South Leeds Life 63 June 2020

Your FREE community newspaper

Issue 63 | June 2020

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

KEEPING SAFE AND SANE

In this issue:

Meet the volunteers

page 3

School Street road closures page 8

Looking after ourselves and those around us in the lockdown

T

by Ed Carlisle

he Coronavirus crisis continues, and local people are experiencing it in a wide range of ways.

On the one hand, many of us are struggling with the isolation, the disruption, the disorientation; but on the other hand, stories are also emerging of neighbourhoods and communities working together in unprecedented ways, and people reporting that they've "never been happier."

It’s clear that the coronavirus and lockdown is having a significant impact on our mental health. There are reports that gambling, alcohol consumption and domestic violence have all increased in the lockdown. So what can we all do to boost our wellbeing and that of those around us, both at this current time and in the long term?

According to the charity Mind, 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health struggle each year; 1 in 6 report that they face ongoing struggles. Mental health is now the largest single cause of disability in the UK, at 22%.

Quite apart from the personal stories and tragedies, it is

Five Ways To Wellbeing estimated that the total impact of mental health on the UK economy is over £100bn per year.

The current unprecedented situation has of course revolved around the physical health impacts of the pandemic. But it's also shone a light on the mental health impact, and our underlying mental, psychological and emotional wellbeing, and that

of our communities.

Can we learn from this strange time, and build happier healthier communities and lives for the long-term?

At the heart of all studies about mental health, is the reality that "no person is an island" - that is, that none of us are truly individuals. We are social beings, and our wellbeing is bound up with those around us. The stories

emerging at this time bear this out this perfectly, for better and worse.

Edith lives in Hunslet Moor and tells us: "The past few weeks have been terrible. My mother died and wasn’t able to be with her, or even go to her funeral."

On the other hand M, who has learning difficulties, told us: “I am quite enjoying the lockdown because I am getting more rest, I'm able to take a break from the stresses of travel and shopping. But at the same time I have more energy to do things I want to like sorting flat and starting gardening.

“I have also been able to use my tech skills and internet to help my absent friends. I am now feeling like I can plan activities and trips when lockdown is over.”

Indeed studies suggest that mental wellness is not solely based on relationships, but taking or finding opportunities to practice wellness by other means. The New Economics Foundation published a seminal report in 2008 which proposed 'Five Ways to Wellbeing': Connect; Be Active; Take Notice; Keep Learning; and Give.

We are therefore pleased to report local people are rising to the challenge of the lockdown.

From the experience of some of the thousands of volunteers who have stepped up (page 3), to developing a range of creative responses for local people to engage with and discover wellbeing in the face of this crisis. These include: skill swaps (page 6) the family Lockdown Challenge (page 15) and ping pong packs (page 24) as well as more colouring in templates (pages 11-13) This crisis will pass - and the danger is perhaps that we simply "return to normal." That is, a normal way of life that is unhealthy, unfair, in which growing numbers of people feel disconnected, and in which depression is on the rise.

Instead, can we seize this unique moment in our lives and society to press the reset button, to gather and build the positives, the collaborations and the learning from this time, and take it forward into a better society?

That won't be easy or obvious, but is it perhaps worth a try. What would you like to see changed in the future? And how can we take steps to start to create that future?

VE Day hero celebrated

page 20

Ping Pong for the people

page 24

NEWS COLOURING

2-11 12-14

SCHOOL LIFE COMMENT

15 16-18

SUPPORTERS

19

LOCAL HISTORY 20-1 CULTURAL LIFE

22

SPORTING LIFE 23-4

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

www.southleedslife.com

South Leeds Life | June 2020

2 News

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.

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

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

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

Contact us South Leeds Life CIC 224 Cross Flatts Grove, Leeds, LS11 7BW Email: info@southleedslife.com Facebook & Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife Phone: 07894 583966

Complaints South Leeds Life is regulated by IMPRESS and adheres to its standards code.

However, if you feel we have breached the code in any way and wish to make a complaint, please submit your complaint, in writing to the editor.

A copy of our complaints policy is available via our website at southleedslife.com/complaintsprocedure, or on request.

Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife

Facebook: facebook.com/southleedslife

Council works to keep Leeds safe as lockdown eases L

eeds City Council’s Executive Board met on 19 May to review its response to the Coronavirus pandemic and its recovery plans as the Government ease lockdown restrictions.

The council’s approach to the next phase of the crisis to ‘stay safe and save lives’ is based around these five themes: • Safe travel, ensuring the safe use of highways and public transport and encouraging active travel (walking and cycling) where possible • Safe public spaces, with physical distancing in communities, district centres and the city centre • Safe delivery of services, including health and social care, and other public services • Safe education, as more children and young people return to schools, colleges and nurseries • Safe working, with physical distancing in workplaces and coordination between large employers to avoid peaks of movement

SCHOOLS Schools have remained open throughout the lockdown for children of key workers and vulnerable children, as well as providing education and pastoral care to those children at home. Last month the Government announced that Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 classes could return to school from Monday 1 June.

In a statement, Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council executive member for learning, skills, employment and equality, said: “At Leeds City Council, we believe that it is important for children to resume their education so they can learn and interact with their peers.

However, this needs to be done in such a way that we minimise the risks to pupils, staff and parents as much as possible.

“Due to a variety of factors, it would be impossible for all schools to operate to the Government’s timetable of opening Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 from June 1.

While some schools will begin to gradually expand their intake from this date, Leeds will not expect all our schools to open to all those pupils from day one.”

Schools in South Leeds are taking

a variety of approaches having undertaken their own risk assessments.

For example Cottingley Primary Academy will be reopening to Y6, Y1 and Reception children on Monday 8 June; Hunslet Carr Primary and St Mary’s C of E Primary Academy will be staggering the return of year groups; Beeston Hill St Luke’s will only be opening for Y6 at this stage; and Lane End Primary have decided not to reopen before 15 June at the earliest.

If you have children in these age groups, please check with your children’s school to find out what the arrangements are locally. The Government has also clarified that should parents decide to keep their children at home they will not be fined for non-attendance.

FUNERALS All crematoria chapels, including all burial chapels for funeral services at Leeds City Council managed sites, will reopen from Monday 8 June 2020.

This decision follows a review of the number of cremations taking place in the city, which while still remaining high, have reduced to a level which can ensure that steps can now be put in place to protect the health and wellbeing of mourners, council staff and partners, whilst services are taking place in chapels.

As per pre-coronavirus, service times will continue to be a maximum of 40 minutes. To ensure that appropriate cleaning can take place between each funeral service, the number of chapel funeral services taking place throughout the day will however be reduced from 11 to 9.

This reduction will also ensure that the council is able to offer direct cremations along the same lines pre-Covid19.

BROWN BINS AND WASTE SITES Collections of Brown bins, for garden waste, restarted from Monday 25 May. Letters have been sent out confirming collection days and dates, which have changed for many households. Collection dates can also be checked on the Council website or the free Leeds Bins phone app.

Household Waste sites including Holme Well Road in Middleton are open, but you must book a time slot via the Council website to use the site. Bookings are also being taken for collection of bulky waste items.

PARKS A number of changes in parks run

by Leeds City Council have been implemented since the middle of May: • Council park car parks will reopen but playgrounds in parks will remain closed and the gates locked with notices in place.

• Outdoor gym equipment in parks is also still off limits and toilet facilities will remain closed.

• Multi use games areas will reopen • Fishing and use of bowling greens in parks will be allowed • Park cafes will be able to reopen on a takeaway basis from Monday 1 June.

The Leader of Leeds City Council Councillor Judith Blake commented: “I’d like to again thank everyone in Leeds, our partners, the incredible NHS and healthcare workers, community volunteers and council officers for their amazing efforts during the challenges of the last two months.

“It really has been a monumental team effort with everyone playing their part, and that work and resilience must continue as we move on to the next phase of this crisis and the issues around resuming services and businesses safely in our city.

“The absolute priority remains on staying safe and saving lives, stay home and work from home if you can, only go to a workplace if you must and can do so safely, with everyone respecting social distancing at all times and using public transport only when necessary with a face covering.

“As we move into a third month of lockdown measures we appreciate this is a very difficult time for everyone but it is vitally important we all follow the rules and remain committed to keeping ourselves and everyone else in our communities safe.

“We must always remember that above all this is a human tragedy, behind every loss is a grieving family so our thoughts and condolences remain with them.”

Leeds City Council’s response in numbers: • Over 10,000 food parcels delivered to vulnerable people and more supported locally through volunteer-assisted shopping • 21,590 children provided with free school meals through schools and local hubs across Leeds every week • 5,200 active volunteers supporting the most vulnerable residents through 33 volunteer hubs • More than 11,000 calls answered on Leeds helplines • 1,472 additional packages of support to people, either in their own homes or in a care home • 6million items of personal protective equipment (PPE) delivered to almost 500 care homes, children’s homes, doctor’s surgeries and hospices • The Leeds testing site at Temple Green has successfully increased its capacity to 1,000 slots per day, supported by temporary mobile test units and extended testing in care homes • £128million in grants have been paid to 10,341 Leeds businesses to date • 2million black/green bins collected since lockdown began, with waste levels 15% higher than usual • Over 7,000 essential housing repairs and 4,300 gas safety checks undertaken

www.southleedslife.com

Website: www.southleedslife.com

News 3

Email: info@southleedslife.com

Meet the volunteers S

by Jeremy Morton

ince Coronavirus hit, thousands of volunteers have been working out of community hubs to keep vulnerable people safe with food parcels, prescriptions and welfare checks.

I went along to the Involve Centre in Hunslet to speak to three people volunteering there, at a safe distance.

Oscar Knights had recently finished his PhD studies developing treatments for lung cancer and was looking for a job when recruitment came to a full stop due to the lockdown.

Not wanting to get bored in his flat and keen to be useful he signed up with Voluntary Action Leeds and was put in touch with Involve.

You will normally find Andy McLaughlin behind the bar at Friends of Ham in the city centre, but with the venue shut he too had time on his hands.

Furloughed and about to become manager As well as mentoring teenage boys in school, Liaqat Ali (everyone calls him Ali) runs Leeds Pride, but generally gets involved in community activities wherever he feels he can be useful.

A typical shift will involve making up food parcels, tailored to individual dietary requirements and then delivering to people’s houses.

There might be shopping to do on behalf of people who are self isolating.

Sometimes they visit people’s houses who haven’t been responding to phone calls to check they are OK, or

F

ood poverty in South Leeds has become more apparent in recent weeks as families see a drop in their incomes due to furlough or unemployment.

It is times like this that make our foodbanks a vital resource for our community.

The Trussell Trust Leeds South & East Foodbank at St Cross was recently closed after

Sewing sisters C

redit to sisters Rene White and Brenda Jephcott from Beeston (combined age: 164) who have been sewing scrubs for staff at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Over the past month they have spent over 150 hours between them making up the medical tops and trousers.

Through Brenda's daughter, they started off making face masks in March - but the hospital were desperate for more clinical clothing, so asked them if they could step up and

do these. This precise and specialist work sees the sisters receive packs of pre-cut fabric, which then take the good part of a day to be stitched together into each suit; the sisters have now completed over 30 sets.

Brenda told us: "It was frustrating when the virus blew up, but we felt like we wanted to do something. We're not angels, but we're the type of family who help folk, and age is no barrier.

“It's certainly kept me out of mischief during lockdown!"

Oscar Knights, Andy McLaughlin and Liaqat Ali volunteer at the Involve hub in Hunslet whether they need anything.

Having started on the phones, Andy is now part of the co-ordinating team matching volunteers to requests for help.

“Co-ordinating a team is something you have to do working in a bar and its come in useful here, otherwise I might not be so confident telling a volunteer to come at this time and do that.”

“You do get the odd curve ball here, which obviously you get a lot in hospitality. You have to think on your feet so again that’s something hospitality has taught me.

Ali saw a need for halal meat in the parcels as Ramadan turned into the Eid celebrations.

“When you’re packing and the slip says Halal only, there’s not always a great choice –

there’s only so many cans of tuna you can send to people.

“I started fundraising for £50 and raised £350 in less than a week, it’s been absolutely amazing. We’ve done a deal with a halal butchers and we’ll be able to do 30 food parcels with halal meat.”

Oscar, Andy and Ali all come from the city centre end of the Hunslet & Riverside ward “It’s meant going to areas I might not necessarily go to, meeting people I wouldn’t necessarily meet in normal life” explains Oscar. “It’s been extremely rewarding, making a connection with people.”

Ali agrees: “Even though we all live in the same ward and we volunteer in the same ward, there’s lots of differences within our ward. There’s the

affluent city centre, but just on the outskirts there’s lots and lots of deprivation. We don’t normally see that because we live in our little city centre bubble, but it’s happening on our doorstep. Driving around, knocking on people’s doors, it’s such as eye-opener. Because of this we’ve got a lot closer to our neighbours.”

I ask them how they will look back on this time.

“I feel that if I’d had a job I would have missed out on something special” says Oscar.

“I think we’ll learn from this there will be a little bit of a reset. I think people will volunteer more of their time and look after our communities a little bit more” adds Ali. “It’s been interesting, a good experience. I can’t wait till its all over though!” concludes Andy.

Community foodbanks go it alone

by Wayne Dixon

June 2020 | South Leeds Life

they moved to an online referral and delivery service only due to the current Covid-19 crisis, but local residents and parishioners alongside Father Andy Myers stood forward to keep this vital service available for direct access by the public.

St Cross Community Action will operate a food parcel collection service from St Cross Church, Acre Road, Middleton.

They will also offer to deliver food parcels to vulnerable

Foodbank volunteers at St Cross Church in Middleton

members of the community who can’t get to them. All of this will run with social distancing measures in place and all volunteers are DBS checked.

Father Andy Myers stated: “The St Cross foodbank is open this week as usual.

Tuesday 10am-12noon and Thursday 11am-1pm, social distancing in place – we are here to help if we can.”

If anyone can help, please drop items at the Vicarage behind the church (opposite Middleton Primary School on Middleton Park Avenue) or contact me to collect: wayne@waynedixon.co .uk or phone: 07852 311 717.

Another foodbank is being set up at

Manorfield Hall on Newhall Road, Belle Isle. Manager Emma Pogson-Golden said: “We are working with local schools and BITMO to target the venerable who may need us but we do need lots of donations.

“This is not just something that is to help people through this tough time but we will be continuing this work in too the future (as long as we are needed).”

The hall is open Monday to Friday 10am till 11am for donations to be dropped off.

Items most needed by both foodbanks are: Tinned meat, Tinned potatoes, Tinned fish, Long life milk, Cereal, All tinned vegetables, Pasta, Pasta sauces, Rice, Toilet rolls, and Nappies.

Rene White and Brenda Jephcott sewing scrubs in Beeston

5K for £5 goes global C redit to south Leeds man Trevor Brennan, who accidentally went global with a '5k for £5' online fundraising challenge.

It has now raised over £18,000 for the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust.

The scheme encourages participants to do any form of exercise over 5 kilometres, then donate £5 to the cause, and nominate others to do the same. The idea spread like

wildfire, across the country and as far as the USA and the Middle East, and thousands have now participated (many of them repeatedly). For full info, search for '5K for £5 - for the NHS' on Facebook, or at justgiving.com.

Trevor told us: "It's all been a bit overwhelming - we only expected a few hundred quid!

Thank you to everyone: it's been such a feel-good experience."

www.southleedslife.com

South Leeds Life | June 2020

4 News

Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife

Facebook: facebook.com/southleedslife

On the beat

by Insp Lucy Leadbeater

W

e have had a very busy month policing South Leeds with a number of challenges including tackling crime and ASB, and continuing to play our role in keeping people safe and protecting the NHS. There have now been changes to the Government regulations in relation to Covid 19 and as a result the role of the police has changed as the public can spend more time outside.

If there are instances where people are not adhering to the emergency legislation we will continue to engage, explain, encourage and, only as a last resort, enforce.

I would like to thank the residents of South Leeds for staying at home where possible and playing such an important role in this pandemic. On the whole we have seen excellent compliance across the whole of South Leeds.

Crime has continued to fall across South Leeds in the last four weeks, although we are

seeing some spikes in theft from motor vehicles across the area. The majority of us are using our vehicles less however, when you are using them please remember to take any items out of your vehicle and never leave any valuables on display.

We have been out on patrols in a number of areas to prevent this type of crime including the New Forest area of Middleton and Beeston.

This month your Neighbourhood Policing Team arrested a man suspected of carrying out numerous thefts from motor vehicles. He was sighted by PCSO Smith,

chased, detained and arrested!

He was remanded to court and has since received a 12 week prison sentence.

When officers have been on patrols they have been concerned by the amount of vehicles being driven at an excessive speed.

To tackle this officers from your local Neighbourhood Policing Team have deployed the pro-laser device (speeding gun) at a number of different locations.

Deployments over two evenings this week (20 and 21 May) on Domestic Road resulted in 9 drivers being reported for speeding with one driver stopped after recording a speed of 68mph in a 30mph zone. This is completely unacceptable and the driver will now be attending court for their actions.

Maternity Wing

A swan provides shelter and warmth for their young cygnet. The nest is in Hunslet on the River Aire close to the H2010 flats. Photo: Jonny Keefe

Managed Approach review still on track T

We have executed a number of warrants this month across the Inner South area which has resulted in seizures of drugs and a number of arrests. The illegal supply of drugs is a priority for us in all areas of South Leeds and we continue work hard to identify, disrupt and take positive action against those involved.

To do this we rely on community intelligence so if you have any information about this, or any type of criminality please contact us via 101, 101 Live Chat www.westyorkshire .police.uk/101LiveChat or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

he review into the operation of the Managed Approach to street sex work in Holbeck is due to be published in June.

South Leeds Life understands that the researchers at the University of Huddersfield are confident that they will be able to publish their report on schedule, despite the Coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus has affected life on the streets of Holbeck however.

Safer Leeds announced changes to operations in the area as West Yorkshire Police enforce lockdown measures and ‘social distancing’ as they do everywhere else.

In a statement they clarified: “The dedicated police team have not been reduced or withdrawn. They continue to work with all pre-existing partner resources to support on street sex workers and the wider local community.

“The team has continued to investigate any identified offences and respond proportionately.

Positive enforcement action has been taken which has extended to a range of interventions including arrest, issuing of fixed penalty notices and other criminal justice outcomes.”

Councillor Debra Coupar, Leeds City Council’s executive member with responsibility for Safer Leeds, said: “The government has set out steps that everybody must take to tackle the spread of coronavirus. From a Managed Approach standpoint, we are continuing to utilise every power at our disposal to make sure that these measures are properly adhered to with regard to street based sex work. Just as importantly, we are also ensuring that the variety of meaningful support which has been put in place through the

initiative to protect the health and welfare of all sex workers continues. This, and our ongoing commitment to support local residents through the deployment of different services in the community remain key priorities.

“In terms of the Independent review, the findings of the report are still expected in the summer as per the original timescales. We gave a firm undertaking to local residents and businesses, along with all stakeholders, that such a review would take place and this is a promise that we remain fully committed to. With that in mind, I believe it is vitally important that both the findings and recommendations of the Independent Review are taken fully into account and considered as part of any future decisions that are made regarding the Managed Approach scheme.”

www.southleedslife.com

Website: www.southleedslife.com

June 2020 | South Leeds Life

News 5

Email: info@southleedslife.com

Getting together with the Fire Service in Holbeck H

by Bryony Redwood-Turner

olbeck Together are continuing to deliver an emergency response to Covid-19 in Holbeck with help from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and Leeds City Council.

Leeds City Council are providing 50 food parcels every week for Holbeck Together to support those who are shielding or unable to get out themselves. The packs include vital food supplies and are a lifeline for many living locally.

So it seemed like perfect timing when the crew at Hunslet Fire Station offered to help out delivering the parcels. The Firefighters were eager to lend a hand and delivered 50 parcels to families and older members of the community in style – distributing the parcels in one of their fire engines!

“It was one of the lads’ ideas and it just took off from there. As firefighters, we’re here to help people and it seemed like something straightforward that we could do that would make a difference. It was great to say Hi to people and see how they’re doing” said Mike Ferries, Hunslet Watch Commander.

As well as dropping off the essential items, they stopped to check-in with people and see how they were, whilst observing social distancing measures.

Firefighters Jodie Allen and Graeme Ogle deliver a food parcel to Janet Armstrong For many of the recipients, the volunteers are the only people they see in a day.

“I just want to say thank you to the lovely firefighters who dropped off my package. It was just so nice to see someone. I only wish I could have invited them in” said Janet Armstrong, a Holbeck Together client.

The firefighters have supported the response for the last two weeks and have committed to continue wherever capacity allows.

“It was so helpful to have the help of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.

Delivering 50 food parcels in one day takes a lot of work. We couldn’t have got supplies out so quickly, but they

made it look easy!” commented Claire Holmes, Operations and Service Officer, Holbeck Together As with many charities, Holbeck Together have shifted their usual support services to a remote delivery model. Instead of welcoming older members of the community to daily lunches, they now provide hot nutritious meals to people’s doors with an optional supper-time add-on.

Instead of assisting people to shop for themselves, they are now offering a shopping and delivery service, which can include prescriptions and other essential pick-ups.

Supporting families with food and activities A

grant from Leeds Community Foundation has enabled Health for All’s Young People and Families service launch a COVID-19 Emergency Response project to help local families in south Leeds.

The charity has reopened Middleton Family Centre for a day each week, as a Hub from which to deliver practical and emotional support to local families. Although only running for three weeks, more than 100 families have benefited from Food and Activity parcels delivered direct to their homes.

The project is ongoing and demand is growing. In addition to the weekly parcel drops, plans are being drawn up to deliver door-step activity packs

Taking packs to families in Middleton

for every household with children on Sissons Road, Middleton and a ‘Dance in your front garden’ session for children and families during May half term.

Manager Vikrant Bhatia says: “We at Health for All always try to go the extra mile, meeting families’ needs in a holistic way – so along with the food parcels, we drop off a lovely free Family Activities Pack to help keep children and teenagers engaged while off school.

“We know there are lots of activities available online, but not every family has access to the internet – it costs money and families sometimes have to make difficult choices. We’re delighted to be able to continue

supporting families in our local area – it’s our privilege to be at their service.”

To avoid duplication with other local COVID-19 initiatives, HFA is prioritising those families unable to access other forms of support who are struggling to cope but lack the skills or confidence to ask for help.

Many families benefitting were regular attendees at the weekly support groups run by Health for All until they had to temporarily close following government advice to reduce risk during the pandemic.

April saw HFA Young People and Families staff make over 300 wellbeing calls, signpost 400 to online activities, deliver 110 food packs, help 40 people with benefits or health issues and run 20 online activity groups.

The service is open to any family that needs it – if you feel you would benefit or know a family who does, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Thank you Leeds Community Foundation for supporting families in our area!

Contact Vikrant – vikrant.bhatia@healthforall .org.uk or Tel: 07956 077 727

The support, advice and advocacy services usually provided in person are now delivered over the phone by a team of staff and volunteers.

Holbeck Together report that the success of this new delivery model has been possible due to the fantastic volunteers who have pitched in to help out. Whether it’s someone living locally helping with food preparation, making deliveries or keeping in touch with someone who is isolated and experiencing loneliness; a local business donating food or other resources; or an organisation such as West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue pitching in where they can: the

collective effort is helping the community to stay well and connected, despite the obstacles.

It is the social disconnection that people without technological devices particularly suffer from, that a friendly call or letter can help to combat. If you know of someone who could be supported by Holbeck Together or you would like to help out with the community response yourself, please contact Holbeck Together on (0113) 245 5553. If you would like to contribute financially please visit the United Together page at www.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/ United-Together

L-R: Roy Minter and Claire Holmes (Holbeck Together) Firefighters Jodie Allen and Joe Helme, Watch Commander Mike Ferries

www.southleedslife.com

South Leeds Life | June 2020

6 News

Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife

Join the South Leeds Skill Swap W

hilst for many people the Covid-19 outbreak has led to a massively increased workload as key workers respond to the crisis, for others the virus has meant life has slowed down considerably as life under lockdown has curtailed many of the things people are usually able to do.

This has presented opportunities to do all the things that have been put off for another day – all the mundane things that have needed doing: the filing, the decorating, hoovering under the bed and behind wardrobes.

But it also presented opportunities to be creative, to learn new skills and try out new things.

Sales of baking ingredients and craft items have soared, bits of junk wood have been made into treehouses and planters for the garden, seeds have been sown, and, in the case of one local young person, the time has been spent learning British Sign Language.

The crisis has opened up opportunities to do the things we’ve always wanted to do So, here are two questions: Is there something you would love to be able to do? I’m desperately needing help with fixing a puncture on my bike – I just can’t get the tyre back on and would love someone to show me how to do it. What about you? What would you really love someone to give you some pointers on?

Or, do you have a skill or talent that you could share with others?

You might think, "I have nothing to share". That's simply not true - we all have gifts and talents that could help others.

Whether it's potting plants,

baking bread, learning sign language, knitting, making a birthday card, computer coding, making a cushion, playing the guitar, putting up a shelf, I am sure there is something you can do that could help someone else.

If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then the South Leeds Skill Swap is for you.

We are looking to develop a community of, initially, online skill-sharers - people who are willing to offer advice and help so that others might be able to learn something new.

How does this work?

Well, this is more than simply a 'how-to' shop. This is about forming a network of relationships through posting videos, offering advice, answering questions and building community here in South Leeds.

And this is for everyone of every generation – we believe passionately that our young people have much to learn from people of older generations, but also have skills that they can teach us. It was wonderful to watch my daughter recently teaching my Dad how to set up a Powerpoint presentation.

So, we have created a facebook group called South Leeds Skill Share and we would love people to join the group and begin sharing skills.

If there is something you can show someone else how to do then let us know and we can help you share your skills.

Likewise, if you want to know how to do something, post your requests or questions in the group and hopefully someone can help you to get started in learning your new skill.

Facebook: facebook.com/southleedslife

Your NHS is here for you

Photo: Shutterstock

D

espite the pressure that Coronavirus has put on the NHS, doctors are keen to stress that the service is open and ready to help with other health issues.

Doctors are particularly keen that people seek medical treatment when they think they are suffering serious conditions such as cancer, heart attack or stroke.

When contacting you GP you must call ahead as all walk-in options are currently suspended in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Most appointments are offered over the telephone or through video consultation.

Face-to-face appointments are still offered where these are necessary, with patients being advised accordingly.

Dr Sarah Forbes, GP and Associate Medical Director for NHS Leeds CCG, said: “If you have any cancer symptoms such as a lump in your breast, changes in bowel habits, blood in your pee or

poo, unexplained weight loss, moles that appear to change or a cough that you’ve had for three weeks or more please get in touch with your GP practice as soon as possible.

“You should call 999 for lifethreatening emergencies, this includes chest pain, blackouts, severe blood loss that can’t be stopped, a serious injury, or if you think you’re having a stroke. Some people may decide that they don’t want to access emergency services, and this could possibly be due to fear of coronavirus or not wanting to burden the NHS. Please do not put your health at risk and get seen by a healthcare professional, you will be treated in a safe, low risk environment.

If you do go out, social distancing is still vital. You should stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times, and wash your hands as soon as you get home. Following these rules will help control the spread of the virus to the wider

community, particularly the most vulnerable.

“It’s really important that anyone who thinks they have COVID-19 follows NHS advice and stays at home, using the NHS 111 online service should they need any support. Should your symptoms get worse or you feel you’re struggling to cope please call NHS 111 or 999 in an emergency. Let the call talker know that you have coronavirus symptoms. You must not go to a GP, pharmacy or hospital unless you have been told to do so.”

Vaccinations

Routine vaccinations like the MMR jab can save a child’s life, so it is important for parents to bring their children forward to these appointments, which will normally take place at their usual GP surgery.

As long as those attending appointments, including parents of babies or children, do not have coronavirus symptoms or are not selfisolating because someone in the household is displaying symptoms, all scheduled vaccinations should go ahead as normal.

GP practices will advise people what to do if they have

suddenly developed coronavirus symptoms before a scheduled appointment.

Dr Helen Haywood, GP and Clinical Lead for Children and Young People at NHS Leeds CCG, said: “Vaccines are an absolutely essential building block of good health, so if you or any member of your household are not displaying symptoms of coronavirus and are not selfisolating, vaccinations should happen as normal.

“While the NHS is taking unprecedented measures to protect people from coronavirus, services in Leeds are working hard to ensure that people including babies, children and pregnant women still receive their routine vaccinations – they provide essential protection against potentially life-threatening diseases.”

The national immunisation programme is highly successful in reducing the number of serious and life-threatening diseases such as whooping cough, diphtheria and measles.

High vaccine uptake can prevent a resurgence of infections, which can cause harm and put unnecessary added pressure on the NHS.

Anyone who is having difficulty getting food or medication delivered and does not have friends or family nearby, there is support available through the

Leeds City Council helpline on (0113) 378 1877

For more information about the support that is available in Leeds, visit: www.leeds.gov.uk/coronavirus.

Mental health support for young people advice and information for children and young people across Leeds. It has a page specifically on coronavirus and how children and young people can look after their mental wellbeing during this difficult time. It also includes a resource section for young people as well as for parents and carers.”

For many children and young

people with mental health needs, the current disruption to daily routines is a struggle. In a recent survey by the mental health charity YoungMinds, which included 2111 participants up to age 25 and who have experience of mental illness, 83% said the pandemic had made their conditions worse.

Help is a click away Photo: Chloe Capture via Creative Commons

L

eeds City Council and the local NHS are working with the third sector, to ensure children and young people in Leeds have access to mental health support during the coronavirus outbreak by visiting the MindMate website.

Cllr Fiona Venner, Leeds Executive Board Member for Children and Families said; “We know that a lot of children and young people will be feeling really anxious with

everything that’s going on with the coronavirus outbreak.

“Some may find it easier to talk to their family or friends, others may find it easier to access some support to help with their mental wellbeing. We want them to know there is support available to them if they feel like they need it through the MindMate website www.mindmate.org.uk.

“The website provides mental health and emotional wellbeing

Mindmate - www.mindmate.org.uk Kooth – free online counselling for 10-18s www.kooth.com The Calm Harm app has been customised for young people in Leeds aged 12–25 years. It helps to resist the urge to selfharm. Download from App Store and Google Play Teen Connect – provide emotional support for 11–18 year olds over the phone.

Opening times: Monday–Friday from 3.30pm-2am and Saturday–Sunday from 6pm-2am Telephone: 0808 800 1212 Text: 0771 566 1559

Website: www.southleedslife.com

Email: info@southleedslife.com

Older people enjoy a VE Day party at a safe distance

Delivering VE Day teas in Beeston

S

outh Leeds Live At Home Scheme (SLLAH) had planned to hold a party to celebrate the 75th anniversary of VE Day on 8 May. With the Coronavirus lockdown their members couldn’t come together, so SLLAH took the party to their members.

On the Thursday a team of volunteers took packs including a scone, butter, jam and a drink to 300 older people across Beeston,

Cottingley and Hunslet, so that they could join ‘The Nation’s Toast’ at 3pm today with a cuppa and a scone.

The packs were decorated with bunting flags, many of which had been drawn by local children who had also added messages.

Staff and volunteers at SLLAH have been doing their best to keep in touch with their members, making thousands of telephone calls since the lockdown started. But it was clear that seeing a friendly

face at the door, as well as the gift, meant a great deal to the older people visited.

The packs were made possible by a generous donation of 300 scones from Morrisons, organised by Debbie Wren who is the Community Champion at their Hunslet store. Debbie also helped with deliveries of the packs.

Donations towards the packs were also received from Asda, Bookers and DePuy Synthes.

Caring for the carers

L

ooking after a loved one with an illness or disability brings many rewards, but can also bring challenges too, especially during the current crisis.

But thanks to Carers Leeds, the charity dedicated to supporting unpaid carers across the city, you don’t have to struggle alone.

Their expert team of Carer Support Workers continue to provide vital information, advice and support throughout

this difficult time.

A carer is someone who, without payment, provides support to a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, dementia, mental health issues or a substance misuse problem, cannot manage without their help.

You might not have thought of yourself as a carer but if this sounds like you, get in touch with Carers Leeds. Their advice line is open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. Call (0113) 380

4300 or e-mail advice@carersleeds.org.uk.

They are also running online support groups and wellbeing sessions. These groups are a fun way to relax and have a break from your caring role. For full details, visit their website: www.carersleeds.org.uk/ events For up to date news you can subscribe to their informative newsletter, visit their blog, or find them on social media @CarersLeeds.

www.southleedslife.com

South Leeds Life | June 2020

8 News

Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife

Have your say on Street closures to be improving walking at three South Leeds and cycling in T South Leeds

Comment on the interactive map

T

he opportunity of the roads being quieter is being seized by Connecting Leeds to improve walking and cycling routes around Leeds, and you are invited to share your ideas on their interactive map.

The immediate issue is ensure pedestrians and cyclists can maintain a safe 2m disatance from each other. This has already seen pavements widened with new barriers in the city centre and wider cycling lanes on routes such as Kirkstall Road.

Connecting Leeds, the project to improve public transport in Leeds, is now asking residents to help identify problem junctions and other barriers to safe walking and cycling commutes.

A spokesperson explained: “We want to hear your ideas for making our streets better for walking and cycling and maintaining social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic, and also to assist with the recovery. Whether it’s a dangerous pinch point that needs addressing, a new cycle route, or inspiration for creating quieter residential streets, we want to hear your ideas.

“We also want to use this

opportunity to keep the benefits we have experienced of seeing less polluting vehicles and traffic on our roads.

Especially now in helping meet our goals for tackling the climate emergency and improving health, through cleaner air and active travel.

“This means looking at short, medium and long-term schemes to deliver these goals.

Prioritising on safety, active health and reducing carbon, but matched with the available resources, budget and capacity to deliver these ideas.”

Ideas already posted on the map in South Leeds include extending the 20 mph limit to Beeston Road and Old Lane in Beeston, reducing the limit to 10 mph in dead end back-toback streets where children play out, and resurfacing Town Street in Middleton so that cyclists don’t have to use the pavements to avoid potholes.

You can add your comments directly onto the map or agree with other comments already on the map to give the idea greater weight.

What would you like to see changed? Have your say at leedscovidsuggestascheme .commonplace.is

Advertise with South Leeds Life and reach 15,000 people in the LS10 and LS11 area.

Ring 07894 583966 Email: info@southleedslife.com

hree primary schools in South Leeds: Clapgate in Belle Isle, Ingram Road in Holbeck and Lane End in Beeston; are to trial part time road closures around the start and end of the school day.

The plans have been brought forward to assist with ‘social distancing’ as schools prepare to start reopening after 1 June.

The three schools are part of a six school trial, but Leeds City Council is keen to quickly roll out the scheme to many more schools.

Roads around the schools will be closed to traffic at set times, typically up to one hour, in the morning and the afternoon. Exemptions will be made for residents who require access and for people attending school with medical needs.

The closures will have benefits beyond the Covid-19 outbreak. Parents and carers

bringing their children to school by car, who currently make up to 30% of the total, typically attempt to park as close to the school gates as possible causing congestion, compromising the safety of pedestrians and reducing air quality, especially from idling engines. It is hoped the measures will encourage more families to walk, cycle or scoot to school.

The schools in the trial have been chosen because they have taken part in previous programmes such as temporary play streets and all have the active support of the headteacher.

The measures will be put in place by Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders which will run for 18 months, during which the schemes will be reviewed.

Discussions are taking place between the Council and West Yorkshire Police regarding who will legally police the road closures, but Council officers and school staff will be on hand to explain the changes to motorists.

The cost of the six school pilot is £15,000.

Facebook: facebook.com/southleedslife

piloted schools

Lane End Primary created a temporary play street in September 2019 Cllr Paul Wray (Hunslet & Riverside) commented: “I welcome the introduction of the trial of School Streets on Beeston Road at Lane End Primary, but I’ve been very clear with Highways Officers that if this causes parking displacement which impacts the residents on Moorville Close, Hunslet Hall Road, Northcote Drive or further up Beeston Road, I will require the trial to be stopped until protective measures are put in place. I will be monitoring this very closely.”

Clapgate Primary School:

Cranmore Drive and part of Rylands Road will be closed Monday-Friday, 8:30-9:10am and 3-3:40pm.

Ingram Road Primary School: parts of Ingram Road, Rydall Place, Rydall Terrace, Rydall Street, Brown Lane East and Crosby Street plus Colenso Gardens will be closed MondayFriday 8:10-9:50am and 2:10-3:50pm.

Lane End Primary School: Beeston Road from the junction with Hunslet Hall Road and Lane End Place will be closed Monday-Friday 8:25-9:50am and 1:40-3:50pm.

Sprucing up Middleton’s green spaces L

eeds City Council is set to spend over £300,000 on improving a number of green spaces across the Middleton Park ward.

The funding, totalling £327,551, comes from Keepmoat’s housing development at Towcester Avenue and Thorpe Lane in Middleton. The sum was agreed as part of the scheme’s planning permission in a ‘Section 106 agreement.’

Speaking on behalf of fellow ward Councillors Judith Blake and Kim Grove, Cllr Paul Truswell told South Leeds Life: “Section 106 monies are sums that developers agree to pay the Council as part of their planning permission. The money has to be used for purposes that are specified in a legal agreement between the Council and the developer. It usually relates to projects such as improving the environment and open spaces.

“We would like to use this particular sum of s106 money

Green space off St George’s Road in Middleton. Photo: Google Streetview for a number of potential projects that residents have raised with us in the past. We will be exploring these further in consultation with local people over the next few years.

“These projects include improvements to public rightsof-way and the belt of green space running from St Georges Road to Middleton Road, including access improvements, signage and work to the ponds on the Plantation. The plans also include tree planting.

“We will also be consulting local residents on what they would like to see on the open space that will form part of the

future council housing development of 170 homes on at the bottom of Middleton Park Avenue.

“Some of the money has also been potentially earmarked for improvements to the sports court and playground in Middleton Park, to continue the process of making it one of the finest parks in the country.”

Alan Shaw, from the Friends of Middleton Park added: “The Friends of Middleton Park welcome any investment in the infrastructure supporting access to sport in the Park.

Over the last few years, with investment in the Park supported by the work of the

Friends and others locally, we have seen a significant rise in the number of visitors to the Park who want access to better facilities.

“The opening of the Leeds Urban Bike Park has put the Park firmly on the national cycling map (with awardwinning trails), and it would be great if other areas of the park already used for some form of sporting or play activity could be sympathetically improved to give the local community what is needed.”

Following consultation work on the various projects is expected to start this year be completed by March 2023.

www.southleedslife.com

Website: www.southleedslife.com

June 2020 | South Leeds Life

News 9

Email: info@southleedslife.com

Council plans improvements to Beeston firm completes biggest three pedestrian crossings

by Jeremy Morton

L

eeds City Council has confirmed three improvement schemes to pedestrian crossings in South Leeds.

A new zebra crossing will be provided on Pepper Road outside the Parnaby Tavern.

Residents have long complained about speeding traffic on this stretch of road, which includes an s-bend, and is close to Hunslet Carr Primary School.

The report notes that there have been two accidents causing injury, one of them serious, on this stretch of road over the last five years. The

works will include narrowing the road and adding a speed hump further around the corner.

Zebra crossings on Belle Isle Road at the junction with East Grange Drive and West Grange Drive are to be upgraded. The site was the scene of a fatal accident on 3 March 2018.

This incident was one of five collisions, causing 8 injuries, over the last five years.

The works will see an adjustment to the existing onramps to the zebra crossing plateaus, making these more severe thereby encouraging drivers to slow on approach to the crossing.

In addition to these works,

contract at Trafford Centre C

Cllr Mohammed Iqbal outside the Parnaby Tavern (taken 15 February) the zebra crossing on Beeston Road at the junction with Malvern Road is to have ‘halo’ lights added to the existing Belisha Beacons to make the

crossing even more visible to motorists.

All the works are scheduled to be completed in the current financial year, by March 2021.

White Rose supports Foodbank W

hite Rose Shopping Centre has announced its new charity partner for 2020 – Leeds South and East Foodbank.

The Foodbank has been supporting South and East Leeds since 2013. In just one year from April 2019 to March 2020, more than 14,000 people used the Foodbank’s services.

While the partnership was agreed before the South and East Leeds communities were impacted by the country-wide coronavirus lockdown, the White Rose team are now keen to kick-start activity to support food bank users wherever possible during this time.

Planned fundraising events have been temporarily postponed, and White Rose will instead be making an initial monetary donation of £4,500

to the organisation.

Steven Foster, General Manager of White Rose Shopping Centre, said:

Leeds South and East Foodbank – it’s obvious to see the positive impact they have.

We will get through this trying

White Rose Shopping Centre has donated £4,500 “Now more than ever, we each need to do whatever we can to support our local community.

We’re really pleased to be working with the

time together.”

The Foodbank’s Chair of Trustees, John Casey, added: “Leeds South and East Foodbank is thrilled about its

partnership with White Rose Centre. We already know that the coronavirus is having a devastating effect on people’s lives and livelihoods, and as White Rose’s ‘Charity of the Year’ Leeds South and East Foodbank will use the additional resources to support more local people who lack the basic income to feed themselves and their families.”

The Leeds South and East Foodbank is currently running low on items including coffee, dilute juice, tinned fish, tinned potatoes, instant mash potatoes, tinned meat, UHT milk, and loo roll. If you can support with these items or make a donation to its emergency funds appeal, please visit leedssouthandeast .foodbank.org.uk. Donations can also be made inside White Rose’s Sainsbury’s.

VE Day anniversary benches for Belle Isle and Middleton

F

riday 8 May, marked 75 years since the UK first

celebrated the end of war in Europe and the arrival of peace

VE Day memorial benches will be sited in Belle Isle and Middleton

and hope.

To remember this important time, Middleton Park councillors have commissioned two commemorative benches to be placed in Belle Isle and Middleton.

All three local Councillors, Judith Blake, Kim Groves and Paul Truswell expressed their sadness at the postponement of this year’s celebrations. With Councillor Judith Blake stating: “Whilst we cannot continue with the community celebrations we had planned, this shouldn’t dampen the

sentiment behind VE Day. As ever, we will be remembering those families within our communities that made the ultimate sacrifice.”

The black framed benches displaying scenes of the D-Day landings are set to be installed in Belle Isle and Middleton in the coming months.

VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) commemorates the day on which allied forces formally announced the surrender of Nazi Germany, drawing the Second World War in Europe to a close.

ast plastering firm Rydale Interiors, based on Westland Road in Beeston, have just completed a £1.75M contract as part of a major refurbishment at Manchester’s Trafford Centre.

The company designed, manufactured and installed 8,000 glass reinforced gypsum casts in the shopping centre’s Barton Square as part of a £75M upgrade to the centre.

Ryedale Interiors was formed in 1996 and moved to Beeston in 2001. It has worked on projects including The Light and The Majestic in Leeds as well as other sites across the north of England. The Trafford Centre represented their biggest contract to date.

Roger Hannon, managing

director of Ryedale Interiors, commented to Bdaily: “A lot of work went into the securing of this project back in early 2018 and even more so in completing it with the added difficulty of Covid-19 during the final few weeks. The teams involved have worked tirelessly to ensure we deliver a quality product.

“Detailed work was carried out to ensure we had the correct casts ready to install at the correct time, all this on a fast-moving construction site with ever changing challenges.

“The sheer scale of the works required here was a challenge, but I am proud of the skills our apprentice-trained operatives have shown both on and off site.”

Trafford Centre dome

by Jose Francisco Del Valle Mojica via Creative Commons

Changing your furniture?

Donate it to support people with Learning Disabilities

Call us to arrange a free pickup

0113 270 4005

www.southleedslife.com

South Leeds Life | June 2020

10 News

Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife

Facebook: facebook.com/southleedslife

Campaign to make Skelton Grange bridge accessible

Plans submitted for 46 storey apartment block in Holbeck

L

W

eeds Cycling Campaign is championing a campaign to make the path along the Aire & Calder Navigation easier to negotiate by replacing the footbridge crossing at Skelton Grange Road. You can help by signing their petition.

The path between Hunslet and Woodlesford is popular with walkers, runners and cyclists. But when it reaches Skelton Grange Road the path crosses over the navigation via a road bridge … and 39 steps to get from the river level to the road. The south side isn’t much better with uneven wooden steps and it is often muddy in wet weather.

The problem isn’t new and a detailed feasibility study was carried out in 2006 by consultants Mouchel Parkman.

Of four options considered it recommended a new foot/cycle bridge with a price tag of over £500,000.

Since then planning permission has been granted

to an industrial development with a condition to improve the crossing, however the proposal does not remove the need for steps, so does not deal with the crux of the problem.

A lot of work has been done lately to improve the footpath along this stretch as part of the flood alleviation works and this work is only going to increase traffic along the path. But that good work is being let down by the Skleton Grange Road bridge.

Leeds Cycling Campaign commented: “The steep steps giving access to the bridge are a long standing barrier to many users including those with wheelchairs or buggies, heavily loaded bikes, tandems, electric bikes or trailers. An obstacle like this simply has no place on the National Cycle Network (NCN) or the Trans Pennine Trail (TPT).”

You can sign the petition at: www.change.org and search for ‘Skelton Grange’.

Steps form a barrier on this popular riversideroute

by Lauran Warren

ith new developments springing up all over South Leeds, it's easy to get lost in a sea of names.

So I was pleased to accept an invitation from Nick Brown (of Nick Brown Architects) to attend a consultation with a small group of Holbeck residents of design plans which have now been submitted for planning permission by Citylife Developments.

The development in question, 2 Springwell Gardens, will consist of 604 apartments in a 46-storey tower.

This will dwarf Bridgewater Place, currently the tallest building in Leeds. It will sit between Springwell Road and Whitehall Road, linking Holbeck with the Holbeck Urban Village.

This will be a “Sister build”, standing next to 1 Springwell Gardens, where the existing buildings have recently been demolished to make way for construction. The two will be linked by a central courtyard garden, and the garden wraps around the full perimeter of 2 Springwell Gardens.

I was going to ask about the risk of large areas looking too much alike, given the number of projects being worked on by a comparatively small number of architects, but it was clear just from looking at the designs for these adjacent buildings that it's unlikely to be the case.

2 Springwell Gardens will be more “traditional” in the sense that it will be an upright tower, and care has been taken to modernise the glazed appearance by including an ordered arrangement of fins. In contrast, 1 Springwell Gardens

will rise incrementally, with terrace gardens on each level and will be clad entirely in variegated red brick.

There has been much talk of both Holbeck Urban Village and The South Bank Project incorporating “Sustainable Development,” so I was keen to ask what this really meant.

Highly insulated materials are chosen to minimise the loss of heat and reduce energy usage. Water efficient showers and taps are fitted throughout.

The energy efficiency of the whole building is also enhanced by low energy lighting and by providing fitted appliances throughout. The provision of new energy and water efficient dishwashers, washing machines and fridge freezers ensures tenants do not bring in less efficient models.

There are several renewable energy installations to ease the carbon footprint. Solar panels, heat recovery systems, and charging points for electric cars in every car parking space. The car park will be underneath the communal garden shared by 1 Springwell Gardens and 2 Springwell Gardens, with residents encouraged to take part in a car club scheme to reduce individual car ownership. A large secure bike store is also provided for residents.

Finally, there is the commitment to creating and maintaining healthier, more environmentally friendly surroundings.

The inclusion of two large three storey ‘sky gardens’; vertical gardens and seating areas that are places to meet and relax whilst taking in stunning views of the city

3 storey ‘Sky Gardens’ will give residents a communal meeting area centre and beyond, will all contribute to this.

The design also has roots in safety, with extra measures taken to avoid a repeat of the tragedy at Grenfell Tower. With regards to safety, as well as the non-combustible cladding, 2 Springwell Gardens will have a separate fire-fighting lift running on a different electricity supply to the main lift, sprinkler systems in every apartment and firefighting stairs. This stairwell has its own water supply, allowing a firefighting crew to attach hose directly to valves on the stairwell rather than feeding the hosepipes from the fire engines. There is also a fireproof central safety zone running up through every floor which includes a disabled refuge.

It is hoped that, should

planning permission be granted, work can commence on this project some time in 2021, with the 1, 2 and 3bedroom apartments ready for singles, couples, and families to move into around 2024. The linking of South Leeds to the City Centre is coming, and this meeting was a fascinating insight into just how such a link is going to take place. Exciting times.

You can see the full planning application on the Council’s planning portal, search for ref: 20/02710/FU. Comments, either supporting or objecting to the scheme, can be made online until Thursday 25 June 2020. Please note that due to the Coronavirus (COVID19) outbreak Leeds City Council is not accepting written representations made by post at present.

Hunslet residents cry foul over planning application R

by Ed Carlisle

esidents on the Hunslet riverfront are crying foul over a proposed alteration to existing planning permission.

The change has been requested by the property developer and will see them miss out on having a neighbourhood shop for the second time.

Victoria Mill is a former flax mill, and part of a cluster of listed iconic buildings off Goodman Street, on the Hunslet riverfront. It became derelict in the 1980s, and was

deemed ‘at risk’ by Historic England – until 2017, when JM Construction gained planning permission to convert it into 327 flats (with the total number of flats on the combined site at 425).

The plan also crucially featured planning permission for a retail unit – a commitment that local residents (especially at the neighbouring H2010 development) were delighted to see. The H2010 plans had also originally featured shops, but these had been scrapped at a late stage during the

development stage, and replaced with extra houses.

This new planning change would leave the neighbourhood – which will feature up to 900 homes once the new development is complete – without any regular retail stores within half a mile.

The developers have argued that there’s been no interest from retailers in taking the unit, and asked to convert the space into an extra seven flats – but residents and stakeholders (including Leeds Civic Trust and Cllr Paul Wray) have reacted angrily.

Comments have included allegations that the developers are “playing the system”, “greedy”, and “only interested in profits”; some have suggested that this is “a proper bait-and-switch” (where people are enticed with promises of amenities to buy or rent properties, then let down); and other allegations such as the developer playing around with numbers of flats, to downplay the demand.

41 comments objecting to the change have been submitted to the Council. A decision is expected later Developers want to remove shop unit from Victoria Mills, Hunslet this month.

South Leeds Life | June 2020

12 Colouring

Free children’s activity pack from Graft Collaborative

A

children’s activity pack originally made for use in schools with key workers’ children is now being made available for anyone to download for free.

Graft has collaborated with a group of artists during the current lockdown to create an activity pack about key workers for young children, it has already been sent out to all 224 schools across Leeds.

The pack is themed around the message ‘Thank you key workers’ and is suitable for children aged 3-12 years. It includes: colouring in, word searches, paper dolls, writing letters to key workers and a bit of information on what key workers do and how amazing they are.

Liam Robbins, Artistic Director at Graft Collaborative, commented: “We are aware that some families won’t have access to a printer so we have added some colourings as JPEG’s so that they can be done on a phone, tablet or a PC. There is also an option to make a small donation to The Trussell Trust Food Bank that we have partnered with to help keep them running during these hard times.”

You can download the pack at graftcollaborative.home.blog Graft Collaborative is a non-profit Community Interest Company established to support emerging creative practitioners from a range of artistic and performative disciplines through the development of engaging projects involving Leeds-based communities.

Support independent community news

Become a pound-a-week subscriber and get South Leeds Life delivered to your door

steadyhq.com/en/southleedslife

South Leeds Life | June 2020

14 Colouring

www.southleedslife.com

Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife

Facebook: facebook.com/southleedslife

www.southleedslife.com

Website: www.southleedslife.com

School Life 15

Email: info@southleedslife.com

Staying motivated at home I

by Alannah Marsden

June 2020 | South Leeds Life

motivated, as you know exactly what is coming up. If possible, you could try and make your timetable mirror your school timetable; that way, you are already used to this routine, so it won’t take you as long to settle into it.

And of course, remember to give yourself breaks and not work for too long without

there is a golden opportunity for you to do things that you may have always wanted to do.

If you’ve always wanted to learn to play that ukulele that is gathering dust underneath your bed, now’s your chance!

If you’ve got a playlist of dances on YouTube that you’ve been longing to

t’s safe to say that having to learn at home is completely different to learning in a school environment.

Being surrounded by distractions isn’t particularly ideal, and it can be difficult to motivate yourself to actually complete the work that has been set for you.

As a school student myself, there have been times where I’ve procrastinated for days on end, simply because I lacked the motivation needed to do the tasks that I had to.

However, recently I’ve been using certain techniques to enable me to focus on the important things and get them done when I needed to. I hope Plan work time and me time Photo: Shutterstock these may help you too.

Creating a timetable is a stopping, otherwise you will master, start now! Even if it’s brilliant way to maintain stop taking in information, something as simple as motivation, as it implements and you won’t be able to work wanting to watch a whole five seasons of a Netflix show, some kind of routine into to the best of your ability.

An important thing to make the time to do it. By each day. If you wake up on a morning and have no idea remember is to make sure to establishing that balance what you want to achieve in take some time to yourself. If between schoolwork time and that day, the chances of you you only do schoolwork every ‘you’ time, you will feel more actually achieving anything single day, you’ll lose interest motivated and excited about pretty quickly. the activities you are going to are pretty low.

You should take a few do each day.

So, map out how many Something that has worked subjects you are going to hours every day (and the cover each day, and in what whole days on a weekend) to well for me in terms of staying order you will do these. That do things you enjoy. Now that enthusiastic towards my will allow you to stay we have so much free time, work, is rewarding myself

afterwards.

For example, if I’ve had a particularly lengthy essay to complete on a hot day, instead of putting it off I’ve stayed inside and completed the essay, then rewarded myself afterwards by sitting in the sun with an ice cream.

If you have a clear reward waiting for you at the end of a session of work, it will give you an incentive and ultimately the motivation to finish the task.

Finally, remember to not push yourself if you’re having a bad day. Everyone has those days, especially in the current situation, where you’re feeling down about everything.

Although sometimes working on days like those may help you feel better and take your mind off what you are feeling, this is most definitely not always the case.

A lot of the time it is best to concentrate on yourself and your emotions on these bad days. Talk to people about your feelings and take time for self-care and mindfulness.

Most importantly, try not push yourself, and don’t be angry at yourself for not doing the work you had planned.

The work will still be there tomorrow.

The most important thing right now is you.

Cockburn’s pride in its students S

tudents from Cockburn School and Cockburn John Charles Academy have been working hard on their home learning.

The dedicated staff at both schools have created a range of home learning resources for students. For families with limited ICT access or access to devices, staff have provided a range of printed learning activities including worksheets, drawing and reading tasks. Families with ICT access have had these activities available online as well as subject specific online learning sites.

Students have received weekly emails about their learning and phone calls home. The Cockburn School and Cockburn John Charles Academy social media streams have shared and celebrated student work and have kept the community informed with all of the latest information. You can follow on social media: Cockburn School: Facebook and Twitter - @cockburnschool Cockburn John Charles Academy: Facebook @cockburnjohncharlesacademy / Twitter - @CockburnJCA To coincide with VE Day, both

schools released videos to students with a simple message “We Miss You…” featuring video footage of the currently empty buildings alongside video and images of the students being in school.

The films were made to reassure students that the staff would be ready for their return and to stay positive. The films received more nearly 2,500 views and can be found via the social media streams.

Students have been encouraged to keep active with a range of fitness challenges and video clips available. There has also been a focus on being creative. Students have been challenged to send in their art, dance, photography and drama work.

There was a competition to design the front cover of the new student planner for the new academic year. Online art galleries demonstrate an exciting range of artwork from students of all ages.

Below is one example of artwork created by CJCA and Cockburn School students in the style of UK artist Supermundane that shares such an important message.

Lockdown Challenge launches M

ay saw the start of the Lockdown Challenge for 700 families across South Leeds.

They will be taking a series of daily challenges on wideranging themes including exercise, gardening, craft, cooking, creative writing, art, and yoga relaxation.

The Challenge aims to break the monotony of the ongoing Coronavirus lockdown, spark creativity, reduce stress, and promote wellbeing in the local community.

Families will each receive free ‘Challenge Packs’,

containing all the necessary resources and materials, and basic arts and craft materials.

The first pack featured: a sunflower growing competition; cooking and baking activities; making a sundial and a rain gauge; inspiration for mindful relaxation; instructions for daily sport challenges; and much more!

Bodies including the Mental Health Foundation have warned about the long-term risk to mental health that the coronavirus lockdown poses – with low-income communities like Holbeck and Beeston Hill

Lockdown Challenge packs ready to be delivered

most vulnerable to the multiple heightened social and economic challenges.

But the Challenge also exemplifies the spirit of cooperation that has swept the country. Mobilised by Leeds Citizens, staff and volunteers from a wide range of organisations have pulled together and contributed – with their time, ideas, volunteers, venues and resources.

The partnership includes: Reestablish youth group; Life Experience; St Luke’s Church; Beeston Festival; Ingram Road Primary School; Jamyang Buddhist Centre; Slung Low; Beeston in Bloom; LS11 Mutual Aid group; Space Youth Group; the Salvation Army; Kidz Klub; St Mary’s Church; and Involve Hunslet.

Emily Duff, a primary school teacher who is volunteering with the project, said: “This project has done more than anything else to show just how many people and groups there are who love this community – more and more came out of the woodwork!

“Being part of this project has allowed me to try things I’ve never done before, and it was really great to feel like my contribution was appreciated and useful even when I was doing everything on my own at home. I hope the families who use the packs also feel like they are appreciated as part of the community, even if they never meet the people behind the scenes!”

Claire Whitely, manager of the Involve Centre in Hunslet and project partner commented: “We have increasing concerns for some of our service users, who are lonely, anxious, feel forgotten, or have real fear about the impact of the virus. Our response needs to be holistic to care for everyone in our community – we are all interdependent and our care needs to be for hearts and

minds as well as bodies.”

The Lockdown Challenge packs so far have been made possible by generous support from: a private funder, South Leeds Community Projects, Morrisons, Paul Kirk Design, and individual donations.

Leeds Citizens is fundraising to support the Lockdown Challenge so families can continue to receive Challenge packs whilst children are at home: please search for Leeds Lockdown Challenge at www.justgiving.com to donate.

www.southleedslife.com

South Leeds Life | June 2020

16 Comment

In our view The ‘new normal’ mustn’t be the old normal

Like many parts of the world, South Leeds has responded to the Coronavirus crisis with a mixture of determination, sacrifice and solidarity. Residents have been hit by the virus and by the economic downturn.

The crisis has put many issues into stark relief. Do we want to go back to roads that are so busy that we can’t hear the birdsong? Who are the really vital workers in our society and how should we reward them?

Changes are having to be put in place now because we will have to live with this virus for months or years. Whether that’s wider pavements and cycle paths to maintain ‘social distancing’ and encourage people away from cars and public transport, or closing streets near schools; or more simple things such as looking out for your neighbour and meeting online instead of travelling.

All of these things could be continued after the virus, but the danger is that we will go back to the old ways of working (that didn’t work and ended in gridlock).

And who will pay for the debt that the country has racked up as a result of the virus?

As Tina Turnbull argues on page 18 “Another round of austerity would be a betrayal.�

We have shown that another world is possible: where thousands of people volunteer their time; where we ask what do you need, rather than how much can you afford?

As a country we need to make some economic changes. As Hilary Benn MP suggests on page 17, turning to green industries could be a massive help to economic and environmental recovery.

In 2008 we all paid for the bankers’ crisis, let’s see if we can’t do things differently this time.

Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife

Your letters and comments Pedestrian crossings

The crossing on Belle Isle Road at East and West Grange Drive definitely needs traffic lights. It’s a very busy junction.

Lifting the ramps up won’t stop those fighting to get onto Belle Isle Road.

There will be more fatalities until this is changed to lights. This is one improvement that needs doing to save lives.

Jason Robinson What a waste of time doing that on Belle Isle Road, it needs traffic lights on there.

It’s a scary junction to cross in a car and people would be more aware if there was lights there for pedestrians as well.

Making bumps higher would not bother the idiots and it would be a hazard for emergency services.

Michelle Sharp

Does this junction on Belle Isle Road need traffic lights? Photo: Google Streetview

When will they learn? The idiots speeding don’t care about the speed bumps - it’s exciting. All they do is damage people’s cars who are driving responsibly. I drive a small car and have to drive at ten mph over them.

It’s a stupid waste of money. Do the other things and use the speed bump tarmac to fill a few potholes.

Linda Meikle

changes to this and that but where is the money to come from to pay for the alterations. Due to Covid-19 the council has even less money than it usually has, the country is facing an enormous bill to pay for the pandemic. Tax of all sorts is bound to be steeply increased to try and pay this bill, so I ask again where is the money for this scheme going to come from?

Stuart Turnbull

60s they were capped off with concrete.

Steve Rushworth

Cycle and walking routes

The M621 bridge

It was lovely to see the Sheaf Street Cafeteria in the May issue. It brought back great memories. I served my engineering apprenticeship there 1963-69 when it was Edmund Bush & Sons Printers Engineers.

Happy days.

David Sharples

I totally agree that the bridge at Skelton Grange Road needs addressing, I struggle with getting my electric bike up and down these steps.

Lisa Torrance It is absolutely needed, it is always a bind and very difficult to carry bikes up/down the steps. As more and more people are being encouraged to cycle both for fitness and travelling too and from work this makes it even more important. It definitely gets my vote to complete.

Margaret Reid I would love this. I had to turn back the other week with one son in a pram and one on a bike!

Stephanie It is all very well suggesting making

We lived in Belle Isle before the motorway arrived. Mam used to walk her dog over the field towards the jaw bones.

As the M621 was progressing, mam could see there was no footbridge and mam was the sort who 'knew her rights' so she contacted the contracters who sent an architect to our house. He confessed that if no- one had objected they wouldn't have put a bridge even though it was a Public Right of Way. Coming up against a formidable opponent in the form of my mam, the company conceded defeat and drew up the plans for the lovely arched bridge from which the photo by David Spencer was taken. Whenever we travelled under it when our own kids were little we would shout out 'Grandma's bridge!' Her name was Edith Barber so we can all thank her for Grandma's bridge.

Pat Benatmane

Your Leeds City Councillors Beeston & Holbeck ward Includes Beeston from Cross Flatts Park to the Ring Road, Cottingley and Holbeck.

The three councillors are:

Gohar Almass 07445 878 333 gohar.almass@leeds.gov.uk Angela Gabriel 07946 632 468 angela.gabriel@leeds.gov.uk Andrew Scopes 07860 400 645 andrew.scopes@leeds.gov.uk

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

Mohammed Iqbal 0113 226 8796 mohammed.iqbal@leeds.gov.uk Elizabeth Nash 0113 275 8594 elizabeth.nash@leeds.gov.uk Paul Wray 07528 512 649 paul.wray@leeds.gov.uk

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

Judith Blake Kim Groves Paul Truswell

0113 378 9000 judith.blake@leeds.gov.uk 07891 741 832 kim.groves@leeds.gov.uk 0113 378 8811 paul.truswell@leeds.gov.uk

Beeston’s coal mines As children in the early 1960s we dropped stones down Hall Pit near the Heath estate, at that time the pit hill existed. Railway sleepers covered the pit shaft, however the gaps were wide enough to drop stones through. As I recall it took approximately 10 seconds before the plop of the stone indicated the shaft bottom.

Two shafts existed and in the mid

The gate into Hall Pit was in the bottom of our garden in Heath Rise when we moved in 1940. There was a tall chimney and the pit head was boarded off. We played on the pit heap although we were warned not to go there.

Peter Spawforth

Memories of Sheaf Street

Facebook: facebook.com/southleedslife

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

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

Here are some of our favourite recent tweets: @leedslibraries Book a one to one digital support session to assist you with using your device, access our resources or find information online. Contact Library Enquiries on 0113 3785005 or libraryenquiries@leeds.gov.uk & we will find you a lovely librarian to help! #AskALibrarian #DigiDropIn @SlungLow RHUBARB! Monday means a delivery from those gorgeous green-fingered Beestonians at Old Lane allotment đ&#x;Ľł Fresh produce always cheers up a food parcel â?¤ #LS11 #community

#SaveIndependentNews I particularly value South Leeds Life for its daily reporting on local events, issues of concern, and general pulling-together of a wide community. How else would we know what’s going on in our area? I hope you are long able to keep up the good work.

Vivienne Bate

Systime I remember going to their fantastic building. All glass fronted, Systime name woven into the carpet.

The staff canteen had shops including video hire. The top guy had a helicopter pad on site.

John Lewis Jones

@HealthforAllLds Thank you! Lychee Red volunteer Bill for going an extra mile to help older people stay home safe đ&#x;‘?đ&#x;‘? @HealthforAllLds staff & #volunteers in frontline helping people daily and weekly ! #StaySafe

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

Keep up to date with planning issues in LS10 and LS11 We publish a weekly list of all new planning applications online at:

www.southleedslife.com

@finallylou My first letter from the #lettersnotloneliness project has arrived! @YourSpaceLeeds I’m so excited! My pen pal has used pretty stationery and I can’t wait to find out who has written to me đ&#x;¤Š It’s so nice to get a letter that’s not a bill! â?¤ @VolActionLeeds Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to be part of our Community Care Volunteering Programme.

1000s of people have been deployed to community hubs and are already making a difference to the lives of so many across the city.

Thank you #TogetherLeeds

www.southleedslife.com

Website: www.southleedslife.com

Comment 17

Email: info@southleedslife.com

MP’s notebook L

by Hilary Benn MP

ooking at my diary at the start of each day has presented a whole new world since lockdown began.

Where once there were meetings that involved travel, near or far, and papers I had to remember to take with me, now there are Zoom, Skype, Teams and Webex video meetings. I dutifully log on, assuming I can find the right link, and there are the other participants framed against various kitchens, bedrooms, bookcases and virtual backgrounds. One scientist chose the surface of Mars for his.

I’ve got used to raising my hand icon to make a comment, but remembering to unmute

June 2020 | South Leeds Life

can be a bit hit and miss. I’ve asked virtual questions in the House of Commons, I’ve chaired virtual select committee meetings, and for the past two weeks all MPs have been voting electronically.

I thought it worked pretty well.

But for all the benefits of this technology, nothing can replace meeting friends and family. And so, as summer beckons, I’m going to miss greatly the Hunslet and Holbeck Galas, the Beeston Festival and the Belle Isle Community Gala. Here’s to next year.

We’ve all been getting used to doing things differently, and as I write, we are waiting to see what parts of the lockdown will ease. Given that we are going to have to live with this virus for

quite some time to come, it’s going to be a really difficult balancing act between enabling those parts of the economy that have been forced to shut down to start functioning again while ensuring that we don’t allow the virus to spread and cause a second spike.

And it’s perfectly understandable that, having been told for two months to stay at home to save lives, people are somewhat reluctant to come out again without being reassured that workplaces, public transport and shops are safe.

This is exactly the debate that has been occupying school staff, headteachers and parents in South Leeds. I have

responded to all those who have contacted me to say that I think a decision should be based on certain conditions to ensure safety being met rather than on an arbitrary date. After all, putting in place an effective test, track, trace and isolate system will be vital in trying to keep the epidemic under control and in building public confidence.

Our thoughts are also turning to the longer term. How are we meant to get to work if capacity on public transport is significantly reduced? How will pubs, cafés, restaurants and tourism manage to be viable with social distancing?

How can we avoid a sharp rise in unemployment if some firms go bust? Do we really want to go back to high levels of air pollution and CO2 emissions?

Here are some things that should guide us in working out

Hilary Benn MP

what to do. No-one should be left behind. Local community organisations, which have been doing such an extraordinary job during this crisis, need financial support. Now is the time to do something about the Hilary Benn is our Member of Parliament. He represents the Leeds Central constituency which covers Hunslet, insecurity and inequality that Middleton, Belle Isle, Beeston, Holbeck, Cottingley in south Leeds as well as the city centre, Hyde Park, affects far too Woodhouse, Little London, Lincoln Green, Burmantofts, Richmond Hill and Osmondthorpe. many people’s lives. Why not Contact: bennh@parliament.uk, www.hilarybennmp.com make more of Constituency office: Suite 7, Unity Business Centre, 26 Roundhay Road, Leeds LS7 1AB; phone: 0113 244 1097 the things we

need here in the UK? And let’s undertake a huge programme of public investment to support the big changes we know we need to make; for example, now is the time to crack on with decarbonising the economy and the way in which we travel and heat our homes. A huge number of jobs could be created in the process.

We may now be living in a world that is betwixt and between the old and the new, but the future is ours to make.

Shadow Minister supports #SaveIndependentNews campaign L

by Chris Mattheson MP

ife was tough enough for local newspapers before the coronavirus outbreak.

But it is precisely crises like this that show the need to maintain a robust, diverse media that can hold authority to account and provide a lifeline public service to our communities.

Print titles were already in decline as

Chris Mattheson MP

more advertising – a source of vital revenue – is going online to be hoovered up by the tech giants.

The news you read still has to be gathered and reported. But the dominance of platforms like Google and Facebook allows them to generate immense profits by taking these stories and repackaging them, limiting the power of low-paid local journalists over their own content.

The big companies benefit, as they always seem to, but the rest of us suffer.

There are good and obvious reasons why local papers and radio are more trusted by the public than the nationals and social media companies such as Facebook.

But so many of our locals have gone to the wall in the past decade that now more than half of all parliamentary constituencies are without a dedicated daily local paper, according

to the National Union of Journalists.

When the coronavirus struck, spending by companies on advertising plunged through the floor and now more papers face collapse.

Labour called for the Government to step in and bolster the industry by using its own advertising budget to provide public health information and advice. So, we welcomed the news that a deal had been reached for the Government to spend up to £35 million for newspaper wraparound advertisements.

This is good news for the national, regional and local titles who stand to benefit. But we need to guard against it becoming a favoured relationship between the Government and the big media groups, rather than supporting journalism across the board. While the wealthiest and most profitable publishers benefit from this scheme, independent titles argue they have

been excluded – and it is many of these who are saying they may only survive another few weeks of the crisis.

As well proving a service to the public, independent papers such as this one you’re reading also provide a feeder service of news to the rest of the industry. It is in everyone’s interests to support them, particularly now when trusted and localised news is a matter of public health – whether it is local councils co-ordinating support for vulnerable people, or healthcare professionals updating us on what is happening in our hospitals and care homes.

Surveys have shown that 75% of independent newspaper titles fear closure due to the impact of coronavirus. 95% of independent titles report that the Government has done nothing to help the independent sector.

We need to develop a fair system of support for local newsgathering – one that is equitable across the industry and addresses the freeloading of the online giants.

But for that to happen, there has to be a local news infrastructure left when we emerge from this crisis. The Government needs to explain how and why the first tranche of this money was allocated, and how it plans to support independent titles, to keep them rooted in and serving their communities.

The public’s response to the coronavirus has demonstrated the very best values of solidarity and compassion. Labour will continue to push the Government to respond in the same spirit, and a bailout just for the big boys cannot be justified.

Chris Matheson is MP for City of Chester and Shadow Minister for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

www.southleedslife.com

South Leeds Life | June 2020

18 Comment

Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife

After the clapping I

by Tina Turnbull

haven’t been ‘clapping for our carers’ on a Thursday evening, there I said it.

Not because I don’t care but because I do, too much, the clapping is just too easy and there is too much that needs doing.

Social Care gets a mixture of being told its really expensive (largely because of care home fees) but it’s so much less expensive than health care. It finds it both difficult to carry on and make ends meet and can’t afford to give staff the terms and conditions of employment they deserve.

On one hand we are told what we do is ‘low skilled’ on the other hand to meet the breadth of people’s needs the training is frequent and many hold qualifications up to and including degree level. The values of staff like integrity, respect for others, compassion, collaboration and much more are vital.

Now the lockdown is starting to ease it’s time to say we badly need things to change, another round of austerity and cuts would be a betrayal. This needs to be a national change, if one thing has been clear it’s that the council have been really supportive across the crisis but their hands are tied.

Along with our voluntary board of trustees I lead a social care charity based in South Leeds and we have been out supporting people remotely, in the community and in their homes where really needed across the lockdown.

Although we are small and local we still deliver a good many thousands of hours of care for people each year, largely funded by the council.

As a charity no one takes ‘a profit’ out of the organisation.

The last two months have been tough with our 50 staff working incredibly hard and facing

difficult choices. We have been fortunate, no one has had serious and confirmed virus symptoms.

To make this happen though we have worked so hard sourcing increasingly expensive PPE and changing what we do to keep the members of our organisation as safe as we possibly can.

Another round of austerity and cuts would be a betrayal We also know there are lots of other social care organisations big and small in Leeds. That means well over 50,000 people working in care, so thousands and thousands of south Leeds residents doing what we do and more.

For some staff this has been including facing delivering close up personal care to those with coronavirus, just like those in the NHS. They have been going out each day to support the elderly or those with disabilities or struggling with their mental health.

Whether working in a care home or providing domiciliary care in people’s own homes staff, together with their managers, have been and still are working to do their best, sometimes being faced with

action P

New group says: “People Before Profit”

difficult situations and choices.

From difficulties with obtaining PPE to choosing how to best deliver care to avoid infection between different people. From supporting families facing bereavement to facing the risk of becoming infected themselves. So much has been done and faced.

So what are the changes social care staff in south Leeds and beyond need after all the clapping?

Yes all the PPE they need. Of course access to frequent tests is vital so they know they, their families, colleagues and the people they support are safe too. But the long term problems need facing up to as well.

Employers need to be able to be good employers, to recruit and keep the staff we all need them to have, and they just can’t afford to be. I know this from too much time staring at spreadsheets trying to get them to work in a social care charity where not for profit is a

Paying tribute

way of life.

From paying the full living wage not just the national living wage to offering salaries not zero hour contracts. If staff get sick, especially with the virus, it can’t be right to just pay SSP when thousands are on furlough on 80% of their wages and staff in the NHS can have months on full pay when ill. Not that these should be cut!

Then under employment where work is less than 30 hours per week can be a problem for employers and staff to deal with due to varying client demand and low margins in organisations. This causes staff to have multiple jobs and therefore increasing the risk of virus transfer. As a charity we manage to do what we can for a few of these but nowhere nearly all.

Now the newly growing concern of the moment in social care is the renewed talk of austerity and public sector pay freezes. It’s time to ask who are we as a nation and of course, as a city too. Otherwise we are looking at maybe it’s time to update Kipling’s poem ‘Tommy’ yet again for social care in our times instead of war in the past.

That is unless the weekly clapping doesn’t really mean anything that is.

Tina Turnbull is Chief Executive of People Mattersand also holds a voluntary role as an Inclusive Growth Ambassador for Leeds City Council.

Tommy

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all: We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.

Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an` Chuck him out, the brute! " But it's " Saviour of 'is country " when the guns begin to shoot; An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please; An 'Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!

eople Before Profit is the call of the newly formed Leeds Covid-19 Action Group.

The group brings together workers, community groups and activists from across the city. The group meets online on Monday evenings and is open to everyone.

In April the group organised protests to remember the key workers who have died from Covid19 and call for proper protection as part of Workers Memorial Day. Jane Aitchison, President of Leeds Trade Union Council and Cochair of the Leeds Covid-19 Action Group represented workers across the city in laying a wreath at the Workers’ Memorial Stone in

Facebook: facebook.com/southleedslife

Rudyard Kipling Victoria Gardens, outside the Central Library and Art Gallery on the Headrow.

The group are now lobbying schools not to reopen until it is safe. They are backing the National Education Union’s ‘Five Tests’: 1 Much lower numbers of Covid19 cases 2 A national plan for social distancing 3 Testing, testing, testing!

4 Whole school strategy 5 Protection for the vulnerable You can find out more about the group and join their activities by search Facebook for People Before Profit: Leeds COVID 19 Action Group

s I looked out of my window the other day, a bright hot sunny day, I saw family groups and individuals dressed in their best.

The young men suited and booted and the young women uncomfortable in their heels.

But, this was no ‘get together’ of people disobeying social distancing rules.

such a brief glimpse of a life once lived.

I cried that day, and will cry many more times I am sure as these processions continue, until some sense of ‘normality’ is restored. But the fact that people turn out to pay tribute, to give some small comfort to the families and of those now gone, in the only way that they can, is a credit to our community.

No, they were paying to tribute to one of our own who had sadly passed away. In these extraordinary times, we no longer have traditional funerals followed by a wake.

Instead, people are notified of a route which the hearse will follow, for some, round Belle Isle Circus, up Belle Isle road and of course past Belle Isle WMC and numerous other routes determined by the families of those who have passed.

But, whatever route the funeral procession takes, people turn out dressed in their best, despite having nowhere to go afterwards, they can’t get together to celebrate a life well lived.

So instead they pay tribute in the only way that they can. And in true working class tradition, they dress for the occasion, a sign of respect. As I watched those young people in all their finery, uncomfortable on a hot sunny day, waiting for the hearse to pass, I knew the effort that they had made for

We can no longer fill church halls, no longer go to the funeral service, have a drink afterwards. Celebrate a life once lived, tell stories to each other about the person who has passed. No longer hug families, to offer brief comfort.

That most human of desires, social contact.

So instead we line the streets and send out a virtual hug, acknowledge that we knew the person and that we care about those left behind. We do this in the hope that those who have lost family members, for whatever reason, during this awful time, will take some comfort in knowing that we care.

When this crisis is over, as it surely must be one day, we need to look back and not focus on those who broke the rules, had parties in their gardens and friends round for tea. We need to focus on what is truly good about our estate, because at the heart of our community, there is surely more good than bad.

A

by Catherine Gill

Protesters on Workers Memorial Day

www.southleedslife.com

Website: www.southleedslife.com

June 2020 | South Leeds Life

South Leeds Life 19

Email: info@southleedslife.com

Join the Board at South Leeds Life

S

outh Leeds Life CIC is run by a Board of Directors.

They bring a variety of skills, passions and knowledge to the table, but we are always looking for new members.

The Board meets monthly, currently online, to review the editorial output, both in print and online. They oversee the finances to ensure that South Leeds Life can keep publishing and support volunteers.

If you would like to join the Board please send a 200 word application setting out what skills, knowledge and experience you would bring and details of what you would change to improve South Leeds Life. Email your application to info@southleedslife.com.

Christine Smart (Chair) Born in Leeds, Christine lives in Cottingley Hall. She started volunteering in the area after being hit by disability in her early 20s. She is now proud to be Community Development Manager for Cottingley Community Project (Centre).

I joined the board as I'm interested in how South Leeds is viewed. We have our fair share of issues, but the good is able to show through with this paper and it represents the true spirit we have as a community.

Meet the Board

Bruce Davies (Secretary) Bruce Davies, originally from the Wirral, has lived with his family in South Leeds since 2000. He is an artist and writer, and is the curator of

Originally from Sheffield, he has live in Leeds since the 1990s. He co-runs Leeds-wide charity Together for Peace. As well as South Leeds Life, he's also involved in the Space youth programme, Beeston Festival, Repair Cafe, and Holbeck Viaduct. A community campaigner, he is a political candidate with the Green Party in south/central Leeds.

Pat Pat Jackson (President) A retired postie, Pat lives in Hunslet and is active with the Hunslet Tenants and Residents Association. She also sits on the Board of Voluntary Action Leeds and is an active member of the Labour Party.

Ed Carlisle Ed lives in Beeston Hill with his wife Tania, and 2 small kids.

Rocio

Bruce

Christine

BasementArtsProject, a project and exhibition space that is also the house in which he lives. Having run a number of projects over the years that have involved members of the local community in making artworks he has, since 2014, been a member of the South Leeds Life Committee.

Rocio Torres (Treasurer) Rocio has lived in Leeds since 2001. Originally from Ecuador, she lives in Middleton with her husband and two children. She works as a finance worker at SLATE. She is a foundation governor at St Phillip's primary school and is also involved in her local church. Rocio has looked after the South Leeds Life finances since 2014.

Wayne

outh Leeds Life is committed to bringing local news to the people of South Leeds written by local people who know the area.

We know times are tough and not everyone can afford to pay for their news, so the website and the newspaper will both remain free.

Forever.

However, producing the news does

Gold sponsors:

Silver sponsors:

Bronze sponsors:

cost money. We work hard to keep our costs to a minumum. There are no fancy offices or expense accounts and most of our writers are volunteers. We do need to pay our editor to hold things together and we have print costs, of course.

We don’t want to be in hock to one big funder, whether that be a grant provider, the council, or a private

Ed

company. We don’t want to feel we are under any editorial pressure, real or subconscious.

We value our independence and feel we can best protect that by spreading the number of funders as wide as possible. That way if one funder or subscriber takes umbrage at our coverage of a story and withraws their support it won’t cripple us.

Standard sponsors:

Lauran Warren Lauran has lived in various corners of Leeds before moving to Beeston 13 years ago. She lives with her husband and two young daughters, and a large number of animals. She loves the sense of community and multi-cultural identity of Beeston and tries to be as active within the community as possible. She adores her voluntary position working in the Salvation Army Charity Shop, and also enjoys getting out into nature, reading and cooking.

Wayne Dixon Wayne has lived his whole life in south Leeds. Active in the local community as a Youth Worker, Connexions Worker and Employment Support Worker for over 14 years, he started volunteering from the age of 16. He is a Trustee of Middleton Elderly Aid, a school governor at Middleton St Mary’s, and a board member of Middleton Community Group,

A big thank you to our supporters for keeping the news independent S

Belle Isle Community Action Group and South Leeds Life. In 2004 he founded Middleton Park Football Club, which now sees 200 people playing each week. He has contested local elections for the SDP.

We sell advertising and can sometimes access small grants, but the bedrock of our finances are organisations and individuals from our community.

We trust ourselves to you, the South Leeds community.

If you are involved in an organisation or company that would like to become a sponsor please speak to us. We offer a range of sponsorship packages that include advertising and editorial options and suit every budget.

We should give a special mention to

Asha Neighbourhood Project • BasementArtsProject • Beeston Festival • Beeston In Bloom • Beeston Community Forum • Beeston Hill United Free Church • Ciaran Bingham Foundation Trust • Cockburn John Charles Academy • Cockburn School • Cottingley Primary Academy • Friends of Cross Flatts Park • Friends of Middleton Park • Health For All • Holbeck Together • Hunslet Carr Residents Association • Jamyang Buddhist Centre • Kyle Asquith Foundation • Leeds Wood Recycling • Middleton Railway • Sharp Lane Community Centre • St Luke’s CARES • The Tech Ladder • The Tetley

Lauran

two gold sponsors who are not on the list below. Both The Hunslet Club and Slimming World have had to suspend their sponsorship as their income has dried up due to Coronavirus. They have been great supporters of South Leeds Life and we hope to welcome them back when finances allow.

We are also asking readers to consider joining the pound-a-week subscription scheme. For a £4 per month you will be credited on the website and have our newspaper delivered to your door.

Please sign up online here: steadyhq.com/en/southleedslife Thank you!

Pound-a-week subscribers: Peter Barber Vivienne Bate Karen Beckford Pat Benatmane Hilary Benn Amanda Binns Elaine Bower Asa Britton Andy Brown AD Brown David Bushell Ed Carlisle SJ Carlisle Barbara Cavell Alex Coleman Rachel Cunningham Rachel Darton Bruce & Debs Davies Mark Day Clara de Diane

Audrey Dickinson C Fletcher Cath Formby Angela Gabriel Al Garthwaite Julie Gill Pip Goff Keith Hitchiner Lynda Holliday Becky Howcroft Ken Ingram Pat Jackson Frances Jones Rosalinda Kincaid Toby Lloyd Imran Marashli Alys Marsh Kat Middleton Hazel Millichamp Adam Ogilvie

Mark Parry Lindsey Pearson Ian Pickup Andrew Price Abbie Randall Ruth Saxton Andrew Scopes Alan Shaw Bob Shaw Scott Smith Mary Spencer Linda Stanley Steve Thompson Sarah Thornton Rebecca Townesend Lauran Warren Andrew Wilson Peter Wood Paul Wray

www.southleedslife.com

South Leeds Life | June 2020

20 Local history

Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife

Memories of Cross Flatts Park Taking exercise during the lockdown has made many of us appreciate our parks more. Cross Flatts Park in Beeston lies at the very heart of the community is enjoyed especially by those who haven’t got gardens of their own. We asked a long time Beeston resident for her memories of the park ...

C

Facebook: facebook.com/southleedslife

Celebrating a hero on VE Day

by Vivienne Bate

ross Flatts Park was acquired by the Council for the bargain price of £12,000 with a Grand Opening in July 1891.

There’s some fascinating information produced by Leeds University researchers on the website futureofparks .leeds.ac.uk Although I was born in Middleton and only came to live in Beeston in 1940, my parents and maternal grandparents were all Beeston people. My parents were born in 1895 and I’ve no doubt that they were wheeled in their prams in the newly opened park.

Father was from a family of 10, and mother had 4 siblings – all of them played, and later courted in the park, and eventually so did many of their offspring – me included.

I remember winters, sledging with my sister down the slope beside the steps near the Wooler Avenue gate. Those steps were in good repair then, of course, and in summer there were flower filled urns at the ends. Where they fork into a Y shape, there was a curved stone seat.

There was an aviary, near where the Park Depot is now.

Also some toilets, but alas they attracted perverts and I recall, as a 9 or 10-year old, my heart pounding as a man followed me in one day. Luckily I came to no harm. There was a Gents at the Dewsbury Road end too.

Both facilities were demolished in the end, mainly due to misuse.

During the War England’s beaches were fortified, so we could no longer have seaside holidays. “Holidays At Home” was the slogan, and Leeds City Council introduced attractions in parks. Most summer weekends there would be a concert of some kind on the bandstand. In my memory

Cross Flatts Park today. Photo: Helen

The shelter in Cross Flatts Park in 1916 ©Artforms via leodis.net (which I admit might be faulty) the bandstand was a little bit to the north of where the Watsonia stands now. There was a kiosk where you could get deckchairs, and the concerts were well attended.

The acts were mostly local people, musicians, comedians, dancing troupes and singers.

My sister was 8 years older than me, so was of an age to go dancing at the Big Top. This was a large marquee set up on the tennis courts parallel to the path from Maud Avenue to Wooler Avenue. Dancing was to live bands, with records in the interval, and of course was very popular. Pat was an attractive girl and acquired numerous boyfriends there.

She was called up for National Service in 1943 and left home but she still went to the Big Top when she came home on leave.

In later years, when I was old enough to have boyfriends of my own, good use was made of the bench on the veranda of the Bowling Pavilion after dark!

We never feared going into the Park at night, and although the pavilion itself was locked up, the bowling greens (3 of them) didn’t need to be.

When did people become so disrespectful of public property? As youngsters we were fearful of the Park Ranger, uniformed and wearing a peaked cap; if he saw us walking on the grass he would

wave his stick and shout “Get off that grass”, and we would run away as if we’d done something really wicked. Of course that regime was somewhat draconian; after all, grass is for playing on isn’t it!

I believe (again I could be wrong) it was during the war years that the railings round the park were taken away. I do know that we all had to sacrifice the cast iron railings round our gardens “for the war effort”, but I don’t think the tons and tons of metal harvested throughout the country were ever put to good use. Whatever, the lack of boundary railings eventually led to cars frequently being driven into the park and set alight, and by the late 1990’s our lovely park was in a sad and sorry state.

Fast forward to the 21st Century, when I became a member of two voluntary groups, Beeston in Bloom, and later Friends of Cross Flatts Park. Twenty years on, I look back with some pride on the improvements our efforts have achieved. Boundary railings, an exercise trail, the Millennium Garden, Bands in the Park, Annual Dog Show, improvements to the Watsonia Pavilion, Community Orchard.

Beeston Festival, Park Run, Lantern Festival – all set up and maintained by other groups of dedicated volunteers – and probably loads of other things I don’t even know about.

Of course, without our wonderful Parks and Countryside management and staff (now much reduced following years of budget cuts, and more recently due to Covid 19) we wouldn’t have a park to volunteer in. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them publicly for their co-operation, and their hard work resulting in a park for everyone to enjoy.

Sam Ely from Middleton Elderly Aid presents Bernard Richardson with his hero balloon

B

by Jeremy Morton

ernard Richardson celebrated the VE Day bank holiday on 8 May with fish and chips, a treat he hadn’t had for weeks due to the current lockdown.

Sam Ely from Middleton Elderly Aid delivered a personalised balloon donated

by Sense of Occasion party shop in Beeston, together with a generous slice of carrot cake.

75 years ago Bernard was partying on the streets of London with his comrades.

“Don’t ask me about the day after VE Day, I don’t remember

it!” he said. “My unit was stationed in High Wycombe just north of London and we decided to go into London and see what was happening.”

Bernard joined up at the start of the war in 1939. When he was told he couldn’t join the RAF, he settled for the Royal Artillery and soon headed for France.

“We dug in, digging trenches as if it was 1918 again, but it didn’t turn out like that.”

In May 1940 Bernard was part of the rearguard that defended the men on the beaches at Dunkirk. As the German army swept across

France.

His actions saved many lives.

He also saw action at La Pallice and Saint Nazaire as more allied soldiers were evacuated through the ports of Brittany in the following weeks.

In 2016 Bernard was awarded France’s highest honour the Legion d’Honneur, at a ceremony at the Yorkshire Air Museum.

Back in Britain he was married in 1941. After the war Bernard worked in the NHS from its creation in 1948 – a hero twice over. He will celebrate his 102nd birthday in October.

South Leeds’ Systime computer amongst online exhibits I t might not the most attractive piece of hardware for the modern home office.

But the retro Leeds-made Systime computer is still a captivating keystroke in the history of British technology.

The nostalgic number-cruncher is among the exhibits featuring in Leeds to Innovation, a newlyonline exhibition exploring some of Leeds’s most impressive inventions. It was also one of the key components in the little-known rise and fall of a global tech giant.

From humble beginnings in a derelict factory in Leeds in 1973, Systime grew to become a major manufacturer and by the early 80s, it was the second largest computing firm in the UK. With an annual turnover of more than £400m, the firm employed more than 1,300 people at their futuristic Leeds headquarters, which was opened by HRH the Princess Royal in 1983 and today is the site of the White Rose Office Park in south Leeds.

The company produced IT solutions for huge names including British Rail, Marks and Spencer

and the NHS and even sponsored Leeds United in the 1983/84 season.

However, series of supply disputes with American rivals and a number of management buy-outs followed and Systime was no more, with a number of companies rising from its ashes including Burley-based Visionware.

Leeds to Innovation is now available to visit online at: museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/ virtual-visit/leeds-to-innovation-online-exhibition

www.southleedslife.com

Website: www.southleedslife.com

Local History 21

Email: info@southleedslife.com

Don’t forget the Matthew Murray High School family I

by Paul Hindmarch

recently managed to start a Facebook account. Like so many others who are isolating during these difficult times of the Coronavirus, and only leaving home if it is absolutely necessary, it has been a welcome addition to enable me to communicate with others.

While on Facebook, I found a ‘Group Page’ for my old high school, Matthew Murray, which was open from 1961 – 2004. The group page is called ‘The Matthew Murray Appreciation Society’ and has recently passed the 1,000 members mark. There are also other Matthew Murray Facebook pages that have over 1,000 members.

School wasn’t a pleasant time for me, but on this group page I started communicating with people who attended at the same time as I did.

These were people that I would have liked to have talked to at school, but never did (I even started talking to people I didn’t know). You see, even though each pupil at Matthew Murray might not have spoken to every other pupil, we were still like one big family (Warts and all). Even if we attended school in different decades, we shared similar experience and the school itself.

It has been a pleasant time for me talking to people from my childhood,

Matthew Murray High School, Holbeck and laughing at things that we remember. There have been losses as you would expect, and we are paying our respects to those that have passed away also. In many respects we’re perhaps getting some closure, and reacquainting ourselves with each other.

But, although I had a difficult time at school, I do not want the name of Matthew Murray High School to be forgotten. If we forget the school, we forget those that attended there (whether their time at school was good or not so good).

Will the old Matthew Murray High School site be for housing, or for Leeds

United’s new training ground? I don’t know. I would hope that whoever builds on this site takes some time to set up a welcome reminder that the school once stood there.

That thousands of children began to shape their lives there and many others, who attend there, passed before their time. Perhaps a road name, a plaque, a bench or a building name could sport the name of Matthew Murray High School, or, and its emblem, in memory of the thousands of members of the Matthew Murray High School family – Pupils, teachers and all.

other interest was that of being a 2nd Lieutenant in the Leeds Rifles. One of urton Lodge was built Macedo's daughters, around 1791 and was a Florinda, married Francis fine Georgian Mansion of Taffe an Irishman and they two story red brick went to live in Ireland. construction.

In 1900 there was a At some point the Lodge Conservatory and a Victorian seems to have been split in extension to the building. In to two houses, this led to a the Conservatory plants change in the name and were in tiers and a vine had also the address from 1861, been trained to grow right it now became Nos.13 and across the roof. The last 15 Brewery Place, Burton known occupants of Burton House.

House before it was In 1861 a Portuguese purchased by Leeds City wine merchant by the name Council in 1919 was a family of Antonio Agostino de reported to be Robert and Macedo was living at No.15 Suzanne Lawson.

Brewery Place, Burton The reason the Council purchased Burton House was to provide an annexe for Hunslet Moor School, later this was to become the Sixth Form of Cockburn School, this School had opened in 1902 as the Southern Higher Grade School and was the last School Burton House in 1950 ©Leeds Library & Information Services via leodis.net Board School to

B

Capture the living history of the pandemic in Leeds P

Burton Lodge - later Burton House

by Kenneth Burton

June 2020 | South Leeds Life

House. On the face of it a Portuguese wine merchant living here seemed an unusual choice, but in the area were numerous malt houses, and this may have some bearing on why this location was chosen.

Antonio had a son, Joachim Antonio Augustinho de Macedo, he was also a wine merchant but, he also had a second interest that of Portuguese Vice-Consul in Leeds. Both the Macedo's were living in Burton House at this time. Joachim had a son, Joaquim Agostino de Macedo, who once again was a wine merchant but his

open, it was renamed in 1904 Cockburn after the former Chairman of the Leeds School Board.

In the 1950s there were temporary buildings to the right of the House, these were the Dining Halls, these were used by Hunslet Moore School and is thought probably by Rowland Road School as well. The School tennis courts as well as the School sports ground along with long jump and high jump facilities were behind the Dining Halls.

In 1986 Cockburn School was closed and moved to Gypsy Lane, Parkside School. It was at this time that Bellway Homes secured an Urban Development Grant of £273,000 for conversion of Burton House into ten flats (1 to 10 Burton House) with plans for a further twenty-eight to be built on the adjoining land, the conversion of the House was completed in October 1986. One of the tenants of a ground floor flat is said to have renovated it back to the original ceilings, the flat being the classroom they had used while at Hunslet Moor School.

eople of all ages across Leeds are being invited to share their experiences of the coronavirus pandemic through an initiative launched by CEG in partnership with Leeds City Council.

Leeds City Council and CEG, which is behind both the major Kirkstall Forge and Temple developments in Leeds, aim to collect reflections and stories from as many people as possible.

Leeds Libraries, Leeds Museums and Galleries and Child Friendly Leeds, all part of Leeds City Council, are supporting the COVID Diaries project which is open to people of all ages and entry formats including written and video diary entries, blogs, social media posts, photos, artwork, poems and songs.

Public submissions will also be collected so Leeds Museums and Galleries can look at how they could be used to help support any future displays and exhibitions exploring people’s experiences of the pandemic.

Councillor Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “There’s no doubt this has been an incredibly challenging time for our city and its communities and we have all had to adapt to so many extraordinary changes to every aspect of our daily lives.

“But even in the face of such upheaval and uncertainty, we have seen some truly remarkable displays of compassion, creativity and civic pride from the people of Leeds. This imaginative project will give us an opportunity to document and share some of those uplifting and emotional stories and create a lasting record of this unique chapter in the city’s history.”

Head of sales and marketing at CEG, Aisling Ramshaw, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic is unprecedented and as a business at the heart of the Leeds community we understand the impact it is having on people in a range of ways, from social distancing and personal wellbeing through to working from home habits, home schooling and, sadly, illness amongst our loved

ones.

“We are also seeing people finding new and innovative ways of communicating and interacting, such as video calls for both work and play, which is both positive and powerful.

It provided the impetus for the idea as documenting live history will be both therapeutic and show how separation and isolation has also been helped by togetherness as communities support one another.

“As a business that is the custodian of two nationally significant historical sites in Leeds, we really value history and believe this project can play an important role in understanding not only how society is living through the pandemic today, but being able to reflect on the impact it has had on people and wider society over the years to come and plan for the future.”

Councillor Fiona Venner, executive board member for children and families at Leeds City Council, added: “Across the city, the lives of children and young people have been dramatically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and they are presently living through the first national shutdown of schools in modern history.

“Children and young people are also incredibly resilient, and we have already seen lots of fantastic examples of positive things they are doing to help them and their families get through the current challenging situation.

“This project offers a way to capture their experience of living through a pandemic and will provide a valuable snapshot of this point in the history of our great city for future generations. I hope that lots of children and young people will share their experiences and be a part of it.”

People who wish to participate can contribute on a one-off basis or regularly. All documents will be stored securely and some maybe shared on social media.

Further information on the project and how to submit entries can be found at www.coviddiaries.co.uk.

www.southleedslife.com

South Leeds Life | June 2020

22 Cultural Life

Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife

Amy’s book offers a hug at bedtime

Children’s author Amy Walker with her book Anchor Moon

B

by Abbie Randall

eeston author Amy Walker has published a children’s book and I spoke to her about it.

Amy is not only an inspiration thanks to her new novel, Anchor Moon, but she is also a hero and inspiration thanks to her community spirit and belief in other people especially today’s youth.

Without giving too much away, Anchor Moon is a book which follows the adventures of Rupel, a very ordinary child set for a special adventure. The book offers a big hug for children to fall asleep with and who doesn’t need one of those in times such as these?

Having grown up in the local community, Amy attended Beeston Primary school, she still holds a strong belief that regardless of your circumstances or origins, everyone is capable of making great things happen.

I spoke to Amy and although our discussion was brief, she radiates fairness, compassion and a genuine love for other people and their abilities.

It is thanks to her own niece and nephew that Amy was inspired to write Anchor Moon and said: “What inspired me to write Anchor Moon, my first children’s story, was watching and listening to my niece and nephew. I am inspired with how

imaginative they are and the funny things they come out with. I thought wow I could come up with more imaginative stories which might open up their minds more and to dream big.”

That’s the funny thing with writing, inspiration can come from the most unexpected of places. When asked what ideas and advice she has for budding authors she said firstly not to give up. It took approaching hundreds of authors for her to receive one acceptance. This sounds tough but is often a reality, especially when it comes to children’s literature.

Amy also added: “To any young writer I would say, never give up. Sometimes you will think ‘my story is rubbish and I can’t think of anything else to write’ but there is no such thing as a rubbish story as it may spark the idea of something better to write. Keep working until you are happy with what you have wrote and always believe in yourself.

“I hope children and adults enjoy story time together reading my book and I hope it brings comfort in these strange times.”

If you’d like to take a look at Amy’s work, and I highly recommend that you do, Anchor Moon is available to buy in paperback or as an ebook from www.austinmacauley .com /book/anchor-moon or other online book sellers.

Facebook: facebook.com/southleedslife

Stay Connected with Red Ladder Theatre R

egular visitors to South Leeds, Red Ladder Theatre Company, is bringing drama directly to audiences in their homes during the coronavirus crisis with new audio drama, Connected.

Connected is produced in partnership with Mantality and stars Leeds Rhino’s captain Stevie Ward alongside co-writer and actor Paul Fox Following the closure of its national tour of Smile Club, Red Ladder Theatre Company is bringing a new drama directly to audiences while theatres remain shut during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Connected is a witty audio play written by Leeds playwright Chris O’Connor and Leeds actor Paul Fox which is released in short episodes via a weekly podcast on Red Ladder’s website and through Mantality.

A multifaceted platform for promoting and supporting men’s mental health, Mantality was founded in 2016 by Leeds Rhinos captain Stevie Ward.

Taking a starring role in the audio play, the professional rugby player performs alongside Leeds actor and cowriter Paul Fox, a plasterer and actor whose roles for Red

Ladder include Promised Land, Rabbitskin, Playing The Joker and The Thing About Psychopaths. They play Paul and Danny, two Leeds lads who meet in the pub every Wednesday for a pint after work. But 2020 is different.

Taking listeners from their carefree days enjoying banter

Ladder’s Artistic director Rod Dixon who has now gone on furlough. It features sound by Dom Smith and music composed by Claire-Marie Seddon.

On this new commission, Red Ladder Artistic Director Rod Dixon says, “In response to the

Connected is a new weekly podcast and a beer after work through to the outbreak of the Coronavirus and beyond, Connected sees the reality of the crisis unfolding through a witty and relevant comic play which examines the effects on two working class Yorkshire blokes as the world around them falls into chaos.

Connected is directed by Red

Coronavirus and with our national tour of Smile Club brought to a close, Red Ladder has commissioned local playwright Chris O’Connor and actor Paul Fox to write a series of short podcast plays.

Connected is being recorded by our creative teams in the isolation of their own homes. In each episode of Connected we

see how the lockdown and social distancing affect two characters – Paul and Danny.

Chris O’Connor and Paul Fox write authentic dialogue which, through witty pub banter, reveals a funny and yet poignant view of the coronavirus pandemic.”

Connected co-writer Chris O’Connor says, “Having written for Red Ladder, as well as co-hosted the Mantality podcast, it is brilliant to bring the two together on something creative.

“Our industries have been hit hard by the current pandemic and when we began to lose work, we thought about creating a series of audio plays which would take us week by week through these unusual times. We have an idea of the ending for Connected, but how we get there depends on what happens in the next few months.”

Connected is released as a weekly podcast, the first five episodes are already available, and can be listened to via Red Ladder and Mantality’s websites and social media channels.

Please visit www.redladder.co.uk for more information.

You Can Bet: online silliness from Slung Low H

ave you been watching Slung Low’s online fortnightly gameshow, You Can Bet Too? Live from The Holbeck, at 7pm every other Sunday, on Facebook and Twitter, it’s an eclectic mix of cabaret, challenges, quizzes and daftness. You can even take part and win a prize!

Slung Low’s Artistic Director, Alane Lane described it: “It’s called You Can Bet and it’s a game show of daring do and audience participation but it is also, we hope, different enough from the 1990 classic You Bet with Matthew Kelly to avoid any legal action from lawyers sat at home with nothing else to do.”

In a video message Matthew Kelly made contact to say: “I’m here to wish you luck and have a wonderful evening playing the highly original and nonderivative You Can Bet.” The fourth installment ‘You Can Still also Bet Too As Well’ is

Live on Facebook: @SlunglowTheatre and Twitter: @SlungLow on Sunday 31 May at 7pm.

Special guests include: singer Jo Rochell, who will be belting out one of your favourite diva ballads, and a mystery personality will be testing one audience member’s knowledge of song lyrics.

It's suitable for the whole family.

You can catch previous episodes - including throwing a child over an ironing board, moving a beer glass with a drone and and filling a socially distanced glass with a water pistol - on Slung Low's Facebook page.

And then tune in again Live on Sunday 14 June at 7pm.

No humans or animals have been hurt in the making of this cutting edge entertaiment and lockdown rules have been obeyed at all times.

Alan Lane invites you to You Can Bet live on Facebook

www.southleedslife.com

Website: www.southleedslife.com

Sporting Life 23

Email: info@southleedslife.com

Activity toolkits for children

V

ery early in the Covid-19 outbreak Active Leeds recognised that there was going to be a need for a resource that could support young people and families who had lost their daily routines and would be looking for activities to keep children and young people entertained and active.

With a need for more activities that could be done within the household, and with recent changes allowing some opportunity for play outdoors.

As a result, Active Leeds have designed a toolkit aimed to do just that: a set of fun activities that can be completed within the household and on the doorstep, with limited resources required.

Activities are designed to be as open-ended as possible, allowing for different levels of challenge and for one item to be used in a variety of different ways. Two toolkits have been produced, with a range of games designed with under 8s and over 8s in mind.

June 2020 | South Leeds Life

The toolkits are fun and adaptable.

Ready Set Rainbow, for under 8s, is based on a set of characters: Ray the sunshine, Hydro the water droplet and Cirrus the cloud.

Each has a different focus: movement, growth mindset and mindfulness. Children complete one of each type of activity and create a rainbow, which can then be recorded on a wall chart for those that would like a visual reminder of the progress and small achievements.

A hugely significant aspect of the resource is children’s mental health. Through its growth mindset and mindfulness cards, the Ready Set Rainbow toolkit encourages children to focus on the positive, develop resilience and take time out.

Get Active, Stay Active, for over 8s, has a range of games, and useful signposting for anyone wanting to find more mental health support, along with useful links to websites for more games and activities.

This resource is as much for parents as it is for children. It allows them access to an activity that requires very little preparation in advance and absolutely no prior knowledge and/or experience of physical activity.

The #ReadySetRainbow online videos on Active Leeds’ YouTube channel make activities even easier to access, as well as attempting to create an online community that reaches outside of the lockdown household and reminds us all that we are not alone.

Over 600 printed Taking the chalk challenge Ready Set Rainbow to view online at Active Leeds’ packs have been distributed to new Healthy at Home webpage, families across Inner South designed to help signpost all Leeds alongside the South ages to useful resources for Leeds Lockdown Challenge keeping active whilst at home: packs. active.leeds.gov.uk/healthy-atReady Set Rainbow and Get home/be-active/children-andActive, Stay Active are available families.

Get Set Leeds on Facebook G

et Set Leeds Local have a new Facebook page, for the Holbeck and Beeston Hill areas. #GSLHolbeckandBeestonHi ll is a new community page to help inspire, and share ideas on ways to move more and have fun in and around your community. It aims to be a local page for all ages, and it’s keen to hear your ideas for what you’d like to see on there.

“We’re keen to see local faces and local places feature as much as possible. The page will include activity ideas for different ages, weekly challenges, and a place to share ideas and inspire others” explained Karen Peck.

Get Set Leeds Local Facebook page will feature top tips on how to get active from familiar faces in your community for all ages and

abilities, as well as looking at guidance from organisations at a city-wide and national level. If you’re an organisation who are working in the area, and support people to move more through sport, physical activity or activities such as gardening then #GSLHolbeckandBeeston Hill is keen to hear from you.

The weekly Shout Out Tuesday is a chance to share some of the good stuff happening in the local community, small or large.

Whether you’re an individual or an organisation, if you have a photo to share or an activity that you think others might enjoy then e-mail it to getsetleedslocal@leeds.gov.u k so that we can include it in a post. And don’t forget to give the page a follow @GSLHolbeckandBeestonHill.

The greatest ever Challenge Cup Final?

T

by Ian Pickles

he year was 1965, it was the middle of the swinging sixties.

Britain’s wartime hero and ex-prime minister Winston Churchill passes away, Yorkshireman Harold Wilson is Prime Minister, Liverpool beat Leeds United to lift the FA Cup for the first time, The Beatles release Help! And Rubber Soul and the death penalty is abolished in Great Britain.

55 Years ago last month (8 May 1965) one of the greatest ever Rugby League Challenge Cup Finals was played out on the lush green turf of Wembley Stadium between much fancied Wigan and unfashionable Hunslet, it will go down in history as a great sporting occasion.

At the time Hunslet was still a team with a big local support and throughout the 1950s had been there or thereabouts in the league, but more often the bridesmaid rather than the bride when it came to winning trophies.

The Parksiders appointed former Castleford star Fred Ward as Coach in the early 1960s and started to mine a seam of local talent that slowly built into a decent team. Victory over Hull KR in the 1962/63 Yorkshire Cup by 12-2 was a start, but there was more to come.

Unusually, Hunslet’s route to the final meant they didn’t have

Presentation of the Hunslet team to leave their home city.

Victories over Oldham and Batley at Parkside saw them drawn at home to Leeds in the quarter finals. Although not favourites, Hunslet pulled through with a 7-5 victory in front of over 20,000 spectators.

The short trip to Headingley beckoned for the semi-final against 60’s giants Wakefield Trinity. Hunslet had the day though and with an 8-0 win booked themselves at Wembley for the first time in 30 years.

So with anticipation Hunslet readied themselves for Wembley and the daunting task of taking on a much fancied and highly skilled Wigan team.

The Parksiders opted for White with a Chocolate chevron (V) for their strip rather than the traditional Myrtle, Flame and White, and the supporters crafted Banners and rattles for the occasion.

Many schools and clubs

organised trips and the thousands of fans set off from the city for the big day. Steve Brady and Peter Dawson remembered going to the Tower of London in the morning before heading to Wembley for the match.

89,016 spectators crammed into Wembley for the pre-match community singing, national anthem and formalities before the game got underway.

It couldn’t have started worse, Hunslet kicked straight into touch and Wigan’s Laurie Gilfedder made it 2-0 from the resulting penalty. In fact Hunslet’s touch finding was awry all day, failing to kick dead on many occasions.

The Parksiders did settle into the match though and squared it up at 2-2 after full-back Billy Langton converted a penalty, then controversially were disallowed a try when Dennis Hartley put John Griffiths over in the corner. Maybe with today’s technology it would

have been a different story but referee Joe Manley said no, so no try!

The scare jolted Wigan into action and on 18 minutes Holden sliced through to give the Lancastrians a 5-2 lead (it was 3 points for a try in those days). Langton reduced the arrears to 5-4 with another penalty for a loose arm in the scrum and Hunslet were certainly in the fight.

Wigan’s Great Britain and Wales winger Billy Boston was an awesome sight at full tilt and looked all on to score but for a brave try saving tackle from Hunslet full-back Billy Langton.

Wigan did get a penalty soon after though and stretched their lead to 7-4. Soon after quick work by Wigan showed why they were favourites and Trevor Lake went over, with the conversion making it 12-4. Half time approaching but Hunslet were running out of steam, was the cup lost?

Well not quite, as just before half time Geoff Shelton hit the ball at pace, rounded Wigan’s full back and scored by the posts to give Langton an easy conversion and make it Hunslet 9 Wigan 12 at the break.

Hunslet gave as good as they got early in the second half.

Geoff Gunney getting his face rubbed in it by the Wigan tacklers, but it was the pace of Gilfedder that saw the next score and with a conversion from the corner Wigan stretched their lead to 17-9 on

the hour mark.

Hunslet team did see the bright A brilliant Trevor Lake try lights again. Ken Eyre and Bill stretched the lead to 20-9 and Ramsey were part of the Leeds it looked all over, until big John team to beat Wakefield in the Griffiths on Hunslet’s wing 1968 ‘Watersplash final’ and stepped inside to score under Dennis Hartley had success in the posts and moments later 1969 and 1970 with Hunslet were awarded a Castleford. penalty for offside. That made But for the supporters it was it 20-16 to Wigan with 5 a day to remember and for minutes to go.

Hunslet if only …

But it was too little, too late Teams for Hunslet who just couldn’t Hunslet: Langton, Griffiths, manage that last score. The Shelton, Preece, Lee, Gabbitas, cup had gone to Wigan but Marchant, Hartley, Prior, Eyre, Hunslet had played their part in Ramsey, Gunney, Ward. Subs: a great final.

Render, Baldwinson.

One unusual fact was that Wigan: Ashby, Boston, the Lance Todd Trophy for man Ashton, Holden, Lake, Hill, Parr, of the Match was shared Gardiner, Clarke, McTigue, between Wigan’s Ray Ashby Stevens, Evans, Gilfedder. and Hunslet’s Brian Gabbitas, Subs: O’Loughlin, Lyon. the first time that had ever happened.

Wigan returned to Wembley the following year only to lose to local rivals St Helens, and had to wait until 1985 to be cup winners again, before winning 8 times on the trot in the late 80’s early 90’s.

For Hunslet, decline came fast. Players left and the crowds moved away and by 1973 the club was going bust and had to sell their home ground at Parkside. Luckily the club was revived as New Hunslet and eventually moved back to Hunslet and returned to Wembley again in 1997 for the Challenge Plate Final. Hunslet players Some of the beaten check the goalposts ahead of kick off

www.southleedslife.com

South Leeds Life | June 2020

24 Sporting Life

Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife

Facebook: facebook.com/southleedslife

Ping Pong for the people Skatepark will W

by Karen Peck

hilst everyone has been spending more time at home, people have been thinking of new ways to keep entertained.

Peter Thompson from PingPong4U, who is well known across the city for his passion for the game of Ping Pong, quickly set about making up some home packs. These are ideal for those that have enjoyed the game within his existing sessions, and also for

new families who may have never played before.

Adapted Ping Pong Activities are a range of fun games that can be played by any age and all abilities to create physical and mental stimulation. Its a game can be played in small spaces, both indoors and outdoors, and adapted so all ages can join in.

Working together with Active Leeds and other partners, packs have been distributed via Holbeck Together, Re-Establish youth group, Kidz Klub families

Setting of with a boot full of Ping Pong sets

and to some families via Community Connectors.

The sets have been funded by Leeds Community Foundation, Get Set Leeds Local and AC Education. Peter is working with partners to identify funding so that many more can benefit.

Families have been grateful for the Ping Pong packs as these comments show: “When we got stuck inside because of Covid19 I was struggling to keep my son occupied … we’re so grateful for the ping pong set! (It’s) his daily favourite” “We love the packs, they are fantastic” “My son has just been playing on his computer, we’re thankful of Ping Pong in the kitchen something new to get To see more from Ping Pong him up doing something fun” Pete then you can find him on Plans are now being made to Twitter @PINGPONGFORU send out simple weekly Get Set Leeds Local have a challenges for people to do at Ping Pong pack to give away to home, hopefully with some a lucky winner. Give them a guest celebrity appearances! follow on their new Facebook Peter loves the game, and is page @GSLHolbeckand excited to see the love of this BeestonHill and watch out for sport growing across the area, the opportunity to win some and the city.

Ping Pong equipment.

reopen with new branding W

hen LS-TEN skatepark reopens after the lockdown it will boast new branding having run a competition amongst its members.

Carl Harrison explained: “We ran the LS-TEN logo competition following a suggestion from a member Charlie Halligan. Over the course of 3 weeks we had over a hundred designs sent in from a broad range of people including professional designers, uni students, school children of all ages, teachers and other professionals. We narrowed the selection to 15 and put to a public vote which received thousands of votes to select a top 4. This was then judged by the UK Association of Skateparks to select Poppy Evans as the winning designer.

“We will be using the winning design throughout 2020 in all our promotional

material, online presence and to create new merchandise some of which will be going on sale soon in an attempt to raise funds to support a plans to reopen the skatepark asap which the new COVID-19 measure in place.

“All those that entered designs will receive prizes and there will be displays around the centre when we reopen of all the finalists.”

Cross Flatts parkrun Your local bike reaches another milestone repair shop is open A

nother milestone was reached on 25 May as this was the 10th consecutive Saturday without a parkrun.

However, we have had plenty of milestones to celebrate over the last 7 years in Cross Flatts Park and there will be many more reasons to celebrate in the future. Including plenty of cake I am sure!

Milestones that should have taken place over the last few weeks will still happen and there will be plenty of cheering when you do!

Whether you had done your 1st parkrun just before lockdown (Gemma Jones) or completed your 577th (David Womersley) there is always something to aim for! And if a 5k run or walk isn’t always for you there is also the 25 volunteer milestone to aim for.

Please tell us your milestone stories, we would love to hear them.

Thanks to Phil Hodgson who put together a video to celebrate Kenneth Ingram’s 100th parkrun back in 2016. You can watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v= qlnE5PA0_nI Ken learnt of parkrun from Nicola Greaves at South Leeds Community Radio when he was broadcasting there.

W

ith many people digging their bikes out of sheds and garages, either to exercise or commute, it’s good to know we have a bike shop to help us with any problems.

Whilst the trails remain closed at Leeds Urban Bike Park in Middleton, its shop has reopened.

As well as selling bikes, clothing and accessories, the shop has a wide range of parts for all types of bikes.

There are also mechanichs on site to carry out repairs and servicing, whether that’s mending a puncture, or sometghing more complex.

The Bike Park is starting to make plans for the safe use of the facility when health restrictions allow.

At that point the cafe will be reopened, initially on a takeaway basis.

The shop is open Monday-Friday, 9am5pm.

Ken Ingram celebrated his 100th parkrun with a special cake He ran his 1st on 22 March 2014 and completed his 100th on 17 September 2016, all at Cross Flatts, but he had to give it up due to arthritis in his knee.

He also volunteered as a photographer on a number of occasions.

Ken Ingram commented: “I got to my 99th parkrun when my Physio said I would have to give up running, or I would end up doing damage to my knee. I carried on to do one more and get my 100th

parkrun. I got the T-shirt, and carried on taking photos and marshalling for a while.”

Cross Flatts parkrun – some milestone statistics: 1st 30 March 2013 – 69 parkrunners 50th 15 March 2014 – 72 parkrunners 100th 14 March 2015 – 103 parkrunners 250th 24 February 2018 – 148 parkrunners 500th ??? Who knows!

The shop is open for sales and repairs at Leeds Urban Bike Park in Middleton