South Leeds Life 95 March 2023

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

DON’T LOSE YOUR VOTE

For the first time, residents in Leeds will need to show photographic ID in order to vote in person at polling stations at this year’s local elections. The new rule only affects those voting in person on election day, postal voters are unaffected.

Following the introduction of the Elections Act which was passed by the government last year, anyone wishing to vote at a polling station will need to have a form of accepted photo ID to show to be able to vote.

This requirement comes into effect starting with the local elections in Leeds on Thursday

4 May 2023, and will also be a requirement for all future general elections which take place after this October.

Residents are being urged to make sure they have an accepted form of ID. These include: a UK, European Economic • Area (EEA) or Commonwealth passport; a UK or EEA drivers’ • licence; and some concessionary

• travel passes, such as an older person’s bus pass or an Oyster 60+ card.

Voters will be able to use

• expired ID if they are still recognisable from the photo.

Leeds residents who do not have one of the accepted forms of ID can now apply for one for free online via electoral commission.org.uk/voterID or by completing a paper form. Inperson applications can also now be taken at community hubs and libraries across Leeds. This can be undertaken without the need for an appointment, but anyone wishing to apply this way will need to ensure they have their National Insurance number with them. For more information on the local support available visit www.leeds.gov.uk/yourcouncil/elections/voter-id

The deadline for Voter ID applications to be able to vote in person at the local elections in May is 5pm on Tuesday 25 April.

This new requirement currently only covers those who wish to vote in person at a polling station or through a proxy in person, it does not affect those who vote by post.

Elections Returning Officer and chief executive of Leeds City Council Tom Riordan said:

“With this change coming into force at the local elections in May, we would encourage everyone who intends to vote in person at a polling station to

check and make sure they have an acceptable form of ID, so they avoid the risk of having problems or being turned away on election day.

“It is important to make clear this is only for those who wish to vote in person on the day, and anyone who votes by post does not need to do anything differently.”

Hilary Benn MP (Labour, Leeds Central) commented:

“I am increasingly concerned that the introduction of voter ID will disfranchise people because there is very little

awareness of this change and very little evidence of voter fraud in the UK.

“According to research, 99% of election staff do not think fraud has occurred in their polling stations . It now turns out that while several older people’s travel cards will be accepted as ID, the Government has decided that student cards and young people’s travel passes will not. There is no rational reason for this and we must make sure that everyone is aware of the threat to their vote.”

All those wishing to vote in the elections this May must also be registered to vote. It only takes five minutes to register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Anyone wanting to apply to the council for free ID should first make sure they are registered to vote.

To find out more about postal voting go to www.leeds.gov.uk/ your-council/elections/postalvoting. To vote by post in the May election, you musat apply by 5pm on Tuesday 18 April 2023.

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.

Topping out held at Aire Park's first two buildings

Akey milestone was celebrated on Wednesday (22 February 2023) at the Topping Out ceremony for the first two buildings at Vastint UK’s Aire Park, on the site of the former Tetley's Brewery in Hunslet.

The buildings will frame a new, outdoor events space and green area adjacent to The Tetley art gallery and the Grade II listed Salem Chapel. Expected to open to the public in 2024, the 12,000 sq ft of outdoor space will host regular activities and events for neighbours and visitors.

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.

The major milestone was celebrated by Vastint UK along with a group of key stakeholders including members from Leeds City Council and construction partners Moortown and INHUS. The event included a ceremonial lifting of a wreath onto the roof of ‘Building B’.

The commemoration marks the structural completion of the first 200,000 sq ft of commercial space, expected to attract major businesses to Leeds. The two buildings range from six to eight

storeys, with offices built to accommodate large-scale organisations. The offices will offer some of the largest Grade-A floorplates available in Leeds – up to 23,000 sq ft with impressive ESG credentials.

At ground floor the buildings boast over 20,000 sq ft of flexible retail space across six units. Occupiers will benefit from the foot-traffic of tens of thousands of workers, residents and visitors per year once Aire Park is complete.

Simon Schofield, Construction Lead North of Vastint UK, said:

“Upon completion of these two buildings, Aire Park will be officially open for business. Leeds is highly attractive for major businesses following in the path of Channel 4 and several household-name financial and professional service providers. Due to the large-scale, high-quality spaces that we’re providing with these

offices, we are already attracting interest from major enterprises looking to move their headquarters to Leeds.

“Whilst the development will be home to approximately 3,000 residents and a working district for almost 11,000 workers once complete, we’ve designed Aire Park

to be enjoyed by everyone in Leeds. These first buildings mark the start of a thriving community within a new unique, urban district.”

Designed by Ryder Architecture, the state-of-the-art buildings have been designed with ESG at the forefront and are expected to achieve impressive accreditations, including BREEAM Excellent, WELL Building Gold and EPC rating A. Electricity from renewable sources will power the buildings whilst openable windows will allow fresh air to flow through the column-free floorplates from the expansive park outside.

Action to tackle mould and damp issues in council housing

Senior members of Leeds City Council’s executive board received an update on its work to tackle mould and damp issues in council housing at their meeting on 8 February.

The report set out how the council is responding to a Housing Ombudsman’s national report, published in October 2021 which urged landlords to take a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to damp and mould. The report also considered further action following the recent tragic case of Awaab Ishak, who died due to prolonged exposure to excessive mould growth in his Rochdale home.

Robust measures are in place to deal with the issue in Leeds ensuring that the safety of residents is appropriately prioritised. These include actions that have seen the provision of refresher training to frontline staff to make sure they are meeting service standards; the establishment of a specialised Damp & Mould team that tenants can contact directly; improving the council’s channels for reporting issues; introducing a new process which tracks any further works needed after a job has been attended; and ensuring that tenants are equipped with information about prevention.

Council tenants wishing to report damp and mould problems should email: D&Mreports@leeds.gov.uk and include the following details:

Name

• Address

• A telephone contact number

• problem

• A brief description of the

•

Photographs of the problem

The team will assess the report and aim to call back within five working days to agree next steps.

Tenants who are unable to email are advised to phone or visit a Community Hub.

The report confirmed that at the end of December 2022, no homes in the management of Housing Leeds contained Category 1 damp and mould. A number of properties (3.41% of stock) have been identified as containing Category 2 damp and mould, and in all cases, work is either now complete or is ongoing to ensure the symptom and the root cause is accurately diagnosed and resolved at the earliest opportunity.

There is also a focus on supporting tenants in fuel poverty, who are unable to heat their homes adequately due to the financial crisis. This winter, the council will distribute £100,000 of free energy vouchers to tenants with pre-payment meters, through its work

with the British Gas Energy Trust. Effective heating, ventilation and insulation are key components to the prevention of damp and mould within homes and there are a number of capital investment projects ongoing to improve council homes.

Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for environment and housing, said:

“We are absolutely committed to ensuring that residents living in council housing are safe and healthy and ensuring that homes

are free from damp and mould is key to this. This report provides assurance to tenants that everything that can be done is being done to tackle these issues and the introduction of a Mould & Damp team now makes it much easier for tenants to report issues. We are urging residents to be vigilant when it comes to mould and damp issues by reporting them as early as possible, wiping down condensation on windows and other surfaces and keeping homes ventilated where possible. Since 2019 we have invested over £85m on improvement schemes that have included heating, ventilation, insulation and drainage improvement works.”

Information on mould prevention can be found the Shelter website at bit.ly/ShelterDamp

Topping out Building B with a traditional wreath

Photo: Shutterstock

Fantastic fundraising events at Acre Court in Middleton

by Ken Ingram

Jennifer Blackburn, the Manager of Acre Court sheltered housing in Middleton told me about the fund raising calendar residents have produced.

When the cost of living crisis is hitting the highest peak and people all over the world are struggling in their everyday lives with finances, keeping warm and eating healthy, but fundraising has also hit a low as people just don’t have the funds to keep on giving.

The residents of Acre Court, Middleton, Leeds pull together all year round and raise money for various charities of their choice that are close to their hearts.

In December 2022, Acre Court residents decided they were going to raise money for

Breast Cancer.

They came up with the idea of making their own calendar for 2023, with residents to take part in the monthly photos. They then had the calendars printed and sold on for a profit.

To help boost funds they decided to do an open tabletop sale and tombola, which was open to the public.

All in all, the residents of Acre Court raised a whopping £750.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t be presented with their certificates as the charity,

Breast Cancer UK, don’t have enough staff in the north of England to come out and see them. But the photo shows the residents with their fundraising certificate.

Since the calendar was made in December, we sadly

lost a dear resident, Irene, who was like part of the furniture here at Acre Court. Irene had been a resident for over 15 years and was local to Middleton before she moved into Acre Court.

In memory of Irene, it was

Funding appeal

her wishes that her belongings would be sold on to raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Again, the residents rallied around, together along with Irene’s family, to organise a tabletop and tombola open to the local public to raise money in Irene’s memory.

Their efforts raised £433 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

The generosity and willingness of Acre Court residents is outstanding. They’re always there to help anyone and are very welcoming even when times are hard.

Steven and Lesley, Acre Court Committee members, say:

“The Committee of Acre Court organised a charity 2023 calendar to sell at Christmas. Some of the residents wore various costumes and props.

“We all had fun doing it. I understand it’s the first time the Court has done this.

“On Wednesday 25 January we organised a Table Top Sale in memory of Irene Pratt, who suddenly passed away.

“Julie and the family would

like to thank all who attended the sale, and give a special thanks to The Acre Court Committee, and members who ran the event.”

Jennifer has taken over as Manager at Acre Court while Alison is away on a course.

Many residents have said can we keep Jenny as Manager at Acre Court permanently.

Jenny has been a revelation since taking over at Acre Court, with the many things that Jenny has got us all interested in.

Jenny, still manages Leasowe Court in Hunslet as well.

Jenny has helped me a great deal in various things. Wendy, the cleaner at Acre Court also helps out with Court coffee mornings, and Court lunches.

At the moment Jenny is overseeing the fitting of new fire doors to the flats. In February at the Court, we start to have a new computerised Warden call system, combined with visitor video screens.

Sometime in the year, we are to have new windows.

I’m looking to join the Acre Court Committee, at the next AGM, if I get voted in. LOL.

Welaunched our funding appeal in September in the face of a huge rise in printing costs and we have been humbled by your response.

Our pound a week subscribers:

Tina Abbott

Peter Barber

Vivienne Bate

WH Bayliss

Barbara Beck

Sally Ben

Pat Benatmane

Hilary Benn

Elaine Bower

Asa Britton

Andy Brown

AD Brown

Adrian Burnett

David Bushell

Chaire Burgess

Ed Carlisle

Susan Carlisle

Claire Carter

Barbara Cavell

Dan Chadwick

Rebecca Chambers

Alex Coleman

Yeti Counk

Rachel Darton

Bruce Davies

Mark Day

Clara de Diane

Audrey Dickinson

Alex Fleming

C Fletcher

Angela Gabriel

Al Garthwaite

Phil Goodfield

Hayley Guy

Alaric Hall

Julie Harrison

Peter Haughton

Elizabeth Haywood

Sherri Hector

Mark Hodgkinson

Linda Holliday

David Howard

Becky Howcroft

Ben Hutchinson

Helen Ingleby

Stefan Kakusz

Frances Jones

Patricia Kelley

Sally Kincaid

Rachael Loftus

Katrine Madsen

Sid Mahiuddin

Annie Maloney

Imran Marashli

Alys Marsh

Dee Marshall

Hazel Millichamp

Mark Molloy

Lucy Moore

Malcolm Morrison

Elizabeth Nash

Adam Ogilvie

Mark Parry

Lindsey Pearson

Mark Poniatowski

Terry Pratt

Andrew Price

Derek Ramsey

Neil Rhodes

Ruth Saxton

Andrew Scopes

Alan Shaw

Bob Shaw

Linda Stanley

Emily Swingler

Sue Talbot

Steve Thompson

Eve Tidswell

Rebecca Townesend

Richard Wallwork

Stewart Walton

Ann Ward

Lauran Warren

Emily Webster Day

Paul Wray

We have received generous donations from a number of individual readers and organisations, including a grant from Councillors of the Inner South Community Committee. However, our print costs have risen 83% in a year - to over £1,000. On top of that we pay our full time Editor for 55 hours a month, taking our monthly costs to nearly £2,000.

Our projections show we can print the newspaper through this year, but will run out of cash next spring unless we increase our regular income.

We know the whole country is suffering from the cost of living crisis and we know many of our readers are facing stark choices about heating and food.

We will never charge you to read the news, it’s very important to us that everyone in our community can access local community news.

But if you are able to spare a few pounds, we need your help.

We need to build up our supporting subscribers and would be delighted if you would

become a regular subscriber at £3, £4, £5 or £10 per month, but if you cannot make that commitment could you make a one off donation?

Please make your • donation by bank transfer to South Leeds Life Group; sort code 0892-99; a/c 65591910. Or send a cheque • to us at 224 Cross Flatts Grove, Beeston, LS11 7BW.

Or look for the • donate button on our website at to pay via PayPal.

If you can afford to, • please take out a monthly subscription. Our regular subscription income helps us plan ahead. You’ll get the paper delivered to your door and free South Leeds Life mug. Simply sign up online at bit.ly/SLLsubscribe

Why not give the • gift of news? Your subscription can now be gifted to another person and you have the option to pay monthly or annually. Follow the link to bit.ly/SLLsubscribe to sign up.

Are you part of a • community organisation, charity or business that could become a sponsor?

You will benefit from news coverage and free advertising options. Call 07894 583966 for more details.

Acre Court residents with their Breast Cancer fundraising certificate

as print costs rise 83% in 12 months

Community call out to take part in My LEEDS Summer

LEEDS

2023 Year of Culture is inviting groups and indiviuals to step forward and take part in My LEEDS Summer events across the city.

Neighbourhood Hosts has been appointed for each of the city’s 33 wards and they are working people in their communities to create activities. Hosts in South Leeds have partnered with Beeston Festival, Hunslet Gala and the Friends of Middleton Park to shine a light on the creativity found on our doorsteps.

Applications are open to everyone who has something creative or cultural to share, whether it is something they do in their spare time or professionally. And when we talk about culture and creativity, we mean it all: art, music, performance, sport, football, cookery, faith – the list goes on.

In each ward there is a maximum of £3,000 available to apply for. Hosts are looking to support a number of people and groups so it’s expected that most grants will be between £100 and £300. But hurry, the deadline to apply is Monday 6 March.

In Beeston & Holbeck, host Amitoj Kaur is looking for “dancers, dance groups and musicians of all styles from

many places across the world that have made our ward their home” to perform on the Arena stage at Beeston Festival in Cross Flatts Park on Saturday 24 June.

In Hunslet & Riverside, host Karen Peters, is looking for anyone who wants to celebrate the ward with their creativity vision and flair. “I’m excited to to receive applications offering different types of activity: art, sport, food, dance, craft music, etc” she says, to help reboot Hunslet Gala (17 June, Grove Road recreation ground).

Alison Hughes-Waters, the host for Belle Isle and Middleton, is working with the Friends of Middleton Park to create a family friendly celebration event involving food and drink, music and art, in Middleton Park on Sunday 6 August. She is particularly keen to receive applications from Belle Isle.

Individuals, voluntary groups or organisations who live in, work in, or have a relationship with the ward in which the event is taking place can apply for a small grant to be a part of their ward’s celebration event taking place this summer as part of My LEEDS 2023.

You can find the full brief for each event and details of how to apply at: leeds2023.co.uk/ take-part/community-grants

Funeral directors’ Easter Egg collection

Local funeral directors, W Kaye & Son are collecting Easter Eggs on behalf of Middleton Food Club. Staff are asking local businesses, community groups and residents to donate Easter Eggs so that they can bring a smile to the faces of children at Easter. If you would like to donate an Easter Egg please call (0113) 270 5553 to arrange a collection or you can drop your gift into W Kaye & Son between 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday.

Beeston restaurant thwarted over Council car park

Apopular Beeston

restaurant is calling on Leeds City Council to let them lease one of their car parks –but can’t understand why their offer hasn’t been accepted, despite the challenging financial pressures facing the Council.

Bison is a steakhouse and burger joint, opposite the Council’s Dewsbury Road Community Hub & Library, owned and staffed by local residents. It currently seats 45 customers, but the team are refurbishing the next door building, and it will be reopening with double capacity in March.

Without their own car park, parking is already a major issue for them, other businesses, and the local community – but they insist there’s a good solution staring everyone in the face.

They have therefore asked permission to lease the Community Hub car park each evening, after the building has closed. They have offered staff and secure the car park, and

doing so would obviously generate extra income for the hard-pressed Council. But they have been asking for their offer to be considered for over six months – yet still haven’t had a direct response.

Co-owner Rafi Butt commented:

“We’re a growing local business, trying to do the right thing by the community, but we need the Council’s support to resolve these issues. We don’t expect any special favours, we’re keen to pay our way, and we just want the opportunity to explore this, and see what we can do together.”

Cllr Ed Carlisle (Green, Hunslet and Riverside) is supporting Bison, and added: “Bison are a good local business, trying to do right by the community, and the Council should be doing all we can to support them. There are challenges with this proposal, but I’m confident we can resolve every one of them –and the end result would serve absolutely everyone. The Council is hugely squeezed by

the savage cuts from national government – so we need to work hard to get maximum value out of every single asset.”

A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said:

“The Dewsbury Road Community Hub car park provides car parking for the Community Hub and adjacent Children’s Centre. The Council

is currently undertaking a wide ranging review of its assets and how they are used, which may involve these buildings being used into the evenings, for which car parking will be required. Whilst the Council is keen to support local businesses, the use of the car park to support front line service delivery and wider community uses is our priority.”

A Bollywood dancer at Beeston Festival in 2017

Cllr Carlisle with Bison’s owners and staff

Climate charity unveils visions of Beeston with fewer cars

Climate charity Possible has unveiled a vision of Tempest Road in south Leeds reimagined as a peoplefriendly, climate-conscious environment with fewer cars.

The vision will also be placed on a billboard at the junction where Tempest Road meets Beeston Road.

Almost four years ago a climate emergency was declared in Leeds. It is essential that we move away from private car use to help reach our climate targets, and by retrofitting public spaces and transport and mobility systems we can also help create healthier, safer streets and neighbourhoods for our communities to thrive.

In winter 2022, Possible talked to people who live, work and shop in South Leeds about what they would want to see change on Elland Road and Tempest Road.

After holding two workshops with seven residents from diverse backgrounds to shape

the vision, and interviewing a panel of experts, Possible went on to envision these spaces free from car dependency.

Last month Possible unveiled both of these visions to the public with residents, the wider public, campaigners and local councillors all present to show them what the future could look like, discuss how we could get there, and the impacts such changes would have on people’s lives and on the climate.

South Leeds sees some of the worst air quality in the city. Our workshop participants helped re-imagine Tempest Road, which connects two very busy main roads (Beeston Road and Dewsbury Road (A653)) and Elland Road (A643), which sees tens of thousands of people walk and drive up and down it regularly.

The think tank Fare City, produced a report outlining conclusions from expert interviews which informed the workshops with residents, and

the final visions. Possible is calling on local authorities and the public to use these visions so they can

be bolder in reimagining the future of their cities and take action to address car dominance.

Hirra Khan Adeogun, Head of Car Free Cities at climate charity Possible, said:

“I’m thrilled to unveil these community-led visions for the future of Tempest Road and Elland Road.

“In order to meet our climate goals, it’s essential that we get people driving less. That shouldn’t make us feel trepidation but excitement. And

these visions embody that excitement.

“They are green, vibrant, and allow a diverse range of people to travel easily and would give the people of Leeds more travel options, not fewer.

“Our cities have the potential to be wonderful places to live and tools to combat climate change – let’s make that change.”

Tempest calmed: how the road looks today and how it look in a future with fewer cars

Review of taxi vehicle condition standards

Leeds City Council’s Licensing Committee is to embark on a review of vehicle condition standards for hackney and private hire vehicles, following updates to national guidance. The review, led by a subcommittee of Leeds City Council’s Licensing Committee, will consult drivers, the public and passenger groups on potential updates to hackney and private hire vehicle condition standards in Leeds, with a specific focus on standards for wheelchair accessible vehicles.

Call to help launch a South Leeds Repair Café Cheerleader Leah’s headed for Florida USA

by Gulnaar Khan

Whenauthor Jim Cathcart said, ”Aim high, the future you see, is the person you will be”, it seems to have found its way to a Belle Isle based 14 year’s old athlete’s mind.

Leah Megan Sargent has earned a spot on the under 18s level 5 team-Twilight- for Rising Star’s cheerleaders.

therefore her parents are trying to explore ways to reduce the cost through monetary assistance from those who wish to help Leah’s success story.

Baroness Blake

appointed IED Patron

Former Middleton Councillor

Judith Blake, the Baroness Blake of Leeds CBE, has been appointed as the new Patron of the Institute for Economic Development (IED).

“This is an important time for economic development and regeneration, and for the Institute and its members as the organisation embarks on its 40th anniversary year.” she said.

Do you want to save money, learn new skills, meet nice people, and save good things from getting chucked away?

Join others from across our community, and across Leeds, on Sunday 5 March for a meeting in Holbeck, to look at setting up ‘Repair Café’ events for South Leeds.

The ‘Repair Café’ movement is an international network of volunteer-led events, for people to gather and repair household items together, for free. It launched in Holland in 2009, and has been running in Leeds since 2016 – with dozens of events in communities across the city, including ones in Beeston and at The Tetley art gallery in Hunslet.

This forthcoming gathering –from 4pm, at The Holbeck club won’t be a repair event itself, but a meeting for people to find out and discuss how to set up

more repair cafés across our communities. Those with fixing skills (mechanical, electrical, IT, sewing, anything) are very welcome, but you don’t need any such skills to get involved: those able to organise, manage, and promote events are also very much needed. All roles are voluntary, but the time commitment is low, and flexible: just a few hours per month. The Leeds Repair Café team, who oversee the network, are keen to meet with and support local people to establish regular events in South Leeds – but are unable to lead on the events themselves.

Cllr Ed Carlisle (Green Party, Hunslet & Riverside) colaunched Leeds Repair Café in 2016, and still co-runs it to this day. He commented:

“Times are tight for all of us, but we can save money, and

help the planet, by working together on projects like this. It’s been amazing to see the Repair Café movement spreading across the city, we’ve had a lot of fun over the years – and there’s certainly hunger to see it put down roots here in LS10 and LS11. But it will depend on local people stepping forward, and leading it – please join us next week, or get in touch anytime, to help out. Thanks!”

For more info on Leeds Repair Café, find the group on Facebook or Twitter, call Ed on 07738 921277 , or join their meeting on 5 March at The Holbeck (Jenkinson Lawn, LS11 9QX).

This event is run in conjunction with the ‘Save Money and Save the Planet’ campaign (co-ordinated by St Luke’s CARES and partners), and Our Future Beeston.

A diligent athlete studying in year 10 at Cockburn School, Leah has gained a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel to Florida, USA to compete in the World Championships cheerleading competition that is being held in April this year.

A base, tumbler and avid dancer within a team of 13, the gym enthusiast has been cheerleading for five years and undergoes ten hours of rigorous training sessions in Stockport, Manchester every week.

An important part of her training involves holding athletes in the air, throwing them up and catching them that requires considerable strength and agility in her work.

The trip to America is expensive for Leah and it has been self-funded so far yet,

Belonging to a team that has so far claimed the coveted first and second positions this year, Leah says, ”I’m excited to attend the Worlds cheerleading competitions and I can’t wait to perform and do everyone proud.”

And to do so, she finds herself optimistic about receiving support in the form of donations, prizes or offers by businesses and sports enthusiasts to help Leah achieve her aspirations. Therefore, an important fundraising race night has been organised at The Hanover Arms in Wortley on Saturday 4 March to help towards costs of this trip. The event is expected to bring in genuinely helpful people from all walks of life to contribute towards this cause but is open for everyone to be a part of it.

To offer support for Leah’s endeavour to bring recognition to her city, Leeds, you can contact her mother email donna.sargent85@hotmail .com for further discussions.

Solidarity Forever

On Sunday (12 February 2023) ten trade unionists joined a collection organised by Leeds

to raise solidarity funds for striking workers in Leeds. In recent months strikes have been taking place amongst various groups of workers including civil servants, posties, nurses, ambulance workers, teachers and university workers. The collection raised £166.

Leah Megan Sargent will be competing in the USA in April

A Repair Cafe at Kirkgate Market, February 2020

Trades Union Council (TUC)

White Rose Shopping Centre introduces Community Collection Bank

White Rose Shopping Centre has this week launched an in-centre Community Collection Bank where visitors can drop off donations to benefit their local community via Leeds South &

East Foodbank.

The Community Collection Bank, situated at the Customer Services Centre next to New Look and close to Car Park 6, will be accepting both nonperishable food and hygiene

supplies. Items that Leeds South & East Foodbank is currently particularly in need of include:

Juice

• Tinned potatoes

• Coffee

•

Pay It Forward at the Cracked Pot Café

by Ken Ingram

TheCracked Pot Cafe in Middleton has launched a ‘Pay It Forward’ scheme to support people who are struggling in the current cost of living crisis.

Customers are encouraged to pay it forward by paying for an extra hot drink, sandwich or meal when they pay for their own order. They can then pin their donated item on the board. Middleton Community Group have supported the initiative, pledging £70 worth of hot food and drink to local residents in need.

A spokesperson for the Cracked Pot Café said:

“Pay It Forward is an ongoing initiative that was launched last week, supported by Middleton Community Group. We have had an overwhelming

• Cooking sauces

Tinned / packet custard

•

White Rose has been supporting Leeds South & East Foodbank since 2020, and in that time has donated more than £14,000. It has also provided laptops to the organisation, helping it create a digital hub to support users suffering from tech poverty, such as young people out of education and those experiencing barriers such as homelessness and unemployment.

Steven Foster, Centre Director at White Rose Shopping Centre, said:

“Our partnership with Leeds South & East Foodbank is something we’re truly proud of at White Rose, and we’re pleased to introduce the Community Collection Bank to support them further.

“We hope the donations made through the centre are of great benefit to our local community.”

Wendy Doyle of Leeds South and East Foodbank added: “I would like to thank everyone at White Rose and all of its visitors for their continued support over the years, which have helped us to provide more than 10,000 meals to families in the local area.

“The Community Collection Bank will help us feed and support more people, who are needing our services now more than ever.”

The Community Collection Bank is accepting donations indefinitely during White Rose opening hours. For more information, visit whiterose.co.uk

response from the community generously donating meals and drinks for those in need to have access to. Our Facebook post about the scheme has been shared over 200 times and the feedback from the community has been great. We think it’s going to prove to be a real lifeline to members of our community, especially going into the school holidays and with the continued cost of living crisis.”

The Cracked Pot Cafe is on Middleton Park Avenue.

The Crooked Clock set to open a low cost Food Pantry

TheCrooked Clock in Hunslet is stepping up its efforts to help address food poverty in the area.

Following its inclusion in a new foodbank collection point network setup by Cllr Paul Wray, the popular public house in Hunslet has now has been approved for a grant to create a Food Pantry onsite, following a request it made to Cllr Paul Wray for support.

Unlike foodbanks, users of food pantries pay a small oneoff fee per visit for a fixed number of food or other items, or a fixed monthly subscription for a fixed number of items per month – depending on the model.

Cllr Paul Wray (Labour, Hunslet & Riverside) said:

“We know there are a number of people who, even if they qualify for food support from a foodbank, simply won’t use it as they do not wish to be seen to use charity. Food pantries’ help support those in need in this group by providing a shopping experience, but at a very low fixed cost – providing vital food aid to them but

without them feeling they are receiving charity. It also means that, where someone has used the maximum number of times they can use a foodbank in any given period, there is still some food support elsewhere.”

Sid Mahiuddin, who runs The Crooked Clock added:

“This is a great way for us to continue to help people in Hunslet and make our pub the heart of the local community. This grant will allow us to fund the initial setup work for the pantry – making it easier to obtain other support grants. We’ll now start the initial step up work for the pantry before opening its service up to the public.”

Cllr Paul Wray also added:

“I’m very keen to support more of these food pantry projects across the ward, as well as expand our foodbank collection point network. I’d really welcome contact from anyone wanting to get involved in such a project.”

The Crooked Clock is located at the junction of Sussex Avenue and Low Road in Hunslet (LS10 2LF).

Wendy Doyle of Leeds South and East Foodbank greets a Community Collection Bank donor at White Rose Shopping Centre

Money matters

with Leeds Credit Union

Debt advice: how you can get support

Asthe cost-of-living crisis continues to increase the financial pressure facing many households in the UK, it's never been more important to keep a close eye on your money so that you can recognise quickly if you have debt issues.

If you do, it's also important to know where to turn for help, advice and debt support.

So how can you tell if you're at risk of getting into debt and what can you do about it?

Stephen Porter, Head of Member Experience at Leeds Credit Union, explains all.

How to recognise you have debt issues

Anyone can be affected by debt, which can creep up suddenly and turn a manageable financial situation into an out of control problem that can result in sleepless nights and feelings of embarrassment and shame.

Luckily, it is possible to spot the signs of impending financial difficulties and stop them before they become a serious issue. Read the following statements and see if any apply to you. If they do, this may be an indication that you have debt issues and should seek help and advice to help you manage them.

• much I owe

I can’t put a figure on how

I rely on credit to cover my • living costs

The amount I owe is rising •

• debt collection agency

•

payments

There are arguments in

• my house about money

I sometimes hide

• purchases from my partner

• the limit

•

dealing with urgent debts and/or arrears to reducing your outgoings. Check out their website www.citizensadvice .org.uk to find out more.

My credit cards are near

I have no savings left

• months or pay them late

• loans

I’ve been contacted by a

I’m making minimum

I skip paying bills some

I’ve started to use payday

Spring is in the air

• with my job and/or home life

My debt worries interfere

I can’t sleep because I’m

• worry about my finances

• emergency savings

I haven’t got any

I don’t open my bills when • they arrive

How and where to get debt advice and support

If you think you would benefit from help and advice, there are several organisations that can help.

Citizens Advice has lots of information on its website, with advice on everything from

MoneySavingExpert.com has a wealth of information regarding debt problems and the help that is available on its website too.

At Leeds Credit Union, our Money and Budgeting Service (MABS) works in partnership with Housing Leeds to help tenants who are struggling to budget their money and pay their bills. We can help people arrange affordable payment plans to cover their arrears and look at switching providers if cheaper alternatives are available.

To get in touch, visit one of our branches or head to our website.

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

Middleton Railway’s youngsters shortlisted for top heritage award

TheMiddleton Railway is delighted to announce its Youth Team has been shortlisted in the Heritage Railway Association annual awards.

A new category for 2023, the ‘Rising Stars’ Award recognises the achievements of an organisation or group that is less than ten years old.

The Youth Team has been running for almost six years and currently has around ten members between the ages of 14 and 25.

The programme aims to provide a structured pathway into the heritage sector for

young people who have an interest in engineering, heritage and more general commercial careers.

An added benefit is the increased volunteer capacity it brings the Middleton Railway, the opportunities for succession planning and the employability skills many of the members benefit from. Already, a number of members have secured employment linked to a passion they developed while working with the Youth Team.

The awards include organisations from across the country and the Middleton Railway is thrilled that their

entry has made it to the final. There is no public voting but the awards ceremony is on 11 March in Birmingham. When you next visit us, look out for members of our Youth Team who could even be your guard or fireman for the day!

The Middleton Railway was built in 1758 and is the First railway authorised by an Act of Parliament, the first to have commercially successful steam locomotives, in June 1812 and also the first standard gauge preserved railway, opening in June, 1960. It has operated trains every year since opening in 1758.

Our Editor, Jeremy Morton, snapped these tet-a-tet narcissi in Cross Flatts Park

Members of the Youth team at Middleton Railway

Photo: Shutterstock

Trees felled as work starts on Cockburn pitches

Workhas started to create a new rugby and football pitch and tennis courts for Cockburn School in Beeston.

The project, on land next to the school that was formerly part of South Leeds Golf Club, has proved controversial with residents objecting to the loss of wildlife habitat and the use of microplastics in constructing the artificial pitches.

However, the school point out that they are significantly short of the recommended outdoor space for sports and the project received planning permission last year.

Almost 40 mature trees have been felled to clear space for the new courts. These trees will be replaced at a ratio of more than 3:1 with young trees (not saplings).

A proposed amendment to increase the overall size of the new site by 10% has been withdrawn, but the permission still involves closing access to a cobbled bridleway from Gipsy Lane. This requires a diversion order and it is expected that this will be published shortly.

The planned diversion will be longer and run higher up the slope. Residents have complained that the cobbled path is a historic asset of Middleton Park, identified in the Beeston Neighbourhood Plan, and as Leeds Civic Trust suggested could be kept open with the new courts accessed via gates. Once the diversion order is published, residents will have 28 days to respond.

A spokesperson for Plastic Free Fields, a Leeds-based campaign group said:

“The fact remains that the new pitch will cause microplastic and chemical pollution in our neighbourhood.

The group are concerned that microplastics used to make the ‘crumb’ of the pitch surface will escape into the environment and pollute soil, water, air, wildlife and people.. They cite draft legislation being drawn up by DEFRA and the Environment Agency and moves in Europe to ban the use of rubber crumb.

“This month the EU has started to consider a proposal to ban products containing PFAS and Defra has PFAS as one of its top priorities in the UK REACH programme. PFAS is a chemical that is found in plastic grass blades and backing material” continued the spokesperson.

“We understand that the drainage filter for the Cockburn pitch will stop solid microplastics from entering the woodland stream. However, the filtration will not prevent any dissolved chemicals in the surface runoff water from entering the stream.

“PFAS pollution is a major burden on wildlife as well as a threat to human health. We do not think it is acceptable to disperse potentially contaminated water into a nature reserve.”

The group also point to guidelines are based on information from the European Chemical Agency, Sport England and the Mount Sinai Children’s Environmental Health Centre.

How to lower your risk to

chemical exposure on artificial pitches:

Avoid mouth contact with • the pitch surface and infill.

Do not swallow rubber • crumb granules.

Limit time playing on hot • days

Avoid eating or drinking • while on the pitch

Clean and cover any cuts • or abrasions at the earliest opportunity

Take off your kit and • footwear before going home Wash your hands after • playing and before eating.

“We do hope even at this late stage Leeds City Council will reconsider this plastic pitch development and others planned in the city because of the chemical and plastic pollution they cause” concluded Plastic Free Fields.

A spokesperson for Cockburn School commented:

“Sport England state that the rubber crumb is safe, citing numerous independent studies on the issue.

“They state that ‘The four national governments of the UK and their agencies are working with leading sports and industry bodies to provide greater reassurance to communities that artificial grass pitches in this country are both safe for the environment and for people to play on.’

“Schools and communities across the UK use these pitches and we would not expect Leeds City Council to build something for use by children that was considered to be unsafe for children.”

Saddle up with MHA

Gemma Broughton writes: On Saturday 18 February MHA South Leeds held a Wild West Line Dancing event at the South Leeds Conservative Club in Beeston. It was a fantastic turnout with an evening of dancing, and we served a pie and pea supper for those attending. We raised an amazing amount of over £500 for the scheme to continue supporting people in the community to live later life well. For more information on what we do or any of our events please contact southleeds@mha.org.uk or call (0113) 271 6201.

Community key to insulation retrofitting

by Tahena Ahmed

self-esteem and selfconfidence.

repaired if necessary. This ‘waste not want not’ approach is to tackle the problem of perfectly efficient 3 or 4-yearold boilers being ripped out and replaced well before their time. Solar panels, heat pumps and other greener heating technologies are also possible through the scheme.

How community support can increase uptake

Asha

Neighbourhood Project in partnership with Humans Being (Supporting Women Unfolding project) delivered a free 6-week course before Christmas.

17 women from LS11 in joined the course and reported increased confidence and selfesteem. They learnt how gender impacts their mental wellness, the power of listening and asking questions, and the course helped the women to become cheerleaders for change.

They learned about how to support people to improve their mental wellbeing.

They looked at how things affect people of different genders in different ways, how to deal with the challenges and pressures that society puts on us because of our genders. They learned about self-care,

Following the success of the course Asha organised another 5 week wellbeing course in January 2023. Course in partnership with CECOS Training provider.

One of the participants commented:

“The course was above my expectations. Before I joined the course I was overwhelmed by the load of pressure from others. I was dealing with toxic family members and friends. I didn’t know how to set boundaries without coming across selfish.

“My inner critic was worse than the people surrounding me. It was undermining my selfworth every day of my life. The Inner Critic made me depressed. I learned about my inner cheerleader and how to communicate my boundaries clearly and firmly”.

Thefourth and final round of the Governments Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding is being rolled out, with the funding available until March 2027.

Previous versions of the grant have needed the strict eligibility to be met and although ECO4 isn’t open to every household, these criteria have been relaxed to an extent in a push to address the climate emergency by making homes across the country more energy efficient.

One of the biggest barriers to people making use of ECO funding is the disruption caused while the work takes place. Unfortunately, this is unavoidable, but community cooperation could hold the key to South Leeds’ retrofit success.

What is retrofitting?

Many older houses are no longer fit for purpose. Around a fifth of carbon emissions come from our homes and less efficient housing means heat is constantly escaping through windows, doors, floors, walls and roofs, making them harder and more expensive to keep warm and increasing the chances of problems like

damp.

Retrofitting covers any work we do to improve the efficiency of our homes, which includes anything from DIY draught excluders to full scale insulation.

It’s a crucial part of reducing our impact on the planet but is increasingly important as prices rise because even small steps to reduce energy usage can significantly reduce our bills.

Who qualifies and what work can I have done?

ECO4 is focusing heavily on insulating the most inefficient properties. The funding is open to home owners and private renters. To qualify, your home needs an EPC rating of D or

below (you can search yours on gov.uk), a household income below £30,000 or to be on a qualifying benefit. If you qualify for ECO4, it will be fully funded.

Climate Action Leeds and Our Future Beeston are working with Eclipse Energy to help as many people across the city can benefit from ECO4. Eclipse can book an assessment for you and indicate what work you could have done. They will retrofit as much as possible so that it’s a ‘one stop shop’ to avoid the need for more work in the future.

Unlike the ECO schemes of the past, there is no option for a new boiler but it could be possible to have your boiler

The disruption of a deep retrofit can make it a stressful time and for some it is simply not an option to have the work done. Climate Action Leeds want to help communities overcome this by promoting positive action.

Applications from groups of residents from the same street are strongly encouraged so that residents can connect and support each other while work is carried out. This could be offering a cup of tea in a quiet space to a bed overnight.

We are currently awaiting Leeds City Council’s statement of intent to finalise the details of the wider scheme, but if you think you may qualify through a means tested benefit then you can already apply. And if you don’t think you qualify, there are other options such as ECOFlex and ECO+. We plan to hold Q&A sessions both in Beeston and at the Climate Action Leeds City Hub in the near future.

To contact Eclipse Energy, call 01422 414850 . You can also contact us if you have any questions: ourfuturebeeston @gmail.com

Asha

Call us to arrange a free pickup 0113 270 4005 South Leeds AlternativeTrading Enterprises Ltd Registed Company no 6394383 | Registered Charity 1149293 Changing your furniture? Donate it to support people with Learning Disabilities

Friends need help to put on the Great Middleton Park Show

Thisyear the Friends of Middleton Park are looking for new volunteers to join our Show Committee to help organise one of our biggest events of the year, The Great Middleton Park Show.

The Show includes a craft, flower and produce competition, market and food stalls, an entertainment arena with DJ compare, children's games, music by local bands, and a delicious home-made cake stall. And much more still to be agreed! All this is due to take place on Sunday 10 September 2023. But we need your help.

Volunteers joining the Show committee will attend regular meetings leading up to the event, where we discuss what needs doing and share the work out.

Volunteers can take on as much or as little as they want.

We are a friendly group and will provide lots of support. There is tea and cake at each meeting too!

Organisational tasks include managing bookings from market and food stall holders, registration of entrants to the craft, flower and produce

competition, contacting the groups and individuals providing entertainment, planning the site layout, promotion of the Show through advertising and posters, and ensuring health and safety guidelines are followed.

No experience is needed.

Just enthusiasm and a bit of free time!

If you are interested, please contact us using the Friends of Middleton Park Facebook page, by email at info@fomp.co.uk or phone Frances Jones on 01924 824488

Photo: Shutterstock

by James Latham

After years of delays and significant challenges, work on the long awaited Hunslet Moor Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) has finally been given a start day.

Work to build the MUGA will start on 17 April and take around 8 weeks to complete.

Cllr Paul Wray (Labour, Hunslet and Riverside) who has been pushing for the

project’s completion said:

“This has taken so long –indeed it was originally first proposed five years ago by former Cllr Nash, before I was even a Councillor.

“Funding issues, the pandemic and then a complex set of drainage issue had all delayed final sign-off this park upgrade, but we finally got there as I promised we would.

Work set to start on Hunslet Moor MUGA Find your new role at Middleton Railway

Running an award-winning heritage railway isn’t just about the grease monkeys that keep the magnificent locomotives moving.

There are host of roles from serving teas in the café to selling tickets with a smile and tending the flower beds that make the visitor experience special.

Middleton Railway have a range of roles available for people who are looking for a new experience. Research shows that regular activity and social interaction such as working in a group, are good for our health which can be especially important following

This community will now have the benefits of a MUGA in their park. It is about time.”

Chair of Friends of Hunslet Moor, Brenda Barlow added:

“This is great news for the community who use Hunslet Moor. The last five years have seen the area steadily improving due to the partnership work between the community via the Friends, the Parks department and Cllr Wray. Cllr Wray could have given up on this project years ago, but he kept at it.”

Samantha Gilmore, who runs the popular Champions Soccer Saturday project on the moor also added:

“This will be so useful for project like ours. This, plus other fitness improvements I know are planned for Hunslet Moor, means we can offer an even wider range of support, in particular to young men, to get fit, stay active and keep them away from less beneficial activities.”

Community responds to earthquake appeal

Local businesses and volunteers have raised thousands of pounds for the earthquake appeal in Syria and Turkey. Participating companies have included Ocean Fisheries and Insure Smart in Beeston, who jointly raised over £12,000 for the World Care Foundation. Omar Mushtaq co-led the fundraiser, and commented: “Thank you to everyone who donated to the appeal. It’s a terrible thing that’s happened – but it’s been humbling to see so many people unite around this common cause, especially when many of us are struggling ourselves to make ends meet.” Pictured are young volunteers Hana and Aiza.

retirement, but volunteer roles are open to people of all ages.

The attraction is entirely run by volunteers and has been since the trust took over the historic stretch of track in 1960. The friendly team are extremely flexible so whether you’re confident to chat to visitors or prefer a backroom role, they will do their best to find a role to fit you. Training and support will be provided while you’re finding your feet.

On the technical side, the railway is always looking for apprentice trained fitters and also woodworkers. The carriages and trucks are wooden and need regular

repair and renovation. You will be working with quality materials and have the satisfaction of seeing your handiwork riding up to Middleton.

“It’s a very rewarding job,” says Charles Milner, the Trust’s Chair. “When you see customers coming back having had a good time and enjoyed their visit and knowing that you are helping to preserve a key aspect of the community’s history.”

“We run a happy ship,” adds Janet who runs the shop and cafe. “We have a laugh and we get the job done.”

The Railway is open every weekend between April and October as well as December plus Wednesdays in school holidays. Working hours are 9am-5pm, but you can work half days as necessary. Volunteers are typically expected to work at least one day per month.

To find out more please email commercial@middleton railway.org.uk or call 07376 744799. or visit the railway on its Community Day, Saturday 1 April for a chat and a free train ride.

You could join the happy band of volunteers at Middleton Railway

The site of the new MUGA on Hunslet Moor. Photo: Google

Students at Cockburn John Charles Academy planning for the future

Windmill pupils plant an

by Jeremy Morton

Children from Windmill Primary School helped to plant fruit trees and bushes on 23 February as part of a BITMO project to create a community orchard in Belle Isle.

Peter Sutton, BITMO’s Community Development manager explained the background to the project:

“There’s a lot of interest in increasing the number of trees in Belle Isle and also in local food production. Belle Isle has always been a garden estate and we want to help people develop their gardening and food producing skills.”

of

Year 7 school council representatives met with visitors from Belle Isle TMO and Leeds City Council, Public Health to discuss the development of green spaces in the Belle Isle area.

This was an important opportunity for young people in the local area to have their voices and opinions considered

in regard to infrastructure development in the local area.

Nicola Kelly-Johnson, Leeds City Council Public Health, said, “It was really lovely to speak with a group of very mature, articulate, and fully engaged year 7 students. They clearly really cared about their local community and have given us some great ideas and much to

consider as we move forward with redevelopment. We will return to the academy in the future to share with the students how their ideas have been implemented.”

The students were a credit to the academy, embodying the values and expectations to make a positive change in the community.

Cockburn John Charles Academy presents ‘We Will Rock You’

Over several months, the staff and students have worked extremely hard to perfect the music, choreography and performance. Their hard work and effort paid off as the students delivered memorable performances that set a new standard for future shows.

Hannah Davison, Leader of Dance, said, “We are proud of each and every person involved in the show.

“Their passion was evident at every rehearsal which resulted in a show that was truly special.”

Siobhan Roberts, Head of School, added, “Our annual school production is always one of the highlights of our performance calendar, and this year was no exception.

“I feel inordinately proud of the resilience and dedication of students and staff who have worked hard during the rehearsal process to hone the performance to a professional standard.”

While it may be another year until the next school show, the cast is already hard at work, devising and practising for the upcoming MADD Fest which celebrates all things creative, including music, dance and art, in the summer.

The site, formally a bowling green that has been out of use for ten years, is located behind Belle Isle Circus, which houses tenants needing sheltered housing and over 55s. Some flats have been converted into community rooms and the children were joined by some of the older residents.

“Residents are keen to see the site brough back into use and like the idea of cross generational involvement of children from Windmill Primary School” Peter continued.

“This is a long term project, the orchard will be here for years and residents will see these trees grow and mature.

The circus comes to Beeston Primary School

Circus artists from Circus Leeds and Circus Sensible visited Beeston Primary School last month to help provide a focus for their annual Growth Mindset Week.

Each year, pupils and staff take time to remind themselves of the importance of having a Growth Mindset and how they should all remember that we learn by making mistakes; listening to feedback and trying again.

To help launch the special week there were assemblies and focussed workshops for each class where they learned some circus skills for example juggling, plate spinning and hula hooping.

Circus skills are an opportunity for children and adults to discover and develop skills such as concentration, information retention, concept visualisation; hand-eye coordination and selfawareness.

These skills can then be used in many other settings including social situations and other curriculum lessons.

Mrs Tidey, Deputy

Headteacher, explained that the aim throughout the week was to link achievement and progress

to Growth Mindset, resilience, determination and practise as well as having lots of fun too.

Having their say: Year 7s discuss the future

Belle Isle’s green spaces

Students at Cockburn John Charles Academy performed an incredible

rendition of the classic Queen musical ‘We Will Rock You’ last month.

Ready to rock: dancers in the CJCA performance

Pupils L-R : Henley Navey, Jake Sigsworth (crouching), Ruvimbo Mupezeni and Syeda Hoque

Pupils from Windmill Primary School work with Fruitworks to plant fruit trees

It’s a thumbs

Old and young discuss the finer points of tree planting

orchard for Belle Isle

out harvesting with them.”

Through the School Council the children at Windmill have been thinking about the community and what more they could do more in the community, so were pleased to get involved. The project will also be helpful when they study plants next term.

BITMO have set the children a drawing challenge and the winning picture is to be made into a sign for the orchard’s gate.

The planting was managed by Gini and Faye from Fruitworks, a local social enterprise that helps schools and community groups plant more fruit trees and bushes, pruning, workshops, juicing. They helped the children dig planting holes, make sure they were deep enough, fill them in correctly and add a mulch. The children will return to tend the trees and make sure they are watered.

Exciting start to 2023 for Cockburn students

“The children helping today are in Year 3, when they are in Years 5 and 6 they will be able to come and help pick the fruit and the older people from the retirement life homes will be

As well as the fruit trees, current and gooseberry bushes were planted and the site already has an existing crabapple tree.

Plans are being developed to run outdoor activities in the orchard. These might include gardening, planting and weeding, but also keep fit, tai chi, or just socialising with a picnic to suppport residents’ health and wellbeing.

Leeds Children’s Mayor tours Elland Road

Students at Cockburn School have had an excellent start to 2023. Highlights have included:

Year 11 Art and Design • students starting their GCSE exam projects with a trip to the Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield for inspiration.

Scared Of'.

Gold and Platinum badge • holders (students who have excellent attendance, attitude and take part in community activity and social action) were treated to a Friday pop-up treat event and one lucky winner won a £50 Love2shop voucher!

Academy, travelled to Paris in France. Their maths themed visit involved learning about the maths involved in running Disneyland Paris as well as some amazing sightseeing in the city centre. The weather was cold but bright and dry and they all had a fantastic time.

Italy Ski Trip

In February, a group of over 40 students from Years 8, 9 and 10 travelled via coach to the north of Italy to experience a week of skiing. Demonstrating resilience, independence and confidence to learn new skills, all of the students had an amazing experience. The weather was perfect and as well as spending time on the slopes they also made time for some local sightseeing.

Leeds

Children’s Mayor, Mason Hicks, had a halfterm treat after Councillor Andrew Scopes, Lead Member for Child Friendly Leeds and a Trustee of the Leeds United Foundation organised a very special tour of Elland Road Stadium for him.

Mason and Councillor Scopes were given a behind the scenes glimpse of the Club and Mason was presented with his very own personalised Leeds United shirt as a reminder of the day.

Cllr Andrew Scopes (Labour, Beeston and Holbeck) said:

“I was very happy to organise this treat for Mason and want to thank the Leeds United Foundation for ensuring he was well-looked after and for the surprise shirt they gave him.

“Being Leeds Children’s Mayor is a big responsibility and I thought this might be a nice way to thank Mason for the amazing job he is doing as he represents the voice of children and young people in our Child Friendly City.”

Year 9 and 10 Drama • students visited Wakefield Theatre Royal to see John Godber's "Bouncers". After the show, actor Frazer Hammil (Lucky Eric) and the other cast did a Q&A session. The students had advice about careers in Performing Arts industry & some valuable knowledge about crafting a performance.

Year 11 English GCSE • students travelled to York Theatre Royal to see an excellent production of An Inspector Calls.

Year 8 students spent • some English lesson time with a virtual author visit. To mark Holocaust Memorial Day, students heard from awardwinning author, Karen David. She has written 'What We Are

Paris Maths Trip

In January, over 100 Year 10 maths students from Cockburn School, joined by students from Cockburn John Charles

Rugby finalists share the trophy

The Year 7 Boys rugby league team final at South Leeds Stadium finished with a 16-16 draw after extra time in the Leeds and Hunslet Schools Cup Final vs Brigshaw.

Nothing could separate the sides in the end so they had to share the trophy. Both teams were very closely matched and it was an exciting competition that was played in a positive and respectful manner.

Cockburn Y7s at South Leeds Stadium

Cockburn students on the slopes

Cockburn and CJCA students making it all add up at Disneyland Paris

Cllr Scopes with Children’s Mayor Mason Hicks by the players’ tunnel

up from the Retirement Life tenants

In our view

Stepping forward

South Leeds is blessed with some fantastic events and attractions. We go along and enjoy them. Perhaps we marvel at how they are organised. But do we stop and think ‘I wonder if they could use a hand?’

Events such as The Great Middleton Park Show, Beeston Festival, Holbeck and Hunslet Galas are all organised by people like you and me. Our grassroots sports clubs and even award winning attractions like Middleton Railway all depend on volunteers. Yes the organisers have built up a wealth of knowledge and experience, but only by getting stuck in and learning as they went along. Volunteering is an altruistic thing to do, but it’s not a one way street. Being part of a team delivering a great event feels great. And that is important in these times of growing mental health problems. So come on, step forward and ask ‘how can I help?’

Voter suppression

We are very worried about the new law that says you have to have photo ID to vote in person. It’s not just a sledgehammer to crack a nut, there are hardly any cases of voter impersonation in the UK, it’s more sinister. If you are lucky enough to have a decent job you will probably drive a car and go on foreign holidays, so of course you will have a driving licence and a passport. But less well off families don’t have those luxuries. This law is designed to make it harder for poorer people to vote, by putting more obstacles in their way. It needs to be reversed at the earliest opportunity.

Ann’s a hero

Let’s hear it for Ann Chalders, a Move More hero. Ann maybe just an ordinary woman who has got involved in sport later in life, but she is inspiring others to move more. We look forward to meeting more Move More heroes in the coming months.

Your letters and comments

Small business support

Who wrote this drivel? If your business is not profitable then it is not a viable business. You don’t get to ask the taxpayer to subsidise you.

Boo-hoo, the easy times are over for a while. Maybe if Mr Gelato Moments tidied up the appearance of the front of his shop more people would come in?

You don’t get to ask for me to pay your utility bill. The utter bare faced cheek of it. Mr Afzal yes, you let one of your staff go if that is what keeps you going. Instead, what? I am supposed to pay for your power so you can keep him? Get lost.

How is there still a ‘household appliance shop’?! There’s this thing called The Internet, I heard it has everything really cheap. I’d guess Argos have cheaper kettles than some guy operating out of what should be a terraced house. Your business stopped being viable 15 years ago, mate.

There has been a real change over the last couple of years for the worse, of people expecting The Government (ie the taxpayer, who are now being bled dry for the most ever taken from taxpayers since the war) to bail them out no matter the cost, no matter the situation.

No. It is your business. Make it work or shut up shop and let someone else have a chance at your unit.

Dave Smith

Dave Smith is happy to pay for billions of pounds for PPE that was never needed or intended to be used whilst determined to destroy local businesses. Dave wants benefits for the uber rich while local businesses and local people pay through the nose to prop up the bank accounts of utility companies’ shareholders.

Or perhaps Dave is one of those who watched veterans dying of starvation in their cold, dark homes and voted for more of the same while those he voted for, dished out fraudulent contracts to their mates. He can’t grasp basic economics. Government policies mean the UK is the only G7 country with a smaller economy than before Covid-19.

It is, and always has been the responsibility of those who govern to ensure the best possible economic environment for home grown businesses. But Dave doesn’t like accountability.

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:

@LeedsDads

WEDNESDAY nights at 8pm we host an hour where Dads can openly discuss challenging, difficult or sensitive topics without judgement.

Instead he’d rather blame a random ice cream shop for the cost of living crisis that continues to deliver record profits for utility companies, who break into vulnerable people’s homes to fit pre-payment meters. The attitudes of these business owners are to be commended. I frequent one or two of them myself and I can tell you first hand, they’d rather see their community fed and looked after than chase obscene profit. Unfortunately for Dave, Beeston folk are a lot more savvy than he could ever hope to be.

a free car park. Presumably using the area for fly tipping is not enough abuse of an area where many live.

Whilst I would appreciate a considerable reduction in traffic, meanwhile a reduction in parking would help. People not living locally, who would have a permit, should pay for parking if there for hours a day. The money used could help improve the area. It feels like living on a motorway slip road. The zebra crossing was a very welcome addition.

Frances

You don’t have to talk, just join in from 8-9pm. Find Leeds Dads Evening Session in our private Facebook group.

@WYP_LeedsSouth

M Holbeck Cemetery

Leighton

Many thanks to Ken Burton for submitting this very interesting article about Holbeck Cemetery. One of my late grandmother’s daughters was buried in one of the Guinea graves in 1931. My grandmother took me to visit her grave in about 1964 when I was 10 years old. It’s a shame that the viewing platform had to be removed due to unsociable behaviour. Once a few years ago myself and other people complained to the council because travellers had tethered some horses in the cemetery!

Mike

Car-free Beeston?

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 (Labour) 07445 878 333 gohar.almass@leeds.gov.uk

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

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

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

During the pandemic lockdown, there seemed to be a lot less cars parked in Tempest Road. Perhaps suggesting some of the cars belong to people who do not live there. That most days it’s a free car park, probably for people then getting a bus to the train station. You can’t blame them, but it’s using a poor area like

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

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

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

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

Sharon Burke (Labour) 0113 378 8814 sharon.burke@leeds.gov.uk

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

Paul Truswell (Labour) 0113 378 8811 paul.truswell@leeds.gov.uk

Parking at Bison

It’s a shame Bison’s community spirit doesn’t extend to the rubbish left outside their back door. Obviously left by customers who sit and eat in their cars and throw the rubbish out. Plus the owners obviously think it’s OK to park on the pavement outside their shop blocking all access to pedestrians. The promises made by them at our consultation have not been kept up with. I was nearly knocked over a couple of weeks ago by their van reversing on the pavement.

Brenda Barlow

Accessiblity at St Luke’s CARES

This is a great start. Does the shop have a raised seat for those who need one? Also please don’t think it can be used as a store room.

Philip Gleeson

Join the debate

Earlier today officers enforced a warrant at an address in Beeston. Four rooms of cannabis plants in various states of growth found and now on route for destruction. Want to submit information anonymously, contact @CrimestoppersUK

@AnnieBHLabour

My Dad is over from Hamburg, landed this morning. First night, pints in Holbeck and he's got a copy of @SouthLeedsLife to take back to Germany!

LS11 7BW.

Letters may be edited for publication.

@Royal_Armouries

Daily shows, thrilling combats, and over 4,500 objects on display. There's so much history to discover at the #RoyalArmouries. We bring historic armour and weapons to life through #livecombat and captivating stories, and it's all FREE.

Guinea graves in Holbeck Cemetery

MP’s notebook

with Hilary Benn MP

Our right to vote was hardwon and is very precious. This May the way we vote will be changing because we’ll all need to show specified photo ID at the polling station in order to be given a ballot paper.

Acceptable forms of ID include a passport, driving licence, a blue badge, an Older Person’s Bus Pass and a biometric immigration document. The full list is available on the Electoral Commission website.

If you don’t have any of these then you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate. To do this, you will need to provide your details, NI number (if you have one) and a photo. The deadline for applications for this May’s local elections is 5pm on Tuesday 25 April 2023. You can apply online to the Electoral Commission or ask the Leeds elections office to send you a form by post.

I'm really worried about this

change and the way it’s being implemented because I fear it will lead to a lot of people losing their right to vote. Research has shown that only a third of voters are aware of the change, and only 1% of the estimated two million voters who don't currently have an acceptable form of ID have so far applied for a Voter Authority Certificate. Given these figures, the Government ought to postpone the implementation of this change.

You may be wondering why it’s happening. The Government claims it's to prevent fraud, but the number of cases of fraudulent voting is miniscule. I think this is about providing a supposed answer to a non-existent problem.

However, the law has been changed and it's really important that everyone is made aware of what it means. For example, one issue I've come across is the case of someone who was registered to

vote in her maiden name, but all her forms of voter ID contained her married name. There were two things she could do - either change her name on the electoral register by contacting the Leeds elections office or apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. She sorted it out by doing the former, but make sure you have what you need so you can still vote!

24 February marked the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A huge number of people have lost their lives and many cities and neighbourhoods have been destroyed in this unprovoked and brutal act of aggression by President Putin. It is vital that we continue to support the people of Ukraine as they try to resist the invaders, including by providing the weapons they need in order to do so.

Two weeks ago, President Zelensky made his historic trip

to Parliament where he addressed us, and President Biden recently visited Kiev to demonstrate America’s support. I have also met the Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK who spoke to me about the hardship the people of Ukraine are having to endure. On the anniversary of the Russian invasion, a large number of Ukrainian refugees gathered for a vigil in Dortmund Square in Leeds city centre to remember all those who have been killed and injured and to express solidarity with the brave Ukrainian forces who are fighting to defend their country. We should be really proud of the fact that as a city we have given such a warm welcome to those from Ukraine – mainly women and children – who have come to Leeds to seek shelter. It is very hard for us to imagine what it must be like to be forced out of your home by war, state violence or persecution and then have to flee to another country. So ask yourself this question: if it happened to us, how would we like to be treated?

More and more people have been contacting me to complain about train services and cancellations. It is

Lack of small business support is an assault on our community

by Omar Mushtaq

Independent businesses have always been the soul of any community. They often source local products meaning they strengthen local supply chains, they provide local employment, and they contribute to the uniqueness of local identity.

Basically, the small businesses we have around us are what make Beeston, Beeston. But the very essence of what makes us uniquely Beeston is under threat. Like every other district across Leeds and the rest of the UK, the cost-of-living crisis is ravaging small businesses; and the lack of support in response to that threat is the final death knell.

The common thread in speaking to business owners in this part of Leeds is the concern and compassion they feel for their customers and the community in which they operate.

Mazar, who manages Gelato Moments on Beeston’s Ring Road, has tried everything he possibly can to keep the price of his products down for his customers. “In Beeston a visit

to Gelato Moments has always been a once or twice a month treat for the kids because parents have to budget even for that” he said.

In fact, Mazar’s customers come from further afield to enjoy some of the lowest dessert prices in Leeds. But, he says, in the face of electricity and gas price rises more than five times the previous years’ rates “there’s no way I can hold prices at their current levels and keep the business running”.

The owner of a household appliance shop in Beeston was keen to share his story while remaining anonymous.

“I’ve always made sure the products I stock match the pockets of the local community. We’re grafters but we don’t have the same sort of wealth they’ve got in Harrogate”. Pointing to a shelf of kettles and toasters he says “these are good quality and really good value. But these prices barely cover the new wholesale prices, let alone my electric.” He is visibly emotional as he tells me there is “no point putting prices up because there’s nobody around here who can afford to

buy if I do.”

The pressure of managing spiralling utility costs while trying to keep his business afloat for the sake of his young family of four has driven him to a deep depression. His friend who owns a similar business in Harrogate has found it a little easier to absorb and adapt to utility rate increases; “yeah, it’s tough for them too but over that way they’ve gone from buying Smeg fridges to Samsung ones instead”. Defeated, his head drops as he

frustrating, stressful and makes getting to work a lottery. I have had most complaints about TransPennine Express –a somewhat unfortunate name for a service that is anything but reliable.

The full extent of the cancellations on this line were recently published by the rail regulator. Over four weeks, TransPennine cancelled 1,048 trains before 22:30 on the day before they were due to run - a much higher figure than any other train company. The rail regulator said “For a passenger this could mean that a train they expected to catch when they went to bed can disappear from the timetable by the time they leave for the station unaware that the train has been cancelled."

Frankly, things are so bad that I’m calling on the Government to take away the franchise and bring it back under public control.

And finally, while we’re on the subject of transport difficulties, my aging car has been in the garage for repair after a series of mechanical failures. There are some benefits, however. I’ve been walking everywhere which is enabling me to get my steps in. You do notice a lot more when you’re travelling at 3 miles an hour as opposed to 20 or 30. And when the sun has been out and everything seems brighter, I have really enjoyed the snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils as they emerge from winter hibernation and herald the coming spring.

Hilary Benn is our Member of Parliament.

He represents the Leeds Central constituency which covers South Leeds as well as other parts of the city

Contact: hilary.benn.mp@parliament.uk, www.hilarybennmp.com

Constituency office: Unity Business Centre, 26 Roundhay Road, Leeds LS7 1AB; Tel: 0113 244 1097

says of his own options “I’m selling Beko and Russell Hobbs over here so how can my customers adapt?”

King Kebab is another business in Beeston that until now has attracted customers from across the city, partly because of its affordable prices. Even on a Wednesday evening the takeaway is busy and the cashier struggles to keep up with the constant flow of customers as well as the rotating donner kebab he is responsible for shaving.

Owner Adil Afzal is just as busy and tells his story between picking up the telephone orders and tending to the grill. Surely a business this busy will be able to weather the storm? But Afzal paints a bleak picture. “Look at our prices,” he says with a speedy gesture towards an overhead menu board. “Our utility bills have gone up by over £5,000 a month. I put the prices up to absorb that and see these customers?” he says, nodding his head towards the customers, “they won’t be able to afford any more takeaways. So what options am I left with?” He gestures towards the staff in the kitchen and asks, “Let one of them go?”.

He is shouting to make

himself heard over the din of customers, a constantly ringing phone and the clatter of pans in the kitchen — so the kitchen hands definitely heard him, but they’re flat out, with barely enough time to be able to lift their heads from their work stations. “No way could we keep serving the amount we do if we let even one person go, but how am I going to keep paying everyone when the gas and electric companies have their hands in our tills?”

It’s heartbreaking to hear just how much of a chokehold the cost-of-living crisis has taken hold in almost all of our homes. And it’s terrifying to see how the failure to support local businesses could be the decay that ultimately destroys the very foundation of our community here in Beeston.

Germany and Portugal are offering their small businesses utility subsidies of between 40% and 65% — some even as much as 80%. But in the UK, Rishi Sunak has boasted to his own local constituents that he rewrote local authority funding formulas to take money out of deprived areas and redirect it to already privileged areas. Not only is the government simply not doing enough to support local businesses in areas like Beeston, but they are actively focussed on the targeted destruction of communities like ours. So shop local if you can and help our businesses weather the storm.

Independent shopkeepers in South Leeds

Local history with

Ken Burton

Yorkshire Copper Works

TheElmore Copper Works, or as it was known locally, Elmore’s, was originally established at the end of the 1880s with the works being built on the Haigh Park Estate between Stourton and the River Aire.

producing the steam to generate the large amounts of electricity used in making the product.

After the original works were opened and established on the site another works was built next door to it which made

Company although they stil appeared as shareholders.

In 1901 William, Stanley, and Frank were living in Lewisham, South London. Their Patents and Shares in copper had made them rich men, Frank died at Boxmoor, Hertfordshire

and his suggestions were so successful that in October 1909 the Company was registered as the Yorkshire Copper Works.

Norton became Chairman of the Company and to make it successful he came up with certain organisational and technical changes along with additional capital, the factory at this time employed 100 people.

The next few years before the First World War saw a period of steady expansion. Buildings were added for the administration and operation of the Company and for the first time a small laboratory was set up to check the metallurgical control of the Company products. This laboratory occupied three rooms of about 400 sq ft in a fairly small building.

The First World War was a time of great activity and expansion. Women were employed for making shell bands and condenser tubes, while in 1917 a new laboratory was built and in the same year a piercing mill started production to meet the increased demand for pierced copper shells.

corrosion and suitable for condenser tube manufacture. This material was marketed under the name “Yorcalbro” the first order for which was for the P&O liner ‘Malura’ in October 1928.

In 1938 the new Barrhead factory in Scotland started production of its first tubes ranging in size from ½ inch to 8 inch in diameter; these were displayed that year in the Glasgow Exhibition. After the Munich Crisis in 1938 the Company partly changed to producing light alloy tubing for the aircraft industry and the War years that followed was a period of intense activity.

This land was formerly part of Rothwell Haigh in the Parish of Rothwell and has a history as a Royal Hunting Park going back to medieval times. It has also been the site chosen for the Leeds Race Course that was completed with a Grandstand and Paddocks. This was patronised by the nobility and commoners alike for a brief period between 1824 and 1832; the road to this eventually becoming the A639.

In 1888 William Elmore and his two sons, Francis Edward, and Alexander Stanley Elmore, living in Middlesex registered Elmore's Patent Copper Depositing Company after they had patented a method of depositing copper on mandrills which gave them a very lightly polished appearance.

This process separated copper from the material that surrounded it after it had been mined; the copper was then extruded into tubes of varying thickness. After considering establishing a works in Sheffield they finally decided on building at Stourton and leased the land in 1889.

The reasons for choosing this site was the transport links via the Aire & Calder Navigation, the Midland Railway, and the plentiful supply of cheap coal; this was used to fire the boilers

copper wire which was then sold on to telegraph and telephone companies as well as the newly established electricity generating companies. The new works was used to form a new Company, Elmore’s Wire Manufacturing Company, on 15 March 1890 with the same Board of Directors and Management.

In 1881 the family were living on the Strand in London but by 1891 they were residing at Spring Grove, a substantial house with gardens, next to the tram depot at Thwaite Gate.

William was born in London in 1840 and was described as a Victualler or Agent when his sons were baptised in Liverpool in the 1860s. By 1891 he was listed as an Electrical Engineer with Frank and Stanley as Electrolytic Engineers. William also had an elder son, John Oliver Surtees Elmore, who was also an Engineer and an Architect living in the Punjab in India and he also registered Patents for depositing copper using electricity. William seems to have been the ‘money man’ raising capital and bringing in substantial investors leaving his sons acting as Works Managers.

After about 10 years the Elmore’s relinquished their direct involvement with the

in 1932 leaving in today’s value £2½ million some of which was used to establish a Scholarship for Medical Post-Graduates. His younger brother died in 1944 leaving £3½ million while the elder brother John, who had been the Private Secretary to the Rajah of Kapurthala, India, returned to England in 1913. He died in Jersey in 1924 left just short of £1 million. During the 1890s both of these companies seem to have had a somewhat chequered career with substantial losses.

In May 1899 The English Electro-Metallurgical Company was formed by amalgamating the two companies, two of the Directors were connected to a French works that was a commercial success and it was decided to reorganise the Leeds works on the same lines. The first step in this was to build a new factory in 1900 and in 1902 the name was changed to the Leeds Copper Works.

For the next few years things did not go too well for the new Company in spite of several improvements being made and the Directors Report for 1907 stated that there was no course open but to liquidate the Company. The Chartered Accountant, George Pepler Norton arrived on the scene

In 1924 the first attempt to make seamless tubes larger than 14 inch in diameter took place and this led to tubes of 15, 20, and 24 inches in diameter being made for the Wembley Exhibition. They took six months to make but this saw the beginning for large tubes and these were to become an important part of the works’ output.

With the development of the steam turbine a problem was encountered with condensers leaking, this was caused by rapid corrosion of the condenser tubes by the action of sea water, a problem carried over from the war. Yorkshire Copper Works became licensees of a Patent file in 1927 for the use of aluminium brass as an alloy resistant to

Altogether the works were to produce 85 million feet of light alloy tubing for aircraft production together with about 90 million feet of copper, brass, and alloy tubing. Apart from condenser tubing for the Royal Navy, copper driving bands estimated for 65 million shells, as well as millions of shell fuse bodies, trench mortars, smoke bomb adaptors, and the like were also produced.

Once again women were employed to do men’s work. At the outbreak of war there were between 300 and 400 women workers but this later increased to over 1,500 during hostilities.

After the war there was an expansion of the petrochemical industry throughout the world, this led to re-equipping part of the works that had been making aluminium and aluminium alloy tubes during the war for large scale production of copper and copper-alloy tubing.

The start of 1958 saw the

forming of Yorkshire Imperial Metals Limited by the merging of Yorkshire Copper Works Limited with the copper and copper-alloy tube plate and fittings section of Imperial Chemical Industries Limited, Metal Division. By the 1970s and with its numerous departments and expensive equipment, the laboratory now occupied some 20,000 sq ft. After the amalgamation and the reorganisations from this the complex lasted only until 1997 when it closed down.

The Copper Works at its height employed 5,000 people on 24 hour production on a site, it is said, of 20 acres of buildings on the 100 acre site producing metal tubes in sizes ranging from 0.005 inches to 24 inches in diameter supplying industries ranging from shipbuilding, printing, textile machinery makers, as well as the aviation and car industries.

Most of the boilers of the steam locomotives built in Hunslet for home and overseas markets had tubes supplied by the Copper Works. But unfortunately we now find another industry gone from the area.

An early engraving of the Copper Works

Yorkshire Copper works in its heyday

How a spider put Leeds at the forefront of science

by Hon Ald Elizabeth Nash

Leeds was one of the last, if not the very last, of the big cities to install electric lighting in its residential streets.

In my street there was only one dim gas street-light to serve 32 houses. There was no ‘night-time economy’. After the Leeds pubs closed at 10pm and picture houses soon afterwards, people went home to bed and then house lights went out. And, of course, there were very few privately-owned cars with headlights shining. Even New Year was something that Scotland celebrated and had nothing to do with us. Therefore, Leeds had pretty good dark skies.

I grew up being able to recognize all the planets and quite a few of the star constellations. This gave me a life-long interest in astronomy despite it now being years since I have seen star constellations such as the Plough pointing to the North Star, the Pleiades (Seven Sisters), Orion the Hunter with its distinctive belt of three stars in a row and which also contains Betelgeuse the brightest of all our stars being twenty times bigger than our sun, and the Milky Way stretching across the sky.

Therefore, five years ago I was pleased to attend a jaw-

dropping talk given by David Sellers about the 17th Century South Leeds astronomer William Gascoigne.

Gascoigne was born in 1612 in Town Street in Middleton, somewhere near the current modern row of shops. There is no record of his attending Oxford or Cambridge and his knowledge appears to have been self-acquired. He knew of Copernicus’ theory that the earth and other planets revolved around the sun.

He was a contemporary of both Italian astronomer Galileo and German astronomer Kepler. Kepler discovered that the orbit of the earth was an elliptical one but that the sun was not quite in the centre of the orbit. As a result the sun appears bigger in winter as the earth is nearer the sun and this effect is something that Gascoigne was able to quantify.

Gascoigne used Kepler’s design of a refracting telescope rather than the one designed by Galileo.

The disadvantage of this telescope was that the image refracted was upside down but that did not matter for astronomical observations.

One morning Gascoigne found that a spider had spun its web inside the telescope and, to his surprise, both the object looked at and the web

were in perfect focus. Gascoigne then invented a micrometre that fitted in the same position as the web. He could then measure the diameter of the sun, the diameter of planets and the distance between each of the stars and planets. For example, Gascoigne measured the distances between the stars in the Pleiades constellation. Stars are constantly moving so the distances today are not the same.

Gascoigne was caught up in the Civil War, finding himself on the Royalist side. He was killed at the Battle of Marston Moor where the Parliamentarians outnumbered the Royalists. He was 32 years old.

The Parliamentarians overran his home in Middleton and all of his papers and inventions were lost as their significance was not appreciated. Fortunately, Gascoigne was an avid correspondent writing about his theories and inventions including the micrometre to various prominent people including the mathematician and astronomer Richard Towneley of Burnley, Lancashire.

Towneley did much to publicise Gascoigne`s micrometre in a nationalistic attempt to prove that Britain was the first to invent one

Take a musical history tour at Holbeck studios

by Rebecca Townesend

Did you know a million album selling, Brit award winning band rehearse in a Holbeck studio and if you’re interested you can get involved there too?

Old Chapel Music Studios on Czar Street in Leeds may look like an old church but behind their doors is the latest music technology, a super warm welcome and they want you to be a part of it!

Old Chapel Music Studios has existed for other 30 years in Holbeck having moved from a previous location in Armley.

I went to find out more on one of their monthly Leeds Community Foundation & Leeds Civic Trust funded tours.

We got to see the rooms in the studio and a member of staff was available in each one

before the French astronomer Auzout. Auzout’s micrometrer was not as good as Gascoigne`s in any case. Townley wrote about Gascoigne to the Royal Society and his micrometre was taken up by them at Greenwich. It was not until 2004 when

Sherbourne Castle in Dorset was sold that the library, which had been closed to academic enquiry for 79 years, was reopened that more of Gascoigne’s letters and papers were rediscovered.

Towneley would have been proud of the work which David Sellers has done to inform the world of what is owed to William Gascoigne whose micrometre, in a more sophisticated version, is used today by astronomers all over the world. David Sellers’ book ‘In Search of William

Gascoigne: Seventeenth Century Astronomer’ (New York 2012) is the only book devoted to the short life of William Gascoigne.

While I am writing this article at the beginning of February, the news is that a green Comet can be seen high in the sky directly over our heads. It looks green because of the sunlight on it. With all the light pollution where I live there is no chance of me seeing it! If you happen to live in a dark spot oasis within the Leeds boundary, you may be lucky.

to answer questions about the history of the building, what they offer or let us have a hands on go on the equipment including guitars, bass, drums and a theremin. We spent some time in the recording studio and one of our group

was recording singing and the technician showed us the process of manipulating a vocal.

We also got a peak outside the door of where Kaiser Chiefs still rehearse. Despite being a global success they have stayed loyal to their roots and Katie Simkins who led our tour told us how proud the studios are of them.

Owen, a Year 10 music student on my tour, told me what a great experience the tour was and said he would encourage others to check it out.

The tour was really interesting and loads of fun and if you’re interested in local history and music it’s a great way to pass a couple of hours on a Sunday.

The key message from the tour is that Old Chapel Music Studios are there for you! The studio is totally committed to supporting the community through music. Everyone is welcome and all genres of musicians, bands, and artists can come to rehearse and record. You don’t need to have

all the equipment as you can borrow everything down to cables and drumsticks and there is support with branding your band too. If you’re not in a band or act but enjoy music there are lots of other ways to get involved from volunteering to student placements to courses and mentoring.

Joint CEO Katie Hayes told us: “Thanks to the support from Leeds Community Foundation and Leeds Civic Trust, these tours are a great opportunity to find out more about the rich history of music in Leeds, and the support we have been able to provide to the local community for 30 years. You can also help us to shape the next stage of our journey by sharing your ideas on how we can best use some space we intend to convert into something useful so come along, have some fun and have your say!”

Tours take place on the last Sunday of each month, the next one is on Sunday 26 March.

Find out more at oldchapelleeds.org/events

Writer David Sellers, Martin Hamilton and Jane Taylor from Leeds Civic Trust and Hilary Benn MP at the unveiling of a blue plaque on the site of New Hall, on Town Street in Belle Isle

Pathways for positivity with Shannon Humphrey Smartphone addiction

speaking to you, you find it difficult to focus on them and want to go on your phone.

Commit to spending 30

• minutes less each day on your phone. Then an hour, etc…

Don’t interact with your • phone until you are out of bed, washed, dressed and ready to start the day.

Go for a walk, turn all

• notifications off. And make a deal that you won’t get it out of your pocket until you get home.

books, educate ourselves, learn new skills, develop meaningful friendships, even build lifelong relationships.

Addiction.

What springs to mind? Drug misuse, alcohol dependency, smoking, gambling perhaps?

Did you think of ‘Nomophonia’ –addiction to smartphones?

When the first iPhone was launched in 2007 the fascination for mobile technology quickly became an acceptable part of daily life. An estimated 88% of UK adults owned at least one smartphone in 2021, as figures continue to rise.

Because of its many functions the smartphone has mutated to be far more powerful than the humble telephone Alexander Graham Bell invented in 1876, what was cutting edge almost 150 years ago bears little resemblance to the high-tech powerful machines, many of us can’t stand to leave the house without now. The vast functionality of a mobile phone would surely have made Bells head ring!

Because we’re dependent on our telephones, everything from online travel tickets, to paying for shopping, communicating with family, friends, online social media sites, gaming and so much more. Our phones are rarely far from our hands, or our minds. In fact, one survey found that the average person accesses their smartphone screen 150 times per day!

A couple of years ago I was invited to speak at a school year group assembly about Digital Awareness and mental health. I asked the students who were 14/15 years of age, how many hours a day they spent online (this included gaming and mobile phones)

when they weren’t at school and I was astounded to find that that over a third of them said they spent more than 12 hours a day on them, one student said he went online until he literally fell asleep.

I asked if they thought it was a problem and the answer was a resounding NO!

My next question was if the students preferred to meet each other in ‘real life’ or ‘online’ and out of a full year group, only a handful of students said they preferred to meet up in person. When I asked why, they said, ‘it was weird to meet in person’ and that it’s easier to chat online.

Honestly, that saddened me, my youth was spent with friends, doing fun things together often outside in the fresh air!

It’s undeniable, smartphones have changed how we function as a society. Even as adults most of us communicate differently than we did 10 or 15 years ago. I can’t remember the last time I had a spontaneous chat on the phone with a friend. Calling someone without permission is seen as intrusive and turning up unannounced at the front door is a definite no-no. Yet 66% of people in the UK use Facebook regularly and quite happily allow virtual strangers into their lives and homes by posting photographs of holidays, birthdays, deaths, and other life events.

Can you identify with any of this?

You're moody and • restless without your smartphone.

You panic at the idea of • leaving the house without it.

You constantly check to •

see if you’ve missed a notification.

You unlock your phone • and look at the screen, just because…

You go on your phone as • soon as you wake up.

You go on your phone • before bed, often falling asleep

You take your phone into • the bathroom with you.

You spend any free time • on your phone.

You spend less time • doing hobbies, because you don’t have time, yet you always find time to go on your phone.

People comment that • you’re always on your phone.

with it in your hand.

You go on your phone in • the middle of the night.

You eat your meals while • looking at your phone, texting, watching videos etc.

You ignore the person you • are with to go on your mobile phone. When someone is •

It takes you longer to • complete tasks because you keep getting distracted by your phone.

To break the dependency • of your phone try using some of these suggestions: Turn off notifications.

• Reduce the screen • brightness.

Give yourself a cut off

• time, no phone after 8pm –this will help you sleep better too.

Charge your phone in • another room overnight.

But when the balance tips and you’re no longer using the phone to enhance your life, but to distract you from it, then it’s time to stop, assess what’s really going on and find ways to manage it. Using the phone and all the online tools to distract you can only work for so long. Eventually whatever the real issue is, it will still be there waiting for you.

Buy a traditional alarm

• clock, so you don’t have to touch your phone in the night.

In the right circumstances smartphones are wonderful

tools, they open the world to all sorts of possibilities and wonder. They allowed us to see our loved ones in real time during the pandemic and the ease of being able to speak to loved ones who are miles away from us is truly a gift. We can join groups and clubs with like minded people. We can read

Don’t drift from the people, places and things that are here and now, reconnect with your senses to see, hear, smell, taste, and touch life on this side of the screen. Because when you put your phone down, they’ll all be here for you.

Shannon Humphrey is a First Aid for Mental Health Instructor, helping schools and businesses create healthy conversations around wellbeing and mental health.

www.pathwaysforpositivity .com

Photo: Shutterstock

Join the Beeston Paint-along

Joss Cole is one of ten artists commissioned by Leeds City Council to create a public art design, on replacement cladding on the eastern side of Neville Street, under the station.

The aim is to make a creative link between the South Bank and city centre as well as the southern entrance to Leeds City Station.

Joss, who runs Cole’s Gallery a small independent local art gallery in Leeds Corn Exchange said:

“I want my work for the commission to be inspired by making painting from life and

Loane

the views around Beeston and South Leeds. So as part of the commission I want to invite any artists or budding artists around the area to join me on a paint-along.

“I hope to encourage more painting from life and a creative community.”

If you would like to come and paint-along, depicting the South Leeds scene, please join Joss on Sunday 5 March, meeting at Holbeck Cemetery (Noster Hill) at 2pm.

Bring your own materials, easel or Sketch book.

Email colesgallery@gmail .com for more information.

Bobillier:

Squaring the Circle

Loane Bobillier is an international student at Leeds Arts University; hailing from Switzerland via China and Singapore, her work is a selection of satisfying geometric objects and shapes.

Clean and minimal, her work looks at the gulf of experience between shiny

surface and the depth of detail utilising sculpture, painting and photography. Her free show opens at BasementArtsProject, Beeston’s own art gallery, 28 Back Burton Terrace, LS11 5JH on Thursday 2 March and runs until 30 March.

All are welcome at the

Those were the days at the City Varieties

Sponsored content

Tom Jones,

Day

these are just a few of the stars to be celebrated in Those Were The Days, a nostalgic afternoon of music and song at the City

Varieties on Easter Sunday.

Musical entertainer Andy Eastwood, a regular at the Varieties from The Good Old Days is joined by superb international vocalists Helen Farrell and Chris Ritchie, and backed by a top class live band, they will whisk the audience

preview on 2 March 5:308:30pm. Just turn up. There will as always be drinks and nibbles available and it is all free. So come and enjoy some art. Full details of opening times can be found at www.basementarts project.com

Irish lives in Leeds explored

On Thursday 16 March at Ruth Gorse Academy in South Leeds, Irish Arts Foundation Director, Des Hurley, will chair a discussion and presentation, ‘Untold Stories: The Leeds Irish Community.’ Untold Stories is a community archive project undertaken by the Irish Arts Foundation. Initially funded through the Heritage Lottery Fund, the project looks at the experiences of the emigrant Irish community in Leeds in the second half of the twentieth century, particularly their settlement patterns and cultural traditions such as music, dance, song, and sport.

Sound therapy experience

Relax, connect to the music and yourself in this peaceful and re-balancing healing space. Julie Gill will utilise a wind gong, shamanic drum, chimes, sea drum, crystal and Himalayan singing bowls, and a rain stick to help you. This free session takes place at Cranmore & Raylands Community Centre, Cranmore Drive, LS10 4AW on Thursday 2 March at 9:30am. For more information contact Julie on 07783 786776, soundtherapyjg@gmail.com or resonancesoundtherapies.com

The (Not So) Grimm Twins

Roll up one and all, to hear the fabulous Grimm Brother’s fairytales like never before, as world-famous twins Jake and Will Grimm (oh, and their little sister Lottie too!) tumble from their magical wagon brimful of famous fairytales collected from every inch of the world. But sometimes even familiar stories can take a turn for the (f)unexpected, and our heroes will need all the help they can get to defeat the creatures of their own creation!

Wrongsemble children’s theatre are back with a performance at the new Slung Low space at Temple in Holbeck (corner of Bath Road and Water Lane, LS11 9UD) Friday 7 April, 1pm. For Pay What You Decide (after the event) tickets go to www.slunglow/shows

straight down memory lane with nearly fifty favourite hit songs of the 1950s and 60s. Tickets are just £19.50 direct from the Box Office on (0113) 243 0808 or via leedsheritagetheatres.com

Concessions and group rates available.

Shirley Bassey, Matt Monro, Doris

and George Formby...

Paint-along with Joss Cloes at Holbeck Cemetery

Andy Eastwood

Helen Farrell

Low sensory gym sessions introduced by Active Leeds

ActiveLeeds have announced they will be introducing low sensory gym sessions across some of its gyms including John Charles Centre for Sport and Middleton Leisure Centre in South Leeds. The sessions are designed to offer a safe and inclusive space for individuals with autism, ADHD and other neurodiverse conditions.

Loud music and bright lights can be a trigger for neurodivergent people, making activity in a gym environment very challenging; the aim of the low sensory sessions is to remove these barriers and make the gym space more accessible.

The low sensory gym sessions started at Pudsey Leisure Centre after learning from people with neurodiverse conditions what would support them to access the gym and after excellent feedback received from customers, they have now been expanded to the John Charles Centre for Sport, Middleton, John Smeaton, and Pudsey. Session times across all centres will be Wednesdays (6:30–8pm) and Sundays (1-2:30pm). Customers visiting during

Meet Ann, a ‘Move More’ hero

Continued from page 24 playing on a Thursday night and meeting up with the other ladies.

Has anyone else supported/inspired you?

those hours that would like to listen to music are encouraged to bring headphones.

Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for public health and active lifestyles, said:

“Following fantastic feedback from customers at the Pudsey Leisure Centre, I am thrilled to say that we are now rolling out these sessions more widely. Regular exercise is crucial to the physical and mental wellbeing of people, and we want to ensure that we are providing a space in our leisure centres which is accessible to everyone and where customers feel comfortable and supported.

“We are continuing to work closely with partners to offer as much support as possible for neurodivergent people across our service. Working with Advonet, People in Action and Public Health we are delivering specific disability awareness training to gym instructors and staff. We are also working closely with Breeze Leeds to support autistic and disabled children when activities are held in our facilities.”

To find out more about Active Leeds, visit: active.leeds.gov.uk

I am really lucky to have been supported and encouraged by my family Hayley, Luke and the grand children.

The South Leeds Valkyries ladies have also inspired me a lot, encouraging me and making me feel like I can do it.

Clara (De Sousa Diane) who started the team, also encouraged me as I felt I was too old – but she chatted to me at Beeston Festival (and afterwards) and made me feel I was part of the team and very welcome.

Any advice for someone considering giving a new activity a try?

Just do it – Go for it. The first one is the hardest as its about confidence, but it can only get better, you have nothing to lose.

I think especially when you are older, you can get stuck in

a rut, so its nice to do something different and realise that things can change and new stuff can happen in your life no matter how old you are. It’s also about not relying on other people to make you happy, but knowing you can do

it for yourself and taking pride in yourself and finding joy in that.

Thank you

I wanted to write about Ann as she is always positive and encouraging to the SLV ladies. She is 60 yet is an inspiration

to us to keep going and always try. She is also a lot of fun and always up for a laugh – she recently came to a disco with us!

She is also very loved at the school and plays such a vital role encouraging the children to be active. Well done Ann – a Move More hero!

Hunslet’s 2023 squad make a positive start

Continued from page 24 conversion agonisingly hit the woodwork and bounced the wrong side of the crossbar.

In truth the Parksiders, who will be disappointed, have a lot to take from this game and although the result didn’t go their way the performance was positive.

Hunslet dominated early on but didn’t capitalise on Joe Burton’s early try and Doncaster equalised on 17 minutes. Two more tries for the Dons at the end the half gave them a flattering lead of 18-6.

Captain Steve Crossley crossed under the posts on 56 minutes to narrow the lead before Jack Render gave Jake Sweeting the chance to even the scores. Doncaster held on to win 18-16.

Goods Vehicle Operator’s Licence

Claire Lindley trading as RCL Trucking

Hunslet will be annoyed they didn’t capitalise on early pressure and take the game away from Doncaster, and conceding two tries so close to half time is tough, but Coach Alan Kilshaw was pleased at his team’s efforts.

Losing Michael Knowles early was a big factor, but with stand-out performances from Steve Crossley, Nathan Conroy, Joe Burton and Man of the Match Sam Hallas it won’t be long before Hunslet climb the League 1 table.

The month finished with the visit of Heworth in the Challenge Cup on 25 February, causing Hunslet Chairman Kenny Sykes split loyalties as he is also Heworth’s President.

Hunslet Coach Alan Kilshaw was not going to take the opponents lightly and put out a very strong side with only a handful of key names missing through injury.

The home team were 28-6 up at the break, but scored freely against tiring opponents in the second half and were comfortable winners 68-6.

Afterwards Coach Alan Kilshaw felt that although his team were easy winners they did leave a few tries out on the field and against tougher opposition this would be costly,

but did acknowledge a tremendous second half performance.

In the end the job was well done, and with 11 different try scorers it shows the whole team contributed, the Man of the Match reflecting this being awarded to strong running interchange forward Lewis Wray.

Jack Earl picked up Man of the Match for the visitors with Danny Allan and former Hunslet man Liam Watling also holding the Heworth end up with pride.

Hunslet are back in League 1 action on Sunday 5 March at home to North Wales Crusaders.

The next round of the Challenge Cup will be played on Sunday 12 March. Hunslet will be joined in the draw by their community neighbours Hunslet ARLFC who beat Pilkington Recs 66-0. The draw had not been made as we went to press.

South Leeds Life carries full match reports of every Hunslet RLFC match online at southleedslife.com

The newly refurbished gym at Joh Charles Centre for Sport

Joe Burton scores against Doncaster.

Photo: Paul Whitehurst

Ann, kneeling left, with her South Leeds Valkyries sisters

Drilling down into what gets people moving Let’s Move spotlight on Rugby League

Rugby League has strong Yorkshire heritage, originating here after splitting from Rugby Union in 1895. It can be a fast moving and entertaining sport.

by Karen

Get Set Leeds Local (GSLL)

is part of LCC’s Active Leeds, funded by Sport England.

It’s a community led, insight driven approach to exploring how we (collectively) can support more people to move more through understanding what matters to communities, what things get in the way or what may enable someone to try something new, with a focus on Beeston Hill and Holbeck.

If you have ideas, insight or would like to find out more then get in touch karen.peck@ leeds.gov.uk 07891 274130

Being active takes so many forms and means assorted things to different people.

South Leeds is full of ways that all ages can move, have fun and find something that feels good for them. Every month we will take a deeper dive into a different activity, and we’ll explore the ways that someone could get involved. We start this month with Rugby League (see opposite).

Since GSLL began, we have loved meeting the huge number of people across the South Leeds communities taking part, volunteering and leading a huge variety of activities each week which get themselves or others moving in some way. We feel these people are all ‘heroes’ and an inspiration to us and others.

With the help from some GSLL friends, every month we‘ll be meeting and sharing a little about some of these “Move More Heroes” (see page 24).

ParkPlay at Brickfield Park on Lady Pit Lane in Beeston has gone on pause, but will be relaunching on Saturday 18 March at 10.30am with new PlayLeader Aidan. ParkPlay is free, fun and welcomes anyone of any age to join in any week. It’s kindly funded through the Inner South Community Committee so that sessions can continue each Saturday (whatever the weather) for the rest of 2023. It aims to be inclusive, and designed so generations of all ages can join in and play.

Aidan grew up nearby, has a passion for work in and around this community. He now works for Hunslet Rugby Foundation, but the games enjoyed each

week at ParkPlay will include new games and some old ParkPlay favourites.

“I’ve lived in the South Leeds area all my life. When I was 9 or 10 years old my dad ran something similar on Saturday mornings. I loved it and saw how it brought the community together and I’m really excited to do the same” he said.

As springtime sets in we love to see people re-emerging into parks and greenspaces. At Cross Flatts Park we have developed a cycle hub, which currently has free weekly adult learn to ride sessions and adult Cycle for Health sessions. We’re able to provide free bikes to these sessions so that it makes it easier for people to have a go.

Cycle North are adding additional new adult learn to ride sessions to their programme, which can be booked via bit.ly/CycleNorth. If anyone has an interest in developing some led rides for adults, children or getting involved in running some balance bike taster sessions for toddlers please get in touch. Funding is available to support with training, we can help with access to bikes and explore what else you need to help get you started either individually or linked with others to develop something to enable more people to get on a bike and have a go.

A quick shout out once again – if you are linked to a sports or activity club/group then get in touch to be a part of the new South Leeds community event ‘Let’s Move: South Leeds’ which will take place at Cross Flatts Park on Saturday 13 May.

We have some great providers involved already, but would love to see a range of activities represented whether it’s through putting on a taster

The main aim is for a team to score tries by advancing the oval ball down the pitch, whilst the opposing team tries to prevent through a limited number of tackles. Players are allowed to run forward, kick the ball and chase it down, and pass backwards.

on Saturday 11 March at 10:30am – children can come and join in some fun games and find out more.

In April this new age group will move to weeknights as the evenings get lighter. Children will be able to attend training on a Tuesday 6-7pm and/or Thursday 6-7pm.

We also have a boys session for Years 6 and 7 every Tuesday and/or Thursday 6–7pm, young people can attend one or both sessions each week.

first player to get a professional contract with Castleford Tigers before getting injured. All coaches are passionate about what we do. We’re all fully qualified and DBS checked. Do children have to have played before?

session, demonstration or running a mini challenge. It will be an event for all ages, helping to raise the profile of what’s on offer in South Leeds.

A new “planet discovery” game has come to Cross Flatts Park via the Love Exploring App. The app utilises augmented reality via your smart phone to discover sights via a game, and quiz to provide some family fun whilst out on a walk. Its available via the Love Exploring App which is free to download. Click on games, and scroll to search the parks. Currently you can hunt for Mega Mini Beasts on Holbeck Moor and at Brickfield Park; do a dinosaur safari or do a space walk at Cross Flatts Park; or complete the winter fairy trail at Middleton Park. Send us your photos, we’d love to see them.

Lastly to the Leeds Sports Awards which take place on Friday 17 March. We’re proud to spot some from South Leeds that Get Set Leeds Local has connected with over the past few years being recognised in this year’s Leeds Sports Awards as worthy finalists. Congratulations and good luck to all.

Last year one of the projects Get Set Leeds Local has worked closely with was a worthy winner of the Leeds Sports Awards Inspirational Community Champion category - Clara from South Leeds Valkyries women’s basketball. A great achievement by all involved in the team.

In 2021 Recovery Runners, another project we’ve loved working closely with since it first began, were also winners of the Community Champion award. Two amazing projects we’ve loved watching grow, which both began from the seed of an idea to achieving all they’re now doing.

South Leeds also has its very own professional rugby league club called Hunslet Rugby League Football Club, based at John Charles Centre for Sport (LS11 5DJ) which welcomes new people of all ages to come along and experience the atmosphere of a game (www.hunsletrlfc.com).

The club has a Foundation charitable arm doing good stuff across the South Leeds community, working with schools, community, health and education utilising the benefits of the sport for good.

To play there’s lots of ways to get involved. Hunslet Warriors have recently merged with Hunslet Club Parkside – the new team delivers sessions for all ages from rugby tots through to open age www.hunsletarlfc.com

Club Spotlight: Beeston Broncos

We caught up with Darrell from Beeston Broncos to find out more about the game and the club.

What are the benefits rugby can bring?

There’s so many. It’s a social team sport and a good way to make friends. It promotes discipline, character building, respect and team work. It’s a great sport for fitness, and developing fundamental skills. The main thing though is it fun.

Where is Beeston Broncos?

We’re tucked just behind Lane End Primary School and the Northcotes, in a great spot between Holbeck and Beeston Hill. We have a small building and a large green space with pitches on that we use for training and matches.

What age group sessions do you run weekly sessions for?

This year we’re really keen to concentrate on building a couple of our junior sections:

We’re launching a new Under 7s group, which we’d love to welcome new kids to. At this age boys and girls can come and play together. All children welcome.

We’re holding a launch event

There will be festival game opportunities for those children who want to start to experience games.

Do you have to book, or can people just turn up?

People are welcome to just turn up, but they are welcome to contact us and we’ll answer any questions. We are on Facebook and Twitter, or text the coach on 07447 098068 or e-mail beestonbroncos @googlemail.com

Who are the coaches?

I’m Darrell and have lived in the area all my life. I’ve always played rugby but started volunteering and coaching with the club about 11 years ago. We’re supported by Andy who’s been part of the club for about 7 years. We’ve also strong links with Aidan, development officer from Hunslet Rugby Foundation. He happens to be my son, who came up through the ranks at Beeston Broncos, before becoming the club’s

Anyone is welcome, whether they’ve played before or new to the game. We’re keen to welcome new children and young people to come and experience all the sport has to offer. We always start with the basics. We’ll cover fundamental skills through fun games. The main aim is for everyone to leave after having a good time. The rugby skills creep in to what we do and before they know it the kids are playing a game.

How much are sessions?

All training is free. We want it to be as inclusive as possible. We provide playing kit for matches. For training children can wear whatever is comfy. If footwear is an issue just talk to us and we’ll see how we can support.

What does a typical weekly session look like?

Training sessions involve small sided games, moving around, getting active – having fun with a few fun skills thrown in to develop passing and kicking for example.

A training field full of kids having fun creates a great atmosphere. It’s great to be a part of.

Learning to ride a bike in Cross Flatts Park

Peck

Hunslet’s 2023 squad make a positive start

by Ian Pickles

might suggest. A 14-8 half time score meant the young Rhinos were still very much in the game.

Two tries in the first 5 minutes of the second half knocked the wind out of Leeds but they responded with a fine individual try, so it was 26-12 on 52 minutes.

Meet Ann, a Move More hero

Hunslet

RLFC’s new squad have given the fans hope for the 2023 season with promising results in February.

Pre-season wins against Salford Reds and Leeds Rhinos sides, a cup win against amateur club Heworth were tempered with a narrow defeat at promotion-tipped Doncaster. Having a squad of 30 players is tough to maintain without the benefit of having a second team. So Hunslet’s second preseason friendly against Salford Reds on Friday 3 February proved a great opportunity to try out some lesser known talent and also a few trialists.

Salford made the journey across the Pennines with a mainly second string team, but would prove a good test for a new look Parksiders.

Hunslet were down 14-18 at the break with first half tries from Jordan Syme and Harvey Whiteley. They could count themselves unlucky not to be leading after having the lion’s

share of possession, but in the second half they had their foot on the gas from the off.

The Parksiders racked up 30 unanswered points with tries coming from trialist Spencer Darley, Aaron York (2), Lewis Wray, Sean Croston and Jack Render.

Adam Ryder scored four tries as the South Leeds outfit completed their pre-season

fixtures with a victory over Leeds Rhinos in the Harry Jepson OBE Memorial Trophy on 12 February.

The Parksiders retained the Trophy and put in a good performance against a young but talented Rhinos side.

Ryder opened the scoring on 8 minutes and although Hunslet led from that point this wasn’t the rout the final score

Holbeck Moor JFC launches two new teams

As well as Ryder, Joe Burton, Jake Sweeting all crossed the whitewash for Hunslet.

Leeds were tiring in the final quarter and Hunslet’s big forwards had the last say. First Steve Crossley bounced his way over after a Nathan Conroy break and then Nathan Newbound went over from close in to bring up the half century. Final score 52-12.

Certainly Adam Ryder, Joe Burton and Nathan Conroy put big markers down and with a big mobile pack Hunslet will be hard to get on top of this season.

Hunslet came close to getting off to a fantastic start in this year’s Betfred League 1 Championship losing to bookies’ favourites Doncaster by a narrow 2 point margin on 19 February.

Jack Render’s 73rd minute try gave Hunslet a chance to pull level, but Jake Sweeting’s attempt at a difficult

Continued on page 22

played some wonderful football and came off the pitch really happy and were looking forward to playing again over the coming weeks.

Thismonth I caught up with Ann, a caretaker in South Leeds who discovered a new love of the game of basketball at the age of 58.

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Ann Chalders and I was born in Leeds 1962 . I currently work as a Caretaker at St Luke’s Beeston Hill Primary School, maintaining the building and grounds, and I’m involved with some of the school sports teams as well.

How long have you lived in South Leeds?

Rothwell swimming pool when I was growing up. My parent’s pub had a Rugby team and I used to enjoy watching the games and supporting the team. However, after I left school I didn’t do any exercise at all. After I had Hayley (at 26) I did start some keep fit classes for a few years, but after that I didn’t really do any exercise for myself until April 2018. I had seen the Parkrunners on a Saturday morning in the park and just decided to give it a try. I was 55, I got into it but unfortunately Covid struck and stopped things for a while.

Holbeck

Moor JFC launched two new teams in early 2023 to include an Under 10s team and most recently the new Under 7s team.

The club now has six teams playing games with further teams lined up for the summer.

The club has gone from

strength to strength in recent weeks with additional children coming forward wanting to play football and the club now has over 100 registered players playing football each week. And with over 25 kids turning up each week to our Saturday morning Huskies (Ages 4-7),

the future is looking bright for the club with solid foundations.

Pictured are our Under 7s who played their first game ever this weekend (11 February 2023). Club Secretary and Under 7s manager Chris Gamble said that all the children had a great time,

The club has teams at the following age groups Under 7, Under 9, Under 10, Under 11, Under 13 and Under 14. If anyone is looking to get involved with coaching and running their own team then please get in touch via social media or website www.holbeck moorjfc.co.uk. Full support and guidance is provided to help you along the way.

I have lived in Beeston for 33 years and been a caretaker for 21, having worked in the classroom before that. I also help as a Lunchtime supervisor at school and am kept on my toes doing various odd jobs around the school. I am a mum and have two lovely grandchildren.

What are the things you do to “Move More”?

I play an active role with the school sports teams, going to cross country meets with Mark (Hodgkinson) and the Cross Country Team. I also help take the Year 5s swimming once a week and go to the school football matches and encourage and support the teams - I’m the half time lady who brings the oranges! We now have a girls’ team and two boys’ teams.

I try to run the daily mile with the kids in Year 5-6, and if I can I also do the run with the year 1s. I take my grandchildren to Junior Parkrun when I can.

On a personal level I play Basketball with South Leeds Valkyries (a women’s Basketball), and I do Parkrun on a Saturday in Cross Flatts Park.

What got you into it? Is it something you’ve always done?

I was interested in sport from being young. I used to go to

After Covid, Clara (from the Valkyries) started encouraging me to join the basketball ladies, so in November 2021 I started playing basketball for the first time in my life and I absolutely love it. I also restarted Parkrun in January 2023. I run when I can, walk if I need to, but just getting there makes me feel better.

What’s your favourite part? What do you get out of playing?

South Leeds Valkyries is such a friendly diverse bunch of women – it feels really good to be a part of it. We vary in age from 18 up to me - the ladies recently helped me celebrate my sixtieth birthday with a cake at the basketball session. We are also very varied in terms of background and ability, but the wonderful thing is that we are all made to feel so welcome and included. It’s a lovely atmosphere and it makes me feel younger and part of a team.

What’s been most rewarding?

The best part is that I do feel my stamina is improving and I’m getting fitter without even realising it, because we’re having so much fun. Since playing basketball and doing the runs I feel much healthier and happier in myself and more content with life. I find myself looking forward to

Continued on page 22

Adam Ryder scores against Leeds Rhinos. Photo: Paul Whitehurst

Holbeck Moor JFC Under 7s team

Ann Chalders on the basketball court

by Tania Carlisle