher in his poor parish of Morton. He says:

“When I came to Morton, two

years ago, it had no school. The children of the poor were excluded from every hope of progress. I established one for boys and I now propose to open one for girls. I have hired a building for the purpose, with a cottage of two rooms attached to it for the mistress’s house. … this is done by the kindness of a lady, Miss Oliver; the only daughter of the sole rich man in my parish – Mr Oliver the proprietor of a needle factory and iron-foundry in the valley.”

Miss Oliver is obviously attracted to the handsome Parson but that is another issue. Not all clergy were handsome and much depended on the disinterested philanthropy of sponsors.

The exhibition Storytime is packed with exhibits and most of us adults may look back with nostalgia when we see exhibits we recognize from our childhood. With the Easter school holidays coming up, Kirkstall Abbey and the Abbey House Museum is well worth a visit.

Not only is the Storytime exhibition absorbing, but there is an extended gallery of children’s toys including Dolls Houses. And, of course, there is the famous three reconstructed streets full of items our parents and grandparents used in their homes. Of special interest to many is a reconstruction of Victorian “Hark to Rover” public house.

The bus numbers 33, 33A, A1 and, temporarily now bus No 50, stop at Kirkstall. Alternatively, there is a free carpark adjacent to Abbey House Museum.

Pathways for positivity

with Shannon Humphrey

I

saw this and thought of you

My phone pings, it’s a picture message. A meme of a black cat doing something ridiculous, paired with a funny caption. It’s from my mum. She delights in sending me random catrelated posts.

I have a black cat, Gordon, so she often sends me Gordonesque funnies. It’s her way of saying, “I saw this and thought of you.” She knows I’ll appreciate the humour, and in that small exchange, we share a laugh, even though we’re not together.

If you’ve ever watched a reel (short video) online or stumbled upon a funny picture and immediately thought, “I know exactly who would love this,” before hitting send, then you, like my mum, are doing something termed pebbling.

This small act of digital connection has been likened to penguins gifting pebbles to their mates as a sign of affection. The human version? Sharing memes, TikToks, reels, photos, and tweets. All teeny, tiny tokens of thoughtfulness sent through a screen.

The seemingly random meme you send or receive is actually more meaningful than it might appear. It’s a way of saying, “I’m thinking of you.” A simple gesture that keeps us connected, especially when life feels overwhelmingly busy.

Work, kids and responsibilities of life in general means keeping in touch with friends becomes less of a priority, despite the well-intended but rarely fulfilled promises of “We should catch up soon…”

That’s why sending a meme, reel or something that relates to an ‘inside joke’ is such an easy and effective way to check in. There’s no pressure for a long conversation, no need for the standard “How’s things?” or the guilt-ridden “We should get together soon” (when, deep down, you know it probably

won’t happen). Instead, it’s a lighthearted moment of connectivity that says, I'm just on the other side of the phone. I know I said pebbling relates to penguins, but I also like to think of it as pebbles skimming across a lake and the ripples they create. One small meme being the equivalent of skipping a pebble of joy into someone’s day. A simple message can spark a conversation or even rekindle a friendship that had quietly faded into the background. It’s a way to reconnect, to remind

someone they’re on your mind, and to give them a little boost. And let’s be honest, it’s not just about them, it feels just as good to send something you know will make a certain someone smile.

So, the next time you come across something online that makes you think of someone special, send it. It might just make their day. And if you receive one, know that it’s more than just a picture on a screen, it’s a small but meaningful reminder that you matter to someone.

Abbey House Museum. Photo: Leeds Museums

Photo: Shutterstock

Local history with Ken Burton

Alf Cooke: The Queen’s Printer

John Cooke was a local printer in Meadow Lane, Leeds, and he had a son born on 4 July 1842 who was named Alfred Battye Cooke who throughout his life would only be known as Alf. Alf’s early years were spent as a newsboy and then working in the family printing business and his upbringing was very strict.

Alf married at the age of 24 and he and his wife Annie opened a newsagents, stationary, and a printers shop at 68 Hunslet Road in 1866. He was very ambitious, probably due to his upbringing, and he installed his first lithographic press a year later and making colour Illustrations possible. His idea was to print picture almanacs for the local shopkeepers to give to their customers at Christmas, the idea proved to be a sell-out.

By the early 1870s his business was so successful he was able to expand to new premises near Crown Point Bridge and around the same time he and his wife, Annie, together with their five young children moved from Hunslet to new more pleasant surroundings in Cottage Road, Headingley.

Business kept on improving until 1880 when there was a terrible fire which left him with nothing but, undeterred he borrowed enough money to rebuild his factory and restart again.

He took on all sorts of jobs from wrappers and packaging to advertising leaflets and posters, but increasingly he took an interest in coloured art reproduction, particularly the great and the good. His most popular being Sarah Bernhardt as La Tosca and Ellen Terry as Portia and pictures illustrative of famous hymns such as ‘Abide with me’ and ‘Lead kindly light’. These sold by the hundreds of thousands – there were no celebrity photos and magazines at this time.

In 1885 his portrait of Queen Victoria framed in a wreath of roses was a best seller at both home and abroad, 100,000 being distributed in Australia alone with the Christmas Edition of the Sydney Evening News.

His colour printing was admired for its high artistic

quality and the icing on the cake came in 1885 when he was granted the Royal Warrant as ‘Chromolithographer to Her Majesty’. From then on he styled himself ‘Queen’s Printer’ enjoying the new status to the full and at the same time moving from Cottage Road to live in the grandeur of Weetwood Hall.

Alf Cooke was a real character, a paternalistic employer, with a dynamic personality who took a role in Leeds as a Liberal Councillor in Hunslet where in 1883 he was returned unopposed. He was also Chairman of the Waterworks Committee as well as being a Major in the local Engineering Corps. In 1890 he was unanimously elected Mayor of Leeds, later an Alderman and JP. He was known for his active charity work. In 1886 when the harsh winter weather was causing terrible hardship to outside workers and families he opened a soup kitchen under his personal supervision. When he heard that Leeds housewives were being overcharged by local

fishmongers he bought two Scarborough fishing boats himself and had the fish brought to Leeds for sale on his stalls set up near his works and sold at much lower prices to his employees and others.

These were good worthwhile schemes and good publicity too. But when his manager and Chief Clerk asked for a share of the profits they were immediately dismissed. Bill Pickersgill went on to found Chorley & Pickersgill, The Electric Press, Cookridge Street, and the Chief Clerk Charlie Lightowler set up on his own in a former flax mill in Joseph Street, Hunslet as a specialist litho printer on tin boxes.

On the Sunday morning of 30 September 1894 while Alf was in Scarborough his works were once again burnt down by fire leaving only a shell, an occupational hazard, and he ordered a special train to bring him back to Leeds as soon as possible.

Alf wouldn’t admit defeat and commissioned the distinguished architect Thomas Ambler who had been

responsible for the local foundry of TF & JH Braime on Hunslet Road to design him a new building that was to be galleried with a glass roof and lit by electricity, it became known as the ‘largest, cleanest, healthiest printing works in the world’. The third Crown Point works now with its own fire engine and incorporating a clock tower with its clock a copy of that in the Town Hall opened again in 1895 and still stands.

Alf Cooke died at his home, Weetwood Hall, on 23 March 1902 and the Leeds Mercury said ‘that he had built a business in the country that was second to none’. His funeral was one of the largest seen in the City of Leeds.

With the death of Alf Cooke his sons took over the running of the business and they diversified into playing cards, card games, and Tarot cards along with doing posters and books. In 1921 they combined their business with Norbury, Natzio & Company, and Remorse & Sons to form a new Company called Universal Printers Ltd. However, in 1925 they were trading under the name of the Universal Playing Card Company Ltd.

Sadly the family connection was severed when the grandson of Alf’s was killed in the Second World War.

Extra production room was needed and was found at the junction of Leathley Road and

Road/Cross Myrtle Street, Hunslet, where the St Judas Mission stood. This had been built in 1875, but fell into disuse in the 1940s and was purchased and demolished to make an extension to the factory. In 1961 the Company acquired Balding & Mansell and in 1970 Waddington’s took over the Universal Card Playing Company. The Universal Printers was renamed the Bemrose Corporation in 1971 and by 1976 they comprised of seven operating divisions, but in 1982 the British Printing Corporation sold its 20% holding in the Bemrose Corporation. 1988 saw Bemrose acquire Henry Booth (Hull) Ltd and at the same time many of the old constituent companies were put into liquidation. The year 1992 saw them acquire Barnard & Jackson and in 1996 Charles Letts & Company.

In 2000 Bemrose sold its

printing division to the management of the various units in order to concentrate on its new business area of promotional merchandise and the company was named 4Imprint while 2001 the Bemrose Group acquire Bemrose Security & Promotional Printing Ltd and Henry Booth Ltd when it then changed its name again to in 2002 to Bemrose Booth. All production now seems to be out of Leeds and Alf Cooke’s factory was owned by Bonar Imca but the works closed in 2006 and waited for redevelopment, this was done and it is now part of Leeds City College, a skills college for training apprentices as, strangely enough, is Braimes old works which is now the University Technical College (UTC).

Bemrose Booth Paragon are now specialist in magnetic tickets and trade as ParagonID.

Hunslet

Queen Victoria was a big seller

Alf Cooke, Lord Mayor of Leeds

Alf Cooke’s printworks on Hunslet Road

Celebrating Hunslet in an animated artwork

by Jeremy Morton

Celebrating

Hunslet, a wonderful piece of animated community artwork, co-created by local residents working with artist Rozi Fuller, was unveiled at the Involve Centre on Saturday 22 March.

The piece is a collage representing various stories from around Hunslet, but with the use of the Artivive app on a smartphone or tablet, you can watch an animation bringing each element to life and illustrating the story behind the image. For example, if you point your phone at the Hunslet Engine Co building, a train runs along in front of it.

Rozi explained the process the group went through during her 12 weeks as artist in residence, part of Swarthmore’s Lottery funded Creative Communities project.

“We gathered a huge amounts of amazing stories. But right from the start when I was asking what is there to celebrate in Hunslet people were saying the kindness, people in Hunslet are really kind” she said.

The team visited groups in

community including the Hunslet Remembers group that meets monthly at the library; Hunslet RLFC’s Friday Breakfast Club, which many explayers and older fans attend; the Monday after school club and the Thursday Soup and Roll club at Involve; SLATE the furniture reuse shop; and St. Mary's CE Primary Academy.

They often used art activities such as flowerpot painting, making peggy birds, or simple animations as a way to get conversations started and stories flowing. A mapping exercise established only that no one can agree on Hunslet’s boundaries!

The group then made collage material from which to construct each element in the final artwork.

“The group chose which stories to include” explains Rozi. “The group wanted to celebrate Hunslet as it is now, but definitely reflecting on the successes of the past as well.”

There are depictions of Hunslet Lake, the library, Tulip retail park, the Parnaby Tavern, Hunslet RLFC, the almshouses, Hunslet Engine Co and Middleton Railway, plus of course, the Involve community centre.

Sphere of Concern / Mirror of Repetition

by Bruce Davies

Sustainability

is a word hung on many lips at this moment in time, as the human race struggles to come to terms with its own collective mortality.

For some it is a hoax, for others a clarion call to action; but to all it is a question, a debate, an argument to be had. Contemporary Art has for many years looked at the nature of its own creation; the materials used in its production, the life of the object beyond this, and the environmental credentials of the artist as a producer in a world of stuff.

BasementArtsProject has long been fascinated by this apparent dichotomy; art as a

humanity that enriches and develops civilisation, or art as pollutant with the power to hasten humanity’s end. Will art play a part in our downfall in a world riven by war and consumerism, or rather than being a malign influence is it a voice of concern and reason.

Helen Wood takes the mirror of concern and presents a series of works highlighting the nature of consumption, material production and the paradox that is the notion of green growth.

Helen Wood is a Bradford based Artist. Her show runs at BasementArtsProject, 28 Back Burton Terrace, LS11 5JH until Sunday 4 May.

For opening times go to: basementartsproject.com

As well as the whole artwork in the centre, each element has been reproduced on boards mounted around the outside of the building.

You can find out more about the project and the stories behind each element of the artwork and watch a video of the animation at www. swarthmore.org.uk/celebratin g-hunslet

The Creative Communities project continues with more

workshops in Beeston and Belle Isle after Easter. Then on Thursday 29 May, there will be a celebration event at BITMO for the Artist Residency that is currently still ongoing in Belle Isle.

Finally, on Friday 20 June

Review: Animal Farm at Leeds Playhouse

WhenI first heard about this play I was intrigued if not a little worried, how do they do Animal Farm on stage?

Is this going to be a load of people running around in cheesy pig and donkey costumes? What about the hens?

It turns out there was no need for concern. Hayley Grindle, the set and costume designer did a fantastic job with both. The costumes were simple but effective with the type of animal written on them and added to rather than distracting from the story. Twinned with the set design they give the piece an industrial feel. The actors movements and delivery do the rest of the job of portraying the animal nature of the characters.

Writer Tatty Hennessy and director Amy Leach have done a great job of bringing George Orwell’s 1945 classic in to the world of 2025. While the original is an allegory of the

Russian revolution and the rise of Stalinism this adaptation looks at inequality and its causes and effects in general. While staying true to the spirit of the original it could be applied to any number of modern situations from disability cuts at home to the revolution and encroaching civil war in Syria.

Amy said:

“It’s about how people are born into circumstances they have no choice over – it could be a body, a place in the world, or a political regime – and how these circumstances have huge impact on whether

someone has the opportunity to thrive or not. It asks a big question – is positive change truly possible in the world”.

The whole ensemble were great, I just wish I had the wordcount to mention them all.

From the moment Everal A Walsh comes on stage as Old Major in the brilliantly choreographed and scored beginning of the play we knew we were in for something special.

Tachia Newall breathes real sinister, conniving energy into the part of our main villain Napoleon while his counterpart Robin Morrissey playing

there will be a celebration of the whole project that has taken place over the last two years. This event will take place at Leeds City Museum and some of the work will remain up in the Museum over the Summer.

Snowball shows all the hope and determination of the revolution then the frustration and desperation of its unravelling.

Tianah Hodding is particularly good as Clover who appears throughout the story as an impassioned voice of reason tying all the threads together. Then cutting through the darkness, and there is appropriately a lot of darkness, we have Em Prendergast as Milo who rolls in on a scooter for comic relief and exposition and had the whole packed house laughing loud.

The play delivers on everything it tries to do. It is chilling in places, darkly funny in others and most certainly will leave you thinking. It is entirely inclusive for deaf and blind people with audio description available on headsets and a sign language interpreter on stage who blends in perfectly with the main cast.

Leeds Playhouse is also great for the physically disabled. I went with my disabled wife and the staff there could not have been any more accommodating. If you haven’t bought tickets already go out and do it now, get some for your friends, family and animals!

I’d give it eleven out of ten. Remember, all reviews are equal, but this one is more equal than others.

Everal A Walsh as Old Major. Credit: Kirsten McTernan

Using the Artivive app to view the animations

by Phil Rochester and Mariam Akullo Rochester

Free family play event returns to Hunslet Square this Easter Get your stuff fixed at Beeston Repair Cafe

StLuke’s CARES is working with Our Future Beeston to set up a Repair Cafe for Beeston and the first session will be on Saturday 5 April.

Repair Cafés are community spaces where people can bring broken items to be fixed, enjoy a cuppa, and connect with neighbours. It’s all done free of charge, but the project needs local people to step forward to help.

Do you have something that needs fixing? An electrical item that doesn’t work anymore or some clothing that needs altering perhaps?

Do you have a skill or a smile to share? They are looking for more volunteers who can:

Fix things – Whether • you’re handy with electronics,

sewing, bikes, or general repairs.

Make a great cup of tea – • Keep the kettle boiling and help create a warm, welcoming space.

Be a friendly face – Greet • visitors and help the event run smoothly.

Volunteering isn’t all giving, you will meet new people and be part of something positive. You can share your skills (or learn new ones). And you’ll know that you are helping to reduce waste and support sustainability in Beeston. Interested? Get in touch –we’d love to hear from you!

Contact: sally@stlukescares .org.uk, or abi.paterson@ healthforall.org.uk or call 07800 512074

New women’s group in Middleton

Are you interested in joining a new group of women on a Tuesday morning? Women supporting women?

I’m creating a space where we can connect as a community of women to support each other.

Discover the Inside Out Women’s Circle: A Journey to Holistic Well-Being

Are you ready to embrace a healthier and more balanced lifestyle? Join us at the Inside Out Women’s Circle, where we come together weekly to explore meaningful ways to nurture our minds, bodies, and spirits.

Pleaseby Ben Hutchinson

join us on Wednesday 16 April for a fun outdoor event for young families to play, get creative and try new things.

The event takes place from 10:45am-12pm and is delivered by Hunslet & Belle Isle Community Project and is kindly funded by Get Set Leeds Local as part of ongoing work to develop play opportunities out and about in Hunslet.

As South Leeds Life reported two previous events have taken place with great success in August and October. After a break for winter this Spring event is the first in a series in 2025.

Activities will include various water activities, a sand pit, chalk art, den building, bubbles, parachute games and sports.

Children must attend with an adult – we hope you enjoy playing together! People are welcome to drop in anytime and stay as long or short as they can.

Hunslet ‘Town Square’ is a pedestrianised area located just off Church Street in Hunslet – in front of Hunslet Community Hub & Library (next to Morrisons).

Over the past year the area has undergone a transformation to develop it in to a valuable community

space. So far wild flower beds have been planted and seating areas installed.

Also a range of eye catching and exciting play markings have been painted on the floor around the area with more work planned.

Councillor Paul Wray (Labour, Hunslet & Riverside) has been the driving force behind the regeneration of Hunslet Town

Square and is keen to see the space used by local people:

“The Hunslet and Belle Isle Community Project is a trusted and well respected partner delivering high quality activities across this community” he said.

“Events like this in the newly revamped Hunslet Town Square will ensure that this space becomes the center of

positive public activity for a new generation and encourage young people to respect and care for this public space.”

For more information about this event or to find out more about the ongoing work of Hunslet and Belle Isle Community Project contact me, Ben Hutchinson on 07419 366 058 or visit our Facebook page.

Whether you’re looking to grow, heal, or simply connect with like-minded women, the Inside Out Women’s Circle is here to inspire and support you. Step into a space where personal growth and empowerment thrive, and let’s make wellness a way of life.

Sessions run every Tuesday, 11:30am-12:30pm at DAZL HQ, Acre Road, Middleton, LS10 4LF

Your transformation starts here. Join us now. There would be a charge of £5 a session.

Text Julie on 07783 786776 to reserve your place.

This isn’t just a group — it’s a supportive community of women journeying towards holistic wellbeing. Each week, we dive into enriching discussions and practical sessions aimed at improving psychological, physiological, and spiritual health. Together, we’ll explore complementary therapies that promote selfcare, engage in movement sessions that invigorate the body, and discover the joys of healthy living.

Families enjoying the play day last October

Fixing at the Repair Cafe

What’s On

Your guide to events and activities across South Leeds in April

Please check that regular events are not affected by school holidays, 7-21 April

Full contact details can be found in our online What’s On guide at www.southleedslife.com/events

Every Monday

Money Buddies

9am-12pm Dewsbury Road

Community Hub & Library

Tea and Toast

9am-12pm BITMO’s Gate, Aberfield Gate, LS10 3QH

Parents & Tots Group

9:30-11am St Matthew’s

Community Centre, Holbeck Trinity Network Tea and Toast

9:30-3pm United Reformed Church, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle Women Only Exercise (HFA)

9:30-10:15am Beeston Village

Community Centre, off Town St MEA Crafts Group

9:30-10:45am Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Acre Road

Holbeck Together coffee shop

10am-12pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck

Creative Communities Workshop

10am-2pm Beeston Village

Community Centre, off Town Street, LS11 8DQ

Book: 07483 666342

Crochet & Knitting Group

10am-12pm Beeston Community Hub & Library, Town Street

MHA Craft Club

10-11:30am St Andrew’s

Community Centre, Old Lane Mums and Tots

10:30am-12pm Asha

Neighbourhood Project, Beeston Monday Breakfast Club

10:30am-12pm Involve Centre, Whitfield Ave, Hunslet, LS10 2QE Chair Based Exercise

10:30am-12pm BISA 59 Club, 59 Belle Isle Circus Story & Rhyme (under 5s)

10:30-11:30am Dewsbury Road

Community Hub & Library

Lychee Red Chinese Seniors Lunch Club

11am-1pm Beeston Village Community Centre, off Town St Digital 121 support drop in 11am-12pm Dewsbury Road

Community Hub & Library

MEA Bingo and Hoy

11am-12pm Middleton Elderly Aid

Social Centre, Acre Road

Trinity Network Indoor Curling

11:30am United Reformed Church, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle MHA Soup & Sandwich

11:30am-1pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Old Lane Cottingley Warm Space

11:30am-2:30pm Cottingley Community Centre, LS11 0HJ

A Piece Of Me play for under 5s

12-3pm Hamara Centre, Tempest Road, LS11 6RD Holbeck Together Lunch Club

12-1pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck

MEA Lunch Club

12-1:30pm Middleton Elderly Aid

Social Centre, Acre Road

Trinity Network Lunch Club, Bingo

12:30-2:15pm United Reformed Church, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle Women’s Wellbeing (HFA)

1-3pm Middleton Family Centre, Sissons Road, LS10 4JG

Green Gym

1-3:30pm Skelton Grange

Environment Centre, Sourton, LS10 1RS

50+ Women’s Friendship Group

1-3pm Asha Neighbourhood Project, Beeston, LS11 6JG

MHA Meditation & Movement

1:15-2:15pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Old Lane

Beeston Bookwormers Book Club

1:30-2:30pm Dewsbury Road

Community Hub & Library Beeston

Digital Inclusion Classes

1:30-3:30pm BISA 59 Club, 59 Belle Isle Circus Dancercise

1:30-2:30pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Acre Road

Children’s Gardening Group

3:30-4:30pm Dewsbury Road

Community Hub & Library

Free Football sessions (8-18 yrs)

4-6pm Blenkinsop Field, Acre Road, Middleton, LS10 4JQ

Ultimate Dance Academy

4:30-7pm Cranmore & Raylands

Community Centre, LS10 4AW

Community Sports Session

4:30-5:30pm Clapgate Primary School, Cranmore Drive LS10 4AW

Kickboxing

6:30-8:30pm Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street Legs, Bums & Tums

7pm Cranmore & Raylands

Community Centre, LS10 4AW

ANDYSMANCLUB

7-9pm Leeds College of Building, Cudbear Street, Hunslet LS10 1EF

ANDYSMANCLUB

7-9pm Vale Circles, Tunstall Road, Dewsbury Rd, Beeston LS11 5JF

Every Tuesday

Tots Group

9-11am Manorfield Hall, Newhall Road, Belle Isle Stay and Play under 5s

9-10:30am Windmill Children’s Centre, Windmill Road LS10 3HQ MHA Breakfast Buddies

9:30-11:30am St Andrew’s Community Centre, Old Lane Advice & Advocacy

9:30am-2:30pm Asha Neighbourhood Project, Beeston Book: 0113 270 4600 Trinity Network Indoor Exercise

9:45am United Reformed Church, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle Mobile Hub & Library

10am-3:30pm near St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Chair Based Exercise

10-11am St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck

Coffee and Connect

10-11:30am St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck

Creative Communities Workshop

10am-2pm Manorfield Hall, Newhall Road, LS10 3RR Book: 07483 666342

Grandparents Kinship Support Group

10am-12pm St George’s Centre, Middleton

Bosom Buddies Breastfeeding

Peer Support Group

10am-12pm Tenants Hall, Acre Close, Middleton, LS10 4HX

Woodwork

10am Cranmore & Raylands

Community Centre, Belle Isle

MHA Exercise Class

10-11am South Leeds

Conservative Club, Wooler Street, Beeston, LS11 7JH Craft & Chat

10:30am-12:30pm St George’s Community Hub and Library, Middleton

Aasra Unpaid Carers Group

10:30am-12:30pm Hamara Centre, Tempest Road, LS11 6RD Story & Rhyme (under 5s)

10:30-11:30am Beeston

Community Hub & Library, Town St Story & Rhyme (under 5s)

10:30-11:30am Hunslet

Community Hub & Library, off Church Street

Bingo and Hoy

11am-12pm Middleton Elderly Aid

Social Centre, Acre Road

MHA Lunch and Social

11am-2pm Arthington Court, Balm Road, Hunslet

MHA Walkie Talkies

11:30am-3:30pm Hunslet Nelson

Cricket Club, Gipsy Lane, Beeston

MEA Lunch Club

12-1:30pm Middleton Elderly Aid

Social Centre, Acre Road

Holbeck Together Lunch Club

12-1:15pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck

Lunch Club and Social

12-3pm BISA 59 Club, 59 Belle Isle Circus

Trinity Network Lunch Club

12:30-1:30pm United Reformed Church, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle

Lunchtime meditation

12:30-1pm Jamyang Buddhist Centre, Ingram Road Holbeck

Women Only Swimming

1-2pm Asha Neighbourhood Project, Beeston

MHA Line Dancing

1-3pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Old Lane, Beeston

MEA Walking Group

1:30-3:30pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Acre Road.

Healthy Hearts Advice

1:30-4pm BITMOs Gate, Aberfield Gate, Belle Isle Road, LS10 3QH

Creative Communities Art

Workshop and Heritage Cafe

2-4pm Involve Community Centre, Whitfield Avenue, LS10 2QE

MEA Line Dancing

2-3pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Acre Road.

Help with Computers

3-7pm BITMOs Gate, Aberfield

Gate, Belle Isle Road, LS10 3QH

Hot Meal (free to BITMO tenants)

4-5:30pm BITMOs GATE, Aberfield Gate, Belle Isle Road

Free Kids Sports

3:30pm Low Grange View, Belle Isle, LS10 3DT

Insight Mental Health Peer

Support Group

3:45-6pm Involve Community Centre, Hunslet, LS10 2QE

Women’s Make & Do Group

4:30-6pm Dewsbury Road

Community Hub & Library Book: 07848 515528

Free Kids Sports

4:45pm West Grange Road MUGA, Belle Isle, LS10 3AW Cockburn Community Choir

5-6pm Cockburn School, Gipsy Lane, Beeston DAZL Dance

5:30-6:30pm Cottingley Community Centre, LS11 0HJ Girls-only Football

5:30pm Yrs 2-4; 6:30pm Yrs 5-7

The Hunslet Club, Hillidge Road, LS10 1BP

Dance Fitness (14+)

6-7pm Middleton Community Centre, Acre Road

Book: 07519 018675

Inside Out exercise class (HFA)

6-7pm Tenants Hall, Acre Close, Middleton, LS10 4HX

Free Football sessions (8-18 yrs)

6:30-8:30pm Holbeck Community Centre, Old Elland Road

Hunslet Nelson Women’s Rounders

6:30-7:30pm Hunslet Nelson Cricket Club, Gipsy Lane, Beeston Yoga (HFA)

6:40pm Cranmore & Raylands

Community Centre, Belle Isle South Leeds Lakers Running Club

6:50pm Hunslet Nelson Cricket Club, Gipsy Lane, Beeston. Book: bit.ly/LakersRunning MINT Men’s Support Group

7-9pm BITMOs GATE, Aberfield Gate, Belle Isle Road, LS10 3QH Middletones singing group (HFA) 7-9pm Laurel Bank Day Centre, Middleton Park Avenue, LS10 4HY

Every Wednesday

Seniors Breakfast Club

9am-12pm Belle Isle Welcome Centre, St John & St Barnabas Church, LS10 3DN

Everyday Lives coffee morning

9-11am Beeston Village Community Centre, off Town St Open doors

9:30-11:30am St Andrew’s Methodist Church, Old Lane, Beeston Holbeck Together shopping trip

9:30am-12:30pm Bacon Butty morning

9:30-11:30am Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Acre Road. Advice & Advocacy

9:30am-2:30pm Asha Neighbourhood Project, Beeston Book: 0113 270 4600

Brave Hearts peer support group for women whose children no longer live with them

10am-12pm Middleton Family Centre 256-262 Sissons Road LS10 4JG

Creative Communities Workshop 10am-2pm Hunslet Community Hub & Library, LS10 2NS Book: 07483 666342

Adult Maths Support

10am-1pm BITMOs GATE, Aberfield Gate, LS10 3QH

Mobile Council Hub & Library

10am-12pm outside shops, Cottingley

Holbeck Together coffee morning 10am-12pm Ingram Court

Community Room, Holbeck

Trinity Network Keep Fit with Julie 10am United Reformed Church, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle

Anti-social Behaviour surgery 10am-12pm Dewsbury Road

Community Hub & Library

Creative Communities Workshop

10am-2pm Involve Leeds, Whitfield Avenue, Hunslet, LS10 2QE Book: 07483 666342

Woodwork

10am Cranmore & Raylands

Community Centre, Belle Isle

Remember Together Group

Young Dementia Leeds Hub, Cottingley Book: 07983 215865

email mcst@ageukleeds.org.uk

Beeston In Bloom Gardening Gp 10am-12pm Millennium Garden, Cross Flatts Park Scrabble Club 10am-12pm St George’s

Community Hub and Library, Middleton

Rags To Riches Sewing Group

10am-12pm Tenants Hall, Acre Close, Middleton, LS10 4HX

Little Lighthouse Playgroup

10:30am-12:30pm South Bank Sanctuary, 2 Hunslet Hall Road, LS11 6TT

Beeston Remembered

10:30-11:30am Beeston

Community Hub & Library,Town St Raising Vibes 11am-2pm Holbeck Moor Skatepark

Hunslet Litterpicking Group

11-12:30pm Involve Centre, Whitfield Avenue, LS10 2QE

The Lunch Club

11:30am-1:30pm Manorfield Hall, Newhall Road Belle Isle LS10 3RR Holbeck Together Lunch Club 12-1:30pm Ingram Court

Community Room, Holbeck MHA Cottingley Lunch Club

12-2pm Cottingley Community Centre, 115 Cottingley Approach Trinity Network Lunch Club

12:30-1:30pm United Reformed Church, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle

Sew It Seams Sewing Group

1-3pm Tenants Hall, Acre Close, Middleton, LS10 4HX

Walking Group

1-2:30pm meet at Asha, 43 Stratford Street, LS11 6JG Warm Space

1-3pm St Luke’s CARES 246 Dewsbury Road, LS11 6JQ

Holbeck Together Craft Afternoon

1:15-3:15pm Ingram Court

Community Room, Holbeck

Parents & Tots Social

1:30-2:30pm Hamara Centre, Tempest Road, Beeston

Walk and Talk (HFA)

2-3pm meet at Middleton Park

main gates on Town Street

Tai Chi

2pm Cranmore & Raylands

Community Centre, Belle Isle

Children bike confidence

3:45-4:30pm Watsonian Pavilion, Cross Flatts Park, LS11 7NA

Brave Words Drama Group (4-17)

4-7:30pm Beeston Village

Community Centre, off Town St Book: 07775 926166

Free Football sessions (8-18 yrs)

4:30-6:30pm South Leeds Youth Hub, Belle Isle.

Ultimate Dance Academy

4:20-6pm Cranmore & Raylands

Community Centre, LS10 4AW

DAZL Dance (5-11 yrs)

4:30-5:15pm South Leeds Youth Hub, Middleton Road, Belle Isle

Bat & Chat Table Tennis

5-7pm Dewsbury Road

Community Hub & Library

DAZL Adult Dance Fit

5:15-6pm South Leeds Youth Hub, Middleton Road, Belle Isle 3rd Middleton Scouts

5:30-7:30pm Manorfield Hall, Newhall Road Belle Isle LS10 3RR

1st SLAM Beavers (6-8 yrs)

6-7:30pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Cardinal Road, Beeston 51st Leeds (Hunslet) Rainbows, Brownies & Guides

6-7pm Rainbows; 6:15-7:30pm Brownies; 7:15-8:30pm Guides Involve Centre, Whitfield Avenue, Hunslet, LS10 2QE Women & Girls Cricket

6pm Hunslet Nelson Cricket Club, Gipsy Lane, Beeston, LS11 5TT Illuminate Dance

6pm Cranmore & Raylands Community Centre, Belle Isle

Food Cycle free hot meal

630pm St Luke’s Church, Malvern Road, Beeston LS11 8PD Holbeck Moor FC: Inclusive adult football training

6:30pm Holbeck Moor Line Dancing

6:30-9pm Manorfield Hall, Newhall Road Belle Isle LS10 3RR Leeds Camera Club

8pm St George’s Community Hub and Library, Middleton, LS10 4UZ photoleeds.com

Every Thursday Tots Group

9-11am Manorfield Hall, Newhall Road, Belle Isle, LS10 3RR Book: 07794 577586

Music & Movement

9am-1pm Little Angels Playzone, The Sugar Mill, Beeston Parents & Tots Group

9-11am Beeston Village Community Centre, off Town St Mobile Hub & Library

9:30am-3:30pm near St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck

Advice & Advocacy

9:30am-2:30pm Asha Neighbourhood Project, Beeston Book: 0113 270 4600 Holbeck Community Shop

9:30am-2pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Ping Pong

9:30-10:30am Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Acre Road Holbeck Together Coffee Shop

9:45-11:30am St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Trinity Network Craft 10am United Reformed Church, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle Kushy Nana (HFA Elder Bangladeshi Women’s Group) 10am-12pm Building Blocks Nursery, Maud Avenue, LS11 7DD Women’s Friendship Group

10am-12pm Hunslet Methodist Church, Telford Terrace, Balm Rd Craft and Chat

10-11:45am Cranmore & Raylands Community Centre Woodwork

10am Cranmore & Raylands Community Centre, Belle Isle Craft Group / Digital Inclusion

10:30am-12pm BISA 59 Club, 59 Belle Isle Circus Story & Rhyme (under 5s) 10:30-11:30am St George’s Community Hub and Library, Middleton Walking Football

11am-12pm The Hunslet Club, Hillidge Road

Bingo and Hoy 11am-12pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Acre Road

Website: www.southleedslife.com

Warm Space

11:30am-2pm Cottingley

Community Centre

Holbeck Together Line Dancing

11:30am-12:30pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck

MEA Lunch Club

12-1:30pm Middleton Elderly Aid

Social Centre, Acre Road

Crooked Clock Lunch Club

12pm Sussex Avenue, Hunslet Book: 07470 167243

Bingo and Hoy

11am-12pm Middleton Elderly Aid

Social Centre, Acre Road

Warm Space

11:30am-2pm Cottingley

Community Centre

Holbeck Together Line Dancing

11:30am-12:30pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck MEA Lunch Club

12-1:30pm Middleton Elderly Aid

Social Centre, Acre Road

Crooked Clock Lunch Club

12pm Sussex Avenue, Hunslet Book: 07470 167243

Free Soup and a Roll

12-2pm Church of the Nazarene, Lupton Street, Hunslet

Holbeck Women’s Group (HFA)

12-2pm Ingram Gardens

Community Centre, LS11 9SA

LGBTQ+ Peer Support Group

12-2pm Cranmore & Raylands

Community Centre, Belle Isle

MHA Lunch Club & Social

12-2:30pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Old Lane

Trinity Network Lunch Club

12:30-1:30pm United Reformed Church, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle Bingo

12:30-2:30pm Watsonian Pavilion, Cross Flatts Park

Women Only Swimming

1-2pm Asha Neighbourhood Project, Beeston

Warm Space & Computer support

1-5pm BITMOs GATE, Aberfield Gate, Belle Isle Road, LS10 3QH Kushy Dil (Bangladeshi Women’s Group)

1-3pm Building Blocks Nursery, Maud Avenue, LS11 7DD

Online Computer class

1-2:30pm Middleton Elderly Aid

Social Centre, Acre Road Conversation Club for asylum seekers and refugees

1:30-3:30pm The Holbeck club, Jenkinson Lawn Craft Workshop

1-2:30pm Cranmore & Raylans Community Centre, Cranmore Drive, LS10 4AW Walking Group

1:30-3:30pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Acre Road Digital Inclusion / Social Group

1:30-3pm BISA 59 Club, 59 Belle Isle Circus After School Games Club

3-4:30pm Hunslet Community Hub & Library, off Church Street Youth Club

4:30-6:30pm Welcome Centre, St John & St Barnabas Church, Belle Isle Road, LS10 3DN Community Basketball

5-6pm 14+ women & girls

Cockburn John Charles Academy, Old Run Road, Belle Isle

Free Football sessions (8-18 yrs)

5-8pm Hunslet Moor. Middleton Scout Group

5:30-7:30pm Manorfield Hall, Newhall Road, Belle Isle Book: scoutsmiddleton@gmail.com

Sanctuary Youth (Year 7+)

6-8pm South Bank Sanctuary, 2 Hunslet Hall Road, LS11 6TT

Boys and Girls Rugby

Email: info@southleedslife.com

Yoga

6:30pm St Andrew’s Methodist Church, Cardinal Road, Beeston Book: 07512 393228

Hunslet Nelson Women’s Rounders

6:30-7:30pm Hunslet Nelson

Cricket Club, Gipsy Lane, Beeston Boxercise

7-8pm Cranmore & Raylands Community Centre, Belle Isle

Every Friday

Charity Shop and Warm Space

8:30-11:30am United Free Church, Malvern Road, Beeston Stay & Play

9-11am St Anthony’s Church Hall, Old Lane, Beeston

Breakfast Club

9:15-11:15am BITMOs GATE, Aberfield Gate, Belle Isle Road

Breakfast Club and Food Bank

9:30-11:30am Manorfield Hall, Newhall Road Belle Isle LS10 3RR

Affordable Breakfast

9:30am Cranmore & Raylands

Community Centre, Belle Isle

Menspace drop in 9:30am Cranmore & Raylands

Community Centre, Belle Isle

Women only Exercise (HFA)

9:30-10:15am Beeston Village

Community Centre, off Town St IT & Computer Skills

9:30am-12pm Asha

Neighbourhood Project, Beeston Toast & Games, Knit & Natter

9:30-11am Middleton Elderly Aid

Social Centre, Acre Road.

MHA Breakfast

9:30-11:30am Hunslet Nelson

Cricket Club, Gipsy Lane, Beeston

Hunslet RLFC Breakfast Club

10am-12pm Phoenix Suite, South Leeds Stadium

Holbeck Together Coffee Shop

10am-12pm St Matthew’s Community Centre

Holbeck Together Dance On 10-11am St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck Hobbies Together (HFA)

10am-12pm Tenants Hall, Acre Close, Middleton, LS10 4HX A Choir’d Taste (Women’s Choir)

10am-12pm Tenants Hall, Acre Close, Middleton, LS10 4HX

Gardening Group

10am-12pm BISA 59 Club, 59 Belle Isle Circus

Julie’s Ancestry Group

10am-12pm and 1-3pm 26 Belle Isle Circus, LS10 3AE MHA Stretch & Tone

10-11am St Andrew’s Community Centre, Old Lane, Beeston Green Team Volunteers

10am-3pm Skelton Grange

Environment Centre, Stourton Beety Din Older Women’s Group

10:30am-1pm Beeston Village Community Centre, off Town St Knit & Natter

11am-12:30pm Cranmore & Raylans Community Centre, Cranmore Drive, LS10 4AW Bingo and Hoy 11am-12pm Middleton Elderly Aid

Social Centre, Acre Road Fish & Chip Lunch

11:30am-1pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck

MHA St Mary’s Lunch Club

12-1:30pm Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street, LS11 8PN MEA Lunch Club

12-1:30pm Middleton Elderly Aid

Social Centre, Acre Road

Trinity Network Lunch Club

Centre, Ingram Road Holbeck

Ballroom & Sequence Dancing

1-3pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Old Lane, Beeston

50+ Gup Shup Group

1-3pm Asha Neighbourhood

Project, Beeston

Prize Bingo Afternoon

1:15-2:15pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck

Friday Social Club

1:30-3:30pm BISA 59 Club, 59 Belle Isle Circus Chair-based Exercise

1:45-2:45pm Middleton Elderly Aid Social Centre, Acre Road.

Free Football sessions (8-18 yrs)

3:30-5:30pm Holbeck Community Centre, Elland Road

Active Communities

4-6pm Welcome Centre, St John &

St Barnabas Church, Belle Isle Road, LS10 3DN

Middleton Skaters

4pm (under 8s); 5pm (under 13s)

Parkside Hub, Colin Cooper Fields, Belle Isle, LS10 3HF

Table Tennis

4:45-5:25pm (7-11yrs) 5:306:15pm (12-15yrs) St Matthew’s

Community Centre, Holbeck

DAZL Youth Club

5-7pm Middleton Community Centre, Acre Road

Illuminate Dance

5-7pm Cranmore & Raylands

Community Centre, Belle Isle

South Leeds Lakers Juniors (Athletics)

6-7pm South Leeds Stadium

Book: fb.com/juniorlakersleeds

Youth Club

6-8pm The Gambia Welfare Society, Oak House, Balm Walk, Holbeck, LS11 9PG

Suzaku Martial Arts Children’s gp

6-9pm Beeston Village Community Centre, off Town Street

1st SLAM Cubs (8-10½ yrs)

6:15-7:45pm St Andrew’s

Community Centre, Cardinal Road, Beeston

Ultimate Dance Academy

7-8m Cranmore & Raylands

Community Centre, Belle Isle

5th Middleton Guides & Rangers

7:30-9pm South Leeds URC

Church, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle

1st SLAM Scouts (10½-14 yrs)

8-9:30pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Cardinal Road, Beeston

Every Saturday

Debbie Heart Theatre School

8am-12:30pm Manorfield Hall, Newhall Road, Belle Isle

Cross Flatts parkrun

9am Top of Cross Flatts Park, Beeston, LS11 7NA

Middleton Woods parkrun

9am Leeds Urban Bike Park

Ring Road, Middleton, LS10 3TN

Community Basketball

9-10:30am 8-12 years, mixed

10:30am-12pm Yr6-9 Girls

3:30-5pm U16/U14 Boys

Cockburn School, Gipsy Lane, Beeston

Holbeck Moor FC Juniors (4-6yrs)

9am Ingram Road Primary School, Holbeck

Saturday Breakfast

9:30-11am Middleton Elderly Aid

Social Centre, Acre Road

Adult Cycle Training

10am Watsonian Pavilion, Cross Flatts Park, Beeston

Book: bit.ly/CycleNorth

Ultimate Dance Academy

Champions Soccer Saturday

10:30-11:30am Hunslet Moor

Arts & Crafts Lunch

11am-12:45pm Hunslet

Community Hub & Library, off Church Street

Bingo

12-3pm Middleton Elderly Aid

Social Centre, Acre Road

3rd Middleton Scouts

12:45-2:15pm Manorfield Hall, Newhall Road Belle Isle LS10 3RR

Youth Club

6-8pm The Gambia Welfare Society, Oak House, Balm Walk, Holbeck, LS11 9PG Youth Club

7-9pm LS-TEN Skatepark, Kitson Road, Hunslet

Every Sunday

Junior parkrun (4-14 yrs)

9am Top of Cross Flatts Park

Indoor Children’s Exercise

10am-12pm Hillside, Beeston Rd Healthy Minds Cycling Skills

10-11am Watsonian Pavilion, Cross Flatts Park Play For All (7-13 yrs)

11am-1pm Cross Flatts Park Hunslet Community Litterpick

11am-12:30pm Involve Centre, Whitfield Avenue, LS10 2QE

Big Bike Fix drop in workshop

12-4pm Harlech Avenue, Beeston

Toning & Stretching with Julie

6:30-7:30pm DAZL HQ, Middleton Community Centre, Acre Road. Book: 07783 786776

Zumba

7pm Cranmore & Raylands Community Centre, Belle Isle

April

Friday 4 April

MEA Legal advice drop-in

9:30-11:30am Middleton Elderly Aid, Acre Road, LS10 4JQ

Police Contact Point

10am-12pm Cottingley

Community Centre, LS11 0HJ

A Song For Hunslet drop-in

1:30-3pm Hunslet Community Hub & Library, off Church Street, LS10 2NS

Saturday 5 April

Middleton Railway Community Day

10am-4pm Moor Road, Hunslet, LS10 2JG

Leeds Dads Soft Play

10am-12pm Little Angels, Beeston, LS11 7HL

Hunslet Cemetery Volunteers 10am-1pm Middleton Road

Coffee morning

10am-12pm Church of the Nazarene, Grove Road, Hunslet Beeston Repair Cafe

1-4pm St Luke’s CARES shop, 246 Dewsbury Road, LS11 6JQ

Sunday 6 April

Middleton Park Litter Pick

1:30pm Middleton Park Visitor Centre, off Town Street

Monday 7 April

Gardening

Trentham Pocket Park, Beeston

Tuesday 8 April

MEA Hearing Aid Clinic

10am-12:30pm Middleton Elderly Aid, Acre Road, LS10 4JQ

Wild Play

10am-4pm Skelton Grange

Environment Centre, Stourton Book: tcv.org.uk/skeltongrange Menopause Support Group

7pm Hamara Centre, Tempest Road, Beeston, LS11 6RD

10am-4pm Skelton Grange

Environment Centre, Stourton Book: tcv.org.uk/skeltongrange

MHA Singing Sensations

1:30-3pm St Andrew’s Community Centre, Old Lane, Beeston

MEA Film Club:

1:30-3pm Middleton Elderly Aid, Acre Road, LS10 4JQ

Thursday 10 April

Holbeck Wellbeing Breakfast

10-11am St Matthew’s

Community Centre, Holbeck

Friday 11 April

Hunslet Tenants & Residents Ass 6pm Involve Centre, Whitfield Avenue, LS10 2QE

Hunslet RLFC v Halifax Panthers

7:45pm South Leeds Stadium, Middleton Grove, LS11 5DJ

Saturday 12 April

Middleton Makers Market

10am-2pm Middleton Park Circus

Community/Reflections Cafe

10-12pm United Reformed Church, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle

Hunslet ARLFC v Wath Brow

Hornets

2:30pm The Oval, LS10 2AT

Sunday 13 April

Sunday Breakfast

9am St Luke’s Church, Malvern Road, LS11 8PD

Farmers’ Market

10am-4pm Armouries Square, Leeds Dock, LS10 1LT Free Play Session

Trentham Pocket Park, Beeston Guided Spring Walk

1:30pm Middleton Park Visitor Centre, off Town Street

South Leeds Community Kitchen

4-5:45pm Beeston Parish Centre (St Mary’s), Town Street, LS11 8PN

Tuesday 15 April

Police Contact Point

10am-12pm Hunslet Community Hub and Library, off Church Street

Wednesday 16 April

Police Contact Point

10am-12pm Dewsbury Road

Community Hub & Library

Police Contact Point

10am-12pm Ingram Gardens

Community Centre, Holbeck Free Play Day

10:45am-12pm outside Hunslet

Community Hub & Library, off Church Street, LS10 2NS

MHA Connie Crafters

3-4:30pm South Leeds

Conservative Club, Wooler Street, Beeston, LS11 7JH

Thursday 17 April

SEN-tastic

9:15-10:30am St Luke’s Church, Malvern Road, LS11 8PD

Police Contact Point

10am-12pm Beeston Community Hub and Library, Town Street

Leeds Baby Bank

10am-12pm Dewsbury Road

Community Hub & Library

Saturday 19 April

Belle Isle Repair Cafe

1-4pm BITMO’s Gate, Aberfield Gate, Belle Isle, LS10 3QH

Hold On To Your Butts 2pm & 7:30pm Slung Low’s Warehouse in Holbeck, Crosby Street, LS11 9RQ

Sunday 20 April

Hunslet Club Easter Party

12-3pm The Hunslet Club, Hillidge Road, LS10 1BP

Tuesday 22 April

A Song For Hunslet

1:30-3:30pm Involve Centre, Whitfield Avenue, LS10 2QE

Thursday 24 April

Hunslet Remembered 10-11:30am Hunslet Community Hub & Library, off Church Street, LS10 2NS

The School of Night

7:30pm Slung Low at Temple, Bath Road, LS11 9UD

Friday 25 April

Police Contact Point

10am-12pm Cottingley Community Centre, LS11 0HJ

Beeston & Holbeck Councillors’ Surgeries 4pm Beeston Community Hub & Library, Town Street, Beeston 5pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, Holbeck 6pm Cottingley Community Centre

Sunday 27 April

Holbeck Together Sunday Lunch

12-2pm St Matthew’s Community Centre, LS11 9NR Book (0113) 245 5553

Tuesday 29 April

A Song For Hunslet

1:30-3:30pm Involve Centre, Whitfield Avenue, LS10 2QE

Wednesday 30 April

Councillor surgery

9:30-10:30am Middleton Elderly Aid, Acre Road, LS10 4JQ

Holbeck Cemetery Volunteers 10am-1pm Fairfax Road, Beeston, LS11 8SY

MHA Kurling 10-11am St Andrew’s Community Centre, Old Lane, Beeston Coffee Morning and Bingo 10am-12pm Cardinal Court, Beeston, LS11 8HP

May

Thursday 1 May

Hunslet Carr Residents Assoc

6:30pm Woodhouse Hill Community Centre, LS10 2EF Beeston Community Forum

7:30-9pm Beeston Village Community Centre, Beeston Park Place, off Town Street

Friday 2 May

MEA Legal advice drop-in

9:30-11:30am Middleton Elderly Aid, Acre Road, LS10 4JQ

Saturday 3 May

Beeston Repair Cafe

1-4pm St Luke’s CARES Shop, 246 Dewsbury Road, LS11 6JQ Undermined

7:30pm Slung Low’s Warehouse in Holbeck, Crosby Street, LS11 9RQ Sunday 4 May

Middleton Park Bluebell Walks

11:20am; 12:40pm & 2:20pm Park Halt, Middleton Railway Hunslet RLFC v Widnes Vikings 3pm South Leeds Stadium, Middleton Grove, LS11 5DJ

Monday 5 May

Middleton Park Bluebell Walks

11:20am; 12:40pm & 2:20pm Park Halt, Middleton Railway

12:30pm United Reformed Church, Nesfield Road, Belle Isle

6:30-8pm Leeds Corinthians, Nutty Slack, Middleton, LS10 4AX

Lunchtime meditation

12:30-1pm Jamyang Buddhist

10:15am-1:40pm Cranmore & Raylands Community Centre

ParkPlay

10:30am-12:30pm Brickfield Park, Lady Pit Lane, Beeston

Wednesday 9 April

MHA Kurling

10-11am St Andrew’s Community Centre, Old Lane, Beeston Wild Play

IN BRIEF

Wild Play at Skelton Grange

Spend a day playing outdoors at Skelton Grange Environment Centre in Stourton on Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 April, 10am4pm. Activities may include campfire cooking, crafts, shelter building, stalking and tracking, and/or wide games. For children aged 8-13 years. For more information and booking go to: tcv.org.uk/skeltongrange

Activity Days at Trentham Park

The Friends of Trentham Park have organised two activity days over Easter. You can join their gardening day on Monday 7 April or come along to the play session on Sunday 13 April. Trentham Park is the pocket park on Trentham Street in Beeston Hill.

Sing a song of Hunslet

Join Opera North for fun weekly creative music workshops, where you’ll have the chance to work with a songwriter and poet to create a brand new piece of music telling the stories you want to tell. At the end of a project, we’ll record the piece and have the opportunity to share it with the wider public. Everyone is welcome and you don’t need to be able to sing or read music to take part. Refreshments will be provided. The next sessions are on Tuesday 22 and 29 April, 1:30-3:30pm at Involve Centre, Whitfield Avenue, Hunslet, LS10 2QE. Contact Jo on jo.bedford@operanorth.co.uk / 07960 856691 for more info.

Get Your Act Together with Cloth Cat

Get Your Act Together is a free 10 week music course for young people aged 11-18 run by Holbeck-based charity Cloth Cat. Their industry professionals teach guitar, drums, keyboards, rap and singing to small classes of young people. Book at clothcatleeds.org.uk/projects/get-your-act-together, or email gyat@clothcatleeds.org.uk

Licensing Act 2003

Notice is hereby given that I IAN PICKUP have made an application under Section 34 of the Licensing Act 2003 to vary the premises licence held in respect of the premises known as: The Holbeck – Holbeck Working Men’s Club Jenkinson Lawn, Holbeck Leeds, LS11 9QX

I intend to conduct on or from the premises the following licensable activities:

Sale by retail of alcohol

I propose to vary the terms of the existing licence as follows:

To increase the hours for sale by retail of alcohol by an hour from 10:00am to 09:00am and then from 23:00pm to 00:00am

Responsible authorities or any other person may make written representations to Leeds City Council about this application until 15th April 2025 which should be sent to Entertainment Licensing, Leeds City Council, Civic Hall, Leeds, LS1 1UR

For full details and to view a copy of the application please contact Entertainment Licensing on 0113 378 5029 or email entertainment.licensing@leeds.gov.uk

It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum fine for which a person is liable on conviction for this offence is an unlimited fine

Exciting Easter holiday programme at The Hunslet Club

by

TheHunslet Club is thrilled to announce an actionpacked Easter Holiday Programme, running throughout the school break this April.

Designed to keep children and young people active, engaged, and entertained, our programme features a variety of fun-filled activities suitable for all interests and abilities.

Programme Highlights: Activity Camp (April 7-17)

• Art Camp (April 7-8)

• Football Camp (April 8-

• 10) including a trip to Newcastle United’s St James Park

Darts Camp (April 11)

• Rugby Camp (April 15- 17)

• Dance Camps with Cherry • & Amber – (April 9 and 16)

At The Hunslet Club, we are committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and engaging environment for young people to learn, grow, and have fun during the school holidays. Our experienced youth workers, coaches, and mentors ensure that every participant gets the most out of their time with us. Bookings are now open. Spaces are limited, so we encourage parents and guardians to secure a place as soon as possible. Book via our website www.hunsletclub.org .uk/events

For more details and to book, visit our website or contact us directly. Follow us on social media for updates, photos, and

event highlights.

Annual Easter Party Join us for a fun-filled and festive Easter celebration at The Hunslet Club.

On Sunday 20 April from 123pm, we are hosting a free Easter Party for children and families in our community. This event promises a variety of exciting activities and surprises that will make this Easter one to remember.

Activities & Highlights:

Easter Egg Hunt: Kids will • embark on an exciting Easter egg hunt around our grounds, searching for colourful eggs!

once completed they can collect their FREE Easter Egg!

Easter Craft Corner: • Creative stations where children can make Easterthemed crafts to take home.

Special Visit from the • Easter Bunny: A chance to meet the Easter Bunny and take photos.

Refreshments & Treats: • Delicious Easter treats and snacks will be available throughout the event to purchase, with a variety of goodies to enjoy.

This event is open to all members of The Hunslet Club

and the local community, and we invite families with children of all ages to come along and join in the festivities. Whether you're here to enjoy the activities, take part in the Easter egg hunt, or just relax and enjoy the day, there’s something for everyone. We would like to express our gratitude to local businesses and community members, staff and volunteers who are helping make this event possible. Their support helps us continue to provide enriching experiences for the children and young people at The Hunslet Club.

Shows this month at Slung Low

Following a winter break, Slung Low, Holbeck’s own theatre company, present their Spring season of visiting productions.

The season starts with a family-friendly parody of the film Jurassic Park.

65 million years ago, dinosaurs ruled the Earth… 30 years ago, a movie about dinosaurs ruled the box office…

This year, you are invited to Hold On To Your Butts!

This “funny, headspinning Jurassic Park parody” (The Times) is a must-see “chaotic masterpiece” (Stage to Page) that has won over London fans and critics alike. Hold On To Your Butts showcases Foley sound and physical theatre

and is “imaginative, slick silliness on an epic scale” (London Theatre 1).

There are two performances of the show at 2pm and 7:30pm on Saturday 19 April at The Warehouse in Holbeck, Crosby Street, LS11 9RQ.

Twenty years ago The School of Night made its first appearance, at Shakespeare's Globe in London. Since then, its unique blend of literary improvisation has been seenall over the UK.

Their 20th anniversary show is on at Slung Low Temple, Bath Road, LS11 9UD on Thursday 24 April at 7:30pm.

Undermined is a gripping, powerful, witty and gritty play based on the accounts of miners

who were involved during the 1984/85 miners’ strike. A show for those who know nothing about the strike and for those who remember it all too well.

Fuelled by energetic and engaging storytelling, a classic soundtrack and performed with nothing more than one actor, a chair and a pint of beer, Underminedwill have you laughing, crying and shaking with anger.

Undermined is on Saturday 3 May at The Warehouse in Holbeck, Crosby Street, LS11 9RQ at 7:30pm.

All shows are pay-whatyou-feel. Book your free ticket at www.slunglow .org/shows and pay after the show.

Making a fire at Skelton Grange

Zoe Creasser

Line dancing at an Activity Camp

Website: www.southleedslife.com

Email: info@southleedslife.com

Moving into Spring with Get Set Leeds Local

by Karen Peck

Get Set Leeds Local are excited for Spring and all that it brings.

As well as longer days, warmer weather and the colour in parks from spring flowers, we also start to hear some more great ideas emerging from the community around things they’re wanting to set up, re-start, develop or change they’d like to see in their communities which will support more people to move more.

Whether that’s a new gardening group, setting up a walking group, developing some resources, applauding your way through menopause by learning to ride a bike with like minded women - Get Set Leeds Local tries to support and enable these ideas to happen.

If you have a good idea or something you’d like to see in your neighbourhood then reach out to share it with us. Find out more about our Community Chest Pot, which is available for residents and groups in Beeston and Holbeck and Hunslet and Riverside wards to access. Up to £300 could be available to seed fund your idea.

Bigger ideas, which may take some more collaboration to get off the ground are also welcome. We know communities hold the answer to things that could make a

difference to them. Get in touch with us at getsetleeds local@leeds.gov.uk to share your idea, or to connect so we can talk more.

We have a few events coming up to connect or try something new:

Women’s Weekender (Midweeker?) on Thursday 17 April 12:30–3pm. Get Set Leeds Local and Leeds United Foundation are teaming up to host the next women’s only football event. An afternoon full of fun and social games which is beginner friendly. It gives opportunity for women together to try something new. No experience? No Problem! This is all about social games, laughs and good vibes. 5–ASide games, but no team required. We’ll pop people coming alone in a team on the day. Contact megan.greaves @leeds.gov.uk to secure a space.

Community Panel –Wednesday 30 April 4–5pm via Teams. Bringing together residents, community groups and 3rd sector partners working across our Get Set Leeds Local areas. A great opportunity to connect, share insights and help shape the Get Set Leeds Local work.

We’ll also be sharing a sneak peak of an online toolkit resource which is an idea which came out of a previous community panel, and getting your thoughts on it before we launch it later this summer. Contact getsetleedslocal @leeds.gov.uk for the Teams invite.

Community event - If you’re not sure what groups there are in South Leeds then join us at

this year’s Let’s Move: South Leeds event. Community partners will be showcasing and sharing a range of different sports and activities that are on offer across South Leeds. We’re hoping there’ll be something for everyone, for all ages and abilities. Come along and join in, chat and get to know what’s going on locally. If you run a group/club and would like to be a part of it then get in touch. Activities may be subject to change on the day.

Let’s Move: South Leeds event timetable:

Saturday 10 May at Cross Flatts Park

9am Cross Flatts parkrun

11-1pm Skateboarding and rollerskating (lower multi use games area)

12 noon Tai Chi Taster

12–3pm Main event activities including a treasure hunt, athletics, martial arts, American Football, dance, fitness, cricket, gymnastics, rugby, football, walking, running challenge and many more – all near the Watsonian café.

Information Stalls

Adapted bikes taster – on the multi use games area. Come and try out different adapted bikes for different ages, as well as a few fun bikes you may not have seen before!

Bike fixing / bike tagging / bike activities – near Watsonian cafe

Do get in touch to share your local insight and ideas for what may help people move more in South Leeds.

Follow us Get Set Leeds Local on social media, or get in touch karen.peck@leeds .gov.uk

Ogilvie and Senior arrive at South Leeds

by Jimmy Crawshaw

SouthLeeds FC have made a double move this week bringing in Craig Ogilvie as their first team manager and bringing fanatical Leeds United supporter Gareth Senior as the club’s first ever club president.

Ogilvie is a well respected manager in non league football having managed the likes of Yorkshire Amateur, Albion Sports and Tadcaster Albion alongside current Albion Sports manager Neil Sibson who enjoyed a promotion to step 4 together with Yorkshire Amateur.

Gareth Senior also has the experience of running a non league club as he was the chairman of Yorkshire Amateur in their successful period while in step 4 and 5, so Ogilvie and Senior have already worked together. Gareth is a huge Leeds United supporter who follows them home and away but is also incredibly passionate about football in the city at grassroots level.

his assistant Liam Mudd. Liam Mudd had this to say about the new arrivals:

Ogilvie will be only South Leeds second ever manager taking the reigns from current chairman Reece Mudd who stepped down in January due to work and family commitments. At only 29 years old Mudd has had a incredible run since 2017 with 6 promotions during that time and 11 trophies.

South Leeds are enjoying their first season as a semi professional side sitting in 9th position under interim manager Danny Chadwick and

“To bring in such a high profile manager like Ogi at such an early stage of the club’s journey to me is a real statement of intent in where we want this club to go and also to get someone like Gareth on board is absolutely massive. I spoke to Gareth over a couple of months to bring him to the club to make sure it was right for himself and he loves what we are doing and what we want to do. With his expertise in business and running a club at a high level it was a no brainer for us.

“The first season we’ve had a few teething issues that we have had to get over as it is all new to us. Myself, Reece, Callum Macdonald have worked frantically over the last few months to make sure we are in a better position next year. So I think you’ll see the club a totally different animal next season from the first team down the club’s new third team, I would also like to thank Ogi and Gareth for believing in us and jumping onboard!”

Cockburn School’s brand-new all-weather

Photo:

Club President Gareth Senior

Hunslet struggle in the Championship

by Ian Pickles

It was always going to be a big step up from League 1 to the Championship and Hunslet RLFC’s challenge has been made even harder by a host of injuries.

Following a narrow defeat to Widnes in the 1895 Cup, the Parksiders faced Doncaster at South Leeds Stadium on 9 March.

Although the Dons were only promoted in 2023, they now have that Championship nous that Hunslet need to learn fast.

Light in the forwards The Parksiders had taken Manu Waine on loan from Bradford Bulls who ran well early on, but in defence Hunslet weren’t switched on when on 5 minutes Nouata Pauli found a huge gap to score.

Doncaster scored four more tries and were 0-24 up after 32 minutes.

them show signs that a first league win may not be too far away.

Poor tackling early on made it easy for Marcus Stock to score the opening try on only 3 minutes, and 6 minutes later after a Tom Whitehead break Luke Polselli scored, both converted by Chris Hellec to make it 12-0 and thoughts turned to a cricket score.

Greg Eden and Billy Jowitt were deputising at half-back, but after a kick spiralled up into the air London found good field position and Alex Walker rolled in the tackle to score. 160.

London could have scored again just before the break, but Liam Tindall’s try in the corner was disallowed for obstruction. 16-0 at the break and a real improvement needed from Hunslet.

A try before half time though may have changed the impetus, but even though O’Hanlon and Scurr came close Hunslet had more bad luck as Ross Whitmore was taken off with an arm injury attempting to score from close in. 0-24 at the break and a lot to think about.

Beharrell left the field with a shoulder injury.

Hunslet started the second half well, but suffered a double blow at halfback when Lachy Hanneghan was sin-binned for holding down and Matty

After another try for the Dons and with the game more or less gone on 59 minutes Noah Booth read the play and took a loose ball to sprint 90 metres for a try for the fourth week running. Billy Jowitt converting. Hunslet scored a consolation in the dying moments. Mackenzie Scurr broke free and fed Ethan Wood to score in the corner. 10-38 on the hooter.

Belle Isle’s Zac aiming for pro boxing career

by James Bovington

Three boxers who hope to join the paid ranks over the next couple of years joined twelve others from Hunslet’s Golden Team gym on a show at the Aria Suite in Woodhouse attended by upwards of four hundred people.

Middleton’s Nicola Aldred, 31, faced Manchester fighter Frankie Taylor.

“I did my best to land clean shots and not just get drawn into a scrappy fight. She’s highly experienced fighting every weekend and was very aggressive constantly pushing me back. I was happy with a draw as the result. It’s given me a wake-up call never to cut corners in training. Boxing isn’t just a game you play it’s a hard sport and you need to be disciplined. I’m still undefeated

with five wins and a draw. I’d like possibly four more bouts this year and then see if I can make it into the professional ranks. I’m also up for a rematch with Frankie but to win would require up to a couple of months training” she said.

Danny Knee and Max Clark both won their bouts, and both aim to join the paid ranks over the next couple of years. Jacob Robson-Batley also excelled

with a decisive victory in his first scored bout over Bradford’s Jack Sunter. Fourteen-year-old Zac Rymer from Belle Isle was one of several children including Aidan and Thomas Winstanley who enjoyed showcasing their developing boxing ability in ‘skills bouts’ without the pressure of a win/lose decision.

“Zac’s been training at Golden Team for two years,” said Dad Matty. “He loves his boxing and seems to have potential as he’s agile and quick on his feet. He’s trained with Nicola four times a week and had one to one training sessions for this his third skills.

As his parents we want to thank her. What a credit she is to the gym. Zac struggles in school subjects like maths, but boxing has developed his confidence. When he was three, Zac was diagnosed with permanent hearing damage and wears hearing aids. Boxing is the best sport to help him develop focus.”

“I want to continue to progress as a boxer,” said Zac, “go through the amateur ranks and hopefully make a career as a professional. I’m grateful to everyone at Golden Team who’s helped me and especially Nicola who’s brought me on. I’ll show I’m thankful by becoming a top-class boxer. It’s the best ambition a boy can have.”

Hunslet had a week’s break before a trip to the south of France to face Toulouse Olympique on 22 March.

The Parksiders were underdogs against a full-time Toulouse side and the hosts scored on only 5 minutes when a Hunslet defender shot out of the line and quick passing sent Benjamin Laguerre in the right corner, but the visitors were level 7 minutes later when after an Alfie Goddard break, Billy Jowitt put a short kick through and with the Toulouse defence waiting for the ball to roll dead Jimmy Watson crept up to touch down. Jowitt converting 6-6.

But by half time Toulouse led 22-6, finally winning by 50-6.

In parts Hunslet defended well and had chances to get back into the game. But missing big playmakers like Matty Beharrell and Cam Berry as well as a host of other injured players doesn’t help.

Billy Jowitt impressed in the half-back roll, whilst Noah Booth and Liam Welham were dangerous. There were also good debuts for Coby Nichol and Harrison Gilmore.

The Hunslet support was loud and proud, and followed this with another long trip to face the London Broncos.

Injury hit Hunslet showed real signs of improvement at the Cherry Red Records Stadium, Wimbledon on 29 March, but were always up against it after a slow start saw them 12-0 down in only 9 minutes.

The Parksiders are missing three hookers and their first choice half-backs which limits them in attack, but a much improved second half saw

Hunslet got the better of the early second half exchanges. Noah Booth went close but was tackled into touch and Liam Welham tried a power play on the last tackle, but on 47 minutes with London on the attack Noah Booth read the play and scored one of his trademark 90 yard interception tries. His 5th of the season he showed real pace to outrun the defence, and with Billy Jowitt’s conversion Hunslet were back in it at 16-6.

Hunslet were now on top, but despite Matty Fletcher and Noah Booth threatening the London line they were a bit short on ideas how to unpick the London defence.

With time running out for Hunslet London wrapped the game up on 73 minutes when a kick through bounced up kindly on the Hunslet line for Aaron Small to bag an easy score. 20-6

The game had been simmering for most of the second half, and after another bout of pushing and shoving Keelan Foster was sent to the sin-bin and on 77 minutes London used their numbers to send Liam Tindall over in the left corner. 26-6

With a week off before the visit of league leaders Halifax on Friday 11 April, Hunslet have a chance to get players back fit and in their rightful positions and then we will see what this team has to offer. But Hunslet need to learn to start games better, at this level you cannot give teams a leg up.

Mackenzie Scurr was impressive on the wing as was young Mason Corbett on-loan from Bradford handling the starting hooker duties. Harvey Hallas and Matty Fletcher are also starting to find their feet in the Championship.

You can read full match reports of all Hunslet’s matches at southleedslife .com

One bright spot for Hunslet has been Noah Booth’s interceptions and run backs, this one against Doncaster. Photo: Zac Berg

Zac Rymer with Nicola Aldred