Shared Moments: ‘Employment’ by Maureen Kershaw

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This is an audio recording of musings by Maureen Kershaw on ‘Employment’ hope you enjoy!

Kindness Festival Week 6th – 12th September 2020

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Dear all, Kinder Leeds has now opened registration for Leeds Festival of Kindness, Compassion and Well-being from The Kindness Revolution at #KinderLeeds

If you wish, you can join one of their FREE virtual sessions, including webinars, listening circles and even dancing!

https://kinderleeds.org/events/kindness-festival-week/…

Virtual Museum Choir

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Virtual Museum Choir

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

‘Your Place Comedy’ live online show with Leeds Carriageworks Sunday 30th August

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Leeds Carriageworks is one of 10 venues presenting a series of #YourPlaceComedy live streamed shows with The Chase star Paul Sinha and Radio4 & Mock The Week regular Angela Barnes – live from their living rooms.

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Starting on Sunday 30th August at 8pm

The event is FREE to watch, there will be an option to donate to the ten small, independent venues if you wish.

Find out more and watch the show at  https://www.yourplacecomedy.co.uk/

LCC “Best Council Plan”

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The Best Council Plan 2020-2025 strategies include making Leeds the Best City where people age well, where people are valued, feel respected and appreciated, and are seen as the assets they are. You can read more about it here: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/your-council/plans-and-strategies/council-plans
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 And you will find the full plan here; https://www.leeds.gov.uk/docs/BCP%202020-2025.PDF

The Best Council Plan is the strategic plan which sets out how the council will deliver better outcomes across Leeds.

The plan helps:

  • inform budget and strategies
  • plan and deliver services
  • staff understand how what they do makes a difference to the people of Leeds
  • show partners how we contribute to citywide priorities

Shared Moments: ‘Volunteering’ written by Maureen Kershaw

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Day 116 – I heard on the Radio today that ‘Age UK’ will not be re-opening their Charity Shops which has made me wonder about the future of many other such shops. As I passed the ‘Cancer Research’ shop in town on Friday a large notice in the window appealed for Volunteers for every day of the week. Charity Shops have in the main been run by older and retired staff who could, of course, have been shielding during the Covid Lockdown. In any case they may well have concerns regarding return to the close confines of a shop for several hours. It certainly makes one consider the value of volunteering at the present time. Just prior to Lockdown being in the ‘over 70s’ age group I was prevented from carrying out my front of house role at the City Varieties Music Hall, which upset me greatly. Within days – in fact before the next Show took place – Lockdown happened – so all our Volunteers, irrespective of age, were not required.

My other Volunteering apart from the City Varieties and occasionally at the Leeds Playhouse, is tenant involvement with my Housing Association. That too came to an abrupt halt however we have managed to hold a couple of important meetings via ‘Zoom’ with more planned and this could well be the way in future. It could be a long time before we are able to hold our quarterly meetings for tenants which include a Speaker, Q & A sessions with members of staff, quizzes etc and not forgetting the buffet! These were important social gatherings for, in particular, our older tenants who can feel socially isolated.

All over, there are thousands of volunteers doing excellent work in all manner of organisations, many of whom have been deprived of their time for giving during Lockdown. I do hope that those who keep the Charity Shops ticking over will be able to return? Or will the Charities themselves have faced such economic problems that they may be unable to re-open their shops? Time will tell. I’ve had many an excellent bargain from the shops over the years and I still have a list of things to look out for!

Sadly, frustratingly and worringly so – Theatres are to be amongst the last to re-open their doors. Outdoor performances being allowed now, these are only possible for a minority.  However far away it may be, to throw open the doors once again – and for those venues fortunate to be able to do so,  we volunteers are waiting in the Wings – and await our cue.

 

Thank you Maureen, until next time….

Virtual or telephone Advice Surgeries with Hilary Benn MP

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Although face to face surgeries have been cancelled, if you need to speak to the MP for Leeds Central, Hilary Benn, you can do so on Friday afternoons by telephone or onlineImage may contain: 1 person, glasses, suit and close-up

From Hilary Benn’s website:

“Although my face-to-face advice surgeries have been suspended I will be conducting online and telephone surgeries for those constituents who need to speak to me directly about their cases. To make an appointment please email hilary.benn.mp@parliament.uk or telephone 0113 244 1097 with your full name, address and telephone number and the word APPOINTMENT as the subject line. A member of my team will get back to you with further details.

Alternatively for Council issues such as housing you may wish to contact your local councillors for assistance. Their contact details can be found online here or at Leeds City Council’s website here https://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/mgFindMember.aspx .”

Poetry Corner: ‘Now we Are Six’ Written by A.A.Milne

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‘NOW WE ARE SIX’ Written by A.A.Milne

When I was One,
I had just begun.
When I was Two,
I was nearly new.
When I was Three
I was hardly me.
When I was Four,
I was not much more.
When I was Five,
I was just alive.
But now I am Six,
I’m as clever as clever,
So I think I’ll be six now for ever and ever.

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