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Issue 8 | June 2015
What’s happening in Beeston, Belle Isle, Cottingley, Holbeck, Hunslet, Middleton & Stourton
Mighty Maurice: community hero
In this issue:
Judith is Leeds Council Leader
page 3
Asha marks 30th years
page 3
Focus on Beeston
page 6-7
by Helen Kenworthy When I heard about the guy who was giving free self protection classes to women and girls in Leeds I jumped at the chance. With all the attacks in the news recently I am determined that my daughters and I will have some form of defence should we ever come across any unsavoury characters. And besides, who doesn’t want to learn how to kick a bloke in the nether region!? So, I grabbed my two daughters and drove to The Old White Heart on Town Street, Beeston, Leeds. Here I discovered that there is more to it than that. A lot more! Maurice Oldridge, a martial arts expert, and his team of second dans were all ready and waiting to teach women how to fend off any would be attackers. Recent events in the area have sparked Maurice’s passionate campaign
to swoop in and save the ladies and girls of Leeds. Earlier this year, on Friday 6 March, at 10:40pm, an 18 year old girl was waiting for a bus on Beeston Road in Leeds, when she was dragged in to a garden, repeatedly and viciously hit on the head with a rock and raped. The attacker then walked away, leaving the 18 year old for dead. This has left the community of Beeston severely shaken and with the attacker still at large and no signs of his identity being revealed, Maurice and his team have selflessly taken on the great task of teaching women and girls in and around the area to fight back. With this in mind, it was no surprise to me to see over 20 women and girls waiting in the back room of the pub. Women from all walks of life (ages ranging from as young as 8 right up to senior). Women of all shapes and sizes, girls who are coming up to their teen years and have very little experience with the big bad world. Teenage girls
who had more than likely been dragged to the class by their fretful mothers (and rightly so). We were all there for the same thing, to learn defensive skills from the Mighty Maurice! With demonstrations and exercises to help train our mind and body to react fast enough to buy a few seconds to escape an attack. They don’t hold back either, using shock tactics to really drum it in to us how affective just a small amount of knowledge (combined with knowing where the pressure points are) can be. The class is fun with low impact fitness levels. Maurice and the guys really know their stuff. We all walked away at the end of the class feeling empowered! Maurice and his team Chris Bruce, Nathan Foster, Lisa M Mallinson, Dale Kitchen and Michael John Eastes Thacker (otherwise known as the crash test dummies!) give up their Wednesday evenings for free, they are giving the girls and ladies of Leeds all this knowledge and skill for absolutely
nothing in return! In order for the team to carry on this great work they need our help, they need the community of Beeston to come together and help save our girls. In short they need funding.They have very little equipment and the landlord of The Old White Heart kindly allows the class to take place in the back room of the pub. There needs to be a pot in place which can help this carry on, for the sake of our daughters, sisters, mothers and any other females in your life this class needs to keep going. I for one will be returning with my girls next Wednesday evening, safe in the knowledge that as they grow and become more independent they (me too) have been given a chance to defend themselves from any attackers, be it rape, mugging or any other form of physical attack they may face. Classes are held on a Wednesday evening from 6-8pm at The Old White Heart Pub, Town Street, Beeston. All females welcome.
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Hawks battle in Championship
page 12
NEWS
LEEDS!DADS
ELECTIONS
p2-4 p8
p9
WHAT’S!ON
p10
SPORT!
p12
ART
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South Leeds Life | June 2015
2 News
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About us South Leeds Life is written by and for local people. People who live and work in the LS10 and LS11 areas of South Leeds. The blog and newspaper are produced by the South Leeds Life Group, a constituted community group with elected officers. Our aims are: 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 started as a blog in November 2010 and still posts news every day at: www.southleedslife.com
Contact us Email: info@southleedslife.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ southleedslife Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife Phone: 07894 583966
Europe - the choice we face by Hilary Benn MP I would like to thank everyone who voted for me in the general election on 7th May. It is an honour and a privilege to be your representative once again and I will do my best to repay your trust by listening and standing up for you and for South Leeds. I am here to represent all of you, regardless of how you voted, so if you need my help then please contact me or come and see me at one of my advice surgeries (details on my website at: www.hilarybennmp.com ) I also look forward to seeing you at this summer’s many festivals and galas which are such a feature of South Leeds community spirit. I would also like to congratulate Adam Ogilvie, Asghar Khan, Patrick Davey, Gerry Harper and Judith Blake on their re-election as councillors, and Judith on becoming the new Leader of Leeds City Council. * * * As a result of the general
election, by the end of 2017 we will have taken the most important decision we have faced about our country's place in the world for forty years. The Government is now going to bring forward a Bill for a referendum on our membership of the European Union. I will be supporting the Bill, along with my Labour colleagues. I believe in being straight, so let me start by saying that I will be voting for Britain to remain in the EU. That doesn’t mean that I don’t want reform in Europe – I do. Like many people - and businesses - I want to see changes in the way the EU works and on benefits and transitional controls in future on citizens from any new EU countries who want to work in Britain. The truth is that while migration has brought benefits to the British economy overall, not everyone feels those benefits equally. And it cuts across the British sense of fair play that you can take out before you contribute. I also think the EU needs to respond to the growing demand for more devolution of power –
something dear to our hearts in Leeds and Yorkshire - and recognise that it must work for those countries that are and will remain outside the Euro (like the UK). But we shouldn’t let frustration with some aspects of Europe result in our stumbling inadvertently towards the EU exit sign. The European Union has been successful in bringing the countries of Europe together and securing 70 years of peace. The removal of barriers to trade has helped create jobs, including in Leeds. Almost half the investment that comes to the UK is from elsewhere in the EU. And because we did not join the Euro, we have all the advantages of our own currency, but we still get full access to the single market with 500 million consumers across Europe. The EU has also helped improve labour standards across Europe and for workers in our city, including the right to paid holiday and to equal treatment for parttime workers. In the light of all this, the idea that our future prosperity and security somehow lies in turning our face
away from the EU - in a world that is increasingly interdependent makes no sense to me. It is not that we could not manage outside; we could.The truth, however, is that we will do much better as a city – and as a nation - if we stay in. What’s more, separation will make it harder to successfully tackle the big challenges that require international co-operation.The fact is we have more power as a nation because we are in the EU than we could ever hope to have by acting alone. Those are the arguments I will be making in this referendum, and it will be up to all of us to decide.
NHS asks “How can we help you quit?”
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South Leeds has some of highest smoking rates in the city. Now health bosses are asking smokers – how can we help you quit? NHS Leeds South and East Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is taking a new consultative approach to encourage people to stop smoking. By completing the online questionnaire you might even win £50. The organisation has commissioned Leeds
Beckett University’s Centre for Health Promotion Research to consult with both smokers and non-smokers living in the south and east of the city to help shape local support services and public health campaigns. The highest prevalence of smoking across the city is among the population of south and east Leeds with more than one if four (27%) adults classed as smokers. Referrals into stop smoking services are higher than in the rest of the city and increased in 2013/14 compared to the year before. However, numbers of local residents trying to quit and actually quitting through the Leeds NHS Stop Smoking Service have reduced in recent years. Despite decades of hard-hitting campaigns, the national smoking ban in 2007 and advertising restrictions placed on the tobacco industry, smoking is still the main cause of preventable disease and premature death in the UK. The latest figures show that 79,100 or 18% of deaths in adults aged 35 and over in England can be attributed to smoking. Studies also suggest that the damaging effects of second hand smoke, particularly on children, may have been underestimated in the past. Andy Harris, Clinical Chief Officer from NHS Leeds South and East Clinical Commissioning Group says: “Everybody knows that smoking is bad for you and people around you – those messages are heard loud and clear and have been for many years. But it is also an extremely addictive habit and we know many people in
our area are finding it hard to quit. We want to find out; what are the main barriers preventing people in south and east Leeds from quitting and how can we better support them.” Leeds NHS Stop Smoking Service is a free service open to anyone who would like to stop smoking and has a proven track record in helping smokers to quit – smokers are four times as likely to quit with support from the service than by willpower alone. The service runs more 40 clinics across Leeds and offers group, one-to-one and drop-in sessions. If you live in south or east Leeds you can take part by completing an online questionnaire. Smokers and non-smokers are invited to get involved and anyone who completes it will be invited to take part in a £50 prize draw. Got to: bit.ly/smoking_survey to take part. To get help with quitting from Leeds NHS Stop Smoking Service call 0800 169 4219, text SMOKEFREE to 60066 or email stopsmokingleeds@nhs.net.
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South Leeds Life | June 2015
News 3
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Judith Blake becomes Leeds’ first female leader The local elections may have brought little change, but in the aftermath Cllr Judith Blake (Middleton Park) has been elected Leader of the Council. Cllr Blake takes over from Keith Wakefield who led the council for five years. She is the first woman to hold this important role. “I am very much looking forward to the challenges of leading such a large, vibrant and diverse city – we have a very bright and exciting future ahead of us” she said. The ruling Labour administration has laid out its priorities for the next couple of years, including creating strong economic growth in a compassionate city by providing opportunities for growth and prosperity for all communities, and equipping the city’s young people with the skills and aspirations to succeed. Seeking to obtain more local powers from central government and continuing the work already underway to put Leeds on the map nationally and internationally are also high priorities for the new leadership team. Cllr Lucinda Yeadon and Cllr James Lewis were elected as Deputy Leaders and in other changes Cllr Adam Ogilvie (Beeston & Holbeck) stood down from the Executive Board.
Cllr Judith Blake
Cllr Ogilvie explained that he had decided before the election to stand down and concentrate on his role as a ward councillor. “It was a tough decision. I have enjoyed the work, especially the Adult Social Care brief. I plan to find some volunteering work with adults with learning disabilities. “This was a personal, not a political decision and I fully support the new leadership.” The election brought no change locally with all three Labour Councillors holding onto their seats. Adam Ogilvie was reelected for Beeston & Holbeck ward, Patrick Davey was reelected for City & Hunslet ward and Judith Blake for Middleton Park. For the other parties there was a significant rise for the Green Party in City & Hunslet as Ed Carlisle fought a vigourous
campaign encouraging community engagement. The Green vote increased by over 2,000 votescompared to 2014. In Middleton Park ward Craig Sweaton added 1,000 votes compared to 2014 as UKIP took 30% of the vote. In the general election Hilary Benn won the Leeds Central seat as expected with 55% of the vote. In the Labour reshuffle following its election defeat Hilary Benn was made Shadow Foreign Secretary. In line with national results, UKIP took a significant share of the vote and the Liberal Democrat vote collapsed. As South Leeds Life reported online, the LibDem candidate Emma Spriggs chose to put her effort into fighting a council seat near her Berkshire home rather than campaigning in our constituency.
On Friday 15 May 2015, the Asha Neighbourhood Project celebrated a significant milestone. Asha was born thirty years ago and since then has supported thousands of women and children in Beeston to live fuller, happier lives. The charity runs a range of different services and activities including ESOL classes, intergenerational volunteer befriending schemes, advice services, help into employment, health support, childcare, playschemes and community participation work. Initially the charity was focussed on supporting the Bangladeshi community, but over the years has extended its reach to other communities within Beeston, a fact that could be seen from the range of nationalities that attended Friday’s event. Asha is based in a house in Stratford Street and from its unassuming surroundings, has managed to touch the lives of some of the
Leeds Central parliamentary constituency Hilary BENN Labour Nicola FARIS-WILSON Conservative Michael HAYTON Green Liz KITCHING TUSC Luke SENIOR UKIP Emma SPRIGGS Liberal Democrat Electorate: 81,799 Turnout: 55.35%
Beeston & Holbeck ward
Amy COUSINS TUSC Kathryn GAGEN Liberal Democrat Emma JAYNES Green Adam OGILVIE Labour Tony ROBERTS UKIP Robert WINFIELD Conservative Electorate: 15,216 Turnout: 54.06%
City & Hunslet ward
Jahangir AZIZ Liberal Democrat Ed CARLISLE Green Patrick DAVEY Labour Khalil KUNGULILO UKIP Richard SALT Conservative Christopher WORFOLK Monster Raving Loony Electorate: 28,859 Turnout: 54.57%
Middleton Park ward
Cllr Adam Ogilvie
Asha celebrates 30 years by Becky Dalton
Results in full
hardest to reach people in the community. As a local Beeston resident, I regularly walk past Asha on my way to my plot on the Lady Pit Lane allotments. Having always been intrigued to know what goes on inside the building and being a big believer in how different cultural experiences can enrich your life, I decided to go along to the event to find out what it was all about. The thirty year celebrations were held at a packed Hamara Centre, with standing room only at the back. The room was a sea of colour, with local women turning out in an impressive array of pink and orange saris. Multiple generations who had benefitted from the work of Asha over the years attended, with a real sense of exuberance in the atmosphere. Staff member, Tahena, told of how her mother had first come into contact with the group in the 80s when she did an ESOL class. Tahena attended Asha’s playschemes as a child and then got her first job running the after school club.
Judith BLAKE Labour Sadie FISHER Liberal Democrat Nick JONES Left Unity Zena LOPEZ Conservative Fiona LOVE Green Craig SWEATON UKIP Electorate: 19,052 Turnout: 51.19%
Her own children are now benefitting from Asha’s services, 30 years on from when it first opened its doors. The agenda was packed full of speeches from Asha’s founders, Parveen Akhtar and Abdul Quddus, chairperson Afia Khattun and an address from newly re-elected MP, Hillary Benn. Mr Benn said: “For thirty years the Asha Neighbourhood Project has been giving hope and opportunity to the women of Beeston, particularly the Bangladeshi community. This project shows you what you can do when people come together; there are people here whose lives have been transformed.” The evening saw films of people’s life stories, sharing the richness of their different cultures. Those attending also
24,758 7,791 3,558 330 7,082 1,529
119 200 480 4,335 1,876 1,158
573 2,694 5,292 808 2,320 104
4,974 273 103 1,199 280 2,921
News in brief Hunslet Engines at 150 Middleton Railway we will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of one of South Leeds' most iconic engineering firms. Most of all they are looking to gather together anyone who used to work for Hunslet engine company for a re-union on Friday 17th July before the main event. Please email John Linkins the event co-ordinator at jonl116@aol.com.
Club mourns ‘Mrs Hunslet’ Margaret Gibbon, a lifelong Hunslet Hawks supporter and volunteer passed away on 12 May 2015 after a short battle with cancer, she was 72. Back in October 2014, Margaret was formally recognised by her fellow rugby league supporters when she was voted Kingstone Press Fan of the Year, a moment herself, fellow Hawks supporters and the club were extremely proud of.
Join the Walk and Talk group
heard presentations from current volunteers, a medley of Bengali songs sung by Chandrika Abedin and Amal Podder and saw an energetic performance of Bollywood dancing from local young women. The festivities culminated in a much appreciated meal and the cutting of some large thirtieth anniversary cakes. If you would like to find out more about Asha, you can contact Zaheda Khanam or Helen King at info@ashaleeds.org.uk or phone (0113) 270 4600.
Are you interested in becoming more active? Then why not join the new Middleton Walk and Talk group? Come along for a relaxed, friendly walk every Wednesday and get some light exercise, fresh air and a chance to meet and mix with others. Meet outside Middleton Park Avenue Post Office at either 2pm or 6pm (walks last about an hour). The walks are free of charge, just dress appropriately for the weather with comfortable footwear.
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South Leeds Life | June 2015
4 News
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News Brush up your dental hygiene in in brief National Smile Month
Baby Skye’s swab party
Hunslet Hawks are backing the campaign to get get more people to join the Bone Marrow Register. On Saturday 27 June they are hosting a swab party to support Skye Sutcliffe the Middleton baby fighting two rare forms of cancer. Between 3-7pm at South Leeds Stadium there will be a quiz, facepainting and a disco and you will be able to take a swab and join the Bone Marrow Register.
£500 fine for fly-tipper A Beeston resident has been fined for flytipping close to an entrance to Cross Flatts Park. Mr Zulfiqar Ali of 61 Robb Street, Cross Flatts was found guilty in court under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act for fly tipping a sofa on Theodore Street, Beeston at the entrance to Cross Flatts Park. Having not turned up for court, Mr Ali was arrested and so has a criminal record into the bargain.
The UK’s biggest oral health campaign, National Smile Month, To raise awareness of the importance of looking after your teeth and maintaining a healthy mouth, the Dental team from Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust will be out and about across the city promoting the campaign. The Dental team will be at the following locations during the month long campaign giving advice and free dental hygiene products: Monday 1 June, 9am to 12pm, Mothercare, Crown Point Shopping Centre Wednesday 3 June, 9am to 12pm, Mothercare, Crown Point Shopping Centre
Thursday 11 June, 10am to 4pm, Asda, Middleton Kathy Fox, Dental team leader, said: “Each year the National Smile Month campaign grows bigger but it is important that we continue to spread the messages around oral health. We still need to educate many adults, as well as children, on the ways to keep your teeth and mouth healthy.” National Smile Month promotes three key messages that everyone can follow: * Brush your teeth last thing at night and on at least one other occasion with fluoride toothpaste * Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and
drinks * Visit your dentist regularly, as often as they recommend. Find out more about the
campaign, which runs until Thursday 18 June, at www.nationalsmilemonth.org.
Children’s artwork brightens Dewsbury Road lampposts
Middleton history week Members of the Middleton Life History Group will be putting on their annual display of photographs, articles and memories of Middleton’s history in the Middleton Library (St. George’s Centre, LS10 4UZ ) week commencing 8th June 2015 during Library opening hours, which are: Monday 1 – 8pm Tuesday 9 – 5pm Wednesday 1 – 5pm Thursday 9 – 1pm Friday 1 – 5pm Saturday 10 – 2pm
School children from 3 local primary schools have been working with The Tetley to design banners for the lampposts along Dewsbury Road in Beeston. The first 16 banners were installed last week and have been designed by pupils from New Bewerley Community School, Hunslet Moor Primary and St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School. Groups of children from each school came together to work on the designs with an artist from The Tetley. The children came together for an
official launch of the banners last Wednesday and were congratulated by Councillor Mohammed Iqbal (Chair of the City and Hunslet Neighbourhood Improvement Board). Councillor Iqbal said “Its great that our young people have got involved in this project and produced such eyecatching designs, well done to the children, the schools and The Tetley for doing such a good job” Kenn Taylor Curator of Participation at The Tetley said “it was a real pleasure for us to work with the children. They had
some great creative ideas and with their first-hand knowledge of the area, they have produced something that is relevant to this community. I think the finished banners look great The banners are one element of a wider programme of improvements being undertaken along this part of Dewsbury Road including a new pedestrian crossing, better car parking for shoppers and general improvements to the environment.
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Chris Simpson interview
by Kenneth Ingram
Chris Simpson is the CEO of Belle Isle Tenant Management Organisation. Q: What qualifications’ did you get Chris, when leaving School, College or University? I considered myself as a late developer. I didn’t do particular well at high school ended up with 4 O levels. Which at the time, school said I should have done better. I didn’t enjoy school that much. Then I went to college and University, I ended up doing a Master’s degree in housing in the 1990s.
Q: Please tell me about jobs you had before joining BITMO? I’ve worked in housing since 1993. I started off working in different hostels in Manchester for the homeless. I worked also for a housing association in London. I have also spent a lot of my working career with tenant management associations. Which helped to develop BITMO and to manage it on a day to day basis. Q: What have been the most enjoyable moments since joining BITMO? I would not like to pick out one, I think I would say every day in enjoyable in one way shape or form. If I had to pick the highlights I was pleased on the two occasions when we got the Ballot results in 2009 and in 2014. To get so many people voting that really tells you that most of the time you are doing the right things, and people support you. Q: How do you feel about BITMO, along with Julie shortlisted for the Housing Sector awards? Incredibly proud, I’m really pleased for Julie as well. I think she has done a magnificent job over the last year with setting up the Ancestry group. Read the full interview at: www.southleedslife.com/inter view-with-chris-ceo-of-bitmo/
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News 5
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Preventing tradgedies
PC Geeta Lota has been speaking with a local African women’s group, as part of an awareness raising campaign designed to reach out to families in a counter terrorism campaign to prevent tragedies. The talks reached out to the African Community, with people from Somalia, Sudan, Nigeria, Eritrea and Ethopia in attendance. Geeta spoke about Syria, ISIS and the issues in Gaza in order to raise awareness and to help prevent young people travelling to Syria. In the last few years the South Leeds African community has increased significantly in size and complexity. This includes
South Leeds Life | June 2015
students, refugees, asylum seekers and other migrant residents. This community is scattered across the city although a number live within the Beeston and Lincoln Green areas of the city. Housing is often poor and within deprived areas and people are often subject to abuse and prejudice. The African community also faces barriers when trying to access decent employment, education and health care, in particular, the difficulties associated with employment are key issues. In terms of community cohesion there is a lack of appreciation and celebration of African community’s ability to progress and action such key issues and concerns. Such talks from
Geeta have allowed many ladies to air their thoughts and concerns and discuss issues. Families are also encouraged to reach specially trained officers for help and advice by calling 101 or visiting www.preventtragedies.co.uk. This is a dedicated webpage, newly created as a one-stopshop for concerned families to visit if they would like further information or advice around this issue. The website also provides links to a range to a range of further organisations working in this field. Further talks, as well as leaflets supporting the campaign, will also be delivered to the community.
Hunslet celebrates club’s 75th birthday
The Hunslet Club kicked off their 75th anniversary celebrations with a packed-out Review of the Year event on Friday 24 April – featuring a clutch of celebrity guests, news and stories from the club over the years, dazzling performances from some of the club’s young dancers and cheer-leaders, and well-earned awards for members and volunteers. The club was founded in 1940 by one Dr John Wyllie, to provide positive activities for local teenage lads during the difficult war years. They opened their doors to girls from the 1980s onwards, and have in recent years exploded: membership has shot up from 150 to 2,000+ since 2000. The club is now the largest independent youth club in the country, and is also – with several awards under their belt – widely recognised as one of the best.They run a busy programme of activities (96 sessions per week and counting, featuring dozens of teams and groups), seven days a week, run by 30+ staff, and 130+ volunteers – who are, to quote Sports Development manager and MC at Friday’s event Craig Gilmore, “the lifeblood of the club”. Special guests on Friday included acclaimed Leeds DJ Tom Zanetti, who reported on the club’s flourishing gymnastics programme, which includes everyone from tots to adults. Gerald Jennings of Leeds Chamber of Commerce presented ambassador awards for outstanding young members of the club to: Jake Griggs, a hard-working and ever-polite member of the club’s boxing team; and Keeley Haige, an enthusiastic and generous-spirited member of the club’s dance and cheer-leading troupes.
Hanif Malik of Hamara – with whom the Hunslet Club work closely – reported on the club’s track record with boxing: 1,000s of participants over the past 30 years, several national champions (most famously, flyweight Levi Pattison), and currently 28 sessions held each week, including 15 competitive boxers. And perhaps south Leeds’ most famous son of recent years, Jason Robinson – born and bred in Beeston Hill and Hunslet – was also there. He joined Hunslet Club himself aged 8, grew through the ranks, went on to play international rugby league (for Great Britain) and union (for England), and came back to become the club’s patron in 2011. After presenting awards to some of the young players, he enthused about the club: “The Hunslet Club kept me on the straight and narrow all those years ago. It’s a community club, and the people
here go out of their way for you. Massive thanks to everyone, especially all the volunteers who make it what it is.” Other speakers included Leeds enterpreneur and philanthropist Terry George, and local MP Hilary Benn – who presented a Special Achievement Award to Wayne Robbins, long-standing secretary of the open age football section. And there was also a presentation to mark the 80th birthday of chair of trustees Colin Whitaker, involved with the club for 40+ years. For full info on and updates from the Hunslet Club, check them out on Facebook, Twitter, or on their website. They’re always looking for more volunteers, and participants, for their programmes – and are open to suggestions and new ideas for the club!
White Rose apprenticeships
Following on from the successful employment of three local apprentices last year, White Rose Shopping Centre has announced it is to employ two further apprentices to strengthen its facility services team OCS, which covers security, cleaning and customer services. Two of last year’s apprentices, Liam Lightowler and Luke McConnell, successfully secured permanent employment at White Rose after finishing the 12 month programme, continuing to support the centre’s security and customer services teams. Due to the positive outcome of the apprenticeship scheme, White Rose Shopping Centre has decided to cast its recruitment net out to the local community in a bid to employ two 18-24 year olds looking to secure a career in facilities management. The successful candidates will spend 12 months working alongside facilities management contractor OCS in the security, cleaning and customer service departments at the
centre, whilst completing an NVQ Level 2. Gina Knight, Customer Service Manager at White Rose Shopping Centre commented: “This is a fantastic opportunity for two members of the local community to learn a number of new transferable skills which may potentially lead to further employment after the 12 month programme. Liam and Luke both performed strongly during their apprenticeship and, due to this, have gone on to secure further work with the team.” Liam Lightowler commented: “I really enjoyed my apprenticeship and I’d encourage anyone looking to gain a career in customer service, cleaning or security to apply. I’ve learnt so much over the past 12 months and I can’t wait to further my career here at the White Rose Shopping Centre.” The apprenticeship scheme is open to anyone living in the Leeds area aged 18-24. Those interested should apply by visiting www.ocs.co.uk/careers by 1 August.
Community Committee to debate legal highs The Inner South Community Committee made up of Councillors from our three wards - is meeting on Wednesday 10 June. In the workshop section, residents are invited to come along a discuss legal highs; what they are and why they are an issue. The meeting will feature presentations from Inspector Nick Berry and a question and answer session with a panel of experets. It is hoped that the debate will lead to a local action plan.
The meeting takes place at Elland Road Police Station.The workshop starts at 5:30pm with the formal committee meeting taking place at 7pm. Sandwiches and refreshments will be provided from 5pm.
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South Leeds Life | June 2015
6 News
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Hunslet Club brings empty home back to life A house that has lain empty on Robb Street in Beeston for over twenty years is being brought back to life thanks to the Hunslet Club and their partners.
The house belonged to an elderly woman and had been her parents house. Gill Coupland from the Empty Homes Doctor service helped her to find a buyer for the property, but she backed out of the sale, which had become emotionally too difficult for her. After pressure from local councillors including Cllr Angela Gabriel, the Council stepped in and obtained a Compulsory Purchase Order. The house was then sold to the Hunslet Club rather than going into a public
auction. The Hunslet Club run vocational training for young people at risk of exclusion from school. These sessions include bricklaying, plumbing and
plastering, but the young people struggle to get site experience to be able to develop their careers. Dennis Robbins, the chief executive of The Hunslet Club explains: “We decided to buy our own empty house for the young people to work on. We then looked to see how we could maximise the benefit to the club and our 2,300 members.” Not all the work could be done by the trainees, so a specification was drawn up for
elements such as re-roofing and new windows and this work was offered to club members first. “When the house is finished it will be a superb family home and we will let it, on a social rent, to a club member.We want to support our members and help them achieve their aspirations and this will make a secure platform for someone to bring up their family.” Councillor Angela Gabriel said: “We are delighted with this project, it benefits the community in so many ways: providing a training experience, work for local businesses, creating affordable rented housing and not least removing an eyesore and a focus for antisocial behaviour.” Dennis Robbins acknowledged that this was a new activity for the club, funded from reserves. He praised the support of Gipsil, the social enterprise from Gipton who have brought their experience and are project managing the refurbishment. “The only set back has been the length of time, but that was because of the compulsory purchase. We hope to take on three more houses next year.”
Serving up a Beeston Breakfast
The Happy Global Families breakfast club has been running every Wednesday at Beeston Village Community Centre since January this year.
There are Romanian, Chinese, Asian and British people tucking in around the table and young children playing with toys on the floor. As well as the friendship,
second group specifically for Chinese people. The Chinese Social Breakfast Club runs every Monday from 10am-2pm.As well as a free breakfast the group are
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June 2015 | South Leeds Life
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Focus on Beeston 7
Email: info@southleedslife.com
Planning for Beeston’s future by Jeremy Morton The people of Beeston have been dealing with some difficult planning issues over the last few years. One outcome has been an initiative to draw up their own Neighbourhood Plan to shape development of the area in the future. BeestonCommunity Forum took the initiative after a series of planning decisions - the Elland Road Park & Ride scheme, Asda’s new Old Lane store with its extended hours and the still unresolved plans for the Ice Pak site on
Barkly Road. A community survey was carried out last year to identify priority issues and a new Beeston Neighbourhood Forum has been established to drive the plan forward. Anyone living or working in the area covered by the plan - broadly bounded by Elland Road, Cross Flatts Park, Middleton Park and the Ring Road - can join the forum and help shape the plan. Once the plan is complete, hopefully in 2016, it will be put to a referendum of all the residents within the area. If approved it will become a part of the statutory planning guidance for the area. As part of the process fourteen members of the Beeston Neighbourhood Forum visited Wolverhampton on Saturday 21 March to learn from residents there who have completed their Neighbourhood Plan. The group heard from residents and council officers how the Heathfield Park Neighbourhood Plan had been formulated. The plan, which will guide development in the area over the next 10-15 years, is one of the first in the country and it was clear that the group
had received very good support from their council. They were able to share tips based on their experience and offered Beeston some dos and don’ts. Heathfield Park – the three small areas of Heath Town, Springfield and New Park Village – shares many characteristics with Beeston such as population churn in private rented housing, a diverse ethnic mix, traffic and parking problems around the local hospital and like Beeston it’s close to the city centre. The day was very informative and the Beeston group felt they had learnt a lot about the process they were embarking on, as well as making some new friends in the Black Country. The forum held its AGM on 19 May and elected Greg Turton, Chair; Robert Winfield,Vice Chair; Bill Birch,Treasurer and Mark Parry, Secretary. Christine Thorton, Gohar Almass, Ken Hewson, Adrian Benson, Richard Bell and Arthur Kirby were also elected to the committee. Task groups have now been set up to look in detail at the following subjects: * housing
cus on: Beeston
Forum members on the Wolverhampton visit
* community * environment * opportunities for young people * retail & business development * heritage * integration/community cohesion Greg Turton said: “The Beeston Plan is beginning to take shape. We have
made great strides in getting to this position and I would now encourage everyone in the area to get involved, join the forum and work on a task group.” You can find out more about the Beeston Plan at: beestonplan.weebly.com.
Supporting older people to stay active and well
South Leeds Live At Home is an organisation that ‘does what is says on the tin’. It supports older people in Beeston, Cottingley and Hunslet to continue to lead an active life and live in their own home. They certainly have lots of activities going on whether its gentle exercise classes or the craft group. Hot lunches are served regularly at their base at St Andrew’s Community Centre at the junction of Old Lane and Cardinal Road. Upcoming trips include Roundhay Park on 16 June and Port Sunlight on 17 June. Where they will be visiting the museum and will have a guided tour of the village. The village was built by William Hesketh
Lever for his soap workers in 1888. It is set in 130 acres of what can only be described as beautifully maintained parkland with a mature treescape. Later in the year they will be visiting the Birmingham Tattoo, which features marching bands and exciting displays. This will be combined with a visit to Birmingham’s Christmas Market. The organisation has a small staff group led by Jayne Holland but they depend on volunteers to help run the extensive programme of activities. “Volunteers are always needed to help runs our activities & events. Maybe you’d like to help out by driving or escorting on our minibus? We also need people to help at our
Beeston lunch club, help on our day trips & also to visit our housebound members in whatever time you can spare. Please get in touch if you think you can help in any way.” Their latest venture is the Cop Shop Cafe - a café for people with memory problems and their carers or any older person who needs support. The cafe takes place at the new Elland Road Police Station on Wednesday 24th June 1-4pm and then on the last Wednesday of every month. To contact South Leeds Live At Home please ring (0113) 271 6201, or Email: southleeds.liveathome @mha.org.uk.
Lunch at St Andrew’s
Advertise here and be seen by 15,000 South Leeds readers! South Leeds Life is distributed free to libraries, schools, community centres, GP surgeries and other community venues across the LS10 and LS11 postcodes. With a print run of 5,000 and every paper read read by three people - that’s an audience of 15,000. “There’s a nice sense of community” says new member Shazma. “You mix with different people, the children are welcomed. It’s a great place to meet new friends.”
it’s a great environment for people to practice their English. The free sessions run every Wednesday morning from 911am. The group has spawned a
starting Sunday lessons to teach their children Mandarin and explore Chinese culture. The group has started after successfully gaining a Comic Relief Red Nose Day grant.
Fo
Advertising rates start from just £75 for an eighth of a page, isn’t it time you got in touch? Ring 07894 583966 or email: info@southleedslife.com now!
Busy Bee-ston gets gardening by Linda Stanley
There’s been a lot of gardening going on in Beeston in recently – taking inspiration from the Chelsea Flower Show maybe? For the second year running Beeston was chosen to take part in Business in the Community’s National ‘Give and Gain Day’. So on Friday (15 May 2015) a team of volunteers from Yorkshire Bank, Groundwork, Hamara’s ‘Green for Go’ team, Beeston in Bloom and local residents painted railings, removed overgrown rose bushes and planted a new border at Holy Spirit Church on Tempest Road. The work is part of the ‘Love Beeston/Clean Beeston’ campaign and is using money from the last round of Community First funding. In the future it is hoped that
Volunteers from Yorkshire Bank
more volunteers will be secured through Business in the Community to improve the paved area and plant soft fruit and herbs in other parts of the garden at the church. The RHS have also taken an interest in this project as part of their Grey to Green campaign and are due to visit on Friday 29 May. Also for the second year running, and with funding from local councillors, plants and compost were provided for
residents in the Harlechs and Budes. The houses don’t have front gardens so hanging baskets provide instant colour and residents are encouraged to plant up, water and dead head. As some of last year’s ivy and geraniums had survived, it’s obviously been a success. Always looking out for areas that need a little TLC the bloomers have cleared, prepared and finally planted a small bed at the entrance to the park near Maud Avenue. All the plants were donated from members own gardens and cost us nothing – only time and effort. On Tuesday (19 May) another group from Yorkshire Bank, organised by Parks Department rangers, spent a day in Cross Flatts Park. They weeded, edged and spread bark chippings on the rose beds. Despite the showery weather the volunteers worked hard and made a significant improvement to the borders. Beeston in Bloom also turned out in the rain to plant up 2 new beds in the seating area of the children’s playground.The group were lucky to receive a grant from Comic Relief and the planting is the first stage in improving this drab area of paving. Keep an eye out for more seating and a new mini beast hunt game!
www.southleedslife.com
South Leeds Life | June 2015
6 News
Twitter: @SouthLeedsLife
Hunslet Club brings empty home back to life A house that has lain empty on Robb Street in Beeston for over twenty years is being brought back to life thanks to the Hunslet Club and their partners.
The house belonged to an elderly woman and had been her parents house. Gill Coupland from the Empty Homes Doctor service helped her to find a buyer for the property, but she backed out of the sale, which had become emotionally too difficult for her. After pressure from local councillors including Cllr Angela Gabriel, the Council stepped in and obtained a Compulsory Purchase Order. The house was then sold to the Hunslet Club rather than going into a public
auction. The Hunslet Club run vocational training for young people at risk of exclusion from school. These sessions include bricklaying, plumbing and
plastering, but the young people struggle to get site experience to be able to develop their careers. Dennis Robbins, the chief executive of The Hunslet Club explains: “We decided to buy our own empty house for the young people to work on. We then looked to see how we could maximise the benefit to the club and our 2,300 members.” Not all the work could be done by the trainees, so a specification was drawn up for
elements such as re-roofing and new windows and this work was offered to club members first. “When the house is finished it will be a superb family home and we will let it, on a social rent, to a club member.We want to support our members and help them achieve their aspirations and this will make a secure platform for someone to bring up their family.” Councillor Angela Gabriel said: “We are delighted with this project, it benefits the community in so many ways: providing a training experience, work for local businesses, creating affordable rented housing and not least removing an eyesore and a focus for antisocial behaviour.” Dennis Robbins acknowledged that this was a new activity for the club, funded from reserves. He praised the support of Gipsil, the social enterprise from Gipton who have brought their experience and are project managing the refurbishment. “The only set back has been the length of time, but that was because of the compulsory purchase. We hope to take on three more houses next year.”
Serving up a Beeston Breakfast
The Happy Global Families breakfast club has been running every Wednesday at Beeston Village Community Centre since January this year.
There are Romanian, Chinese, Asian and British people tucking in around the table and young children playing with toys on the floor. As well as the friendship,
second group specifically for Chinese people. The Chinese Social Breakfast Club runs every Monday from 10am-2pm.As well as a free breakfast the group are
Facebook: facebook.com/southleedslife
June 2015 | South Leeds Life
Website: www.southleedslife.com
www.southleedslife.com
Focus on Beeston 7
Email: info@southleedslife.com
Planning for Beeston’s future by Jeremy Morton The people of Beeston have been dealing with some difficult planning issues over the last few years. One outcome has been an initiative to draw up their own Neighbourhood Plan to shape development of the area in the future. BeestonCommunity Forum took the initiative after a series of planning decisions - the Elland Road Park & Ride scheme, Asda’s new Old Lane store with its extended hours and the still unresolved plans for the Ice Pak site on
Barkly Road. A community survey was carried out last year to identify priority issues and a new Beeston Neighbourhood Forum has been established to drive the plan forward. Anyone living or working in the area covered by the plan - broadly bounded by Elland Road, Cross Flatts Park, Middleton Park and the Ring Road - can join the forum and help shape the plan. Once the plan is complete, hopefully in 2016, it will be put to a referendum of all the residents within the area. If approved it will become a part of the statutory planning guidance for the area. As part of the process fourteen members of the Beeston Neighbourhood Forum visited Wolverhampton on Saturday 21 March to learn from residents there who have completed their Neighbourhood Plan. The group heard from residents and council officers how the Heathfield Park Neighbourhood Plan had been formulated. The plan, which will guide development in the area over the next 10-15 years, is one of the first in the country and it was clear that the group
had received very good support from their council. They were able to share tips based on their experience and offered Beeston some dos and don’ts. Heathfield Park – the three small areas of Heath Town, Springfield and New Park Village – shares many characteristics with Beeston such as population churn in private rented housing, a diverse ethnic mix, traffic and parking problems around the local hospital and like Beeston it’s close to the city centre. The day was very informative and the Beeston group felt they had learnt a lot about the process they were embarking on, as well as making some new friends in the Black Country. The forum held its AGM on 19 May and elected Greg Turton, Chair; Robert Winfield,Vice Chair; Bill Birch,Treasurer and Mark Parry, Secretary. Christine Thorton, Gohar Almass, Ken Hewson, Adrian Benson, Richard Bell and Arthur Kirby were also elected to the committee. Task groups have now been set up to look in detail at the following subjects: * housing
cus on: Beeston
Forum members on the Wolverhampton visit
* community * environment * opportunities for young people * retail & business development * heritage * integration/community cohesion Greg Turton said: “The Beeston Plan is beginning to take shape. We have
made great strides in getting to this position and I would now encourage everyone in the area to get involved, join the forum and work on a task group.” You can find out more about the Beeston Plan at: beestonplan.weebly.com.
Supporting older people to stay active and well
South Leeds Live At Home is an organisation that ‘does what is says on the tin’. It supports older people in Beeston, Cottingley and Hunslet to continue to lead an active life and live in their own home. They certainly have lots of activities going on whether its gentle exercise classes or the craft group. Hot lunches are served regularly at their base at St Andrew’s Community Centre at the junction of Old Lane and Cardinal Road. Upcoming trips include Roundhay Park on 16 June and Port Sunlight on 17 June. Where they will be visiting the museum and will have a guided tour of the village. The village was built by William Hesketh
Lever for his soap workers in 1888. It is set in 130 acres of what can only be described as beautifully maintained parkland with a mature treescape. Later in the year they will be visiting the Birmingham Tattoo, which features marching bands and exciting displays. This will be combined with a visit to Birmingham’s Christmas Market. The organisation has a small staff group led by Jayne Holland but they depend on volunteers to help run the extensive programme of activities. “Volunteers are always needed to help runs our activities & events. Maybe you’d like to help out by driving or escorting on our minibus? We also need people to help at our
Beeston lunch club, help on our day trips & also to visit our housebound members in whatever time you can spare. Please get in touch if you think you can help in any way.” Their latest venture is the Cop Shop Cafe - a café for people with memory problems and their carers or any older person who needs support. The cafe takes place at the new Elland Road Police Station on Wednesday 24th June 1-4pm and then on the last Wednesday of every month. To contact South Leeds Live At Home please ring (0113) 271 6201, or Email: southleeds.liveathome @mha.org.uk.
Lunch at St Andrew’s
Advertise here and be seen by 15,000 South Leeds readers! South Leeds Life is distributed free to libraries, schools, community centres, GP surgeries and other community venues across the LS10 and LS11 postcodes. With a print run of 5,000 and every paper read read by three people - that’s an audience of 15,000. “There’s a nice sense of community” says new member Shazma. “You mix with different people, the children are welcomed. It’s a great place to meet new friends.”
it’s a great environment for people to practice their English. The free sessions run every Wednesday morning from 911am. The group has spawned a
starting Sunday lessons to teach their children Mandarin and explore Chinese culture. The group has started after successfully gaining a Comic Relief Red Nose Day grant.
Fo
Advertising rates start from just £75 for an eighth of a page, isn’t it time you got in touch? Ring 07894 583966 or email: info@southleedslife.com now!
Busy Bee-ston gets gardening by Linda Stanley
There’s been a lot of gardening going on in Beeston in recently – taking inspiration from the Chelsea Flower Show maybe? For the second year running Beeston was chosen to take part in Business in the Community’s National ‘Give and Gain Day’. So on Friday (15 May 2015) a team of volunteers from Yorkshire Bank, Groundwork, Hamara’s ‘Green for Go’ team, Beeston in Bloom and local residents painted railings, removed overgrown rose bushes and planted a new border at Holy Spirit Church on Tempest Road. The work is part of the ‘Love Beeston/Clean Beeston’ campaign and is using money from the last round of Community First funding. In the future it is hoped that
Volunteers from Yorkshire Bank
more volunteers will be secured through Business in the Community to improve the paved area and plant soft fruit and herbs in other parts of the garden at the church. The RHS have also taken an interest in this project as part of their Grey to Green campaign and are due to visit on Friday 29 May. Also for the second year running, and with funding from local councillors, plants and compost were provided for
residents in the Harlechs and Budes. The houses don’t have front gardens so hanging baskets provide instant colour and residents are encouraged to plant up, water and dead head. As some of last year’s ivy and geraniums had survived, it’s obviously been a success. Always looking out for areas that need a little TLC the bloomers have cleared, prepared and finally planted a small bed at the entrance to the park near Maud Avenue. All the plants were donated from members own gardens and cost us nothing – only time and effort. On Tuesday (19 May) another group from Yorkshire Bank, organised by Parks Department rangers, spent a day in Cross Flatts Park. They weeded, edged and spread bark chippings on the rose beds. Despite the showery weather the volunteers worked hard and made a significant improvement to the borders. Beeston in Bloom also turned out in the rain to plant up 2 new beds in the seating area of the children’s playground.The group were lucky to receive a grant from Comic Relief and the planting is the first stage in improving this drab area of paving. Keep an eye out for more seating and a new mini beast hunt game!
South Leeds Life | June 2015
www.southleedslife.com
8 Opinion
In our view
Community Response
They say ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going.’ Certaining Maurice Oldfield has shown a fantastic response to the terrible bus stop attack and rape. With many women feeling unsafe, he’s put his expertise at the disposal of the community and shown real, practical solidarity. That’s the South Leeds way.
Anniversaries
Many congratulations to The Hunslet Club and Asha Neighbourhood Project on reaching their 75th and 30th anniversaries respectively. These two organisations are deeply rooted in their community and have served generations of the same families.Isn’t that the test of a good community group? That they continue to meet the needs over the years and are valued by all age groups. These are truly family-friendly organisations.
Win-win on empty home
We’ve grown used to inspiring projects from The Hunslet Club, but they have excelled themselves with the refurbishment of the empty house on Robb Street. Removing an eyesore, creating a rented home, providing training, employing local firms, patnership working ... its a win-win-win-win-win! Well done to everyone involved.
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Your letters and comments
Top Tweets
Hunslet Clock
For quite a while it would strike 13 at midnight. I live just over the road and love leaving my window open at night and listening to the chimes. Once, about 7 or 8 years ago it played all sorts of carols and hymns. They just have rigged up speakers or something in the belfry. Anyone remember this? What was it for?. John Knight Great to see it’s working again! It had been out of action for far too long. I’d no idea it dated back to 1864. Amazing the things you can find out about your community! Thanks for an interesting article. Leonard McCoy
Hilary Benn MP
I think Hilary Benn, would make a good Leader he is very educated and well liked! S Harper I agree – I can’t think of anyone better for the job. He increased his majority by 50% despite a shocking night for Labour across the board, and can’t be tagged with the Red Ed moniker or being accused of being basically a Tory wearing a red tie. It’s a shame that I didn’t get the chance to make the suggestion to him at the count for the local elections – me and him had a good chat about various things – whilst I disagree with much of his politics (or rather those of his party) I can’t make any criticism of him personally. Faultless person. Luke Senior
@slpsleeds Year 5 visiting Leeds Grand Mosque. Learning lots of information about Islam.
Thank You
I’ve got a new job in London so won’t be reporting on the Hunslet Hawks any more. I must say a big thank you to South Leeds Life though. I was at a bit of a loose end following University and this opportunity with you and the Hawks was fantastic, I've had an amazing time contributing to you and the Hawks over the last four months or so. The trust and responsibility you allowed me really helped me develop from being a unemployed graduate to someone with great experience in the field they want to work in. So again thank you, I'm sure my Grandma will still send me the print copy of the paper every time she's read it, a little slice of South Leeds in deepest, darkest Isleworth. Tom Leak
Your Councillors and MP Beeston & Holbeck ward
Includes Beeston from Cross Flatts Park up to the Co-op, Cottingley, old Holbeck. The three councillors are:
David Congreve 0113 277 7389 david.congreve@leeds.gov.uk Angela Gabriel 07946 632 468 angela.gabriel@leeds.gov.uk Adam Ogilvie 0113 247 4578 adam.ogilvie@leeds.gov.uk
City & Hunslet ward Includes the city centre, Holbeck Urban Village, Beeston Hill and Hunslet. The three councillors are:
Patrick Davey 0113 261 0465 patrick.davey@leeds.gov.uk Mohammed Iqbal 0113 294 1049 mohammed.iqbal@leeds.gov.uk Elizabeth Nash 0113 275 8594 elizabeth.nash@leeds.gov.uk
Middleton Park ward Includes Belle Isle and Middleton. The three councillors are:
Judith Blake Kim Groves Paul Truswell
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:
0113 395 1735 judith.blake@leeds.gov.uk 07891 741 832 kim.groves@leeds.gov.uk 0113 247 4472 paul.truswell@leeds.gov.uk
Leeds Central MP – Rt Hon Hilary Benn Hilary Benn is our MP. He represents the Leeds Central constituency which covers Hunslet, Belle Isle, Beeston, Holbeck, Cottingley in south Leeds as well as the city centre, Woodhouse, Little London, Lincoln Green, Richmond Hill, Osmondthorpe, Halton Moor and New Wortley. Contact: hilary.benn.mp@parliament.uk, www.hilarybennmp.com Constituency office: Suite 7, Unity Business Centre, 26 Roundhay Road, Leeds LS7 1AB; phone: 0113 244 1097
Middleton Park
Leeds has very little in the way of accessible and inclusive mountain biking or off-road biking facilities.There is Stainburn, just outside Otley, which is built by volunteers, but it prides itself on being one, if not THE most, technical mountain biking trail centre in the country, which is good but exclusive of less-skilled riders. A trail for all abilities like Sherwood Pines would be great for the area and its populations. Its a facility which would blend in
with the scenery easily, encourage families to get out and exercising and enjoying the outdoors. All for the cost of some dirt and a little labour. Paul Kayley
Aspiring Communities
I had wondered about WYPs view so encouraging to see they think it is a positive re Prevent and community relations. Today’s horrible general election result signals the start of a further assault on our public services, so this investment is a rare opportunity to add to the community. John The issue is that the AC development is in the wrong place! The proposal is designed to bring hundreds of people (sometimes more) into a residential area. Something that will do nothing but blight the people who live nearby. This is why over 2000 local residents have made it known that they oppose the plans! Rich
@HilaryBennMP Heartfelt thanks to the voters of Leeds Central for re-electing me and to my wonderful team for their support. @StankHallBarn Come & help us make raised beds & plant our veg seedlings, we've also the #Archaeology pile to sift through some great stuff found #leedshour @HunsletRugby A beautiful morning in South Leeds. Looking forward to another good turnout at Cross Flatts Parkrun. Free 5k run starts at 9am @LeedsDads Leeds Dads Meetup @The_Tetley TODAY 2-4pm
Join the debate. Comment online, email your letter to info@southleedslife.com, or post to: 224 Cross Flatts Grove, Leeds, LS11 7BW. Letters may be edited for publication.
Corrections and clarifications
In our story about the Trolleybus protest (May 2015, p1) we quoted Ian Liptrot describing him as a Board member of BITMO.We wish to clarify that Ian Liptrot was not speaking in his capacity as a Board member and that BITMO is neither opposed nor in favour of the proposed Trolleybus project.
In our story about the Muslim pensioners Group(May 2015, p4) we describedTahira Khan as a ‘local lady’. She has asked us to clarify that she is actually employed by Leeds City Council to support the group.
Keep up to date with the latest comments and debate at: www.southleedslife.com
@T_S_L_A Thanks to everyone associated with the South Leeds Academy for all you hard work this half term. See you again on June 1st #kissthebadge @DavidCockerham .@SouthLeedsLife @PeopleofLeeds @LeedsMuseums Ah... My Dad went to Jack Lane School and served an apprenticeship with Hunslet Engine Co. @SouthLeedsLaH Why not join us at our Book Group this afternoon #Beeston St Andrews at 2.30pm! All welcome! #olderpeople #southleeds #keepyourbrainactive
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Website: www.southleedslife.com
News 9
Email: info@southleedslife.com
Two years a blogger have covered all the fairs, galas and fun days in 2013 and 2014, for South Leeds Life and some for BITMO (Belle Isle Tenant Management Organisation). I’m taking a back seat in 2015 re galas, fairs and just covering the Belle isle Gala and Beeston Festival, after deciding that a while ago. I won’t be covering Hunslet, Holbeck and
events/blogging. Ended up spending all my time on my computer catching up on personal blogs, such as this This is my second of my one. I enjoy blogging lifetime stories since moving immensely, and can’t think of a into sheltered housing in life without it. Belle Isle three years ago. If you want to get involved So here goes. This personal with blogging, come to story, blog of mine has been BITMOs GATE every Friday over two years in the making. morning between 10am and It’s now two years since I midday and learn how to blog or just give us your local news stories. Bring your notes and photos on a memory stick, we will do the rest. Have a cuppa and breakfast. I’ve also been interviewed by Liz Green and Andrew Edwards on BBC Radio Leeds re: my Dementia. Not that I hardly saw Liz, the studio was very dark. Moving on, since moving to Ken with Radio Leeds’ Andrew Edwards sheltered housing in Belle Isle three years ago I’ve also become involved in quite a few enrolled on the South Leeds Middleton produce show. That’s not to say I’m not other volunteer groups such as Life reporter’s course led by Jeremy Morton (Editor of kept busy with other events Julie’s Ancestry Group, Belle South Leeds Life) at Tenants and spend at least two hours Isle and Middleton in Bloom, every day sorting text and Belle Isle Gala committee, Hall in Middleton. Over that two years I’ve pictures ready to upload blogs Tenants panel and South Leeds done over 200 blogs and onto the South Leeds Life web Life News Café and many Memory cafés for people and newspaper reports for South site. I always carers who Leeds Life, in the South Leeds to have postcode LS10 and LS11 areas. try “I enjoy blogging Dementia. Proudly Jeremy recently told cover Oh I me I’m the highest blogger events that immensely and can’t can’t forget after himself. I went on to learn happen at think of a life without it” the Medical about blogging, interviewing BITMOs Centre, people. I got a chance to GATE, interview Councillor Kim which are wide and varied. Patients Panel. Also in the last couple of Groves. I learnt not to use Recently St Georges Day, copyrighted news reports Easter Egg Hunt and Keepmoat years had to put up with from such as the Yorkshire Event. What’s happening at antisocial behavior, poor health Evening Post (although they local churches, local centers, and an ongoing court case to have used mine). Also not to fun days and many more get through. use copyright pictures in blogs activities across South Leeds. I recently started doing without permission. In that time I also did a Radio audio interviews, which then I Producer course, at then called change to text. So farI have South Leeds Community interviewed Jess, (who recently Radio. After completing that left BITMO GATE) to go on course I went on to have my her American adventure. Then own programme called Easy Chris Simpson, CEO of Listening Music. It was on a BITMO (see page _) and Julie prime spot on Sunday of Julie’s Ancestry Hour. I’ve interviewed Sally morning. Sadly I quit the radio also Sumpner, Executive Head of station about a year ago. Anyway back to South Leeds Windmill Primary School, who Life. When I and others is to retire after the summer finished the course, we were holidays. This will be blogged allowed to upload blogs to the later. My next target will be web ourselves. I learnt about hyperlocal, something I’ve Hillary Benn MP. I want to never heard about and how interview him and ask him Twitter, Facebook all have their what is Labour doing to help uses in spreading the world of the mentally ill in Leeds? A few month ago, I told my blogging world. There is never a single blog that I do, that Editor I was cutting back on does not get linked to blogging due to personal Facebook. Please don’t ask me reasons. But guess what about Twitter though, I still happened? I end up doing more. Recently took a week can’t understand it! Over the last two years I off meetings and outside
by Kenneth Ingram
South Leeds Life | June 2015
All of these problems will hopefully at the end of this, make me a stronger person, and the future a better one. Would also like to finish by thanking all the people that have helped me, and befriended me since moving to Belle Isle sheltered housing over three years ago. Jeremy of South Leeds Life. Julie and Chris Holmes of various volunteer groups. Carla, Chris, Becky and Jess of BITMO. Special thanks must go to Lynne of BITMO, who asked me to write a column for BITMO Bits n Pieces magazine (I still have a copy of that magazine).Then Lynne told me about the reporters course that South Leeds Life was holding. Without Lynne and Jeremy, would not be blogging and writing for a newspaper today. So thank you very much. Finally thanks to everyone on the Cross Flats Parkrun. On the 30 May it was my 50th parkrun, and will wear my 50th parkrun sweat shirt with pride. I thought I would never make it. I would also like to thank Peter Smith, of the Memory Cafes fame. If I’ve forgot to mention anyone, please accept my apologies.
If you would like to start writing for South Leeds Life please get in touch by ringing Jeremy Morton on 07894 583966 or emailing: info@southleedslife.com.
Spring into summer with short courses at Leeds University
The fifth year of Spring into Summer short courses and events starts on Monday 8 June, at Leeds University. The 2015 programme includes a range of events and learning-for-pleasure courses and workshops in creative writing, culture, current affairs, languages, literature and religion. In conjunction with departments around the University, we will also have a range of free seminars looking at some of the issues of the day such as fracking and payday loans. Following on from last year’s successful Women and the First World War event, one
of our seminars will look at the extraordinary life and death of the British WWI nurse Edith Cavell. This programme is part of the Lifelong Learning Centre’s public engagement programme. The aim is to encourage a passion for lifelong learning by organising an interesting programme with low fees and free events to attract adult of all ages. Further information can be found online at: www.llc.leeds.ac.uk/sis or by contacting Georgina Collins at g.collins@leeds.ac.uk / (0113) 343 6892.
Energy bills are one of the main financial concerns for households in the UK. On top of making behavioural changes to reduce energy consumption, it is important to do an annual energy bill ‘health check’ to see if you can save money with your current energy supplier or by switching your energy provider. Here are the Green Doctors’ top five to reduce energy costs by reviewing your bill: Payment method: You can often save money by changing the way you pay for your energy. Paying direct debit is the cheapest way of paying for energy and prepayment meters puts you on the most expensive tariff. Tariff name: Check your tariff name. If you have not signed up to a specific tariff you will most likely be on a ‘standard tariff’. This is often the most expensive tarrif. Switching energy supplier:
Use an Ofgen accredited comparison organisation to compare energy suppliers e.g. www.uSwitch.com. For an accurate comparison all you need is your annual usage in kWh, your tariff, energy company name and your postcode. Switching tariff within your current energy supplier: You can always call your current supplier to see if they have a cheaper deal for you. Rebates and discounts: Rebates or discounts are mainly available to people on certain benefits, families with young children, elderly and people on incomes less than £16,000/year. Check with your energy company whether you are eligible for this rebate. For more information please contact the Green Doctors on (0113) 238 0601, email: greendoctorleeds@groundwo rk.org.uk or visit www.groundwork.org.uk/Sites/ leeds/pages/green-doctorleeds.
Green Doctors prescribe fuel bill healthcheck
South Leeds Life | June 2015
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10 What’s On
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What’s On
Your guide to events and activities across South Leeds in June Every Monday Breakfast Club 9-11am Middleton Community Centre Happy Chinese Families Group 9:30am-12pm Beeston Village Community Centre General fitness for the over 55's 11:30am-12:30pm St Andrews Community Centre, Beeston. Keep Fit 4:15-5pm BITMOs GATE, Aberfield Gate, Belle Isle Park Life sports fun for 1116s 5:30pm Cross Flatts Park Women only running with South Leeds Sisters 5.45pm Beginners Phoenix Bar, John Charles Centre Zumba 7pm Middleton Parochial Hall Every Tuesday Keep Fit 9:30am Trinity Network, Belle Isle Over 55's Nesfield church hall community room Knit & Natter 10:30am-12pm Middleton Park Visitor Centre General fitness over 55's 10-11am St Anthony's church hall, Beeston Chair based mobility session 11.30am - 1pm tea and chat after session Cottingley Community Centre Beeston Village Singing Group 1-3pm Beeston Village Community Centre South Leeds Lakers running group 7pm from Beeston Co-op Every Wednesday
Chair mobility 10-10:45am Trinity Network, Belle Isle Over 55's Nesfield church hall community room Breaklfast Club & Foodbank 10am-12pm Hunslet Methodist Church, Telford Terrace, Balm Rd CAP Job Club 10am-12pm Two Willows Children’s Centre, Cardinal Square, Beeston Community Craft Cafe 10am-12pm Church of the Nazarene, Hunslet Hall Road Line Dancing 1:45pm Trinity Network, Belle Isle Over 55's Nesfield church hall community room Knit and Crochet Group 3-5pm Costa Coffee, Crown Point Retail Park Aerobics and Dance 3:30-4:30pm Cottingley Primary Academy Male only Sports Sessions 4-5pm Old Cockburn Sports Hall Self Defence for women 6-8pm Old White Hart pub Town Street, Beeston General fitness 6-7pm Belle Isle Family Centre Zumba 6:30pm Middleton Parochial Hall Women only running with South Leeds Sisters 7.15pm Improvers Phoenix Bar, John Charles Centre Clubbercise 7:15-8pm Dance and get fit in the dark with disco lights and glow sticks Cranmore & Raylands Community Centre Every Thursday Tea & Toast
For up to date event information make sure you go online to
www.southleedslife.com and check the What’s On Calendar
8:30-9:30am Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street Middleton Park Estate Volunteers 10am-3pm Middleton Park Visitor Centre Chair based mobility group and games group 11:15am-12:30pm Beeston Village Community Centre Lunch Club (Over 55s) 12pm Middleton Community Centre Line Dancing 1pm Trinity Network, Belle Isle Over 55's Nesfield church hall community room Mashed up fitness session aerobic dance 1:45-2:45pm Beeston Village Community Centre Cheer Fit 5:30-6:30pm South Leeds Youth Hub Women only running with South Leeds Sisters 5.45pm Intermediates Phoenix Bar, John Charles Centre for Sport General fitness 6-7pm Beeston Parish Centre Indoor Bowls 7-10pm The Holbeck (WMC), Jenkinson Lawn Clubbercise 7:15pm-8pm Beeston Parish Centre Zumba 7:15pm Middleton Parochial Hall Every Friday Charity Shop, Tea & Toast 9am-12pm Beeston Hill United Free Church, Malvern Road South Leeds Life News Cafe 10am-12pm BITMOs GATE, Aberfield Gate, Belle Isle Tenants Hall Singing Group 10am-12pm Tenant Hall, Acre Close, Middleton In Harmony Community Choir 12:30-1:15pm Windmill Primary School, Belle Isle Krok Po Kroku (Polish Group) 12:30-2:30pm Beeston Village Community Centre Friday Night Project 6-9pm Middleton Leisure Centre Friday Night Drop In 6:30-8:30pm Watsonian Pavilion, Cross Flatts Park Every Saturday Cross Flatts Parkrun 9am Run or walk 5km Watsonian Pavilion, Cross Flatts Park Police Contact Point
9:30-11:30am St George’s Centre, Middleton Zumba 10am Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street Middleton Railway 11am-4pm Moor Road, Hunslet Every Sunday Middleton Railway 11am-4pm Moor Road, Hunslet Circuit Training 4:30-5:15pm Beeston Parish Centre Clubbercise 5:15-6pm Beeston Parish Ctr Monday 1 June St Luke’s Tenants & Residents Assoc 6pm St Luke’s Church, Malvern Road, Beeston Friends of Stank Hall Barn 7:30pm Broadway pub, Dewsbury Road Wednesday 3 June Hunslet Memories 12-2pm Garden Gate pub, Whitfield Place, Hunslet Hunslet Tenants & Residents 6:30-8pm Church of the Nazarene, Grove Road Thursday 4 June Hunslet Carr Residents Ass 6:30pm Woodhouse Hill Community Centre, Woodhouse Hill Avenue Beeston Community Forum 7:30pm Beeston Village Community Centre Saturday 6 June Middleton Park FC Gala 10am-4pm Middleton Leisure Centre / Corinthians RUFC Beeston Festival 12-5pm Cross Flatts Park Sunday 7 June Caspar & The Fleas 2-4pm Middleton Park Visitor Centre Monday 8 June Cottingley In Bloom 1:30pm Cottingley Heights Community Room Wednesday 10 June Bird Survey 7-9am Middleton Park Visitor Centre Saturday 13 June Middleton Community Group AGM 10am Tenants Hall, Acre Close Sunday 14 June The Great Si Moano 2-4pm Middleton Park Visitor Centre ‘Big Girls Blouse’ 5pm Slung Low Theatre, Bath Road, Holbeck Saturday 20 June Leeds Young Archaeologists
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Community festivals and galas 2015 Saturday 6 June
Beeston Festival
12-5pm Cross Flatts Park Saturday 27 June
Hunslet Gala
11:30am-4pm Recreation Ground Church Street / Grove Street
Saturday 4 July
Belle Isle Gala
11am-2pm Windmill Primary School Saturday 4 July
Holbeck Gala
12-4pm Holbeck Moor Saturday 11 July
Middleton Community Fair
11am-2pm Middleton Primary School Club 10am-12pm Middleton Park Visitor Centre Craft Fair 1-4pm Beeston Parish Centre, Town Street Flower Festival and Plant Sale 2-4pm St Andrew’s Church, Old Lane, Beeston Sunday 21 June Fathers Day at Middleton Railway 11am-4pm Moor Road, Hunslet Flower Festival and Plant Sale 2-4pm St Andrew’s Church, Old Lane, Beeston Leeds Sax Quartet 2:30-4:30pm Middleton Park Visitor Centre Marvin’s combo steel band 2:30-4:30 Watsonian Pavilion, Cross Flatts Park ‘Nine Lives’ 5pm Slung Low Theatre, Bath Road, Holbeck
Saturday 27 June Model Railway Exhibition 11am-4pm Middleton Railway, Moor Road, Hunslet Hunslet Gala 11:30am-4pm Field by St Mary’s Primary School, Church Street Ciaran Bingham Foundation Trust Summer Fayre Holbeck Club, Jenkinson Lawn Skye’s Swab Party 3-7pm Pheonix Suite, South Leeds Stadium, Middleton Grove Sunday 28 June Model Railway Exhibition 11am-4pm Middleton Railway, Moor Road, HunsletCelebration of Dance 2-4pm Middleton Park Visitor Centre Alistair Russell and Chris Parkinson, Folk 2:30-4:30 Watsonian Pavilion, Cross Flatts Park
Publicise your event with South Leeds Life Send full details of your event to: info@southleedslife.com, or post to: 224 Cross Flatts Grove, Leeds, LS11 7BW
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Website: www.southleedslife.com
South Leeds Life | June 2015
News 11
Email: info@southleedslife.com
Art comes to Beeston Festival
The 2015 Beeston Festival, sponsored by Unity Homes & Enterprise, is set to be another memorable day of fun activities, music and food. Cross Flatts Park will be transformed on Saturday 6 June between 12-5pm. As well as the usual mix of live music, dance, sport, children’s activities, a bazaar full of stalls and a fun fair, this year’s event will have an accent on art. British Art Show 8 is coming to Leeds in October 2015 and to celebrate the festival organisers have teamed up with a range of arts organisations to bring some fun activities to the park. Pyramid of Arts will invite you to help them build woollen cobwebs
amongst the trees; Basement Arts will be showing the short films made by Beeston residents with help from Leeds Beckett University;Andrew and Toby from East Street Arts, currently living on the Garnets, will be inviting you to discuss “what is an art?” (see below). Meanwhile dry land swimming team Yorkshire Life Aquatic who will help festival goers create a “birds-eye’ view display to celebrate and send a hopeful message for people using words, patterns and dry land swimming. The results will be captured on camera by a small quadricopter drone. Staff from The Tetley art gallery will be helping festival goers create a sculpture on the day, whilst elsewhere
in the park another graffiti mural will be created on the wall of the Watsonian Pavilion. On the sporting front there will be wrestling displays and Leeds Roller Dolls. There will be plenty to get involved with from football rugby and cricket through to golf and table tennis. Or perhaps you’d like to try The Works’ BMX track, or the climbing wall? In the Bazaar, you can browse amongst the hundred stalls offering food, plants, jewellery, bric-a-brac and information.Throw in cream teas, live music and donkey rides and it’s looking like another great day of fun. As well as Unity Homes and Enterprise, the festival is sponsored by Leeds Federated Housing, Unison
and Citu; and receives financial support from the Inner South Community Committee and from the Councillors of Beeston & Holbeck and City & Hunslet wards.
For more information go to www.beestonfestival.org.uk, www.facebook.com/beestonfestival, or follow them on Twitter @BeestonFestival.
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South Leeds Life | June 2015
12 Sport
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Hawks find the going tough in the Championship by Stephen Clark & Jeremy Morton Hunslet had their day in the sun at Blackpool beating bottom of the table Doncaster, but overall May has shown how tough life in the Championship is for a small part time club. May started with a home fixture as the Hawks entertained London Broncos. Perhaps they were too hospitable as hosts as Broncos came away 12-32 winners. The full timers from London went ahead straight away, scoring within two minutes. Although the Hawks made good attempts to get back into the lead they were punished for mistakes and missed tackles. Coach Barry Eaton was philosophical after the match admitting that “some of our defence was a little bit weak and some of our contact was not as good as it could have been” but conceded it was always going to be tough against a full time professional outfit. He also spoke about the referee’s decisions being “pretty baffling” and said that they were a cause of “so many momentum
swings” in the game. Next up was a visit to local rivals Dewsbury Rams.This was a chance to avenge the Hawks’ cup defeat, but it wasn’t to be. Hunslet took the lead early on, but this was to be their only score. The Rams went in 10-4 ahead at the half and Hunslet continued to defend manfully up to the 50th minute, but then the floodgates opened with Dale Morton scoring a hat trick of tries. The match finished with Dewsbury running out 40-4 winners. A week off for Challenge Cup matches and a trip to Blackpool for the Summer Bash seemed to do the Hawks good. They met Doncaster in Blackpool on Bank Holiday Sunday. Backed superbly by a vociferous travelling support, the Hawks ran in four tries and with Danny Ansell producing an excellent display with the boot ran out 25-12 winners to move up to 8th position in the table, leapfrogging Batley Bulldogs who lost in the first game of the day to Dewsbury. Hunslet led from the ninth minute, but had to fight to hold Doncaster off. Luke Briscoe’s try 17 minutes from time finally securing the win.
Steve Gaunt / Touchlinepics.com
The month’s final match was a home game against Sheffield Eagles on Friday 29 May. Before the kick off the two teams and both sets of supporters held an emotional minute's applause for club volunteer Margaret Gibbon, known as "Mrs Hunslet", who sadly passed away recently. A devastating burst of five tries in 10 minutes either side of half time
saw Hunslet Hawks crash to a disappointing defeat at the South Leeds Stadium. Heading towards the half time hooter with a 6-0 lead, Hunslet contrived to concede twice in four minutes before the break and were blown away by three more tries in the opening seven minutes of the second half. The Eagles racked up a half century of points with Menzie Yere scoring
four of their ten tries. The final score was 10-54. With 14 games played, Hunslet Hawks sit eighth in the Kingstone Press Championship table at the end of May with 10 points from 5 wins. June starts with a long trip to Whitehaven, it will be important for Hunslet to win this match to maintain their league position and chances of remaining in the Championship.
Read full match reports and keep up to date with all Hunslet Hawks news online at www.southleedslife.com
Tennis twins are winning at JCCS!Tennis Centre
You’ve heard of the Williams Sisters. You’ve heard of the Brian Brothers. JCCS Tennis has a sibling brother and sister combination to keep an eye on for the future - The Dobney Twins. Zack and Izzy Dobson are a brother and sister team who train and compete at the John Charles Centre for Sport Tennis Centre. Their improvement in the game is beginning to pay dividends as they are both progressing up the tennis ladder at a county level. Izzy is currently placed 9th in the girls under 12 category in the county, and wants to go further. “The coaching program at JCCS is really good and enjoyable” said Izzy Zack has been selected to attend the under U12 County Cup squad training sessions.
“Although we work hard, I always have a laugh on court” said Zack “The coaches always helping us to improve the way we play and understand the game I’m really looking forward to this training as I want to keep going and see
“We’ve a really strong team and a good chance to win this season” she said. If Zak and Izzy inspire you to have go at tennis, competitively or just for fun, why not go along to the next Great British Tennis Weekend on Saturday
how good I am at the moment” Zack and Izzy’s mother also manages the centre’s under 14’s Team. For which these both play.
13 June? At the last event on Sunday 17 May, John Charles Tennis Centre opened its doors and many families took to the courts to come and have a go
at Tennis. Some of them for their very first time. Matt Parker and William Tatterson, two of the centre’s coaches were on hand to infect everyone with Tennis Fever! Matches, mini games, drills, coaching tips, spot prizes were just a few of the activities that happened on a fantastic afternoon of tennis. Matt said “it was a great day, and I am looking forward to the next 2 but mostly looking forward to the session on the 4th July as it coincides with the first weekend of Wimbledon!!” If you are free on the 13th June and 4th July, come down to John Charles Centre and a have go at tennis for free. Visit www.lta.org.uk/gbtw to register for the days! For more Information on Tennis at JCCS please email Tennis@leeds.gov.uk.
Rugby & football opportunities for girls and boys
Hunslet Warriors are looking for girls aged 13 and over to join their squad. Training sessions take place every Wednesday evening from 6:15 to 8pm in Hunslet. No experience is needed to join the training sessions and its a great way to have fun and meet new friends. For more information ring Tracey Joyce on 07530 744972 or email: tracey.joyce76@yahoo.co.uk
Middleton Park FC are holding Open Days events for boys and girls to try out football. The separate sessions will both take place at Middleton Leisure Centre on Saturday 4 July starting at 10:30am. This is a chance for children from 18 months to 16 years to join the club’s junior teams and help create new age groups for the 2015/16 season. All teams are coached by FA qualified volunteer coaches. The club boasts a clubhouse, state of the art 3G full size astro turf pitch and brand new grass pitches. For more information contact Wayne Dixon on 07852 311717, E:mail: info@middletonparkfc.co.uk or visit the website: www.middletonparkfc.co.uk.