It was my first trip to the city centre for in ages and I suppose I should have been excited by being once again at the heart of a vibrant city. Instead, I just felt worried.
I’ve worked in city centres for most of my life and, through slumps and booms, I’ve never felt any need to worry for them. They’re tough, noisy, often aggressive unpleasantly places which can look after themselves.
But during my visit to the opticians, at which the opticians and their associates outnumbered me by about ten to one, I worried that the staff, probably half relieved and half bored by the quietness around them, would become unsettled by the possibility that this might not be a freak lockdown moment; it might be the future.
Anyone living in the old industrial north will know that, in cities particularly, times change with alarming speed; Victorian mills built to last hundreds of years mainly lasted, at best, until the 1960s or 70s but at least left behind magnificent shells such as Temple Works in Holbeck, Leeds, or Salt’s Mill in Saltaire.
The worry is that the next wave of industrial readjustment will leave no monument other than acres of boarded-up pubs, sandwich bars, trinket stalls and maybe even opticians.
Off-line shopping in the big city stores could become a niche activity, like uni-cycling, and, as I noticed on my recent city centre visit, there will be a miraculous lack of litter and drunkards. This struck me as rather eerie, like the final scene in Planet of the Apes or, so I’m told, living in Liechtenstein, but I’m sure we’ll eventually recognise it as a huge improvement.
The downside is not, so far as we yet know, that city centre workers, along with the transport systems, feeding stations, entertainments, posh stores and other enterprises that depend on them, will disappear. It’s that they will scatter into cyberspace and the suburbs, leaving, say, Briggate in Leeds looking as much an archaeological site as an abandoned tin mine.
The factory system which shaped the north, gave way to an office system built on the same organisational principles; regular hours and a machine-driven division of labour which meant you could be in the typing pool or answering the telephones or working the Xeroxes but were not expected to do them all at the same time.
Now those limitations have gone; home workers – which quite soon might mean most workers – don’t have to keep factory hours, nor confine themselves to 20th century technologies, which means they’ll soon become hugely productive operatives, except, sadly, in the fields of enjoying their lunch breaks or gossiping to colleagues.
Thank you once again Oliver, until next time…..
Picture: Francis Firth.com – Leeds Briggate 1951
Today is the start of White Ribbon Day – it runs for 16 Days around Action to end violence. Each year thousands of people stand up, speak out and say no to violence against women. This year is more important than ever with a significant increase in violence, harassment and abuse towards women during the coronavirus pandemic
https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/day
See services in Leeds
https://ldvs.uk/
https://leedswomensaid.co.uk/
https://www.behind-closed-doors.org.uk/
Dear all,
Below are the answers to yesterday’s Monday Mind Workout, how did you do?
1. The voices of Mickey and Minnie Mouse got married in real life.
True: Wayne and Russi were married for 18 years until Wayne’s death in 2009.
2. A group of bunnies is called a “fluffle.”
3. The largest sand castle in the world measured 54 feet high.
It took 168 trucks over a week to deliver enough sand for the carefully constructed masterpiece
4. Sea otters hold hands when they sleep – True
5.A team of six women programmed the first digital computer.
While historians have only recently recognized their achievements, the female mathematicians participated in a World War II program coding instructions into the revolutionary Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC).
6. High heeled shoes were originally created for Men.
7. Bubble Wrap was originally intended to be used as 3D wallpaper.
8. A group of flamingos is called a “flamboyance”.
9. How many hours sleep can you lose when you have a new baby in the first year?
Anywhere between 400-750 hours of sleep in the first year.
10. Since 1945, all British tanks have come equipped with tea making facilities. True
11. Many lipsticks contain fish scales. True
12. Elephants can Jump? False
13. It takes light from the Sun 8 minutes to reach Earth.
14. There’s a village in Norway called Hell, and it freezes over every winter. True
15. Orange was first used to describe the fruit not the colour? True
Questions 16 – 18 are clues to chocolate e.g. Cinderella’s friend – BUTTONS
16.A subject for discussion – TOPIC
17. A path in the universe – MILKY WAY
18. 100% precious metal – ALL GOLD
Questions 19 – 20 are anagrams of sweet desserts
19. Is it a rum – Tiramisu
20. He tackle cocoa – Chocolate cake
This week (16-24 November) is Alcohol Awareness Week, A recent survey has found that nearly a third of the UK public are drinking more alcohol than usual during the pandemic.
If you are interested in cutting down your drinking, the Drink Coach Alcohol Test is a quick and confidential way for you to check out how risky your drinking is.
Taking the test also provides information on local face-to-face support options to reduce your drinking. To take the two minute test visit the Drink Coach website.
Dear all,
Today’s ‘Monday Mind Workout’ is a mixture of questions, all the best?
1. The voices of Mickey and Minnie Mouse got married in real life. True or False
2. A group of bunnies is called a
a) herd b) bundle c) fluffle
3. The largest sand castle in the world measured
a) 54 feet high. b) 30 feet high c) 24 feet high
4. Sea otters hold hands when they sleep – True or false
5.Was it men or women who programmed the first digital computer?
6. High heeled shoes were originally created for Men or women?
7. Bubble Wrap was originally intended to be used as
a) Insulation b) 3D wallpaper. c) Pillow contents
8. A group of flamingos is called a
a) flamboyance b) Go’s c) Flames
9. How many hours sleep can you lose when you have a new baby in the first year?
a) between 100 – 300 hours b) between 300 – 600 hours c) 400-750 hours
10. British tanks come equipped with tea making facilities. True or False
11. Many lipsticks contain fish scales. True or False
12. Elephants can Jump? True or False
13. It takes light from the Sun ? minutes to reach Earth.
a) 2 mins b) 4 mins c) 8 mins
14. There’s a village in Norway called Hell, and it freezes over every winter. True or False
15. Orange was first used to describe the colour not the fruit? True or False
Questions 16 – 18 are clues to chocolate e.g. Cinderella’s friend – BUTTONS
16.A subject for discussion
17. A path in the universe
18. 100% precious metal
Questions 19 – 20 are anagrams of sweet desserts
19. Is it a rum
20. He tackle cocoa
Warmly, Lisa
As it stands, the latest figures for the 7 day infection rate is 439 per 100,000 and the positivity rate is 16.1%.
In Leeds as a whole, cases have stabilised since the lockdown was announced two weeks ago. However, some areas have seen a rise in cases which might be due to a minority of people socialising before lockdown was announced. This is why it’s crucial we all work together, carry on following the public health advice and continue adhering to the government’s restrictions to keep ourselves and others safe, and to help bring the infection rate down.
Remember to wash your hands, wear a face covering, and stay 2m apart from people you do not live with.
If you develop symptoms or come in to contact with someone who has tested positive, you must book a test and you and your household need to self-isolate while you’re waiting on your results.
If you have symptoms, you must protect yourself and others and get tested. Ring 119 or visit the NHS website to book a test.
To find out where your local testing site is visit the NHS website.
On behalf of Caring Together I attended a Virtual event on Thursday along with many other representatives from various third sector organisations, and our local Councillors too.
The Lord Mayor of Leeds, the Lord Lieutenant, the County Sheriff and Councillors gave their thanks to all at Caring Together. We feel this includes not only our team, members and volunteers but neighbours, family and many other organisations that we work alongside in the community day in and day out, and have done for the last 25 years.
It felt an honour to represent Caring Together and humbling for sure to hear how other organisations have also come together and gone over and above in these strangest of times. All have definitely been Caring Together to provide support, both practically and emotionally when needed during the pandemic.
This thank you is for you all, you all deserve to be recognised for your kindness and generosity.
Kind wishes to you all
Lisa Caring Together
NHS Facebook Live session on Cancer Facts and Fictions will now take place on Wednesday 25 November, 6-7.30pm at
You’ll hear from trusted clinicians and cancer specialists who will advise on cancer prevention & symptoms
