Pudsey folk are bring encouraged to take part in a community cleanup of a hidden gem – a fishing lake, off Lowtown.
Organised by Pudsey resident James Crabtree and volunteers from the Litter Free Pudsey group, the clean-up will take place on Sunday at 10am.
Mr Crabtree said:
“We will this time be working on an area that is a little hidden beautiful gem of Pudsey, the fishing pond area down Lowtown, the entrance to it is by Henry Krank’s.
“We will meet at Pudsey Farmers Market, then walk down Longfield Road and then over the road to the fish pond. All equipment will be provided and we will have to work in groups of 6 to be in line with Covid rules.
“If you would prefer to bring your own PPE then that’s no problem and wear appropriate clothing. This gives us all a chance to take pride in where we live, do our bit for the community and socialise with new like minded people. So bring family, bring friends and let’s make Pudsey and our surrounding areas Litter Free.”
Water rescue teams were called to Kirkstall Abbey after a woman fell into the River Aire today.
Members of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS), paramedics, police officers and an air ambulance crew were called shortly after 11.15am on Wednesday, 29 July.
The woman was taken to Leeds General infirmary for checkups
A WYFRS spokeswoman said:
“Fire crews were called at 11.18am to a report of a woman in the River Aire near Abbey Road in Leeds.
“Two water rescue teams from Leeds and two fire engines – one from Cookridge and one from Rawdon – attended.
“The woman is now out of the water and is in the hands of Yorkshire Ambulance Service.”
Avoid open water swimming in canals, rivers and reservoirs in West Leeds – that’s the plea from the the Canal & River Trust as a mini-heatwave strikes.
Temperatures are set to soar to almost 30 degrees centigrade on Friday, sparking concerns that people might take a dip to cool off.
Less than two months ago Farnley Academy teacher Lewis Howlett, aged 25, drowned after entering the River Aire at Redcote Lane in Kirkstall, leading to warnings about the dangers of swimming in open waterways.
Tragic: Lewis Howlett
Towpaths along the Leeds Liverpool Canal saw a massive increase in usage during lockdown as people stayed local and discovered these green/blue linear parks on their doorstep.
John Gibson, area operations manager for Canal & River Trust, said:
“We’ve seen more people than ever relaxing and reaping the health benefits of spending time by water. With bright skies and warm sunshine forecast from tomorrow we’re expecting our waterways and reservoirs to be popular.
“We are welcoming people to the waterside but are particularly concerned about people enjoying a post-lockdown drink and then going for a dip, young people and children who could be unaware of the hidden dangers of swimming in our waterways.”
The Trust is highlighting other ways to cool down that avoid getting in the water:
Lounge in the shade of waterside trees rather than getting tangled in waterway reeds.
Chill out on the bank and enjoy the peacefulness of being beside water.
If you want to jump and dive, wait for your local swimming pool to open, don’t get in locks or canals which can be shallow and have obstructions below the waterline
Cool down with an ice-lolly, drink or ice-cream at a waterside café.
Following Mr Howlett’s death in May, Detective Inspector James Entwistle, of Leeds District CID, warned of the dangers of swimming in open water. He said:
“We hope that people will recognise the risks and the tragic consequences that can occur and avoid swimming in open water, no matter how tempting it might be in the hot weather.”
A LIST of local brownfield sites that could be transformed thanks to a £67 million Government grant is being drawn up, writes Chris Young.
West Yorkshire was awarded the cash, which has to be spent on developing unused, previously developed sites, due to its recent devolution deal with the Government.
It is part of a £400m Government scheme to “unlock” sites that are pricey to develop, and reduce pressure on Green Belt land – which is cheaper to build on.
Brownfield sites can be contaminated, requiring expensive works to make them habitable, and often they require extensive accompanying highway works due to many sites being in busy urban areas.
Brownfield developments also have to consider neighbouring buildings and infrastructure – compromises that can add to the costs of a scheme and put off developers.
West Yorkshire has been included in the funding despite the fact that the first West Yorkshire mayor will not be voted in until next May.
“There is a huge amount of work to do on this, but we now have the money to do it. “We are looking to get into the position where we can get money out and spend it on those sites as soon as possible.”
She said a more detailed report of brownfield sites in West Yorkshire, and how easy it will be develop these sites, would be produced by October.
Bradford Council leader and Chair of the Combined Authority Susan Hinchcliffe said: “In this time and age it is nice to have an announcement like this to celebrate. This is very exciting for the region.”
An escape room attraction in Armley Road is offering NHS workers free games to mark its reopening.
Escape Reality has seven themed rooms including Alcatraz, Down the Rabbit Hole, Iron Kingdom and Jungala.
Now to thank people working in the NHS, Escape Reality is offering three days next month (5th, 6th, 7th) where they can play for free.
Samir Patel from Escape Reality Leeds said:
“We want to thank all those working in the NHS and this is the least we can do to recognise their dedication to helping people not only during this pandemic but also at other times of need.
“We’ve made some changes to the attraction to protect our staff and to ensure the games can still be experienced in an enjoyable and safe way.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming our NHS heroes and their families and all we ask is that they book 24 hours in advance and bring their ID on the day, which must be one of the dates advertised.”
To qualify, NHS workers should send a message to the Escape Reality Leeds Facebook page with their ID or NHS email address. A unique code will then be sent to be used to book online.
For the code please message on Facebook @escaperealityleeds.
Police are appealing for the public’s help in tracing a missing teenager from Pudsey.
Summer Stubbley, aged 15, was reported missing yesterday from the Swinnow area.
Summer is described as white, around 5ft 4, with red/brown hair. When she was last seen, Summer was wearing a fluffy, ‘teddy-bear’ jacket, a white Puma t-shirt, blue jeans and white trainers.
Officers are appealing for anyone who believes they may have seen Summer or anyone who has information on her whereabouts to contact police.
Anyone with information should call 101, quoting log 1668 of 27/07.
Much-loved: Edwardian Bramley Baths is Grade II Listed.
Community-led Bramley Baths will become one of the first swimming pools in Leeds re-open – four months after closing its doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The swimming pool is set to re-open with a reduced timetable on Monday, 3 August.
People who supported the Baths through lockdown by joining the Friends of Bramley Baths have also been invited for a free swim and an opportunity to see all the safety measures put in place to keep everyone safe while using the pool.
The re-opening comes after representative body Swim England revealed that less that 20 per cent of publicly owned facilities welcomed back bathers on Saturday, when Government restrictions allowed pools to re-open. And research has revealed that 30 per cent of public pools could remain closed until 2021.
During lockdown the community has rallied by joining the Friends scheme, buying T-shirts, supporting staff fundraisers, continuing to pay memberships and donating unused swimming lessons.
Bramley Baths chair John Battle with finance assistant Charlotte Hill (left) and operations manager Courntey Harrison. (Photo taken before Covid-19)
Bramley Baths chair John Battle thanked the volunteer board for stepping up and redoubling their efforts during a period of uncertainty. He said:
“As the leader of the first campaign to save the Baths, I have seen it go from strength to strength. We had established a really successful, friendly, popular Baths, and then the pandemic happened.
“So I am doubly pleased that due to the commitment of everyone at the Baths and the loyalty shown by our Friends and members, we have pulled through and saved the Baths a second time.”
Councillor Caroline Gruen, Vice Chair, said
“We are absolutely delighted to have reached the point at which we can offer this beautiful, historic facility to the public once again. It has been a long hard struggle financially, and the Board has worked hard to keep us financially afloat.”
David Wilford, thew Bathgs’ recently-appointed Chief Executive, added:
“It’s been an interesting first month in the job for me! Although I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, I found I was working with people who had tremendous enthusiasm for the Baths and in my first few weeks we have been able to put in place important steps to keeping the public safe and we are now able to open ahead of our original target date.”
Safety measures put in place include a booking system, reduced pool capacity, social distancing markings, a one-way system, fully trained staff and a comprehensive cleaning regime.
Mr Wilford also thanked the organisations who supported the Baths with lifeline grants, including Power to Change, Sport England, Leeds City Council and Bramley & Stanningley councillors.
Full details of the timetable and how to book on the lane swims at the Edwardian Baths can be found here.
Earlier this month, Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves called on Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden and to clarify when swimming pools like Bramley Baths would be allowed to re-open.
The amount of public money going into keeping bus services running during the Covid-19 pandemic has resurrected the possibility of local authorities looking at how they can bring them back into public hands, writes Richard Beecham.
It follows work done by West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) last year to look at the possibility of taking some of the region’s struggling bus services in-house in the future.
Since then, the region has obtained further powers to take on public transport through its devolution deal announced in the spring.
A document discussed by members of West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) this week claimed that, although further work was still needed, the authority would now have the ‘full range of powers’ to put a business case forward.
During the meeting, regional political leaders agreed the bus model was “broken”, and something had to be done to look at the kind of franchising currently being pursued in Manchester and Birmingham.
Leeds councillor Kim Groves, who also heads WYCA’s transport committee, said:
“Long term, even the industry is thinking about the things we discussed before, and is looking at what West Yorkshire transport looks like.
“In order to remain financially stable, operators will have to think about how transport is broadened out.
“There is a big piece of work on transport going on. We need to understand legally what we need to do more of and to make sure we are ready.”
Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake added:
“The feeling we have expressed on many occasions is that the bus model is broken and isn’t serving the needs of the travelling public. We are getting more and more experience of failing franchises on the rail network.
“This is an opportunity to look at the next steps, and we are looking at other authorities that are ahead of us. Coming out of legal contracts is a very difficult thing to do.”
The document stated: “Due to the uncertain nature of the current bus funding, it is important that all options to deliver bus services in West Yorkshire are explored. It is likely that public funding of bus services may need to increase during the COVID-19 recovery period.”
In 2019, the Combined Authority commissioned Ernst & Young to advise on options around the possible sale of First’s bus operations.
The document added: “This commission was expanded within the funding allocation to set out the scope for exploring the options and for using the Bus Services Act and to advise on the likely implications of COVID-19 on the long term health of bus market in the region.
“This commission has provided the Combined Authority with a greater understanding of the technical requirements, skills and capacity needed to undertake the assessment for exploring options in the Bus Services Act.
“It has also provided a guide on the likely scale of funding needed and value to the region. Understanding the COVID-19 impact on this has also provided the Combined Authority with a greater understanding of the scenarios for likely change that could happen to the bus network.
“Becoming a Mayoral Combined Authority provides direct access to the full range of powers in the Bus Services Act subject to a business case. Further work is now needed to progress the options.”
The committee agreed to spend £150,000 to “support the development of financial, legal and technical options available to reform the provision of bus services
The former HSBC Bank in Pudsey. Photo: Google Maps
Banking giant HSBC have announced that their branch in Church Lane in Pudsey will close in October.
HSBC has originally said the branch would close on 3 July as part of a re-organisation which would see 27 branches across the country shut their doors for the last time.
An e-mail sent to customers this week said the branch will close at 2pm on 16 October 2020,with accounts transferred to the HSBC branch at 88 Town Street, Horsforth. The e-mail adds:
“We know changes like this can impact people in different ways and are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. Whilst more and more customers are choosing to bank online, over the phone, or with their mobile, others still value our face-to-face banking services. This is why all the services you’re used to will still be available at our other branches.”
A HSBC spokesman added: “The plans reflect the long-term change in the way customers are banking alongside the bank’s need to ensure a sustainable branch network for the future.”
He said the number of customers using HSBC branches has fallen by a third over the past five years and that nine in 10 of its customers now complete their transactions via the telephone, internet or smartphone and 99% of cash withdrawals are made at an ATM.
Cherie Cartwright has been named as the latest recipient of the West Leeds Local Hero award, writes Jo Fiddes.
The awards were started last month by MP Rachel Reeves, who wanted to publicly recognise individuals who have gone above and beyond, and enriched their local community through acts of kindness and generosity.
All winners have been nominated by members of the public – in Cherie’s case, the nomination came from Kirkstall Councillor Hannah Bithell, and was supported by Adele Rae of the Kirkstall Valley Development Trust.
In her nomination, Cllr Bithell described Cherie’s: “excellent work feeding the people of Hawksworth and beyond.
“Cherie and her team make and distribute hundreds of meals ready to be reheated each week. They have also provided food parcels for both the community and our local schools. This work has been done on a voluntary basis, often working very long hours. The Kirkstall response to Covid-19 would have been markedly harder to achieve without her help.”
Community activist Adele Rae added that Cherie’s contribution was always delivered “with love and laughter.”
Upon hearing the news of this recognition, Cherie said she was both surprised and overwhelmed, adding: “This has made my day…..no, it’s made my year!”
Ms Reeves will continue to celebrate the community spirit of the people of West Leeds by distributing Local Hero Awards throughout July and August, but nominations have now closed.
Several West Leeds cricket teams were in action over the weekend, with a number of wins and close defeats, writes Jim Corah.
In the Bradford Cricket League Premier League – Covid on Saturday 25th July 2020, Pudsey St Lawrence CC beat visitors Bradford & Bingley CC in 37.3 overs, reaching 254 for 4. New Farnley also enjoyed opening weekend success with a win over Cleakheaton CC, amassing 196 runs for 5 wickets in 38.2 overs.
On Saturday in BCL Division 1 – Covid, visitors Keighley CC were beaten by Pudsey Congs, who reached 128-9 in 37.1 overs. In BCL Division 3, Rodley CC had a successful visit to Crossbank Methodist CC, winning in 23.5 overs with 137 for 3.
Twenty20 returned on Sunday 26th July 2020 for Bradford Cricket League clubs. In the T20 Group A Pool 1, Pudsey Congs CC beat East Bierley while New Farnley lost to Pudsey St Lawrence CC.
Saturday saw the return of cricket in the Airedale & Wharfedale Seniors League, Calverley St Wilfrid’s visit to Bardsey CC saw them lose by 49 runs, 184 all out in 46.5 overs. Kirkstall Educational Cricket Club lost out by 3 wickets at Guiseley CC, all out for 129 in 30.3 runs.
Fixtures next weekend, all starting at 1pm. On Saturday 1st August 2020 in the Airedale & Wharfedale Seniors League, Kirkstall Educational Cricket Club welcome Tong Park Esholt CC to the Field of Dreams. Calverley St Wilfrids will be away to Beckwithshaw CC.
The Bradford Cricket League matches on Saturday 1st August 2020 will see Pudsey St Lawrence CC hosting Morley CC, Pudsey Congs CC will host Bankfoot CC at the Amber Cars Britannia Ground, with New Farnley visiting Wrenthorpe CC. Finally, Rodley CC will host Adwalton CC at the Canal Bank Sports Ground.
As both the body and the mind can become quite bogged down while we are in “lockdown” here are five tips on ways to de-stress as you sit in your favourite chair. During the week you could decide to do a different one each day which will get you in to a nice routine to look forward to.
1. Peel an Orange
Due to the citrus aromas they emit, peeling an orange can be very beneficial for de-stressing. In a study conducted by Brazilian scientists, participants who sniffed orange oil were less anxious throughout stress tests than those who were given tea tree oil or water. Entrepreneur magazine recommends trying to remove the peel in one piece, focusing the mind on the task as you’re doing it.
Additionally, the vitamin C in oranges—as well as other citrus fruits such as grapefruit and lemons—is known to reduce stress levels, making them a great all round snack.
2. Take a Mini Mental Holiday
While it would be nice to take a real holiday every time things get stressful, that isn’t a realistic possibility for most. But a mental holiday is something everyone can afford, and also a helpful tactic for combating stress.
Forbes recommends picturing “one of the most relaxing scenes you can imagine,” and engaging “as many senses as you can by thinking about what you’d see, hear, smell, touch, and taste if you were really enjoying that relaxing scene.” Just a few short minutes of this can do wonders for de-stressing both your brain and your body.
3. Breathe Deep
Since it is a natural function of the body, we often forget to focus on our breathing throughout the day, yet it is considered one of the most powerful way to reduce stress. According to Stress.org, deep breathing “increases the supply of oxygen to your brain and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes a state of calmness.” It also helps to promote feelings of connection with the body and “brings your awareness away from the worries in your head and quiets your mind.”
One simple technique I teach is sitting with your eyes closed inhale through your nose for a count of four, hold the breath for a count of four and then exhale through the mouth for a count of four while keeping concentration on keeping it controlled and flowing. After three or four cycles of this technique you should be feeling calmer and more relaxed.
4. Eat a Banana
It’s probable that you enjoy having a banana as a quick and easy smack. But now you have even more reason to! According to Entrepreneur magazine, the potassium in bananas helps to “regulate blood pressure to relieve stress and improve energy and recovery.”
Bananas aren’t the only food that can help during tense times, though. Try eating a handful of nuts and seeds, which contain plenty of stress-reducing Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. As with the orange make sure you’re sat comfortably and enjoy the total experience.
5. Smell Essential Oils
Essential oils have been used to heal a multitude of ailments—including anxiety, pain, and skin conditions—for thousands of years. They possess many incredible benefits, not the least of which is their ability to help the body naturally de-stress.
There are several oils that MindBodyGreen recommends using to cope with stress, including Rose, Lavender, Bergamot and Chamomile for their ability to relax and soothe. The source suggests smelling the oil directly from its bottle, or you could place a couple of drops on some tissues and position them on the arms of your chair.
