Leeds children prepare for the bid event. Photo: Tom Arber
By Damon Cooper, Leeds 2023 correspondent
Creative youngsters from schools based in West Leeds have joined forces with hundreds of other children to showcase their creativity at Roundhay Park on Friday, 14 July 2023.
Pupils at Armley Park Primary, Co-op Academy Beckfield in Tyersal and Pudsey Southroyd Primary and Nursery are part of an event featuring an artistic installation of 1,000 banners expressing the dreams, hopes, demands, refusals and fierce joys by its creators.
This snapshot of statements from Leeds children in 2023 will form a striking backdrop to an evening of live performances, food and film, including the first collective performance of a new song,
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy, culture and education, said: “Young people should always be at the heart of the cultural activity we create today in the hope that it can inspire them to create a better tomorrow.”
The children have worked with arts organisation Fevered Sleep, award-winning British singer and composer Emily Levy, York-based textile artist Ingrid Bale and Leeds filmmaker Studio Bokehgo to produce an event like no other.
The event will take place at Soldiers Field, Roundhay Park, Leeds on Friday 14 July 2023.
The annual Children’s Day in Leeds started in 1922, and became a huge event in the Leeds calendar. It is fondly remembered by thousands of Leeds residents.
St Thomas' Church, Stanningley. Photo: Mark Stevenson
A special coffee morning will raise funds to help restore an important historical monument in Stanningley.
Saturday’s event will raise funds for St Thomas’ Church and will run 10.30am until 12.30pm. There will be bacon and sausage butties and a tasty cake stall, tombola and raffle, with all the proceeds going to the church restoration fund.
The church was consecrated in 1841.
Inside the church, instead of the more common central aisle, there are two side aisles, reminiscent of a non conformist chapel of the time.
The six stained glass windows are of quality Victorian craftsmanship, the most singular being on the south side, in memory of two young Sunday School teachers who were struck by lightning in 1869 and who are buried together in the churchyard.
The organ chamber houses an instrument made locally by Binns of Bramley in 1906. The industrial history of Stanningley is recalled further in the memorial inscriptions within the church and graveyard. Family names, including Butler, Gaunt, Wade, Vickers, Roberts and Gott, once significant local industrialists active in woollen cloth manufacturing and iron founding, are present.
The tower houses the Coronation Clock, manufactured by Potts of Leeds and paid for by public subscription to mark the coronation of HM Queen Elizabeth II.
Save the date, West Leeds! The highly anticipated New Wortley Community Festival is set to take place on Saturday, 19 August, promising a day filled with excitement, creativity, and community spirit.
This festival is a must-attend event for everyone in the area, as it offers a platform for local crafters, artists, and independent makers to showcase their talents.
Crafters and artists, this is your chance to shine! New Wortley Community Centre (NWCC) is particularly interested in welcoming a diverse range of stalls that demonstrate the vibrant artist and makers community in Armley and New Wortley.
Whether you specialise in pottery, jewellery, textiles, or any other craft, this is the perfect opportunity to display your unique creations and captivate the local community with your talent.
Independent makers and artists are also invited to be a part of this vibrant celebration.
If you’re a creative entrepreneur with one-of-a-kind products, take this chance to connect with your local audience and gain exposure. Show off your handmade clothing, original artwork, or prints.
The festival, on Jailey Fields, aims to feature a variety of hot food stalls suitable for a wide range of people, from traditional favourites to exotic cuisines, there will be something to satisfy every palate.
New Wortley Community Centre encourages local food vendors to come forward and grab a stall at the event and share with their wares with the local community in a relaxed and fun setting.
In addition to craft stalls and hot food vendors, the festival invites affordable Farmers Market type stalls, offering fresh fruits, vegetables, homemade preserves, and artisanal products. Let’s support our local economy and ensure the community has access to quality, locally sourced goods.
And it’s not just about the crafting and food, it’s about providing a fun-filled experience for everyone. NWCC are looking for games, activities, and engaging attractions to keep festival-goers entertained throughout the day.
If you have an interactive game or an exciting activity that will bring smiles to faces, seize this opportunity to participate and contribute to the festival’s lively ambiance, then get in touch.
New Wortley Community Festival invites you to set up dedicated information stalls, providing valuable resources to the community and fostering connections in West Leeds.
This is an opportunity to empower and benefit residents. Local businesses, it’s your time to shine too! Showcase your products and services directly to the community and make lasting connections. Come along for a day of fun activities, delicious food, valuable information, youth entertainment, and a captivating performance by Same Difference Theatre Company.
The festival promises surprises, inflatables, and more. NWCC warmly invite the entire West Leeds community to be a part of this unforgettable event on Saturday, 19 August.
Cup fever engulfs the Bramley Buffaloes this week as they host Keighley Albion Academy in the semi-final of the Yorkshire Mens League Shield on Saturday 24 June with a 2.30pm kick off.
Bramley are hoping Bramley fans of old will head to the Blue Hill Lane ground in numbers to help cheer the Buffaloes on to the final.
The cup run started on 1 April with the 68-12 demolition of the Scarborough Pirates, with outstanding full-back Jamie Donnelly scoring three of the “Buffs” thirteen tries.
Cottingham Tigers from Humberside were due to visit West Leeds Rugby Union’s Blue Hill Lane ground in the second round of the shield but decided to forfeit the tie and so Bramley were awarded a 24-0 victory.
By now the Buffaloes were playing some exhilarating rugby and had won five consecutive matches which had brought an amazing 192 points in the plus column and only 26 points being scored against a mean-looking defence.
The quarter-final visitors were the Pontefract-based Upton, a well-respected team which travelled to Bramley in confident mood. But they met a Buffaloes side running hot and on the rampage and destroyed the Upton side’s confidence with a performance as good as any from a Bramley side for quite some time.
The Buffaloes led by 26-0 at the break and with Daniel Booth completing a hat-trick of tries, Upton were happy the referee ended the match after 65 minutes at the request of the visitors with the scoring standing at 42-0.
Batley Boys’ result
Last Saturday’s match at Batley Boys was called off at short notice and with the league rules applied this results in the match being awarded to Bramley by the score of 24-0.
While the Buffs would have preferred to have played to have kept the momentum going, the other side of the coin is that the Buffs go in to the weekend’s semi-final without any injuries and can pick from strength.
If you would like to sponsor your favourite player, become a club member or join the club’s lottery then please email the club at info@bramleybuffs.com
Meet the team: Bradley Wilson | Sponsored by Lynda Cheney
Bramley born-and-bred Bradley is now in his eighth season with the Buffaloes and is an inspiring leader on and off the pitch.
The former stand-off and scrum-half is now having an exceptional season playing at hooker and with six tries already this season, looks set to beat his previous highest tally of tries for the season which stands at eight which he achieved in the 2017 season.
His career totals before this week’s cup semi-final stands at 66 first team starts and one substitute appearance which have brought him a total of 19 tries.
The sun rises through the stained glass windows at historic Bramley Baths. Photo: Dannii Reynolds
Swimmers were up before the crack of dawn at Bramley Baths today to welcome the summer solstice.
Dozens of swimmers and yoga enthusiasts enjoyed early morning sessions to mark the longest day.
The summer solstice signals the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and the start of winter below the equator.
Danniell Reynolds, who works at Bramley Baths, took some photos of the event and captured the sunrise through the Grade II Listed Baths’ gained glass windows. Check out the slideshow below:
Flooding to the railway by Kirkstall Bridge in 2015, this area will be protected by the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme Phase 2.
Work has started on protecting a section of railway that has flooded several times in the past near Kirkstall Bridge.
Part of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme Phase 2 (FAS2), the flood defence works on the right bank (railway side) of the River Aire upstream of Kirkstall Bridge will feature an earth embankment or steel sheet piled flood walls stretching 1.4km.
The embankment will tie into flood walls, also under construction, that will extend up to the existing Kirkstall Bridge.
The section of railway line connects Leeds with Shipley and Bradford and has flooded several times in the past, most notably the Boxing Day 2016 floods with saw the River Are break its banks and cause widespread damage throughout the Kirksrtall Valley.
The lines currently remain at risk, council chiefs have said.
Alongside the embankment and flood walls, 2.4 hectares of landscape and ecological enhancements will be implemented in Kirkstall Meadows. This work includes the creation of wetland scrapes and various interventions to support local wildlife.
The existing sports pitches will be retained, and a new access ramp will be installed. The ramp will facilitate maintenance of the flood assets and provide access to the sports pitches for emergency vehicles in the future.
WLD reported earlier this month that some flood defence works were running more than a year behind schedule, with completion now due in spring 2024. The same public meeting also heard Kirkstall community organisations pushing for scheme to restore the ‘rat-infested’ Kirkstall Goit to its former glory.
Drone footage captured some of the work earlier this month:
Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for sustainable development and infrastructure, said: “Leeds FAS2 has been designed to protect the people of Leeds from damaging flooding. That includes our homes, our businesses and our infrastructure.
“As the effects of climate change become more pronounced in the coming decades, it is important that we work with our partners to ensure that we build climate resilience across the region now. The works here showcase the great work that we have achieved in collaboration with Network Rail, delivering intricate solutions to build for the future without causing disruption.”
Mark Groom, Asset Protection Scheme Interface Manager at Network Rail, said: “These works are vital to protect this section of railway line between Leeds and Shipley as it is particularly prone to flooding, ensuring it stays safe and reliable for years to come.
“We’ll continue to work with our partners at Leeds City Council to deliver this important project whilst making sure disruption to passengers is kept to a minimum.”
Leeds FAS2 is made up of a combination of catchment-wide natural flood management, as well as traditional engineering that stretches for 14km along the River Aire between Leeds City Station and Apperley Bridge.
When it is complete in spring 2024, Leeds FAS2 will reduce flood risk to a 0.5% probability of occurring in any given year (a 1-in-200-year level of flood protection) for 1,048 homes and 474 businesses. This level of protection includes an allowance for climate change up to 2069 and will be effective for similar events to the boxing day floods in 2015, which cost Leeds an estimated £36.8m and the city region more than £500m.
Plans to transform sports facilities at Woodhall Playing Fields into a ‘Parklife’ community sports hub have this week moved a step closer to reality – more than three years after first being proposed.
Planning permission was granted last March for a new community sports hub with changing facilities, a community cafe, reception area and meeting rooms with associated car parking at Woodhall Playing Fields.
Council documents released this week revealed that construction and property services company BAM Construction Limited will carry out early works on the development, alongside similar proposals for Green Park at Thorpe Park, in east Leeds.
The total costs for both community sports hubs is around around £20.8 million.
The cafe would have views over the football pitches and the meeting rooms would open out into the main cafe via movable walls.
Three floodlit artificial grass pitches enclosed by metal ball-stop fencing will also be built off Woodhall Lane, along with two new children’s play areas. The scheme is part of the national Parklife initiative to improve football pitches and facilities.
No timescale has been provided on when work will start and a contractor to carry out the main works has yet to her appointed, although WLD understands this is like;y to be BAM Construction.
A council report concludes: “Parklife offers an opportunity for Leeds to have top-class facilities for football and other sports right through from junior mini soccer at the grassroots level through to elite player development.
“It links into plans for development work by West Riding County FA and the Leeds United Foundation to further develop football in Leeds and offers an opportunity to work with partners such as the universities and National Governing Bodies from other sports such as the Rugby Football League.
“Parklife will also address issues with the state of the city’s pitches by not onlydirectly providing new facilities through the hubs, but by reinvesting surpluses from the football trust into the remaining stock of grass pitches.”
The plans in Woodhall were first submitted in January 2020. 18 teams from Calverley, Farsley, Pudsey and Stanningley currently use the sports pitches.
Details of the “once in a lifetime” West Yorkshire mass transit system, including the areas that are likely to get stops, will likely be revealed over the next year.
The system, which will see all of the region’s major cities linked by an as yet unknown form of mass transit, was one of the targets included in the new West Yorkshire Plan, which was revealed last Friday.
Indicative plans have shown that one of the mass transit system’s lines could link Leeds and Bradford and go through West Leeds and feature stops in places like Bramley, Wortley and Pudsey.
The document shapes what needs to be done between now and 2040 to make the most out of the area’s potential.
An early draft proposal of the network from last year.
It was launched at an event in the Leeds Corn Exchange on Friday morning, an event attended by West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, and the leaders of all five West Yorkshire councils.
It has five main “missions”:
To create a more prosperous West Yorkshire
To create a happy West Yorkshire, by improving housing, public health and green spaces
A better connected West Yorkshire
A greener, more sustainable West Yorkshire, working towards new zero carbon
A safer West Yorkshire – a push that aims to reduce violent crime and anti social behaviour.
Presenting the plan, Mayor Tracy Brabin said: “At times we in West Yorkshire can let ourselves get overshadowed by other regions, or ignored by Westminster.”
But she said the decision to devolve power to West Yorkshire in 2020 meant the region had a much better chance of determining its own future.
Those in attendance were told it was up to organisations across the region to make sure the plan works, and does not “gather dust.”
One of the main strands of the plan is to improve transport. Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe, chair of West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transport Committee, spoke about the importance of the new mass transit plans, as well as improving bus services.
The Authority recently announced that taking greater control of local bus services was the “preferred option” to improve bus services, and that after a public consultation a decision would be made next year.
Speaking about the ways to improve travel, she said public transport should be the first choice for most people.
She said: “Buses are the most widely used form of public transport, but since bus deregulation, routes and timetables have been slashed.
“We want a bus service that meets the needs of all our communities.
“We try to step in when communities get cut off due to changes, but as things stand we can’t do anything to stop private bus companies from cutting services.
“With greater public control we’ll be able to create an integrated London style transport network.”
Referring to the mass transit system, she said: “This will connect people across the region by 2040.
“We’ll be consulting the public in the next year about the route options. It won’t come cheap, and I urge Government to back our plans in the long term.”
She said the Authority were also still pushing for Government to reverse its decision to scrap the Leeds leg of HS2 and to reinstate plans for a Northern Powerhouse Rail line that would include a stop in Bradford.
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Taking buses into public control is only part of making buses better for West Yorkshire.
“We need more funding to provide an excellent bus service.”
WYCA was recently awarded millions for a bus service improvement plan, with the goal of adding to what is already available.
But Cllr Hinchliffe said that with government subsidies to bus companies reducing, and companies subsequently proposing cuts to services, there was a danger this pot of cash would be needed to prop up the existing system, rather than improve it. She said: “We might have to use it to subsidise the network, meaning we might not be able to deliver our greater ambitions.”
Referring to the mass transit plans, she pointed out that West Yorkshire was the biggest region in the country without a mass transit system.
Despite an apparent lack of progress on the ambitious plans, she said: “There has been a lot of work over the last few years, and there will be more consultations later this year that will start to crystalise what this mass transit system means and will look like.
“This is a once in a lifetime chance for a new transport system, but we can’t do it overnight.”
A map of the new 50mph limit, which runs from Horsforth through to Armley.
The first permanent average-speed cameras in West Yorkshire will soon be installed on the A6120 Outer Ring Road and the A647 Stanningley Bypass.
As reported by WLD last year, Leeds City Council chiefs say the new average speed cameras will be up and running by autumn and will see speed limits reduced from 70mph/60mph to a continuous 50mph.
The speed reduction to 50mph on the A6120 Outer Ring Road and A647 Stanningley Bypass, from Horsforth roundabout to Stanningley Bypass at Henconner Lane Bridge, formed part of a wider programme of improvements which were part of the Connecting West Leeds Phase 2 consultation last year.
The council says the proposal received a 62 per cent positive response.
The existing fixed speed cameras located on A647 Stanningley Bypass, which will be replaced by average speed cameras, will be relocated to A647 Stanningley Road on the central reserve near to Armley Grange Drive junction and the central reserve near to Redcote Lane junction.
A camera will be placed on the central reserve near to Redcote Lane junction on Stanningley Road. Photo: Google
They will be able to enforce both east and westbound directions of traffic and are in addition to the three mobile camera bays that are currently installed on A647 Stanningley Road near the junctions of Moorfield Road, Cockshott Lane and Houghley Lane.
Councillor Helen Hayden, executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: “We have a bold ambition of having zero deaths on Leeds roads by 2040 and the new strategy sets out a flexible, clear and consistent approach to managing speed and safety.
“A more flexible approach to deploying safety cameras is something both ward councillors and I have been requesting for a while. It allows Leeds greater local responsibility in addressing safety concerns in our areas.
“The strategy further builds on our Leeds Transport Strategy aim of ‘Leeds to be a city where you don’t need a car’, ensuring that roads must be safe for people to walk, scoot, wheel, and cycle.”
The speed cameras are being installed as part of a wider strategy which has been created by the West Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership, consisting of local authorities across West Yorkshire and West Yorkshire Police. The strategy works to recognise ‘high risk’ locations, either where speed-related casualties have happened or there is clear evidence of speeding.
Looking down the Ring Road towards Rodley Roundabout.
Since the strategy’s launch in February 2023, the council have reviewed some of Leeds’ busiest roads, which has resulted in the A6120 Outer Ring Road and A647 Stanningley Bypass receiving support for the introduction of average speed camera enforcements.
Paul Jeffrey, West Yorkshire Police lead for the West Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership, said: “Excessive or inappropriate speed is a common factor in many collisions. Encouraging safe speeds across the road network to prevent speed-related collisions is key to achieving our Vision Zero ambition. West Yorkshire Police remains committed to working with partners to prevent avoidable deaths and serious injuries on our road network.”
WLD reported in March on the latest £20 million Connecting West Leeds plans to reduce traffic congestion and encourage other modes of travel on the A6120 Leeds Outer Ring Road between Pudsey and Horsforth.
It authorised expenditure on a raft of schemes including the new B6156 Calverley Lane accessible bridge, Rodley Roundabout to Dawsons Corner pedestrian and cycle link and a new ramped link for pedestrians and cyclists to the Leeds/Liverpool canal towpath.
The average-speed cameras do not include those used by National Highways on motorways, including motorways in Leeds and West Yorkshire.
Some residents had requested the limit be lowered to 40mph.
But the council said any new speed limit has to conform to the requirements in the Department for Transport’s Setting Local Speed Limits publication, which ensures that a consistent assessment methodology is adopted nationally when making speed limit requests.
A spokesperson added: “Whilst we understand and appreciate that some members of the community requested a reduction to 40mph, the roads in question did not meet the requirements. However, the roads would support a reduction to 50mph, enforced by the new average-speed limit cameras.”
Taxi is based on an original idea by former Leeds taxi driver, Douglas Thorpe, co-director of the new production
Taxi is a brand new co-production from Leeds-based Red Ladder Theatre Company and Mad Dogs Dance Theatre which is running in Farsley in August.
It’s a frenetic journey through the streets of Leeds, seen through the eyes of Taxi, the main protagonist, played by John Rwothomack, in an exciting fusion of drama and physical theatre.
Set in the dark underbelly of Leeds, Taxi sees the streets of the city in all their visceral glory. He meets so many people but knows no-one.
Many of the character observations are based on the real-life experiences of co-director and one-time taxi driver, Douglas Thorpe.
Combining the writing skills of Andrea Heaton (Smile Club, Jack Frost, Football Freddie) with the directing expertise of Rod Dixon (Mother Courage, The Damned United, The Shed Crew) and Douglas Thorpe (Phoenix Dance Company, Mad Dogs Dance Theatre) this original fusion of theatre and dance promises to take the audience on a thrilling ride they won’t forget.
The ensemble cast (Stefania Pinato, Maya Carroll, John Kendall, John Rwothomack and Gerard Headley) take on a number of different roles within the piece and the city of Leeds is played by a community chorus, who, in turn, portray the myriad of customers that drift in and out of the intimate space of a taxi, throughout a busy shift.
Taxi is also the last production of artistic director Rod Dixon who will be leaving Red Ladder at the end of the year, following a successful and productive 17-year association with the company.
Rod Dixon, co-director of Taxi and Red Ladder artistic director, said: “I want us to blow away all expectations with Taxi.
“Audiences may already have experienced previous Red Ladder work, but I want audiences to be surprised to be given a spectacle they’ll never forget. It’s visceral and people who don’t like dance or theatre will be intrigued.
It’s a view shared by co-director and Mad Dogs Dance Theatre founder, Douglas Thorpe, whose real-life experiences are an integral part of the show. He said: “The worst thing would be to bring nothing new. We don’t want to replicate what we’ve done before.
“The arts are about creating something new, different and challenging; and in Taxi, we certainly won’t be repeating ourselves.
“All the people that I met as a taxi driver and all of the stories that I heard are being retold as part of the narrative, more directly, more overtly, but I am also interested in retelling the stories from those people that you don’t get to hear about. I saw all levels of human spirit when I was a taxi driver. Struggling people who would give their all to others, and the well-endowed showing unbelievable greed!”
Despite a steady flow of some 30 plus people a day, sharing this private and intimate space, the life of a taxi driver can often be a lonely one, as Douglas explains: “I’ve been in a couple of situations where I wanted to escape but couldn’t. A taxi driver has to be a politician, a comedian, to either dodge or diffuse a situation.
“They have to think on their feet and all the time they are confined in a tiny box on wheels. You have to deal with the situation after someone leaves your car and try not to take it home to my wife. Some taxi drivers only last a couple of years, and I can understand why, as psychologically, the job can really affect you.”
Taxi runs at The Old Woollen, Sunny Bank Mills, Town Street, Farsley, Leeds on Thursday, 19 August (Preview Tickets) £13 plus booking fee and Friday 11 August – Sunday 20 August (various times) £15 plus booking fee. Suitable for ages of 13.
A bus on the A647 bus lane. Photograph by Richard Walker/ImageNorth
Bus services ‘fully returned’ to the streets of Leeds today, after drivers agreed to consider a new pay offer and suspended their strike action.
Around 800 Unite members had started the indefinite strike on Sunday suspended for two weeks from today (Tuesday, 20 June) to allow workers to be balloted on an improved deal.
Unite has warned the strikes will resume if the offer is not accepted by members.
Unite regional officer Darren Rushworth said: “Following an improved offer from First West Yorkshire, Unite has, as an act of good faith, suspended strikes while our members are balloted on the new deal.”
Andrew Cullen, Managing Director of First North & West Yorkshire, said: “We are delighted to have agreed a pay settlement and that Unite has postponed its industrial action immediately.
“Unite is committed to put this recommended offer to its members in a ballot on Thursday 29 June.
“We would like to thank our customers for their patience and understanding since Sunday.”
Dozens of services had been cancelled, with many others operating a much-reduced timetable.
