No-one should spend Christmas Day alone, writes Fran Graham.
On Christmas Day at Bramley Lawn, in conjunction with Bramley Elderly Action and local councillors, we are providing a three-course Christmas lunch for local, socially isolated older people and their carers.
If you or anyone you know would benefit from this event, please get in touch with Bramley Elderly Action on 0113 2361644. We will be back in touch to discuss dietary requirements and transport if required.
The event will start at 12.30pm with a sherry reception, followed by a traditional Christmas dinner. Tea, coffee and soft drinks will be provided, if you wish to drink alcohol please bring your own limited quantity.
Entertainment, a raffle, bingo, the Queens Speech and a very special guest will also be provided.
Volunteers have come forward to run a minibus transport service to and from the event for those who cannot make their own way there.
This will be a wonderful celebration of Christmas, completely run by volunteers who are giving up their Christmas Day, please come and spend it with friends and people yet to become friends from all over Bramley.
If any generous Bramley folk and businesses feel like making a small donation to this event to help it run on a free of charge / pay as you feel / can afford basis or have any spare items to use as raffle prizes, please drop them in at BEA reception at the community centre. Anything given will be greatly appreciated.
Best wishes for a joyful Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Places are now **VERY LIMITED**, please get in touch as soon as possible.
Transport has long been an issue across West Leeds, with full train carriages and congested roads causing mayhem for commuters – now a Kirkstall resident is trying to make some positive change happen! writes Keely Bannister.
Gary Howard, a 63-year-old, semi retired gentleman who lives on Spen Lane, is fighting to get a bus service returned to the bottom section of Spen Lane and Spen Approach.
Currently the nearest bus stops to the lower section of Spen Lane are on Vesper Road and Queenswood Drive, both Mr Howard says are “some distance for elderly people to walk to and back from” as well as adding that Spen Lane is a very steep hill to walk up if your not able to walk far.
Mr Howard told The Dispatch about the issues his elderly mother faces, saying:
“I am a full-time carer for my Mother who is 85. She finds it almost impossible to get to the shops at the junction of Spen Lane and Butcher Hill and to the local doctors surgery on Butcher Hill or Norman Street Surgery. She has to get the doctor to pay her a home visit when she is ill.”
Mr Howard stated that it wasn’t just his mother who struggled. He added:
“There are a number of elderly residents, like my Mother, who have voiced their concerns over the lack of public transport available. They have to use taxis if they need access to the Co-Op ,Chemists and Doctors in the area.”
To address this issue, Mr Howard would like to ask Metro and bus operator FirstBus if it would be possible to divert some of the existing 50A service to Spen Lane from Morris Lane/Vesper Road.
He told The Dispatch:
“I would like to ask Metro if it would be possible to perhaps divert some of the existing 50A service to Spen Lane from Morris Lane/Vesper Road.
“There are two buses (the 50 and 50A) which serve Morris Lane/Vesper Road every 10 minutes in both directions to Horsforth and Leeds centre so it seems unfair that residents living in the lower area of Spen Lane are penalised by having none at all .
“I see no difficulty in re-routing several 50A buses .The service can then rejoin the existing 50/50A service on Butcher Hill/Broadway, LS5 to Horsforth and Leeds centre.”
Mr Howard brought the idea of rerouting the 50/50A bus service up at October’s Gyll Road Triangle Association resident meeting and says he had a very positive response:
“When I brought this matter up at the meeting it was greeted with a fantastic response.
“There was a service, No 73 later No 63, that used to run on Spen Lane but this was taken off several years ago. Many residents young and old seem to be in favour of a bus service being reinstated in the future.
“[Green Party election candidate] Victoria Smith has been collecting signatures on a petition locally and the response was fantastic.
“John Illingworth, the local Kirkstall Labour councillor, is aware of the problem and looking into the matter.”
Mr Howard also stated that such a service would help boost trade at local shops in the area and Horsforth. He added:
“I have lived on Spen Lane for over 25 years. Apart from the bus issues, I think this is a very good place to live but it is let down by this public transport problem.”
There is currently no online petition available on this issue, but Mr Howard has said he is happy for anyone to contact him via his email (dragon6@ntlworld.com) or his address (86 Spen Lane, Leeds, LS6 3NA) and he will relay anything raised by local residents at the next residents meeting.
A FirstBus spokesperson acknowledged Mr Howard’s suggestion. He said:
“We’re always pleased to hear feedback from customers on how we can improve services across Leeds.
“Route suggestions need to take into account journey time impact, customer demand and, of course, safe access which in this case may be a challenge on the narrow Spen Approach.
“This suggestion has been passed to our commercial team for consideration as part of any future network review.”
West Leeds Dispatch has also contacted Metro for comment.
Armley People’s Theatre present their latest production – An Armley Christmas Carol – a modern-day version of the much-loved Dickens Story.
Come and meet the squeezing, wrenching, grasping Ebenezer Scrooge, a slum landlord who runs the local pawn shop and whose only joy is fleecing his tenants for their valuables and kicking beggars.
Performances run 19th, 20th and 21st December 2019 at Interplay on Armley Ridge Road.
Venue: Interplay Theatre in Armley Ridge Road. Photo: copyright Interplay
Young mum Bobbi Cratchet is struggling to pay the rent and is close to despair – and Tim, her young son, has a cough that is getting steadily worse. Meanwhile her eldest boy is at risk of falling in with the local gang.
Enter the three Spirits who try to show Scrooge the true meaning of Christmas in Armley and set him on the path to redemption.
This energetic and heartfelt show will take you on an emotional roller coaster as this famous story is updated in an excitingly original way.
Leeds’ popular #techmums clubs are welcoming new recruits for the second round of free courses starting in January 2020.
For ten weeks, women on the free course explore social media, web and app design, coding, online safety and creative design.
#techmums is for women who are currently outside employment, due to childcare or career breaks, who want to learn new digital skills for day-to-day life or go on to retrain and access further education.
Venue: Armley Library. Copyright Stephen Craven and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
Forty-one #techmums graduated from the last course in 2019, with 12 moving straight on to another Leeds Employment and Skills course.
Three mums secured places on the sought-after TechUP programme, which helps people from under-represented communities retrain and start new careers in technology.
Women can also borrow iPads during the course to continue learning at home.
The #techmums clubs were originally created in London by Dr Sue Black OBE, Professor of Computer Science and Technology Evangelist at Durham University.
Sue was inspired by her own experience of retraining and establishing a successful academic career in technology, after starting out as a single mum with few qualifications, living in a domestic violence refuge.
Gifty Assana joined #techmums in 2019. She said:
“After having children, I felt my knowledge of technology was very outdated and I needed to do something but I wasn’t quite sure what…
“The #techmums experience was fantastic. The course covered topics introduction to coding, app design, online safety and budgeting online.
“Last but not least, it created an atmosphere to form lovely relationships with other women… I am currently learning things I didn’t imagine myself doing before #techmums.”
The #techmums clubs start during the second week of January, with a drop-in welcome event at the following locations:
Armley Community Hub and Library (Tuesdays, 1pm – 3pm)
St Patrick’s Studios, East Street Arts (Thursdays, 9.30am – 11.30am)
Dewsbury Road Community Hub and Library (Fridays, 1pm – 3pm)
The school’s latest Ofsted report sees inspectors praise the Lower Wortley Road school as being ‘calm and caring’. The report says:
“Leaders put pupils’ well-being at the centre of everything they do. Staff and pupils treat each other with kindness.
“Staff make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in the experiences on offer. Parents and carers typically said that they could not be happier with the school. “
There is also praise for leaders, who are continually improving the school’s curriculum, with many subjects well planned.
The report adds:
“The teaching of phonics is mostly effective. Teachers check which sounds pupils know. They make sure that the books that pupils read match these sounds.
“However, staff expertise in teaching phonics varies. Leaders have plans to further improve resources and to ensure that staff teach phonics consistently well. “
Inspectors also say subject leaders should improve teachers’ planning and assessment to ensure that all pupils are suitably challenged to learn well.
Armley Medical Practice has become the first GP surgery in Leeds to be awarded a gold award under a national pilot that brings the ‘Pride in Practice’ programme to the city.
The scheme aims to strengthen GP practices’ relationship with their lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) patients.
Originally launched by LGBT Foundation in Manchester in 2012, Pride in Practice is a quality assurance and social prescribing programme, which includes training, accreditation and account management support designed for primary care services, including GP practices and pharmacies.
Pride in Practice works with clinicians, managers and staff to better meet the needs of LGBT patients and empowers LGBT community members to work with health professionals and find shared solutions to barriers, ensuring patient voice and lived experience is at the centre of the programme.
The programme package includes myth-busting training, support to deliver effective active signposting and social prescribing for LGBT communities, and ongoing support.
Armley Medical Practice manager Linda Thompson said:
“Taking part in Pride in Practice has been a really worthwhile experience for all our staff that will make a positive difference to our patients. We’ve all learned a great deal and I would encourage any practice that has not taken part to do so.”
Minister for Equalities, Baroness Williams, said:
“It is vital that LGBT people are able to access appropriate healthcare and are treated with respect. I would like to congratulate Armley Medical Practice on achieving the Gold Award for the Pride in Practice programme, showing a real commitment to ensuring they serve LGBT people in a supportive and respectful manner.”
Cllr Hannah Bithell
Councillor Hannah Bithell (Lab, Kirkstall), Leeds City Council LGBT+ champion, said:
“I am proud to have worked with the LGBT Foundation on this incredible initiative, it’s an important step forward for all LGBT+ people in Leeds.
“We want to make sure all LGBT+ people can have open and honest conversations with health professionals, so they can understand their individual needs and give them the best health support and advice.”
The Pride in Practice programme is part of a pilot funded by the Government Equalities Office, co-ordinated by NHS Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and delivered by the LGBT Foundation
It is endorsed and informed by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Royal College of General Practitioners, Care Quality Commission, and the Government Equalities Office.
Support for breastfeeding mums in Pudsey and West Leeds will continue over the Christmas and New year period.
Bosom Buddies will have some groups running both weeks, offering help and advice to breastfeeding mums.
There will be no Armley group on 26 December 26 and 2 January, but the Pudsey group will be running on both Monday 23 and 30 December at Cafe Lux off Robin Lane.
It runs 9.30am-11am, more details from Suzanne on 07956 077800.
If you find yourself in need of support during the days when groups are not on of course and if your baby is under 28 days you can access midwifery support, including on the bank holidays.
If your baby is over 28 days you can access health visitor support on the numbers below (not bank holidays).
Breastfeeding helplines offering support
National Breastfeeding Helpline 0300 100 0212 Association of Breastfeeding Mothers 0300 330 5453 La Leche League 0345 120 2918 National Childbirth Trust (NCT) 0300 330 0700 The Breastfeeding Network support line in Bengali and Sylheti: 0300 456 2421.
Plans for a community sports hub at Woodhall Sports Pavillion will be discussed at a public consultation this week.
Proposals include a community cafe, meeting space, two children’s play areas and providing new walking routes through the area off Woodhall Lane and Bradford Road.
Preserved: The fields between Calverley and Pudsey.
The consultation event comes ahead of Leeds City Council and the Football Foundation putting in a planning application for the facilities as part of the Parklife programme.
The consultation event – on Thursday, 19 December – runs between 2pm and 7.30pm at St James The Great Church on Galloway Lane, Pudsey.
It will give people the chance to look at the proposals in more detail, meet representatives from the council and Football Foundation and have a say on issues including access and parking.
Parklife is a Football Foundation countrywide model for the provision and operation of all-weather facilities.
The football foundation match funds up to 60% (dependent on negotiations) of the cost of delivering the pitches.
Leeds currently has 11 all-weather, floodlit pitches across the city, an identified shortfall of 13 required to meet the demands of the city’s teams’ training demands.
Leeds City Council took control of the site from Bradford University in early 2018, with former Pudsey councillor and executive board member Richard Lewis claiming that the move had safeguarded the “vital greenspace” from “unwanted development”.
Hundreds of local people attended the service which was conducted by Reverend Canon Paul Tudge (St. John’s, Farsley) on a very cold and wintry day in Rodley, writes Martin Heaton.
The service started with a Military Parade into the park, led by Royal British Legion Standard Bearers and accompanied by military association representatives.
The Lord- Lieutenant of West Yorkshire unveiling the new Rodley War Memorial.
The unveiling speech was presented by the Lord- Lieutenant of West Yorkshire.
He spoke of the 58 Rodley ‘Fallen’ from the WW1 and WW2 campaigns who are honoured on the memorial.
Details of the community project, from its initiation, design and installation was presented by local resident Stephen Nicholls.
Special recognition was given to Allan Howard (landlord of The Crown & Anchor, Rodley) and Jordan Bray (who until recently was Manager of Rodley Social Club), for their fantastic efforts to galvanise the community with various fundraising initiatives to raise the required funds.
Councillor Caroline Gruen (Lab, Bramley & Stanningley) spoke of the community spirit which enabled this project to become a reality.
A special thanks was given to the staff and pupils of Valley View Community Primary who raised almost £2,000 towards the cost of the war memorial.
Rodley War Memorial
They were the nominated choir for this auspicious event, with around 20 children attending the service.
There were 28 local organisations and companies who participated with the wreath laying ceremony.
John Barker, archivist for Rodley War Memorial, presented biographies of a number of the Fallen who are honoured on the memorial
The War Memorial has received very positive comments from residents within the locality since the unveiling.
Stanningley cafe Alternatively Vegan is aiming to help tackle loneliness this Christmas by opening its doors to people who would otherwise be on their own, writes Keely Bannister.
Situated on Richardshaw Lane, the plant-based eatery will be welcoming all who require company on Wednesday 25th December from 1pm until 4pm and serving up a free, three-course meal.
Angi Haist, the person who owns and runs Alternatively Vegan, said:
“I think that many people forget the true meaning of Christmas. Showing kindness and being together. I am doing this with a very good friend and her children who will be helping out.
“I once spent Christmas alone when my children were at their Dads and it was awful and I swore if I was ever in a position to help others not to feel that way then I would and this year I am.”
The starter will be soup and a roll followed by a roast style dinner with the option of mock chicken or a sweet potato roulade served with mashed and roast potatoes, vegetables, stuffing and gravy. Then for dessert either chocolate cake or Christmas pie with cream or custard.
Angi added:
“You certainly don’t have to be vegan to attend just as any other day at AV. The food we serve however will all be plant-based.
“We have some games to play okay as festive bingo and we’ve also had presents donated so no one will leave empty handed.
“My wonderful friend is going to pick people up and drop them off home afterwards if they need this.
“If people choose to they can make a small donation but this is absolutely up to them. There is no cost to attend. Christmas can be very expensive so just come along and everything including the food and entertainment will be free.
“Families are welcome if they are struggling with the costs. Young and old; the more the merrier.”
Alternatively Vegan is Stanningley’s first vegan cafe. According to their website, the opening of the business was a life-long dream for Angi and came off the back of two tough years after her son tried to hang himself in March 2017 leaving him with a hypoxic brain injury.
The incident was a major turning point in Angi’s life, with the realisation that it was time to look differently at things and follow her dreams.
Things appear to be paying off with the cafe receiving all five star reviews on Trip Advisor with commentators praising the food, value and welcoming atmosphere.
People wishing to book a seat can call 0113 255 5613 or let the restaurant know they will be attending via messaging their Facebook, their Twitter or their Instagram so the team know how much food to prepare.
During an inspection last month, inspectors praised teaching at the Pudsey school, saying teachers work hard to make learning exciting and fun.
Pupils show a real love of learning, inspectors said, and lessons are interesting. The report adds:
“Pupils leave the school with the skills and knowledge they need to help them succeed. Parents and carers, staff, governors and pupils are proud of their school. Leaders have been successful in creating a strong community spirit. “
There is also praise for a well-planned curriculum, teaching and leadership at the school.
Inspectors raised concerns over attendance from some at the school, and said leaders “need to review their phonics programme in early years so that a higher proportion of pupils enter key stage 1 with a secure foundation to support their progress in reading”.
West Leeds-based Open Source Arts will be hosting the first in a series of events called to provide an artist, group or arts organisation with a funding grant for their work.
Four artists will be able to pitch their ideas to a voting audience at a live Art SOUPs event this January.
The individual or group that receives the most votes will then walk away with a pot of money that the audience have created from buying a ticket.
Jacob Justice, Events Programmer at Open Source Arts said:
“We’re really excited for the SOUP event. It gives local artists an alternative way to fund their work and it gives our community the opportunity to empower people to make projects that speak to them. It’s going to be democratic and delicious!”
The SOUP event will take place on 16 January, at 6.30pm, where the attendants can expect a delicious meal, entertainment and a chance to vote.
Open Source Arts empowers creative, practical action towards healthier, more resilient citizens, neighbourhoods and sustainable futures.
Based in an urban warehouse space opposite the ITV Studios on Kirkstall Road, it hosts a range of regular open skills training throughout the week including circus, dance, yoga, and theatre.
