Author Archives: Caring Together

New Leeds Lord Mayor officially announced

by

Councillor Asghar Khan has become the city’s 127th Lord Mayor of Leeds, it was announced today.  He will take over from Councillor Eileen Taylor who served as Lord Mayor for 2 years.

Caring Together would like to say thank you to Cllr Taylor for her support over the last 2 years and welcome to Cllr Khan – we look forward to working with you.

From Leeds City Council news:

New Leeds Lord Mayor officially announced: The Lord Mayor, Councillor Asghar Khan and the Lady Mayoress, Robina Kosar

Councillor Asghar Khan has become the city’s 127th Lord Mayor of Leeds after unanimous support from members of all parties at the council’s annual meeting yesterday (20 May).

Taking over the role from the previous incumbent Councillor Eileen Taylor, who served an unprecedented two years in the role, Councillor Asghar Khan will be accompanied during his time in office through 2021/22 by his wife and Lady Mayoress, Robina Kosar.

Born in Kashmir, Councillor Asghar Khan moved to England in the 1980s as an eleven-year-old boy. He attended Cross Flatts Park Primary School followed by Cockburn High School and then went on to further his studies at Leeds City College.

Since 2011, Councillor Asghar Khan has represented the Burmantofts and Richmond Hill ward as a Labour councillor, serving on the city plans panel, inner east community committee, joint plans panel, scrutiny board (environment, housing and communities) and recently as a deputy executive member.

During his time as Lord Mayor, Councillor Asghar Khan has chosen to support Leeds Hospitals Charity, with a particular focus on raising awareness and funds for renal and diabetes services.

Leeds Hospitals Charity is the dedicated charity for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Each year, they provide an additional £5 million in funding to support and make life easier for over 20,000 staff working across our local NHS hospitals.

With over 35,000 people living with diabetes in Leeds, donations could help fund specialist equipment and life-saving research, health and wellbeing initiatives, education opportunities for NHS staff, improvements to the hospital environment and specialist staff.

The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Asghar Khan, said:

“I am unbelievably proud to have received the honour of service as the Lord Mayor of Leeds for 2021-2022. I believe that my appointment demonstrates the huge diversity of our great city.

“I came to England as an 11-year-old boy, arriving at Heathrow Airport and not knowing a single word of English. I could never have imagined back then that I would later become the Lord Mayor of Leeds. I feel extremely proud of that journey. It has taken me from a working class background, through working as a postman to becoming Lord Mayor. It is an accolade I am delighted and blessed to have achieved. Acting as an ambassador for our city during my mayoral year will give me enormous pride.

“I would like to pay special tribute to the preceding Lord Mayor, Councillor Eileen Taylor, for all her efforts over the last two years during these unprecedented times.”

Esther Wakeman, CEO of Leeds Hospitals Charity, said:

“I’m honoured that our new Lord Mayor, Councillor Asghar Khan, has chosen Leeds Hospitals Charity as the Lord Mayor’s Office charity of the year for 2021-2022.

“This partnership is a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of Leeds Hospitals Charity and how donations and gifts in wills support Leeds NHS hospitals, including over 20,000 hardworking NHS staff across out city, caring for patients and families. It’s thanks to the generosity of the people of Leeds that we’re able to keep funding things over and above what the NHS pays for, including new medical equipment, life-saving research and improvements to the hospital environment.

“We’re excited about this partnership with the Lord Mayor’s Office and the impact it will have on raising more money to support our NHS hospitals.”

Shared Moments: ‘Bluebells in Middleton Woods’ by Pauline Garner

by
Dear all,
 
I was interested to read Oliver’s comments about the ‘medal’ to NHS staff who have worked so dedicatedly throughout the pandemic last week.  My daughter has been working tirelessly on her ward at a busy general hospital and, apart from the time when she had to stay home suffering from Covid herself, she is still there and never complains despite feeling exhausted.  She told me about the medal.
 
I received wonderful care during my time in hospital with Covid and certainly think that they deserve so much more but in this world of severe financial restraints I suppose anything should feel ‘better than nothing’.  We can only hope that the future is brighter for everyone.
On a more cheery note it was my 76th birthday (oh my goodness where does time go?) last week and after opening lots of cards and presents from my wonderful family and friends Bill and I set off to visit Middleton Woods in Ilkley to walk through the bluebells.  They were breathtaking and as Bill rightly said ‘who needs medicine when we have this?’ Food for the soul indeed.  We then went to Skipton and called at a little cafe, sat under parasols in a courtyard and ate the biggest ever fruit scone with jam and cream and shared a pot of Yorkshire tea.  A perfect day and a very happy birthday which was rounded off by our first fish and chips for over a year! So naughty but so nice!!
 
I’ve attached a photo but I’m glad to say I’ve had my hair cut since then! 
Hope you are all well and happy.  Keep safe.

Online talks and activities tomorrow

by

Three events happening tomorrow from Leeds Central Library, M&S Archive and The Leeds Library
Sadly they are all at around the same time 🙁

Friday 21st May

12.30pm – 1.15 pm -Looking Good: M&S Window Display
From displays using tree branches in the 1940s to striking 1980s mannequins, explore the history of visual merchandising at M&S by joining a free online talk. This is a pre-recorded talk featuring original archive images introduced by the Archivist, who will be available to respond to questions during and following the talk.
The talk will be available here: https://youtu.be/TzPRZYNtbps

Online Event - Looking Good: M&S Window Display

1pm -2pm Mapping the Past: Local History Maps at the Central Library
Local history Librarians will introduce our fantastic collection of Leeds maps, past and present, before taking you through some of their personal highlights, from the 16th to the 20th-centuries. For confirmed and curious cartophiles alike!
Free but booking required – attendees will receive an email with more details and a link for accessing the talk online no later than the morning of the event. Please leave your email address when registering, in order to receive the instructions.
Book here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/leedslibraryevents
Remember to check your junk folder for the talk link

Mapping the Past: Local History Maps at the Central Library banner image

1pm – 2pm Nowt But Verse with Joe Williams:
Joe Williams is a renowned Leeds based poet and performer who hails from Hexham where he hosts the fledgling Words on the Wall open mic. His publications include Killing the Piano (2017), the intriguingly subtitled and experiential An Otley Run (2018) and the disturbingly prescient and spooky ‘erasure’ sequence This is Virus. This event will start at 1pm with around 40 minutes of conversation between the poets followed by 10 mins of questions from the audience Book via eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nowt-but-verse-with-joe-williams-tickets-152872314207 Booking closes at 11am and you will be emailed a link to the event by 11.30am.

Joe Williams Writer

Street Art, Stroll and a Cuppa….. Thursday 27th May 2021 @ 1.30pm

by

Dear all,

Karen H and I wondered if anyone would like to join us to have a browse around the Hyde Park area to view the Street Art. Some of the pieces were added in 2019 through the Colour Hyde Park Project (CHP), sponsored by the University of Leeds. There is some debate if one of them is by Banksy?

If you wish to come along then let me know. We will stop at a cafe for a cuppa too. We will meet at 1.30pm, at a meeting point to be confirmed. I have ordered some warmer weather too (well fingers crossed), so who knows you might need to put some sunscreen on as well!

Email: lisa@caringtogether.org.uk, or call 07436 530073 if you wish to come along.

May be an image of brick wall and outdoors

image sourced from headingleyleeds

Exercising Mind and Body this week: In person and Online

by

Exercising mind and body this week: In person and Online

Some of our ‘Indoor Exercise Sessions’ re-commenced yesterday.

As yet we are not able to get back into Little London Community Centre but thanks to the support of Lovell Park Hub in Little London we were able to host three exercise sessions throughout the day yesterday in Little London. As we are only allowed 6 persons inside for each session for now, some members also joined us online.

Email: lisa@caringtogether.org.uk, or call 07436 530073 if you wish to have a go either online or indoors and I can send you the zoom invite and timings.

These sessions will run each Tuesday for a further 5 weeks. You have three times to choose from. One in the morning, one just before lunch and one in the afternoon. Thanks to RJC Dance, Dom (Dominique) covers the first two and Julie, who we welcomed back after over a year, covers the last one.

As restrictions are now easing we will let you know of other dates and times of further exercise sessions in both Woodhouse and Little London once known. In the meantime we are still continuing to offer walks and other events/activities as well and will let you know about these nearer the time.

Caring Moments: Donations, Alterations and Potting….

by
Our new space has had a splash of colour added. Myrna altered the batak, made by members, so we can eventually get it up on the wall. She also brought in some brightly coloured plant pots. It is lovely to see it slowly but surely coming to life.
 
 
We have also been donated some second hand books, CD’s, DVD’s and Hello magazines too. if you would like some call 07436 530073 or email: lisa@caringtogether.org.uk

Today’s lockdown changes

by

As everyone will be aware today marks some further easing of lockdown restrictions:

Lockdown rules graphic - What's changing in England from 17 May?

Meeting up

Social distancing guidance is also changing. Contact with close family and friends is described as a matter of personal judgement, but people are asked to remain cautious around close contact, like hugging.

Leisure and entertainment

  • Pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants will be allowed to serve customers indoors
  • Indoor entertainment such as museums, cinemas and children’s play areas can open
  • Theatres, concert halls, conference centres and sports stadiums can all reopen
  • Organised adult sports and exercise classes can restart indoors
  • Steam rooms and saunas may reopen
  • Hotels, hostels and B&Bs can reopen

Education

  • Face coverings no longer recommended for pupils in secondary schools
  • All remaining university students eligible to return to in-person teaching

Travel

Full details are on https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do

(Summary and image from BBC News)

Whitby Fish & Ships Virtual Festival 15th-16th May

by

Fancy a virtual visit to the North Yorkshire Coast?

Fish & Ships updated their website address.

The 2021 festival this year will be a virtual event involving new videos especially recorded for the event. These include video workshops, museum tours, behind the scenes tours of your favourite places, like the Captain Cook Museum, Pannett Art Gallery, Whitby Museum, Quayside Fish & Chips, Whitby Harbour, and Whitby Library.

There will be special talks on displays, pratical workshops, fascinating history, seafood cooking demonstrations from the Magpie Cafe, music from Whitby Sea Festival featuring sea balladeers and shantymen and much more. Watch this space!

The weekend will feature an exciting line-up up of scheduled videos, seen for the first time at the 2021 Virtual Fish & Ships (15-16 May) showing you eveything you love about Whitby, and discovering so much more.

It is hoped the 2022 festival will return next May.

Here’s what you can look forward to at the 2021 virtual festival on the Discover Yorkshire Coast Youtube Channel 

Or head to the facebook page for updates https://www.facebook.com/fishandships21

Magpie Cafe

Moules Marinière – Watch the head chef from the Magpie restaurant demonstrate how to cook Moules Marinère and King Scallops; including all manner of hints and tips so you can try the recipe yourself.

Captain Cook Memorial Museum

Captain Cook’s Cures for Scurvy – , Eat Your Greens! Scurvy Grass, Sea Celery and Captain Cook. A look at some of the print of plants collected on Cook’s first voyage

Who Invented the Sandwich, A look at the portrait of Lord Sandwich in the Captain Cook Memorial Museum to find out how the sandwich came into being.

Hodge’s Resolution in Pack Ice – A volunteer talks about her favourite painting – a sketch of the ship Resolution in pack ice by voyage artist William Hodges

Captain Cook Kids – Sauerkaut, Boomerang, Banksia Nut, Whitby Harbour by John Bird, & Sailor’s Farewell

Rock the Boat! – How to make a rocking box of fish and ships!

Funky Fish! – How to make a recycled fish sculpture and learn about keeping our beaches clean.

Coral Calamity! – How to make an underwater coral scene.

How to Measure Longitude & How to Measure Latitude

Jolly Jane Tar – The story of a girl who went to sea; performed in story and song.

Quayside Fisheries

The Journey – See how Quayside Whitby turn their fresh ingredients into high quality, tasty fish and chips.  From the fishmonger to the british potatoes rumbled and chipped on site to the secrets of the batter and how it’s all cooked.

Whitby Sea Festival Sea Songs & Sea Shanties

The Endeavour Shanty – Song performed by The Endeavour Shantymen

Chips & Fish – New and Exclusive

Old Whitby Town with Whitby Schools

Videos from artists – Hugie Jones, Beth Burrows, Lynda & Alan Hardcastle,The Bounty Hounds and  another duo Janie Meneely and Rob van Sante

Pannett Art Gallery 

Making Waves – Looking at paintings of the sea from the Pannett Art Gallery before trying out different techniques and materials to create your own waves.

Ship and Sea Shanty – Marine-themed paintings from the Pannett Collection accompanied by a  catchy Whitny themed Sea Shanty written and performed by Michael King.

Sea: The Bigger Picture, Gathering Flithers by Thomas Barrett – Artist and Actor Steve Huison (Full Monty) talks about the aquatint Gathering Flithers by Thomas Barrett, one of the Staithes Group of Artists at the Pannett Art Gallery, Whitby

Sea: The Bigger Picture, Low Tide on the Beck by Harrington Mann – Low Tide on the Beck by Harrington Mann. Artist and Actor Steve Huison (Full Monty) talks about painting styles, looking at paintings from the Pannett Art Gallery.

Sea: The Bigger Picture, Boats in Rough Sea by Frank Henry Mason – Boats in Rough Sea by Frank Henry Mason. Artist and Actor Steve Huison (Full Monty) talks about painting styles, looking at paintings from the Pannett Art Gallery.

Sea: The Bigger Picture, Cobles Leaving Staithes by Joseph Bagshawe – Cobles Leaving Staithes by Joseph Bagshawe. Artist and Actor Steve Huison (Full Monty) talks about painting styles, looking at paintings from the Pannett Art Gallery.

Sea: The Bigger Picture, Focus on Fishermen

Fireside Read by Ernest Higgins Rigg, Vegetable Market, Bruges by Mark Senior, Flowers by Edward Conway, The Journey

Whitby Library 

How to Make an Origami Boat

An Interview with Frank Meadow Sutcliffe

A Tour of Whitby Library

Whitby Poets and Writers

Liz Millions Children’s Stories

Whitby Museum

Scoresby’s Arctic

Whitby Museum Fossil Collection

Whitby Harbour

A Tour of Whitby Harbour – This is a decription of the inner workings of Whitby Harbour by the Harbour Master, Chris Burrows.

The Price of a Chip Supper 

A one-act, one-man play performed by Ken O’Hara as Rab. Rab is a fisherman like his father and grandfather before him,  The decline of the Scottish fishing industry and the loss of his brother have hit him hard.  This play is being presented as part of the Whitby Fish and Ships Festival in honour and recognition of the shared heritage and dangers experienced by fishermen throughout the UK. – WARNING THIS CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE AND IS SUITABLE FOR OVER 18’s ONLY.