Anyone over 18 who still hasn’t had both doses of a covid vaccine can go along to the pharmacy at Oatland Drive, Little London between 9am and 5pm tomorrow.
No appointment needed you can just turn up but for a second dose it must be at least 8 weeks since the first.
They will be using the Moderna vaccine
Or, you can get the Astra Zenica vaccine (over 40s only) at The BAME Health & Wellbeing Hub (formerly known as the Fredrick Hurdle Centre), Reginald Terrace, Leeds, LS7 3EZ. Between 10am – 3pm.
Weddings aren’t what they used to be, which is a relief for people who don’t like sexism, crude humour, drunkenness, ill-fitting outfits, unimaginative food or seething family tensions.
None of which were even hinted at the wedding of my grandson Sam and my new relative Mrs Becky Cross, mainly, I think, because all the youngish people I know (especially Sam and Becky) are more sensible than I ever was, not to mention more thoughtful, intelligent, enterprising and – which, I realised at the wedding, is the most important social virtue – much kinder too.
So, in keeping with the kindly mood established by the happy couple (‘happy’ being, so far as I could see, an accurate description rather than a wedding cliché), everybody was nice to each other, enjoying the company of, in many cases, strangers and delighted by the just-in-time end of the Covid lockdown.
Which could sound dull but really isn’t, particularly when you consider that the alternative might be a wedding in Walford, Emmerdale or Kabul during the massacre season.
This ceremony was in rolling green countryside near York in a set of old and very attractive agricultural buildings repurposed to look completely unlike the cramped and charmless register office where I was married in the 1970s and which, as I remember, mainly overlooked the council’s rates department.
Since then, and excluding pandemics and climate change, much has changed for the better. English wedding-goers have started to understand the concepts of smart-casual clothing, ecologically-aware confetti-throwing and acceptable hair arrangements (as a reminder of how bad things were, you could look at wedding pictures from the 1970s and 80s, after first reading a trauma warning).
Other things didn’t need to change; bridesmaids in uniforms so glamorous that you could imagine them breaking into a West End dance routine, a bride wearing a lovely white dress with a lacy train which was so definitively a wedding dress that it couldn’t be repurposed into anything else and its future is secure.
There was even a wedding cake tiered, though not in the usual way, by Sam, who, unlike most men in the last century, knows how to bake very well.
But I think the most impressive improvement was in the quality of the wedding speeches. These have been, in my experience, minor ordeals to be got through with the aid of stiff drinks. Here, everybody, especially Sam and Becky, said what they had to say very wittily and intelligently and without recourse to boorishness, cheap cracks or showing-off.
Taking the long view, which, at my age, isn’t quite as long as it used to be, I can see, based on the wedding speeches alone, a union of two families who, being blessed with rare intelligence and goodwill will continue to enrich each other’s lives, just like the Montagues and Capulets didn’t.
Your Neighbourhood, Your City, Your Planet
Recently we posted about how you can have your say on the Leeds Local Plan
Your Neighbourhood, Your City, Your Planet – Have Your Say on Leeds’ Local Plan Update
As part of this Leeds City Council are hosting a series of webinars to discuss the key aspects of the plan
Visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/local-plans-team-leeds-city-council-33990399847 to find out more about the webinars and how to join them.
A few weeks ago some of us enjoyed a catch up and a cuppa at Morrisons Cafe, Merrion Centre in Leeds before the refurb commenced. We look forward to going back once it’s finished. Get in touch if you would like to join us: lisa@caringtogether.org.uk
Today is the day to celebrate all things Yorkshire – even though God’s Own County is looking distinctly wet this morning!
Here’s an unusual version of a well known Yorkshire ditty
Mill Hill Chapel
City Square
Sunday August 1st 11am – 5pm
The main Pride event and Parade are not taking place again this year but there is a Village Fete event in the grounds of Mill Hill Chapel. Hosted by Angels of Freedom and Mill Hill this will be a family friendly accessible space.
The event will be host to fun activities, community group engagement, food and refreshments.
| This week we have an update for you about the latest infection rates in Leeds and changes to self-isolation for critical services.
Please note that we will be reducing the frequency of our coronavirus bulletins, which in future will be issued when there is a significant national or local update. |
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An update on infection rates in LeedsThe latest Leeds infection rate has decreased to 456.4 per 100,000 (30% lower than 7 days ago), with the positivity rate at 12.9%. The current over 60s rate is stable at 160.9 per 100,000. Hospitalisations are rising and sadly 5 Covid-19 deaths were reported in the last week. The average infection rate for Yorkshire and the Humber is 451.3 per 100,000 and the rate for England is 375.2 per 100,000. With infection rates still remaining high across the city, we encourage everyone to remain cautious and take up the vaccine. If you’d like to attend one of the city’s walk-in vaccination clinics, please visit the NHS Leeds website to find the one most convenient for you. Please remember it’s essential to attend your second vaccination appointment to receive maximum protection. Let’s keep taking care of each other #TogetherLeeds
Changes to self-isolation for critical servicesA very limited number of named key workers may be able to leave self-isolation to undertake critical work. This is only in a small number of situations, where self-isolation would result in serious disruption to critical services. This policy only applies to you if your employer has received a letter from a government department on which your name is listed. If this is the case, you will be able to leave self-isolation to undertake critical work. Otherwise, you should continue to self-isolate. This process will only run until 16 August 2021, when people who are fully vaccinated will no longer be required to self-isolate if they have close contact with someone with coronavirus. Where employers believe self-isolation of certain key employees would result in serious disruption to critical services, they should contact the relevant government department which can be found on the gov.uk website. Separate arrangements are in place for frontline health and care staff. For more guidance on self-isolation, please visit the NHS website. Success for Leeds athletes at 2020 Tokyo OlympicsLeeds City Council would like to say huge good luck and well done to all the Leeds athletes and the whole of Team GB competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics – we’re all behind you and what a great lead-up to Yorkshire Day on Sunday! Earlier this week, the leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor James Lewis, congratulated Leeds athletes Matty Lee and Tom Pidcock on their gold medal success – read the statement in full here.
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If you are out and about in Leeds City Centre you probably use New Briggate all the time without giving it a second thought. Maybe next time you are there you might like to take a new look at a familiar place with a history walking trail.
Explore New Briggate and the surrounding area, learning about the history of the buildings, spaces and some of the people who used to live here. Whilst on the tour you’ll see Victorian shops and theatres, the oldest church in Leeds city centre and a timber framed building that might not be as old as it seems. The trail is self guided so you can do it when you like or just do a little of it if you wish
You could also win a prize by having a go at the quiz questions whilst you’re on the trail. Most of the answers can be found by looking closely at the buildings around you. Send or e-mail your completed sheet back for the chance to win great prizes from Opera North, Leeds Grand Theatre and North Bar!
The trail has been produced by Leeds City Council with the Council for British Archaeology, as part of the New Briggate High Street Heritage Action Zone, which is a government funded scheme to celebrate and breathe new life into high streets across the country. At New Briggate, Leeds City Council is working with Historic England to regenerate the street and transform the area, improving the buildings and public spaces with grant funding, and holding community and cultural events.
The trail is shown below, or you can see more and download it https://festival.archaeologyuk.org/resources/explore-and-discover-self-guided-history-trail-around-new-briggate-leeds-1626695587
Explore and Discover! New Briggate HAZ Self Guided Walking Trail
We opened our doors at our new premises for an informal coffee afternoon last week. It was wonderful to see the place being used by members of the community with some stopping for a cuppa, some cake and a natter. We look forward to hosting some more in the future.
Rainbow Junktion Cafe is back for pay as you feel sit down meals. They will only be serving outside for the moment.
Mondays and Thursdays 12-2.30pm for the cafe – advice and signposting also available – 11.30am – 3pm
Fridays will be Food Share – groceries etc available for ‘pay as you can’ shopping 11.30am -4.30pm
