People across Leeds are being encouraged to celebrate this year’s Recycle Week virtually, with a programme of digital activities planned to help residents level up their recycling habits.

9 out of 10 households say that they regularly recycle but around 15% of the stuff in an average black bin could have been recycled!

Did you know you can recycle empty spray cans, cartons and margarine tubs in your green bin too?

If any of those surprised you, refresh your memory of what you can recycle by visiting www.leeds.gov.uk/greenbin

Leeds Recycles will run a series of daily challenges across their Facebook and Twitter accounts throughout the week, highlighting ways to recycle more and reduce waste, such as composting and getting into better recycling habits around the home.

The team are hosting a Facebook Q&A on LeedsRecycles, happening on Friday at 1pm, to enable residents to have their questions answered on all things recycling.

 https://www.facebook.com/events/1052379491890985/.  You can ask questions in advance if you wish by posting on the event page

Seven day challenge

 Why not during Recycling Week try your hand at the seven day challenge as below:

• Bag it up – set up your recycling bag or box in the kitchen to make it easy to collect your plastic, paper and metal: think recycling first
• Give it a rinse – rinse out your metal tins, foil and plastic food trays – anything with food in it. Rinsing makes it easier for us to recycle so that your tin can become something new!
• Get ‘appy – green bins can fill up quick so you don’t want to miss your collection day. Download the Leeds Bins app and schedule reminders for your bin day.
• Chill out – The average household in Leeds chucks £420 in wasted food each year! Freeze food before it goes off – you can even freeze cheese, milk and wine! Grab some food inspiration from leedsbyexample.co.uk/food
• Get out of the kitchen – there’s recycling to be had in your bathroom and other rooms. You can recycle empty deodorant bottles, shampoo bottles and toilet roll tubes!
• Cheeky checks – most things are recyclable but on average up to a quarter of the black bin is made up of valuable recyclable materials. If it’s clean paper, cardboard, metal or plastic it’s probably recyclable. If you’re not sure whether something goes in your green bin then check on the Leeds bins app.
• Get composting – Compost your food and garden waste. If you don’t have a garden try a bokashi bin or wormery for just your food waste. Get composting advice at leeds.gov.uk/compost

Light on Leeds is a series of podcasts all about the amazing things happening in the city and the fantastic people making them happen.

You can listen to any/all of them here: https://www.lightonleeds.com/about.  Click on Episodes and select the one you want.

Hosted by Hazel Millichamp who says:

“I began Light on Leeds podcast because I love Leeds and never stop telling people about it. To save the ears of the people I relentlessly told, I decided to interview the great and good of the city and present it to you in podcast form, you’re welcome. The podcast is a nice, comfortable ramble chat and only three structured questions:

What is great about Leeds?

What is not so great about the city?

Even if someone were a long-term resident of Leeds, can you tell us about a hidden gem they may never have heard of?

I started the second series, Corona Bloody Virus Extraordinary Episodes, as a response to the weird times we are all currently existing in. The format is the same except guests tell us how they are coping with lockdown, whether they can think of any positives that will arise from this challenging time and any hints and tips they can share with us to help us get through it.

If you know of someone doing fantastic things in Leeds who would make a great guest, do email me.
and I’ll feature you on an upcoming episode”

England’s largest festival of history and culture!
Every September thousands of volunteers across England organise events to celebrate our fantastic history and culture. It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are FREE to explore.

This year will be a mix of online and in person events and you can find out more about all of them here.  https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/.  You can search for local or digital events.

This year’s theme is Hidden Nature, highlghting the secret natural histories and stories of not just our landscapes, but also gardens, urban green spaces, farms, waterways, buildings and culture.

In-person activities will be subject to covid safety guidelines and limited numbers so you will probably need to book in advance if you plan to attend

There are also three Digital Stages each with it’s own line-up of online events for you to enjoy from home. See the links below for what’s on each stage:

• Discovery Stage – All aboard HMS Heritage Open Days! From Britain’s lost foods to environmental archaeology, it’s your chance to learn something new about our history and culture.
• Hidden Nature Stage – Discover the great outdoors at the click of a button! Explore the natural world with hands-on activities, virtual tours, exhibitions, talks, films and much more.
• Family Fun Stage – Looking for some fantastic free family activities? Look no further. Get crafty, hear fascinating stories, and explore magical places – all from home!

The M&S Company Archive, Leeds, West Yorkshire

Discover some of the gems in the M&S Company Archive’s film collection, including 1960s cinema adverts and 1970s tv ads. Free online talk. Pre-recorded talk (45 mins) with Ask the Archivist.

‘It’s like having a ghost in the house.’ Sakiko is nervous. She’s introducing her fiancée Dan to her parents for the first time at her family home in Kani, Japan. ​And, whilst brother Hiroki, the ‘perfect child’, got married close to home, Sakiko’s got to ​break the news that their wedding will be in London, where they’ve built their lives. But under the surface, something isn’t right. Her mother is acting strangely, her father is gone for hours and a strange figure waits in the garden.

A Leeds Playhouse and Kani Public Arts Center co-production

This recording is being shared after the UK run was cancelled on press night. This version wasn’t made for broadcast so some aspects of the production might look or sound different to a live theatre experience.

Stream available until Mon 21 Sept.

Join in this singalong from your home. Leeds City Museum monthly choir has gone virtual

Warm up exercises and songs to promote wellbeing and a chance to reconnect with people.

Please email city.museum@leeds.gov.uk (or private message us on Facebook) to register your interest in joining and we’ll send you details of how to connect on a phone, tablet or computer.

Free event, open to all abilities.

Upcoming dates:

Friday 4th September 1pm – 2pm

Friday 2nd Ocotober 1pm – 2pm

All the best

Leeds Opera Story:  Discover over 250 years of opera history in Leeds with The Leeds Opera Story!

Curated by Northern Opera Group as part of the Leeds Opera Festival 2020

In a series of documentary films available on YouTube, explore the origins of the opera, unearth some of the long forgotten theatres of Leeds, and even confront the age-old question, ‘what is an opera’?

The 4 films can be viewed here 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGP0w5nmmK5LzQy5ws0LKU5vnN0HAqtJx

The Leeds Opera Story is produced by Northern Opera Group (northernoperagroup.co.uk) and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Leeds Inspired.