Pudsey Park has a thriving bowling club. Photo: West Leeds Dispatch
Fancy giving crown green bowling a go but never picked up the courage? Volunteers at Pudsey Park Bowling Club are offering a free no-obligation go for newcomers as.
The club, based in Pudsey Park, is open until the end of September and welcomes newcomers who want to give the game a go, or who might just want to get out and meet new people.
New members of all ages are always welcome. The club has a number of teams, but some members come along for the fun of it and companionship over a cup of tea.
Simply call into the club any Monday or Tuesday afternoon or call 07732 315347 for a free session.
The club is also running a family fun day on the green between 1pm and 4pm on Sunday, 27 August. Young and old are being encouraged to try out bowling activities – but please wear flat-soled shoes.
If you decide to stay on after the trial, annual membership is £8, with each bowling session costing £2.50 or you can buy an annual Leeds City Council season ticket, which provides unlimited goes for £43.
Founders of Pudsey's The Grand Stratagium Mark Harrison and Mark Thorson. Photo: Jhanvi Charhawala
By Jhanvi Charkhawala
A new tabletop and miniature war game store is opening for business in Pudsey this Saturday – and is aiming to become a hub for people young and old.
Co-founders Mark Harrison and Mark Thorson are putting the finishing touches to the opening of ‘The Grand Strategium’ in Lowtown on Saturday, 5 August.
Located close to four schools, Pudsey bus station and Pudsey Market, The Grand Strategium aims to become the new hangout spot for people of almost all ages in the town.
The Grand Strategium is a new high-street hub for tales and tabletop battle games like Warhammer and Dungeons and Dragons, and even Pokemon for younger children.
The two Marks are working to put the finishing touches to the Grand Strategium in Lowtown, Pudsey. Photo: Jhanvi Charkhawala
Along with gaming tables, amiable lighting and detailed character models, the store also has a painting room, a dungeon for D&D and a competition room for battles.
Mr Harrison, a former Pudsey councillor, said that while they were catering for the needs of tabletop game enthusiasts, the store also aims to support those who have no knowledge of the gaming scene.
“It is certainly made for people of all age groups”, says Mr Harrison. “There are Pokemon games for primary kids in the morning, after which the store is open for everyone.”
Mr Thorson added: “Games are for anyone and everyone, we are just passionate enough to provide an easier access to people around. School students can also arrange their gaming clubs and activities here.”
The two friends chose to open in Pudsey because it is easily accessible from surrounding communities, particularly by bus, and is ideally positioned between Leeds and Bradford.
The store is also wheelchair-friendly with easy entry access as well as shorter gaming tables.
Check more about The Grand Strategium on their Facebook page or pop into the store from Saturday.
Members of the Pudsey Lottery team mark the initiative's third birthday. Photo: John Baron
By John Baron
The Pudsey Lottery has celebrated three years of encouraging people to shop locally with a special draw – and a pledge to continue its support of local business struggling in the cost of living crisis.
Yesterday’s July prize draw marked the third birthday of the initiative, which volunteer organisers say has seen 38,525 Pudsey pounds spent in local shops, market stalls and businesses in Pudsey.
Pudsey pounds are now accepted at almost 100 businesses across the town, in a bid to encourage shoppers to spend money locally.
Pudsey Pounds. Image: Damon Sugden
The scheme, pioneered by the Pudsey Business Network Forum, was the idea of Councillor Trish Smith (Cons, Pudsey) and has seen more than 48,000 tickets sold.
She said: “This initiative was originally to push the ‘Shop Local’ message, but as COVID-19 hit we changed tack and set it up to support our businesses through what we knew would be an incredibly difficult time. It continues to support traders through unprecedented dand challenging times today.
“People buying just one ticket a month helps local businesses and not one penny of the Pudsey Lottery goes outside of Pudsey, apart from the bank charges!”
Lottery chair Nigel Monaghan, who is a family solicitor at Iron Harrison on Lidget Hill, said: “The pandemic came along just after we launched and we haven’t missed a month since – in fact the lottery became more important to support local businesses as they’ve needed people’s support during uncertain times more than ever.”
Thursday’s draw, carried out by lottery committee members, also saw the launch of the annual ‘good causes’ pot. This year will see five grants of £250 distributed to community organisations, schools sports groups, youth organisations and charities supporting people in Pudsey, Swinnow or Tyersal.
Farsley Celtic's Joao Silva in pre-season action. Photo: John McEvoy
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William Gaunt with the vandalised cabinet at Sunny Bank Mills.
By John Baron
The owners of a thriving mill complex in Farsley have called for an end to petty vandalism and graffiti on their grounds.
Sunny Bank Mills co-owners John and William Gaunt have spoken about their frustration at the vandalism. The most recent incident has led to them removing a popular ‘community library’ and book exchange cabinet after its doors were ripped off.
Books also had their pages ripped out and some were set on fire.
The buildings have also had offensive graffiti sprayed on them and also suffered damage.
The vandalised book cabinet has been taken indoors at Sunny Bank Mills.
John Gaunt said: “We want Sunny Bank to be an open and inclusive space for the whole community to enjoy but it’s challenging when you’re facing £500 damage every time. It’s the sheer pointlessness that’s so frustrating.
“You often see people walking around with their dog with a bag of books to donate to our ‘little library’, or come with their children and choose a book. It was popular.”
The library could be repaired and re-housed somewhere inside the mill complex, although that would mean it was only accessible during normal opening hours.
Other damage has seen an outdoor art gallery badly damaged, despite CCTV and security guards at the complex, which is widely recognised as a catalyst for regenerating the Farsley Town Street and wider area over the past decade.
Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley.
William Gaunt also voiced his frustrations: “We’ve been having incidents of petty vandalism for months and months around Farsley and it needs to stop.
“We don’t want to be taking away a free family library, which was particularly useful for some people who might not be able to afford to buy books. It’s just a minority of young people who are doing this but as a result we’re having to tell all young people to leave on an evening. It’s not the way it should be.”
The Gaunts’ plea comes against a backdrop of a recent wider surge in anti-social behaviour in the village.
During the past 11 years Sunny Bank Mills has been transformed into a modern office and mixed-use complex for the 21st century, creating nearly 500 sustainable new jobs.
West Leeds residents can get better connected with nature with three events involving bats, ponds and moths at Rodley Nature Reserve.
Last month’s bat night at the reserve was cancelled due to unforeseen weather conditions. But the next one is still due on 26 August. Attendees can get to know our batty friends from 7.45pm.
The bat night promises on teaching attendees about the habits and sounds of bats. It will also help them find bats using detectors.
Another event, this time involving flying insects, is being organised earlier that day.
The moth trapping event starts at 10am. It includes attracting the moths of different shapes and sizes using various methods and for people to get to know them better. The reserve welcomes everyone including children for this event.
And pond dipping sessions run every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, from 1pm, subject to weather conditions.
Plans for a £13 million Pudsey Sixth Form College will not be called in by the Secretary of State, bringing the facility a major step closer to reality.
Leeds city councillors approved the plans in principle in May, subject to the Secretary of State not ‘calling in’ the application for further scrutiny following concerns by Sport England over the loss of a protected former playing field at the Crawshaw Academy site.
The plans would see the new Pudsey Sixth Form College cater for up to 600 students, with access from Kent Road. The application had also attracted letters of support, as well as concern over traffic and parking.
A letter from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to the council confirmed that call ins ‘are used very selectively’ and decided not to step in.
The site of the proposed sixth form college, off Kent Road. Photo: Google
The letter added: “The Government is committed to giving more power to councils and communities to make their own decisions on planning issues and believes planning decisions should be made at the local level wherever possible.
“In deciding whether to call in this application, the Secretary of State has considered his policy on calling in planning applications. This policy gives examples of the types of issues which may lead him to conclude, in his opinion that the application should be called in. The Secretary of State has decided not to call in this application. He is content that it should be determined by the local planning authority.”
An artist’s impression of the new Pudsey Sixth Form College.
Councillor Simon Seary (Cons, Pudsey) expressed disappointment at the decision. He said: “We are upset that local residents will be impacted and we tried to convince the plans panel that the mitigating measures offered by the applicate did not go far enough to accommodate and transport the additional 600 students to the site.
“In the coming months we are expecting the council to approve the application, subject to planning conditions.”
In May councillors on Leeds City Council’s plans panel approved the proposals in principle, subject to conditions including a section 106 agreement relating to the upgrading of off-site sports pitches, with developers being urged to contribute more than their current offer of £25,000.
Off-site highway works would also need to be in produced at the developer’s expense, providing traffic calming measures, footpath widening works and traffic regulation orders. There would also be an annual £25,000 contribution towards extra public transport.
Sport England – the arms-length body of government responsible for growing and developing grassroots sport – had an ongoing objection over the loss of the pitch, which has been disused and overgrown for at least 19 years.
The plans have been brought forward by Luminate Education Group and developed in partnership with Leeds Sixth Form College and schools including Crawshaw Academy, Co-op Academy Priesthorpe and Leeds West Academy in Rodley.
The further education college would offer specialist teachers in up to 26 different subjects. Both A level and BTech courses would be available, with subjects ranging from art, business, media, philosophy and physical education to English, maths, computer science, law and French. It would be aimed at students aged 16-18 and above.
Horsforth Brewery is launching a new beer to celebrate its sixth anniversary, 500th brew and Leeds Pride.
On Friday, 4 August, the brewery’s celebration coincides with Leeds Pride Parade – a vibrant celebration of LGBTQIA+ communities.
Supa Fruity beer is the brewery’s 500th brew and is produced in collaboration with Trans Leeds.
Trans Leeds is a local charity dedicated to supporting the Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Expansive Community in and around Leeds.
This 6% fruited sour with apricot, strawberry and raspberry shall be available in limited-edition cans at Horsforth Brewery taproom and selected retailers across Leeds and West Yorkshire.
“On our sixth birthday, we were set to launch our 500th brew, which also happened to fall on the pride weekend,” said Mark Costello, the owner and founder of Horsforth Brewery. “We had to brew something special.”
Horsforth Brewery is on the path of crafting inclusivity. It has been decided that all the profits earned from Supa Fruity beer shall be donated to Trans Leeds.
“We are proud of the taproom being seen as a safe space so it was a natural choice to support an LGBTQ+ charity for the occasion,” Mark added.
Calverley prayers
Calverley Parish Church is inviting parishioners to join them for Prayers with Pride on Sunday 5 August, from 5pm. Full details below:
Some of the Knitted Pudsey volunteers. Photo: Kelly Ferguson
By JhanviCharkhawala
A group of knitters have spent two years crafting a giant woolly knitted map of the town of Pudsey.
To mark Yorkshire Day 2023, 16 volunteer crafters have produced the map, called Knitted Pudsey, and put it on display in Topstitch, a haberdashery on Lidget Hill.
The map showcases various techniques like crochet, bobbin lace, machine knitting and embroidery.
It represents 33 landmarks including well known local buildings like Queen’s Park, The Bankhouse, The Royal, The Marsh, The Masons, Pudsey Cenotaph, Pudsey House, the market place, Booths Yard and Pudsey Park.
Volunteers hard at work on the map.
Photo: Kelly Ferguson
The annual Pudsey Carnival, Pudsey Womble litter picking are also handcrafted on the map – there’s even mention of Pudsey’s fabled treacle mines!
Knitted Pudsey is 150cm long and 210cm wide map, with 40 balls of yarn used on the backing of the map, which includes folklore references citing the ducks flying backwards as well as some celebrities and sports stars who were born and lived in Pudsey.
Knitted Pudsey is in the window at Topstitch. Photo: Kelly Ferguson
One of the leaders of the project, Kelly Ferguson, said she wanted to honour the town’s weaving and spinning history.
Kelly, who was involved in a similar map of Leeds which currently hangs in Armley Mills, added: “Local folklore and historical events are captured, you’ll find ducks flying backwards, the Treacle Mines and the Pudsey Pudding, whilst Post Hill harks back to the days when the motorbikes could be found scrambling up the steep hills between the trees.
Pudsey Post Office. Photo: Kelly Ferguson
“When you see the map for yourself, see if you can spot some of the celebrities and sports stars who were born and lived in Pudsey.”
“The map has started bringing in a lot of customers”, says Jacqui Angel, the owner of Topstitch. “It’s a walk down memory lane for long-living residents of the town”, she added, referring to the major historical landmarks on the map, which even some current residents have forgotten.
After a month-long display at Topstitch, Knitted Pudsey is all set to be showcased at the Knitting and Crochet Guild 2023 convention in early September. Its permanent placement is still being discussed.
Knitted Pudsey is a part of the Knit Your Town Project. Sue Howell, from Newbury, pioneered the Knit Your Town Project in 2014 by producing Knitted Newbury. Since then many woolly towns have been created across the country.
The knitted town of Pudsey aims at generating interests among the community to learn more about the history and the craftsmanship of the town.
To find out more or contact the Knitted Pudsey crafters, visit their Facebook page.
Childcare fees at 24 council-run nurseries across Leeds will go up by five per cent in September.
The daily rate at Little Owls centres in the city will rise by £2.60 to £54.30, in a move that will affect hundreds of local families.
The council says the move is needed to cover increasing costs, which include pay rises for the 650 staff employed across its nurseries.
Of the 2,500 pre-schoolers who use the centres, only nine per cent have the daily fee paid up front by their parents. Most have the costs covered or discounted by various government-run childcare schemes, while parents claiming Universal Credit can also get money off.
The increase follows a five per cent hike last year too, which took the daily rate above the £50 threshold for the first time.
A council notice explaining the move said: “The preferred option is to increase the fees by five per cent. This reflects some of the additional costs but does not put the entire burden on parents.”
The report said that freezing the fees had not been considered because of the council’s poor financial position.
But a rise in line with current inflation levels, which are way higher than five per cent, was also ruled out.
The notice said that while such an increase would have helped Little Owls keep pace with nurseries in the private sector, it “would not be seen favourably” by parents.
The council closed four nurseries earlier this year after a review found merging some centres would save it nearly £500,000.
Mark Sewards and Labour members on the steps of Morley Town Hall
By David Spereall, local democracy reporter
A West Leeds councillor has been selected by the party to contest the new Leeds South West and Morley seat at the next General Election.
Mark Sewards won a vote of party members in a run-off against fellow candidate Anna Baxter over the weekend.
Mr Sewards, who is a teacher by trade, has also been a councillor for the Farnley and Wortley ward on Leeds City Council since last year.
He will be competing against Conservative MP and Boris Johnson loyalist Andrea Jenkyns, who secured a majority of over 11,000 at the last General Election in 2019.
Speaking on Monday, 33 year-old Mr Sewards said it was “an honour” to be selected.
“I was born and raised in Morley and now I’m raising my family in Farnley and Wortley, so that connection to this area I want to represent means a great deal,” he said.
“We’ve got a Conservative government that’s been in power for 13 years. Ask voters if they’re better off after those 13 years and the answer in almost every case is ‘no’.”
As a younger Labour member, Mr Sewards was part of Ed Balls’ team when the party lost Morley to the Conservatives at the 2015 General Election.
Though he admitted that defeat was “devastating”, he insisted the experience did not give him any extra motivation to try to win the seat back.
He said: “We’ll be going door to door to engage with voters, including those who’ve voted Conservative at the last four general elections.
“We’re going to win those people back by offering real solutions to the problems they’re facing today, and I believe I can do that.”
Cllr Mark Sewards
Mr Sewards attended Morley High School in his youth, having grown up in the Churwell Hill area of the town. He currently lives in Wortley with his wife – Armley Labour councillor Alice Smart – and young family.
The new Leeds South West and Morley constituency is a result of the Parliamentary boundary shake-up taking place across the country ahead of the next election, which is likely to be held in 2024.
Ms Jenkyns’ Morley and Outwood seat is one of those being abolished, with Morley now grouped with Farnley & Wortley ward and parts of outer south Leeds to form the new seat.
Parts of the Leeds West and Pudsey seats are being merged to create a new constituency.
Bramley Junior Parkrun marked its seventh birthday. Photos: Danny Hutchinson
By Jean Hollings. Photos: Danny Hutchinson
A brilliant start to the day saw a celebration of Bramley junior parkrun’s seventh birthday.
18 junior athletes walked, jogged or ran across the 2km finish line, including three inspirational first timers.
Olivia received her half marathon band and three juniors achieved a personal best.
16 volunteers supported the juniors. Mums, dads, grandparents and friends volunteer for parkrun while their “junior” is taking part.
Juniors, volunteers and parents/spectators enjoyed birthday cake afterwards.
If you have a child between four and 14 years old who would like to join us, register at parkrun and meet us in Bramley Park every Sunday for 9am start or contact the team at bramleyjuniors@parkrun.com. You can register here.
