The Bramley Eco Saints have plans to create a garden. Photo: Jean Hollings
Words: Jean Hollings
A small army of Bramley people aim to transform a church yard/garden into a eco-friendly green space. The idea is inspired by children who attend Trinity Methodist Church.
The Eco Saints are a group of around eight young people ages six to 14 years who attend Bramley Trinity Methodist Church, on Town Street. They are passionate about being ‘eco friendly’ and ensuring the church take on this mantle also.
They’re using land at the back of the church.
Their current project is to change a large area of unused land at the back of the church (off Wesley Terrace) into a Eco Peace Garden – a garden area which is accessible to all where all members of the community can have time to rest and enjoy some peace and quiet.
They are planning to be eco friendly by recycling and reusing old materials and providing a space for wildlife to find a home and thrive.
They recognise that the project may take some time and the garden will continue to grow over the next couple of years.
The next step is drawing out the main accessible path through the garden during the Easter holidays and then start to look at planting considering that his they’d like the garden to be accessible all year round.
If you want to find out more, join them on Saturday 7 May at the church for the Eco Saints coffee morning. Here you will be able to ‘sponsor a rock’ and, if you are feeling artistic, paint it too. These rocks will be included in the finished garden.
The young people are also appealing for support – from physical help, digging and planting to helping with sourcing materials and plants/trees. People can also help with other more tangible items such as seating to helping to apply for funding.
For more information on the project and the Eco Saints, contact Tina on C_A_Edwards@sky.com.
Why not come and join us for our next social event the West Leeds Dispatch Community Quiz?
A friendly social evening open to everyone from the community it’s also an opportunity to meet the West Leeds Dispatch team, made up of board members, editor John Baron and community reporters and find out more about what we do.
Hosted by quizmaster Jill Stocks and now at its regular venue of the West End House in Kirkstall, all are welcome – whether you’re an ex-Mastermind contestant or you just like an enjoyable social evening.
Everyone’s a winner with the WLD community quiz! Photo: Simon Cullingworth
There’s also a bit of food at half time and magnificent prizes to be had, such as bags of Haribo and Maltesers. Because after all it’s not the winning, it’s the taking part that matters!
The West End House offers a good selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to suit all palates. And the pub also hosts regular quiz nights every Tuesday and Thursday.
Our next community quiz night is on Wednesday, 6 April from 7pm, with a 7.30pm quiz start.
Fr Collins was appointed the first resident priest of this part of New Wortley in the 1860’s and at the time there was no church for him to use so he said mass in his house at43 Holdforth Street (roughly where 33 Bruce Lawn is now).
Around about the time Fr Denis Collins was setting up his mission in Wortley, Atkinson Grimshaw lived in the area at Wallace Street the next street up from Holdforth Street, (there was a landowner in the area called Holdforth – are the streets named after him?) I wonder if Grimshaw attended one of Fr Collins’ masses?
In 1871 the first Holy Family School was opened. This was at the back of the present church; it had its own chapel but it only held around 100 seats and as the Catholic population of the area grew a bigger church was needed.
Check out the slideshow of photos below:
The Holy Family Church you see today was completed in 1895 at a cost of £3,100 and seated around 450.
My thanks to the Rev Neil Byrne for letting me take photos of Christ the King (which you can see here) and the Holy Family Churches.
Farsley Celtic's Will Hayhurst had a first-half penalty saved. Photo: Simon Cullingworth
Words: John Baron
Photos: Simon Cullingworth
It seems churlish to just blame bad luck on Farsley Celtic’s current predicament at the bottom of the table.
There are a number of reasons both on and off the pitch why things haven’t gone to plan this season, but it’s also true that everything seems to go against you when you’re struggling.
Yesterday’s defeat to Spennymoor (and the midweek loss at Bradford) are prime examples of that. No points collected, yet arguably it could have been four.
The match had everything – goalmouth scrambles, hitting the woodwork, missed chances, a fluffed penalty, two sendings off and a freak own goal.
The first chance actually fell to Farsley, Spennymoor’s keeper doing well to tip over Adam Clayton’s header from a second-minute corner.
But within 60 seconds a speculative shot in blustery conditions by former Guiseley frontman Jordan Thewlis rebounded off the bar, before hitting hapless Farsley keeper Kyle Trennery and nestling in the back of the net. Farsley’s entire season was summed up in one bizarre moment.
The freak goal clearly left The Celts shellshocked and Spennymoor could have wrapped the game up in the following 20 minutes, with the pacy Thewlis causing all kinds of problems.
Lukre Parkin tussles for the ball against Spennymoor. Photo: Simon Cullingworth
Just as the home side seemed to have weathered the storm, an unmarked Thewlis fired home Spennymoor’s second on the half-hour mark.
Farsley appeared to receive an unlikely lifeline in the 37th minute when Luke Parkin was fouled in the area, only for Spennymoor’s keeper to save Will Hayhurst’s soft penalty kick down to his left, with the follow-up scrambled clear.
Farsley trailed 2-0 at the break on a difficult pitch. One Farsley fan in the main stand described the performance as ‘torturous’.
But the second half was an improvement, despite talismanic striker Jimmy Spencer being needlessly sent off after the referee decided he had lashed out at an opponent. Spencer looks likely to miss four critical games, although Farsley have said they might appeal the decision.
Spennymoor captain Jamie Curtis was later sent off for a second bookable offence to even the match up at 10 versus 10.
The lively Jacob Gratton’s terrific 73rd-minute strike gave Celtic hope, before Jerome Greaves sliced a good chance wide.
The game opened up in the final stages, with both sides missing guilt-edged chances. And deep into injury time the home side were left wondering how they didn’t score after a desperate scramble which saw the post rattled and the follow-up cleared off the line.
Missed chances again cost Farsley dear – and with Telford losing and Guiseley’s game postponed, Farsley again missed the opportunity to move off the bottom.
Recent improved performances need to be consistently translated into results, and you do start to feel chances are starting to run out. While Farsley are just two points behind local rivals Guiseley, the Nethermoor outfit now have three games in hand and a superior goal difference.
After the match, Farsley boss Russ Wilcox lamented his side’s lacklustre first-half performance:
Sadly, the game was again marred by some unsavoury scenes between rival ‘fans’ behind the goal in the second half, which resulted in police being called.
Crowd trouble has increased across the lower leagues this season and it isn’t just a problem facing Farsley Celtic (which works hard to be a family club), but it might be prudent for the club to consider bringing in segregation at The Citadel. It will cost money, but arguably it’s the lesser of two evils.
Community led Bramley Baths have re-opened their popular gym following a £42,000 revamp.
The gym at the historic Grade II Listed building now has new state-of-the-art cardio equipment from Technogym, allowing people to improve their fitness and wellbeing at the friendly facility.
There are three new treadmills, which even allow you to do sidesteps. They also feature bespoke programmes so people can find their own levels – and there’s also an app to track your fitness which you can use away from the gym as well.
Pleased: Bramley Baths CEO David Wilford with the new equipment.
New equipment also includes three new cross trainers, two upright bikes, one recumbent bike, a seated hand bike and a Ski-erg upright rower.
It’s a welcome investment at the independent facility, which has been community led since 2013.
The 1904 Gym at Bramley Baths.
Bramley Baths CEO David Wilford said that the gym had also benefited from a re-branding, and was now known as the 1904 Gym at Bramley Baths. He said:
“As an independent community led facility we always listen to what the local community tell us. We ran a community survey last year and are running another one soon. The survey told us that people wanted new equipment which was easy to use, intuitive and adaptable to different abilities.
“We’re viewing this as the first phase of investment at the gym. If the new equipment is popular, phase two will look at new ‘strength’ equipment.
“As things slowly return to ‘normal’, people want to get fit and improve their lifestyles.”
David said the old equipment, which had served the Baths well over many years, hadn’t gone to landfill, but had been bought by a company who will refurbish it and send it for use in the most deprived parts of Africa.
The gym, which also has new blinds, was redecorated in 2020 during the first lockdown and also received new flooring.
Using the new equipment at Bramley Baths.
Busy Baths
David said the Baths were busy as people looked to boost their fitness after two years of Covid restrictions, and there was an increasing number of people paying the full membership of £29 per month for gym, swim and classes.
He said the Baths’ booming swimming school had a waiting list, and both general and family swims were proving popular.
The Baths are run on a not-for-profit basis, with proceeds ploughed back into the Edwardian building and on running costs, such as staff and utilities.
They have recently run an NHS-funded scheme to help 50 clinically vulnerable people aged between 35-95 years old to design their own personal fitness sessions as the country slowly emerges from the pandemic.
Jewel in Bramley’s crown: Bramley Baths. Photo: Jo Fiddes
Sports massage and sports physio are also now on offer – with both proving popular with punters.
Steam room revamp
Next on the agenda for the Baths is a project to revamp the popular steam room area, which first closed in early 2020 due to Covid regulations but has remained closed ever since.
Due to popular demand, they’re looking to draw up a scheme and find funding to breathe new life into an area which had started to look tired in recent years.
For more on Bramley Baths – which prides itself on being the ‘friendly baths’ – check out their website, or follow them on Facebook or Twitter. You can also call them on 0113 256 0949.
A collection of toiletries and medical items is being held in Pudsey town centre tomorrow (Saturday, 5 March) in support of the Ukrainian people.
The regular Saturday afternoon food bank collection outside Greggs normally sees items going towards the Pudsey Community Project.
But following the heartbreaking news coverage of Russia’s invasion, volunteers from Pudsey Labour Party wanted to do their bit to help. David Dowden said that volunteers would be collecting outside Greggs on Church Lane from 10am until noon, in support of there Red Cross Ukraine appeal. He added:
“We are aware folk still want to still help – Pudsey scouts recently did a collection.
“We at food bank normally get toiletry items including female hygiene products, soap, toothpaste and brushes and are appealing for people to bring these items.
“We’d also welcome any medical items, such as bandages, first aid kits, plasters, pain killers, anti-septic wipes, children’s paracetamol, and baby wipes etc. We thought about bedding, but it’s too bulky to store until next convoy is ready.”
Local company GT print provided posters and local company Wright Signs produced Ukrainian flag banners.
Meanwhile, Farnley Community Centre has already been collecting for the Ukraine.
Farnley Community Centre chair Peter Allison said:
“While we welcome all donations the focus is on the following: batteries, warm clothes and shoes in very good condition, hats and gloves, anti-septic, nappies, wound dressings, sanitary products, toiletries, sleeping bags and bedding. Thank you for your support.”
Farnley Community Centre is open for donations on Sunday 4.30pm-6pm, Monday 9am-11am, Tuesday 12pm-1pm, Wednesday 9am-12pm, Thursday 12pm-1pm and 5pm-6pm.
New Farnley Community Centre is also accepting donations from 4pm Monday to Saturday and Sunday at 12pm.
Mr Allison said that the New Me Hair Salon, on 143 Oldfield Lane, Wortley, LS12 4EX, was also a drop-off point.
Earlier this week, WLD reported how the Hookers & Clickers (Do It For Charity) knitting and crochet group group, which meets regularly at Kirkstall Forge, had raised more than £2,000 for the Ukrainian appeal.
Kirkstall Valley Development Trust, which had also been acting as a collection point earlier this week, has said it is ‘stacked out’ and is unable to accept any more donations.
Venue: Swinnow Grange Mills, Stanningley Road. Photo: Google
New plans for a micro pub in a West Leeds mill complex have been approved by Leeds council planners.
Lewis Cuddy, from Lower Wortley, want to convert a unit currently for storage at Cardinal House, Swinnow Grange Mills, which is based off Stanningley Road.
The new micro pub will also offer offer food including pizza, meat and cheese platters and dried meat from South Africa called Bitlong.
In his application, Mr Cuddy said:
“I have a unit in a brick mill currently used for storage. I would like to use the unit as a micropub that also sells food. It will have a kitchen, beer storage room, sales area and toilet.”
He said there is already parking for up to 60 cars at the site. The pub would employ two full-time people and two part timers.
Proposed opening hours would be 11am to 11pm daily, apart from Saturdays, which would see opening until midnight.
Council planning officers imposed conditions to secure details of any plant/extraction equipment as well as restrict outside seating, no amplified music and tannoys and limit the covers to 25 in the pub. A council report concluded:
“The principle of the use is considered acceptable and the limited scale of the proposal would not create undue levels of noise and disturbance. moreover there are no highway safety concerns.
“There will also be economic benefits brought forward by the proposal which follows an established pattern of multiple uses within the units of the Mill complex that add to the range of community facilities within the area without undermining the vitality and viability of the closest designated centre (namely Stanningley Bottom).”
An area of land outside Pudsey Parish Church will be revamped. Photo: Google
Words: John Baron
Leeds council is planning to breathe new life into an unofficial car park on waste land next to Pudsey Parish Church by replacing it with planting and a commemorative installation marking the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
But some local residents and businesses are objecting to the proposals, saying the proposals will increase parking problems for nearby residents and businesses. A petition with almost 200 signatures has been collected and handed into the council.
Each council ward in Leeds has been allocated £50,000 by Leeds council as part of a programme to support local town centres.
The proposal for Pudsey features an area at the junction with Church Lane and Radcliffe Lane, which has been used as an informal and unadopted car park for around 40 years, and add planting and low-level planters.
An artist’s impression of the proposals.
A commemorative installation marking the Queen’s platinum jubilee would be installed, alongside a timeline feature. A bench would also be included on the small patch of land, which would be maintained by volunteers from the Pudsey in Bloom group.
Council planners say the scheme would improve the look and feel of an ‘unloved’ piece of land and add greenery and biodiversity. They say:
“The Queen’s jubilee celebration installation will be on the corner so it is viewed by passersby as well as the site users. It could be an installation on a raised plinth or a tree within the space to mark the occasion.
“A future piece to commemorate those lost through Covid could take the form of a sculpture within the planting bed to the north of the site so wouldn’t require anything being installed at this stage.”
Council documents say the plan is to deliver the scheme for the middle of May. A public consultation, which originally ended on Monday, has now been extended by the council until Monday, 6 May.
But the proposals have concerned some local residents and businesses.
Tom Donnelly moved to the area 36 years ago and fears the potential loss of the informal car park, which holds around eight cars, will cause ‘utter chaos’ on adjoining roads. He told WLD:
“The land has been used as informal parking for 40 years and will have an impact on parking on our streets and on local businesses in the Chapeltown area. People use those spaces to attend weddings and funerals at the church or go to local businesses, which are already struggling. People use it to drop their kids off at the school and pick them up. It’s just going to displace traffic into residential streets.”
Mr Donnelly said there should have been more consultation earlier in the process.
The petition also suggests the money should be used to improve nearby Sparrow Park instead.
Gary Hood is the owner of 147 Sports Bar. He said the proposals would create a problem for staff and customers at the nearby parade, which include a restaurant, bar, nail salon, takeaways and a small Sainsbury’s.
He said: “Every parking space taken away in the area has an impact on businesses. The latest proposals have come as a bit of a nightmare to be honest.”
Pudsey Parish Church warden Eric Hudson said only a small number of church attendees used the land outside the church for regular services and there were often other cars already parked there. He personally felt the land, which is not owned by the church, would be improved by the proposals.
Pudsey councillor Simon Seary (Cons) has been championing the scheme over the past three years. He said:
“In 2019 we met with the council’s highways dept to see what we could do with the waste land site and we looked to see how we could improve the area that sits in the conservation area between two important landmarks, Pudsey Parish Church and Pudsey Cenotaph.
“Unfortunately, the highways dept will not allow the land to be turned into a formal car park due to access issues onto Radcliffe Lane and Church Lane and vehicle movements on the land. We then explored other possibilities and asked the council’s regeneration team to design a project using the local centres programme funding and this is where we are today.
“I asked the council to carry out a public consultation on the proposal in order to be transparent and I’d encourage people to follow the correct process and submit their thoughts to the council.
“The proposal will tidy up an area which is not and will never be a formal car park. There will be a slight movement of cars and disruption to the small number of local residents who park there.”
A Leeds City Council spokesperson said in a statement issued to WLD:
“A number of responses to the consultation have already been received and we will remain open to comments until Monday, 6 March so that further views can be taken into account to inform the next steps with this proposal.”
Pudsey folk have been posting their reactions to the scheme on Facebook. One resident posted: “Yes! This will make that corner so much more attractive and make a lovely place for the church to have outside.” Another added: “It will look so much better as it’s just a piece of uncared-for land that is very visible to everyone who walks or drives into Pudsey that way.”
Another was less impressed and questioned why someone would want to sit in an area close to two busy roads.
Have your say
Responses to the proposed scheme can be submitted until the end of Monday, 6 March 2022via e-mail to Wyn.Jones@Leeds.gov.uk.
Farsley Celtic are aiming for a change on fortune ion the road at the Horsfall Stadium tomorrow (Saturday) Photo: Thomas Ritchie/Farsley Celtic
Words: John Baron
There’s a well-known saying in football that ‘it’s a game of two halves’. Sadly for Farsley Celtic the cliche perfectly summed up last night’s game as they crashed 1-0 to Bradford Park Avenue.
Bottom club Farsley, buoyed by their first league win since November on Saturday, started the game brightly. Striker Jimmy Spencer rattled the bar early on, then headed a good chance wide before forcing Bradford’s inspired keeper into a fine save from distance – all before half-time.
Keeper George Sykes-Kenworthy kept Bradford in it, saving well when Luke Parkin was put through, and striker Jerome Greaves flashed a chance wide.
The missed chances were to prove costly as Bradford made a double substitution at half-time and improved almost immediately. Just four minutes into the second half striker Lewis Knight a well-worked goal with Park Avenue’s only shot on target all night.
In a second period of few chances, the Celts were unable to raise their game and defeat leaves them rooted to the bottom of the National League North and in deep relegation trouble. They’re two points behind local rivals Guiseley, who now have two games in hand. The Celts are three points behind an improving Telford side, but do have a game in hand.
The result leaves Park Avenue 12 points above the Celts and all-but guaranteed their survival for this season.
Farsley manager Russ Wilcox spoke of this frustration after the game and said that they only had themselves to blame for not taking their chances in the first half:
An artist's impression of new houses on the Cliff Oaks development.
Words: John Baron
Apartments and townhouses at a new £8m gated community at historic Cliff House in Wortley have now gone on the market.
Aspen Woolf, a property investment firm, has this week opened property at Cliff Oaks for reservations.
Eight luxurious apartments, including a four-bedroom penthouse, are now available within the renovated Grade II listedCliff House Mansion, which had previously been gutted by fire back in 2017 and classified a historic ‘building at risk’ by Leeds council.
Seven new-build townhouses surrounding the mansion, with three or four-bedrooms, are also now available within the Cliff Oaks gated community.
Prices on the estate, which is based off Fawcett Lane in Wortley, start at £170,000.
Check out the slideshow of images of the apartments below:
The mansion was built by renown industrialist Joseph Cliff in 1843. It was occupied as a boy’s schoolhouse in the early 1900s but suffered severe fire damage in 2017.
Now renovated by Priestly Construction, eight new-build apartments will be available in the converted private mansion. The apartments offer either two or three bedrooms. A four-bedroom penthouse apartment with a rooftop garden is also available for reservation.
The mansion apartments will be delivered with high-end finishes and smart home technology throughout, being designed by award-winning builders SR Design and Build. Apartments will include built-in wardrobes, suspended feature ceilings, LED mood lighting, and fully fitted Italian designer kitchens.
Seven townhouses are also now available in the gated community. Prices begin at £170,000, with a 10% deposit (£17,000 needed) for flats in the mansion.
Four further semi-detached duplex homes on theformer Cliff Cottage siteare set to start build later this year.
When completed, Cliff Oaks will comprise of 25 homes in total.
Russell Midgley, Director at Aspen Woolf, said:
“This is a rare opportunity for people to secure a home with local heritage buildings. We are truly resurrecting a piece of history. The new apartment in a listed private mansion offers a once in a lifetime opportunity, offering the top interiors.”
Cliff House history
Formerly known as Western Flatts House, Cliff House was built in a restrained classical style by Joseph Cliff, an extremely wealthy Leeds businessman.
Mr Cliff was well known in Leeds for his business enterprises, and he was also a councillor for the Hunslet Ward. He was influential in establishing the Upper and Lower Wortley Cemetery and Chapel in Oldfield Lane.
Photo: Urban Explorer
Between 1966 up until it closed on the 31st August 1998, Cliff House was known as Newcliffe House School, a community special school and a reform school for young male adolescents.
Inside the gutted Cliff House mansion. Photo: Urban Explorer
In March 2017, the Grade II Listed house suffered a devastating arson attack which destroyed a vast majority of the interior. Investigations revealed that five separate fires were started in the upper levels of the property.
Led by students and staff from Leeds University’s education outreach team, the group of young people from the Kirkstall community had a go at making their own quadrats – a simple frame used to mark out a sample area for gathering data about biodiversity.
Powered by a delicious lunch of macaroni cheese provided by Butlers at Kirkstall Forge, the group then took their quadrats to Burley Park to try them out.
So if you saw a group of teenagers with sticks, string and clipboards in the park and wondered what they were doing, now you know!
Young people hard at work at KVDT’s Flexspace hub. Photo: Jayne Young
The original plan was to spend some time at Kirkstall Valley Community Farm, where the group spent an activity day in October half term but the recent flooding made that impossible.
It was lovely to see young people enjoying spending time in the KVDT Hub; playing games and hanging out with their friends in between activities. It felt like an important step forward in KVDT’s plan to develop a programme of activities for 11-15 year olds and create a young people’s steering group to help shape the programme.
The day finished with yet more snacks and an energetic planning session, with the group coming up with lots of ideas for future sessions.
Next up – a pizza and games night! So look out for details in the coming weeks.
