A Conservative General Election candidate in Leeds West has defended the Labour MP he ran against earlier this month.
Mark Dormer was the Tory candidate in Leeds West and campaigned in Kirkstall, Bramley, Farnley, Wortley and Armley.
But he was unable to oust sitting Labour MP Rachel Reeves, who held onto her seat with a reduced majority of almost 11,000.
MP Rachel Reeves
A Twitter spat saw two accounts accusing Ms Reeves of being “the real problem” and saying that she does “not have the interests of their constituents at heart”.
But Mr Dormer issued a defence of his former opponent.
I was the @Conservatives candidate for Leeds West, I spent five weeks knocking on doors and was repeated told how much @RachelReevesMP did for the area.
Your views are inaccurate and ignorant and your abuse and vile anti-semitism has no place in politics or society as a whole.
“I was the Conservatives candidate for Leeds West, I spent five weeks knocking on doors and was repeated [sic] told how much Rachel Reeves did for the area.
“Your views are inaccurate and ignorant and your abuse and vile anti-semitism has no place in politics or society as a whole.”
His message has been retweeted thousands of times since.
Ms Reeves Tweeted her thanks to Mr Dormer a short time later.
I was the @Conservatives candidate for Leeds West, I spent five weeks knocking on doors and was repeated told how much @RachelReevesMP did for the area.
Your views are inaccurate and ignorant and your abuse and vile anti-semitism has no place in politics or society as a whole.
“Got to say, this means a lot,” she said. “When the Tory candidate who challenges you for your seat recognises the work you do locally. Thank you @MarkCDormer. More of this in politics in 2020 would be a good thing! #moreincommon#leedswest.”
A Will Hayhurst brace and goals from Jack Higgins, Dave Syers and Nathan Carman saw Farsley Celtic grab all three points against local rivals Bradford Park Avenue.
The Celts scored five second half goals without reply – and WLD photographer Simon Cullingworth was on hand to capture the action on a Mexican-themed day at The Citadel.
Santa, his elves and reindeer have been busy delivering Christmas presents to all the good children around Leeds and now they’re tired – so tired they’ve had to stop for a nap at Kirkstall Abbey! writes Keely Bannister.
You’re invited to come down to the Abbey Road venue and take part in the Sleepy Santa Trail to help find Santa and his crew.
The free activity is run by Leeds City Council and is open from 10am until 3pm and will remain so until Friday 3rd January.
We’ve highlighted the work of countless local community groups and organisations and connected people to events, council decision-making, latest developments and local democracy in general.
Community reporters
Arguably our biggest success is training almost 40 ordinary West Leeds folk from a variety of backgrounds to tell the stories of where they live through our community reporters training courses.
Our first batch of community reporters graduated at Bramley Lawn earlier this year.
Since May, they’ve compiled almost 300 articles ranging from local history and money-saving ideas through to covering community events and reporting on big council decisions in West Leeds. Check out their work here.
Financial supporters
We’ve also got more than 40 local people who support us financially each month through ongoing donations through our Patreon site and via direct debit. Thank you for helping a small social enterprise like us to pay our bills!
Support: Community quiz nights at the Abbey Inn. Photo:
We’ve brought people together through our regular community quiz nights (and raise much-needed cash at the same time) and given people the chance to shape the news through our community news cafes.
We’re all volunteers, led by community
What people often don’t realise is that everyone connected to WLD is a volunteer.
Our nine-strong board run our parent social enterprise called West Leeds Community Media. They have put in countless hours to run events, attend meetings, run stalls at festivals, write funding bids, run our finances etc etc.
They help keep this small, independent, community-led media organisation going. WLD wouldn’t be here without them and I thank them dearly for their work, support and friendship.
National influence
WLD has been helping develop and support the wider community news sector, which consists of trusted independent organisations like ourselves who are attempting to forge a sustainable alternative to mainstream media across the country.
We’re a member of independent press regulator Impress, who earlier this year asked us to join 11 other organisations in London on the new Independent Publishers Taskforce to explore the challenges and opportunities facing independent publishers.
We attended a few meetings in London and have contributed towards the formation of a new charity called the Public Interest News Foundation. Details here (we get a mention!)
The Foundation will work directly with the public and news publishers to promote citizenship, community development and high ethical standards of journalism.
Independent Community News Network
We’re also a founder member of the Independent Community News Network (ICNN), which is a representative body for community news outlets based in Cardiff. We sit on the advisory board and recently attended its annual meeting in Birmingham to discuss a variety of issues.
Thanks so much for everyone’s support – without YOU we couldn’t do any of this.
But what of the future?
Moving into print
With more people contributing to the Dispatch and more people reading it (1.6 million page views this year, up 26.5% on last year) there’s a real danger of burnout.
Our stats – 2019 shows an increase in page impressions and visitors against 2018. Source: Google Analytics
Most people don’t appreciate the sheer number of hours this job demands each day, the sheer relentlessness of it and the stamina needed to keep the site going.
As editor I put in a minimum of 24 hours a week into WLD, on top of the paid day job. It’s tough and takes its toll on family life.
In March/April we’ll be moving into print. This means more work, but it’s the right move for the organisation.
West Leeds Dispatch went into print as a one-off pilot in 2015. We’re looking to repeat this in 2020
We’ll be reaching people who are unable to read us online. And critically small local businesses and community organisations tell us they’re desperate for an affordable platform in which to advertise.
The tabloid-size paper will be free and distributed via pick up points across West Leeds.
We’re really excited by this development and we hope the revenue will help us become more sustainable in the future.
Moving forward, we have a couple of exciting funding bids in the pipeline, and we hope to revamp our supporters’ scheme to make it more accessible. We will also be one of the organisations trialling Value My News, an ICNN initiative helping UK-based community publishers monetise their content.
As the decade comes to a close we want to thank everyone who has helped us in our mission to promote independent journalism in West Leeds, it is truly a community effort.
As we prepare to celebrate our fifth birthday in a few months, we’d like to raise a glass to an even brighter future in 2020!
If you haven’t already, support us by signing up to our e-mail newsletter below, or becoming a WLD supporter.
It’s been running annually for more than 20 years – and a popular free New Year’s Day minibus service run by volunteers will again take to the roads to link West Leeds travellers with Leeds city centre.
The hourly bus service is run by volunteers from the Farnley and Wortley green Party and operates through New Year’s Day.
It starts from Armley Town Street via the No. 15 route to Greenthorpe Road, then via Henconner Lane, Butt Lane, Cross Lane, Butterbowl Drive to the Butterbowl Pub, then via No. 42 Route to 5 Lane Ends, then via Greenhill Lane to the Leysholmes, then via Greenhill Lane to Five Lane Ends, then via No. 42 route to City Square.
Return journeys start at Bus Stop S3 on Wellington Street (next stop on from opposite the Majestic building) and continue by the reverse of the above. The bus will stop at all bus stops along this route.
Councillor David Blackburn (Green, Farnley & Wortley) said:
“It has to be remembered not everyone has transport of their own, yet some people still need transport on New Year’s Day due to work or need to visit elderly relatives or people in hospital.
“Now more than ever due the Climate Emergency, people should be encouraged to use the bus and leave the car at home, but how can they do this on New Year’s Day, when the bus companies do not provide any services?
“I ask that next year the bus companies give the public a New Year’s Day present by providing them with a service on that day, which would help people and the environment.”
For further details, contact Cllr Blackburn on 0113 2790336 or 07943 780914.
Farsley's Christmas tree collectors back in 2019. Photo: Farsley Festival
Farsley community volunteers are offering an environmentally friendly collection service to people living in the postcode areas of LS13 and LS28 wishing to dispose of their real Christmas trees, writes Keely Bannister.
Collected trees are turned into a versatile mulch which is sold the following year via the Farsley Festival shop website.
This circular economy system is why only real Christmas Trees can be collected – artificial trees cannot be turned into mulch.
Volunteer limitations mean that only collections within the LS13 and LS28 postcode areas can be accepted, and the organisers are always looking for extra hands and wheels.
Bramley parkrunners are still awaiting a restart date Photo: Simon Cullingworth
A running sessions aimed at those who can’t even run across the street is being started by Pudsey Pacers.
Pudsey Pacers’ RunTogether Adult Running Course starts on Monday 6 January and is designed for absolute beginners.
At the end of the course most will be able to run 5k.
The course runs for nine consecutive weeks and we meet in Pudsey Leisure Centre each Monday and Thursday at 6.30pm.
The nine weeks is followed by a parkrun on a Saturday morning.
Within the course experienced runners teach you how to run, gradually increasing the distance each week. They also provide advice on how to breathe, deal with stitch, what to wear, what to eat/drink – in fact everything to do with running and we have a lot of fun along the way.
The sessions:
Monday – advice and a run/walk and lasts approximately 90 minutes.
Thursday – run/walk only and lasts approximately 30 mins to an hour.
The cost for the full course is £15 which is payable in full at the first session.
A fundraising appeal to save Alternatively Vegan, a Pudsey café which opened less than a year ago has reached its target within three days – and the cash is still coming in! writes Anne Akers.
Angi Haist left her job at Leeds City Council to open the
café, in Richardshaw Lane and it soon became a popular eating place. However,
an unexpected debt which she couldn’t pay meant the business was under threat.
Her son Jack started at Huddersfield University in 2015, but within two weeks he became isolated and depressed and began to self harm. Angi brought him home and he left the university.
By March 2017, Jack’s mental health deteriorated to the point that he tried to take his own life. He survived, but was left with a brain injury which affects his mobility, speech and memory. Despite that, Jack volunteers at the café.
Angi had also suffered a personal trauma over the past three
years, but she and Jack continued to work hard to make the business a success.
Alternatively Vegan in Stanningley.
She was shocked when in June 2019, she received a demand for
the cost of the Jack’s accommodation at Huddersfield University, who had
applied for a county court judgement, with costs this comes to £6,808.14.
Angi had put all her money into the business and couldn’t afford
to pay. Customer and friend Shirley Humphreys launched a gofundme appeal to
raise the money.
“The future of Alternatively Vegan is now very much at risk.
This is a woman who routinely cooks and delivers hot meals to the street
homeless in Leeds and has staged many charity events at the restaurant, all at
great personal cost,” she says on
the fundraising page.
“This Christmas she has committed to serving free Christmas Day
lunches at the restautant for those who would otherwise be alone or vulnerable,
“Angi and her team have provided so much more for so many
people in need….Alternatively Vegan has become a huge part of the local
community.”
Within three days, the target was reached, and exceeded.
“This is so wonderful and it shows that despite how it may
seem at times there is much kindness and love out there,” said Shirley.
St Thomas' Church, Stanningley. Photo: Mark Stevenson
Residents are invited to join us at the Christingle service at 6pm on Christmas Eve 2019 at St Thomas’ Church in Stanningley.
The church is on Stanningley Road, opposite Tesco. One of the organisers Andrew Hulme, said:
“It’s a lovely way to start your Christmas celebrations, hear the Christmas Story with the traditional carols and all the children are welcome to join in our live crib.”
A Bramley actor has been giving children who might not normally go the theatre the chance to experience festive fun at Leeds Kirkgate Market.
Luke Dickson is one of the leading lights behind Santa & The Christmas Dragon, which is being performed in the market by the Alive and Kicking Theatre Company.
The show, which is free, uses music, song, magic and truly interactive story-telling to tell the tale of what happened when Santa promised some children a dragon for Christmas.
Luke Dickson
Luke, 44, who lives on Landseer Grove, has previously appeared in hit TV series Cold Feet and played legendary football manager Brian Clough in Red Ladder Theatre’s production of The Damned United. He said:
“We reach a really diverse audience in Kirkgate Market and aim to deliver something which is fun and interactive for all.
“Going to the theatre can cost a lot of money and people can be priced out. Unfortunately with the big institutions there is little they can do, as it costs what it costs to put it on and they have to break even.
“They offer cheaper tickets but it doesn’t always filter down to people who don’t have the opportunity.
“What we do is free and accessible for everyone in Leeds Kirkgate Market. We get children up playing parts, and it’s a lot of fun.”
Luke has been Co-Creative Director for Alive and Kicking Theatre Company since 2010. The company has been running for 30 years and is dedicated to making drama which impacts on primary age children both within the curriculum and beyond. Luke addedl
“We work with children, parents, teachers and the wider community around the child to promote learning, enjoyment and community cohesion through the joint creation of dramatic worlds.
“We create epic narrative journeys that explore complex moral and social issues and offer a cross-curricular and community focus.
“We are dedicated to making dramas that involve working with the children themselves and with parents, teachers and the wider community.”
The final performances of Santa and the Christmas Dragon will be in Kirkgate Market on Monday 23 December at 11am and 2pm. There’s also a performance at 2pm today (Sunday).
On Christmas Eve Alive & Kicking will be opening the doors to their very unique Grotto at the market. Enjoy magic, storytelling and a sing song with Santa. Grotto times are – 11am, 11.30am, 1,15pm, 2pm, 2.45pm, 3.30pm.
Santa & The Christmas Dragonis supported by Arts Council England, the Sir George Martin Trust, the Metis Trust and the Frances Muers’ Trust.
Biography
Luke Dickson has been a professional actor and interactive performance specialist since 1997.
He has worked for a string of theatre companies often in numerous productions, most recently with Red Ladder Theatre Company (Damned United and Mother Courage And Her Children).
Over the years Luke has also worked with Theatre Company Blah Blah Blah, Tell Tale Hearts, Plane Performance, Faceless, Write Stuff Theatre of Puppets and many more.
He has worked on TV in Cold Feet, a feature film The Spell, two short films A Serious Boy and Lucky. Luke also has a number of voice-over credits. In addition to this he has produced his own shows as Luke Dickson Theatre Company; Naked Circus, Like A Book and The Great Dixoni.
Having played Rugby Union for Leeds Grammar School, Ernest signed for his beloved Bramley in 1948 and made his debut on the right wing in the 17-7 home victory against Batley on 27th August 1949, writes Paul Abraham.
He appeared in a total of four matches during the season, three on the right wing and one on the left wing.
The following season saw Ernest score his first try for Bramley in the season opener at Rochdale, a match which the amber and blacks won 13-8.
Ernest once revealed that on the way to matches in Lancashire, which often took three hours or more to travel there, the team coach would stop half-way and from the boot of the coach, tea urns and boxes of buns were brought out!
Ernest, now playing on the left wing showed what potential he had when scoring the only try in a tight and tough 5-4 home win against Castleford.
He then scoring in four consecutive matches during late September and early October, a brace against Liverpool Stanley (won 22-12) at home and a try at the Barley Mow versus Oldham (lost 8-12) a try in the 11-21 reverse at Huddersfield and finally one in the 24-18 home win against Whitehaven.
After scoring at Keighley in a 7-16 defeat it would be four months before he crossed the whitewash again when he scored during the 16-10 home win against Rochdale Hornets.
He added another five tries by the end of the season including tries in the final two matches of the season, a 24-11 home victory versus Barrow and a nine-all draw at Liverpool Stanley, finishing with an impressive haul of 14 tries in 30 appearances.
1951-52 started as Ernest had finished the last season by scoring a try in the first game of the season as Bramley defeated Castleford at home 18-12.
The highlight of his season was scoring a try against the New Zealand touring team as Bramley came so close to defeating the Kiwis before going down 20-24.
The two league matches against Keighley were extreme as you could get with Ernest scoring in the terrible 7-53 home loss, but then scoring the winning touchdown in a 7-6 victory at Keighley.
He added two tries to his seasons total in a 22-8 Barley Mow victory against Liverpool City. The match he played in on Christmas Day against Doncaster was his 50th appearance for the club, a game Bramley won 7-0.
1952-53 brought him four tries in sixteen appearances including tries in four home defeats against Barrow (9-10), Salford (6-16), Rochdale (17-44) and Bradford Northern (10-44).
The next season saw him appear in the first four matches of the season which included scoring two tries in a thrilling 15-13 home win against Salford.
Sadly a bad shoulder injury finished his season just as he was hitting form.
Season 54-55 saw Ernest back to his best when scoring seven tries in 31 matches, the highlight being one of the try scorers in a stunning 20-10 victory at Hull.
Other tries came in the defeats at Bradford (7-21) at Castleford (11-14) at Hunslet (9-19) and also in the drawn Yorkshire Cup tie at home to Doncaster plus a brace at home to Leeds (13-22).
Another injury ravaged season resulted in just seven appearances during the 55-56 campaign, however he played and scored in the final two matches of the season, scoring two in a stirring 16-12 home success versus Wakefield Trinity and in the final match, an impressive 27-5 hammering of Keighley.
Halifax spoilt his 100th appearance for the club in April 1955 when they defeated the Villagers at Thrum Hall 31-16.
Injuries again limited his appearances for the next two seasons.
Two tries in the 36-17 defeat of Batley and a try during the 35-13 victory over Dewsbury both at the Barley Mow and a consolation try at Castleford in a 10-17 loss was his reward for the ten appearances of 1956-57.
The following season saw tries At Leeds in a disastrous 10-55 defeat in the Yorkshire Cup tie and the only try in the 7-33 home defeat by Featherstone during his eight appearances.
The 1958-59 campaign saw more of the old Ernest as he scored in three consecutive matches, at home to Blackpool (10-!8) and Hull KR (14-6) and in the 5-16 defeat at York.
He had also scored in successive matches earlier in the season when crossing in the 30-15 home victory against Keighley and at Castleford in a tight 9-10 reverse.
His other try came in the 12-20 home loss to neighbours Hunslet. Having played just 18 times during the previous two season, he pulled the amber and black jersey on 18 times during the season.
Ernest played for Bramley for the last time on February 6th 1960 in a disappointing 0-33 loss at Halifax.
His final try was fittingly at the Barley Mow ground in the 18-34 defeat to Leeds.
He scored tries at home against Castleford (won 14-10), Huddersfield (lost 12-19) and in the 17-17 draw versus Hunslet (which was his 50th career try for the club) and a try in an 8-27 reverse at York.
Ernest later served the club with distinction as a director during two separate stints.
The Benjamin Gott Memorial sculpture in St Bartholemew’s Church, Armley is by the sculptor Joseph Gott – a cousin of the famous Benjamin Gott, writes Mark Stevenson.
If you look carefully one of his fingers is missing. Rumour has it that the cleaning lady broke it off whilst cleaning the statue and was too scared to tell anybody and threw the finger away.
The monument is just one of many by Joseph Gott. Some of his sculptors used to be in Armley House but were removed by the council.
A few of these from Armley House can be seen at Lotherton Hall, as I discovered on a recent trip.
Joseph Gott had moved to Rome in 1822 and was very successful as a Sculptor but in 1838 there was a cholera epidemic in Europe and his work dried up.
To make thing worse he also lost his children and his wife never fully recovered from the disease. He died in Rome in 1860. His work is still sought after today.
