Category Archives: Community News

September Activities at Caring Together

by

After a short break our groups and activities are resuming in September and we are looking forward to welcoming you back!

Here’s a short summary of the upcoming activities

Further details are in the newsletter sent to all members recently, or you can contact us if you want to know more

Tuesday 2nd September 1.30pm – 2.30pm: Drop in coffee afternoon
Wednesday 3rd September: Outing to Bradford Media Museum
Friday 5th September 1.30-2.30pm: Gentle exercise at Woodhouse Community Centre

Tuesday 9th September 5pm-6pm: Hyde Park & Headingley ward Labour Councillor’s surgery
Wednesday 10th September 11.30am-12.30pm: Tai Chi Qui Gong
Wednesday 10th September 12.30-1.45pm: Midweek meetup – Cuppa and Cake drop in, or bring your lunch and eat together
Wednesday 10th September 12.45-2.15pm BID Hearing & Sight Drop in
Friday 12th September 1.30-2.30pm: Gentle exercise at Woodhouse Community Centre

Monday 15th September: Memory Matinee at Hyde Park Picture House – meeting at café from 1.45pm (film at 2.30pm)
Tuesday 16th September 1.30pm – 2.30pm: Drop in coffee afternoon
Wednesday 17th September 11.30am-12.30pm: Tai Chi Qui Gong
Wednesday 17th September 12.30-1.45pm: Midweek meetup – Cuppa and Cake drop in, or bring your lunch and eat together
Thursday 18th September 11.30am – 2.30pm: Fish & Chip Lunch
Friday 19th September 1.30-2.30pm: Gentle exercise at Woodhouse Community Centre

Wednesday 24th September 11.30am-12.30pm: Tai Chi Qui Gong
Wednesday 24th September 12.30-1.45pm: Midweek meetup – Cuppa and Cake drop in, or bring your lunch and eat together
Friday 26th September 1.30-2.30pm: Gentle exercise at Woodhouse Community Centre
Friday 26th September 1.30 – 3pm Monthly drop in/coffee afternoon and this month includes MacMillan Coffee afternoon/Cake Sale
Friday 26th September 1.30 – 3pm: Hearing Aid Clinic with Leeds Sensory Services

Tuesday 30th September 1.30pm – 2.30pm: Drop in coffee afternoon

If a venue isn’t stated it is taking place at the Caring Together Premises

Meeting re public safety and message from Alex Sobel re Headingley Incident

by

We are sharing this from our local MP, Alex Sobel. It includes details of a meeting tonight which will be held at St Michaels Church between 7.30pm-8.30pm and will be attended by senior police officers and local councillors. You can register to attend here. 

Headingley Incident
I want to begin by addressing the terrible incident that occurred in Headingley on Saturday 26th April. Many of you will already be familiar with the details, and I don’t want to add to anyone’s distress by repeating them here. 
Events like this are shocking and deeply unsettling—especially when they happen so close to home. I know many people are feeling anxious, upset, or simply struggling to come to terms with what’s happened. 
My thoughts are with the two young women who were injured, and with everyone in our community who has been affected or shaken. I want to commend West Yorkshire Police for their swift response, and thank the brave members of the public who stepped in to help at the scene. 
This incident is a stark reminder of the very real and present dangers posed by misogyny, online radicalisation, and male violence in every community—including our own. 
Many people have rightly asked: what happens now? Locally, we are organising a public meeting on the evening of Thursday 8th May. This will be an opportunity for residents to hear directly from senior police and council officers, ask questions, and raise concerns. The venue will be confirmed shortly. You can register to attend here. 
I am also meeting with ward councillors and council officers this week to discuss how we can improve safety along the Otley Run, both for the public and for those taking part. We’ll also be looking at wider measures to tackle male violence. 
If you’d like to receive updates on this, please email me at alex@alexsobel.co.uk with the subject line “Otley Run updates” and we’ll keep you informed. 
In addition, I have spoken with the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper MP, about the incident and about the need to strengthen legislation around the availability of weapons. I raised an Urgent Question in the House of Commons on this issue. You can watch that here.

Easter Eggs Galore!

by

A big big thank you to all the members at Nuffield Health in The Light, Leeds who collected Easter Eggs fur us. We have been busy giving them out over the last few days.

They have been very well received and we do really appreciate you thinking of us.

And a special thank you to David who nominated us to receive them

Energy prices rising on 1st April

by

It’s not too late to fix your tariff

The energy price cap is rising by 6.4% on 1st April so, if you are on a standard variable tariff, the amount you pay for the gas and electricity you use will go up.

If you haven’t already fixed your tariff then it is most likely that you are on a variable rate that will rise with the price cap rise. It will say on your bills what your tariff is.

It is not to late to fix your tariff and avoid these rises, a fixed tariff will fix the rate you pay for each unit of gas or electricity, and a fixed standing charge, for a certain length of time. So this means you will be protected from price rises during this time (note it won’t go down if the price cap decreases) The actual amount you will pay will depend on how much you use.

To see if you can get a better deal by fixing, you could speak to your energy supplier about what tariffs they offer. Or you could compare it with other suppliers by using a comparison tool such as Uswitch or Money Supermarket.

Or you can ask Caring Together if you would like someone to help you look at the options.

Councillors Surgery at Caring Together Today

by

Headingley, Hyde Park and Woodhouse Labour Councillors will be at Caring Together premises today between 5pm and 6pm for their monthly advice surgery.

This is open to all residents in the area and no appointment is needed so you can just call in if you would like to speak to your local councillor.

Caring Together – 127 Woodhouse Street (Charing Cross), Leeds, LS6 2PY

Headingley, Hyde Park and Woodhouse Councillors will be at Caring Together premises today between 5pm and 6pm for their monthly advice surgery.

This is open to all residents in the area and no appointment is needed so you can just call in if you would like to speak to your local councillor.

Caring Together – 127 Woodhouse Street (Charing Cross), Leeds, LS6 2PY

Please note this is a changed date for November only – it will be back to the usual 2nd Tuesday of the month from December onwards

Leeds Residents – You can NOW recycle your empty glass bottles and jars in your green recycling bin!

by

You can now officially put glass in your Leeds green bin

Bottles and jars can be included in your recycling at home

All empty glass bottles and jars of any colour can now be recycled in your green bin, along with your paper, cardboard, metal and plastic.

From beer, wine, spirit and soft drink bottles, to medicine, skincare and even perfume bottles. Coffee, jam, sauce and condiment jars, and even the ‘love it or hate it’ spread jar can all go in your green recycling bin.

Here’s our top tips for recycling your glass in Leeds:

  • You can leave the caps, lids and labels on – they’ll get recycled too.
  • It’s easy to get started! Get a box, bag or another bin for the recycling, it’s whatever works for you. When its full, empty it into your green bin. Cardboard wine carriers are great for storing bottles and jars neatly for recycling.
  • Bottles and jars only please! Other glass items like oven-proof dishes, light bulbs, window or drinking glass do not melt at the same temperature as recyclable bottles and jars, so should be put in the black bin.
  • Worried about how clean your recycling has to be? It’s easy, just make sure there’s no food chunks on the jars and no more than drips in the bottles!
  • Your local bottle banks will remain in place, just in case you need a little more space to recycle your glass!  

And here’s a little video from Leeds+ to tell you more

https://x.com/i/status/1819066288096030864

And the really smashing news? Glass in your green bin is 100% re-melted in Yorkshire and can be back on the shelf as a new bottle or jar within just 30 days!

Goodbye to our Caring Together Patron

by

Hilary Benn MP

Following the changes to constituency boundaries at the general election last week, Hilary Benn is no longer the MP for our area and as a result he has stepped down as Caring Together Patron.

Hilary was elected as MP for the Leeds South constituency and is also now the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. We want to thank Hilary for being our patron for so many years and for all his support during that time and to wish him good fortune in his new posts.

The MP for Leeds Central and Headingley, which includes Caring Together’s area is Alex Sobel and we look forward to having a good relationship with our new MP.

Election Day is here!!

by

Today is the day of the General Election and your chance to cast your vote to choose the MP for this area and the Government of the UK for the next five years. So please make sure you use your vote and have your say!

For those who haven’t already voted by post:

Polling stations are open until 10pm today for you to cast your vote. To vote in person you will need to take ID.

This includes an older persons bus pass or disabled persons bus pass.

If your photo ID has expired it will still be accepted as long as the photograph is still a good likeness of you.

Acceptable forms of photo ID are:

• Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or a Commonwealth country
• Driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or an EEA state
• Biometric immigration document
• Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
• Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
• Blue Badge
• National identity card issued by an EEA state
• Older Person’s Bus Pass
• Disabled Person’s Bus Pass
• Oyster 60+ Card
• Freedom Pass
• Scottish National Entitlement Card issued in Scotland
• 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card issued in Wales
• Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card issued in Wales
• Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• War Disablement SmartPass or War Disabled SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
• Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland
• Voter Authority Certificate or a temporary Voter Authority Certificate

If you received a postal voting pack and have not managed to return it, it can be handed in at a polling station today. If you can’t do this yourself, someone else is allowed to take it for you, You/they will need to fill in a form when it is handed in – the staff at the polling station can help you with this