Beecroft Primary School in Burley continues to be an ‘outstanding’ school, Ofsted Inspectors have said.
The school, on Eden Way, was ranked as ‘outstanding’ in all five areas of assessment, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and early years provision.
“This is a school that has huge ambition for pupils,” inspectors said. “Pupils join the school from a variety of different backgrounds, but all receive an education that provides them with the best possible start in life.
“Pupils make exceptional progress through the curriculum. Pupils rapidly learn to read and develop an expansive vocabulary. They develop an excellent understanding of how their knowledge can be applied across different subjects. In the words of one pupil, ‘It’s like a spider diagram – everything links together’.”
There is also praise for pupils’ behaviour, the impact of the ‘innovative and relentless’ leadership team
“The school has developed a curriculum that has the highest ambitions for pupils. Leaders constantly evaluate, refine and improve the curriculum, which goes well beyond statutory content,” the report added.
Rotarians in Calverley been granted the national International Fellowship of Scouting Rotarians Youth Service Award as a result of an article published in WLD about their shoebox appeal.
Every year The Rotary Club of Calverley and Farsley Community Church are joined local scout groups, Boys’ Brigade and Girls Association, Brownies, community groups, individuals and church members to help fill Rotary Shoeboxes, which are then distributed to countries in need.
WLD‘s article on the appeal was spotted by the IFSR, which is is a Rotary Fellowship promoting service to Youth through Scouting and Guiding.
A spokesperson said: “By publicising your club’s relationship with Scouting has served as an example for other Rotary clubs looking for ways to promote the Scouting movement.
“We know about you, you should know about us. IFSR is composed of over a thousand Rotarians in 45 countries that work to promote Scouting and Guiding through their membership in Rotary. We have a website: ScoutingRotarians.org and a Facebook page.”
Rachel Reeves in conversation with her constituent Jane who's husband was cared for by the Sue Ryder team
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP visited Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice in Headingley last week to discuss palliative and end-of-life care.
The Labour MP for Leeds West was joined at the hospice by Sue Ryder’s Chief Executive, Heidi Travis, Kerry Jackson OBE, Chief Executive of St Gemma’s Hospice and Toby Porter, Chief Executive of Hospice UK for the visit on Friday.
Following discussions around the challenges facing hospices today, Paul Musgrave, Service Director at Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice, gave Ms Reeves a tour of the hospice and Inpatient Unit, where she had the chance to speak to some of the clinical staff on duty and to learn more about the care hospices provide.
She also had the opportunity to talk to local constituent Jane, from Bramley, whose husband was cared for by the Sue Ryder hospice team.
Paul Musgrave, Service Director at Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice said: “This was a brilliant opportunity to highlight the stark challenges hospices face in continuing to deliver end-of-life care in the face of rising costs and a predicted increase in the number of people who will need this care.
“We are grateful to Jane, whose husband was cared for at Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice, for meeting with Rachel to share her first-hand experience of the care hospices like Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice give. By sharing her words Jane really helped highlight the vital role of hospices.
“We play a vital role in our local communities. We provide high quality, personalised palliative care and support acute and community services to manage demand. We also help reduce hospital admissions, support discharges and support care and deaths in local communities too. Ultimately, hospices help reduce the burden on wider health and care services. But despite this, hospices like Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice and St Gemma’s rely on fundraising support from their local communities to fund and sustain this level of care.
“And yet there is more which needs to be done. Not all those who would benefit from hospice care are currently able to access it, and people’s needs are changing. Hospices want to work with government and decision makers to make sure these needs are met, so we really welcomed this great opportunity to have this conversation with Rachel.”
Following the visit Rachel Reeves said: “We are so fortunate to have two fantastic hospices in Leeds, Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice and St Gemma’s, which play a vital role in our city. It was a privilege to visit Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice where I met staff and heard about the challenges facing hospices, both locally and nationally.
“I particularly want to thank all the patients who took the time to speak to me about their experiences as well as my constituent, Jane, who shared her experience of having a loved one treated by the hospice.”
Kerry Jackson OBE, St Gemma’s Hospice Chief Executive said: “Hospices are such a fundamental part of the health and care community, and it was great to be able to discuss some of the significant challenges we currently face.
“There are financial sustainability and workforce challenges as well as inequality and it is important that we keep these important topics on the agenda. We will continue to advocate for palliative and hospice care for all who need it, continue to innovate and expand our services, and ensure that we make a lasting impact on the thousands of people we support each year.”
Police are appealing for information following a serious injury collision involving a motorbike and a parked car in Bramley.
It happened at about 1.30pm on Friday in Raynville Road, Bramley, outside Premier Pizza.
The 24-year-old male rider of the off-road bike was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Officers would also like to hear from anyone who witnessed or who has CCTV of the collision or the movements of the bike prior to it.
The bike, which had been removed before officers arrived on scene, was travelling towards Waterloo Lane at the time of the collision.
It remains outstanding at this time and officers would like to hear from anyone who may be able to provide information to trace it.
Detective Inspector Paul Conroy of West Yorkshire Police’s Major Collision Enquiry Team (MCET) said: “We would urge anyone who witnessed this collision or who has video footage to get in contact with us.
“I’m also concerned that this motorbike is dangerous to ride in its current condition and could cause further serious harm if it were to be used again without being properly repaired.”
Contact the Roads Policing Unit on 101, or by using the livechat facility at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/101livechat quoting log reference 0823 of 26 January.
Bramley residents interested in reviving Bramley’s annual carnival are being urged to attend an online public meeting this week.
The carnival’s history and heritage stretches back more than a century. It was first been held officially in 1892 though it is believed to have unofficially dated back to 1865. It is believed to have originated from Friendly Society Walks, which were an annual event in the 19th century.
The event stopped in 2014, but now one of the previous organisers, Helen Garrand, is interested in reviving the event. Ms Garrand is also the driving force behind the annual Bramley Christmas lights switch-on.
Posting on Facebook, she said: “Calling anyone who is interested in getting involved in Bramley Christmas Light Switch on Event 2024. The meeting is to discuss what Bramley folk want to see at future events and for the chance to build a new organisation team. We will also be discussing whether to bring back the carnival in 2024 after a 10year gap.
“We are looking for anyone interested in getting involved in this event also and any ideas people may have.”
The meeting is being held online on Thursday, 1 February 2024 at 7pm. More details can be found here.
Support: Volunteers work closely with people who need their confidence boosting.
Fancy playing board games, learning how to use technology, enjoying a stay and play or grabbing a hot cuppa with soup?
Bramley’s Welcome Spaces offer a variety of safe and warm places for anyone to enjoy for free this winter. People can come along, get free hot drinks and snacks, meet others, get involved in activities or sit quietly. You can also charge your mobile phone. All are welcome.
Monday
Tech Buddies @Bramley Care Bears 1.30pm – 3.30pm: a welcome space for people to meet others, enjoy hot drinks and have hot soup. Wi-Fi and charging points available: all for free and all are welcome.
Wednesday
Jigsaw @Trinity Methodist Church Bramley 10.30am – 12.30pm: Come and play games, do jigsaws or join the arts and crafts table and enjoy a light lunch after. Mobile charging points also provided, all for free. Wheelchair access available and also Dementia Friendly, a warm welcome to all.
Thursday
Trinity Methodist Church Bramley 11am – 2pm: hot drinks and soup with a roll, toast and teacakes. Space to chat or sit quietly or play games, read newspapers or complete puzzle books. Mobile charging points also provided, all for free. Wheelchair access available and also Dementia Friendly, a warm welcome to all.
Friday
Tech Buddies @Bramley Care Bears 1.30pm – 3.30pm: a welcome space for people to meet others, enjoy hot drinks and have hot soup. Wi-Fi and charging points available: all for free and all are welcome.
Saturday
Coffee morning @Trinity Church, Bramley 10am – 12pm Hot drinks/coffee morning. Mobile charging points also provided, all for free. Wheelchair access available and also Dementia Friendly, a warm welcome to all.
Sunday
Bramley Baths Stay and Play 12.30pm-2.30pm: Pop down to Bramley Baths, for a laid back stay and play session in our studio space. Bring the family down for toys and activities, with a few light refreshments.
You can see the Welcome Space offered in Bramley at The Community Hub & Library and across Leedshere.
The first Farsley Farmers’ Market of 2024 got the year off to a busy and successful start with sellers and attendees all having a great time.
A vast array of different arts and craft stalls were viewed with great admiration, as well as plenty of healthy food stalls to keep everyone well fed until the next market.
This will be held at St John’s Hall and g rounds on Saturday, 24 February between 9.30am and 1pm.
Clayton Donaldson in action for Farsley Celtic. Photo: John McEvoy
By Josh Makin
Farsley Celtic claimed a point on the road today at Victory Park after Sam Leverett’s first goal for the club resulted in a 1-1 draw with Chorley.
Chorley took the lead on the 20-minute mark when former Celt Carlton Ubaezuonu headed home from inside the six-yard-box to give the hosts the lead, before midfielder Leverett pounced on a Matt Urwin mistake to level the score ten minutes later.
The Celts started the game well and the first chance of the match fell to Rudy Misambo after the defender rose up in the box only to see his header saved with relative ease by Urwin.
Michael Coulson also had an opportunity to give Farsley the lead when after ten minutes he latched onto a Clayton Donaldson cross before sending his first time effort over the bar.
After the two goals, both sides continued to look for an advantage and Chorley should have nudged themselves in front moments before the break after a chaotic goalmouth scramble. A fantastic save from Slovenian shot-stopper Zan-Luk Leban and a goal line clearance from Tom Allan preventing that from happening.
The second half didn’t see as many chances as the first as the teams continued to battle for the lead, with Chorley’s best effort coming from Jack Hazelhurst whose effort from outside the box was easily saved by Leban.
Player manager Clayton Donaldson had looked lively throughout the match following his two consecutive goals against Scarborough Athletic and South Shields, and he had a half chance to win the match late on when his volley narrowly cleared the bar.
Despite being put under significant pressure by the home side in eight minutes of added time, Farsley continued to battle and grind out a well-earned point.
The Celts are next in action at the weekend when Bishop’s Stortford make the trip to The Citadel on Saturday 3 February.
A Pudsey cyclist campaigning to stop dangerous close passes on the town’s roads has praised courteous drivers for keeping their distance.
As reported by WLD, Tim Devereux has been riding with a poster on the back of his bike since January 1. The sign says in large letters: “Don’t drive so close to me! 5 feet please 😉 (Highway Code, rule 163)”.
And according to Mr Devereux, of Hough Top, it seems the sign has worked as he nears the end of his month-long campaign.
He said “When I saw the comments and Facebook reaction to the West Leeds Dispatch article about my little campaign, I was concerned – there was a good deal of hostility and anti-cycling ‘whataboutary’.
“But the subsequent weeks have shown me that road users are much more pleasant in real life! I have ridden 120km so far this month, generally short trips like shopping and errands.
“I was optimistic after a ride in the first week of January – two vehicles hung back for ages before overtaking nicely – maybe the sign has an effect! Yes, there have been some close passes – four, only one of which merited a blast of my very loud horn.
“But these have been far outnumbered by instances of driver courtesy – a lorry waiting behind me for a couple of hundred yards up Swinnow Road; a bus waiting while I was stopped to turn right, when they might have undertaken me – and then a BMW coming the other way signalled for me to make the turn.
“In our busy hurried lives, we need to make the effort to see other road users not as obstacles in our path, but as human beings – mothers, fathers, daughters, sons. On February 1st, I will take the posters off my bikes, and don’t expect to be the wrong end of loads of close passes! But I do have a very loud horn, and am saving up for a bike camera! Best wishes to Pudsey road users.”
He previously told WLD that he had been ‘close passed’ on numerous occasians in Pudsey, particularly in the Lowtown and Church Lane areas.
Mr Devereux said the More than a Cyclist campaign aims to remind road users that cyclists are people too. He also wrote a letter to WLDearlier this month encouraging drivers to “…see other road users as human beings – mothers, fathers, daughters, sons – not as obstacles”.
Bulb planting in Burley Park. Photo: Friends of Burley Park
Sir,- We wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who joined us for the bulb planting last Sunday in Burley Park. Across the morning around 50 of you turned out to help plant 1,000 woodland bulbs and also some narcissi in the community orchard. We are so grateful for such enthusiastic volunteers, you made the entire plan possible.
We’re grateful too, to Love Leeds Parks for supporting us with a grant to help us buy the bulbs.
Hopefully we will all see the benefits of this project in the spring, only a few weeks away now!
Our next volunteer session will be on Sunday, 11 February at 10am – meeting by the gardens near the former Park Keeper’s Cottage.
Another date for your diary – We will be holding a Community Picnic Lunch on Sunday May 12. More details will follow nearer the time, but do keep the date free so you can join us and enjoy the blossom circle at its finest.
