Kirkstall Online

In the run up to Kirkstall Festival 2012 we’re asking you to take pictures of everything and anything you love about Kirkstall and your community. These can be artistic, sentimental, fun, odd…anything goes (so long as it’s legal and family friendly!)

These images will be printed and displayed at the festival in our Photo Forest, creating The People’s Exhibition of memories and experiences from the people of Leeds.

We need lots and lots of photos to go into the Photo Forest. Think about what you love, go and take a picture of it, repeat for as many times as you like, and send the pictures to us at tpeleeds@gmail.com. We’ll upload them to the blog at www.tpeleeds.blogspot.com and print them out to display in the Photo Forest. You’ll be included in the credits and retain all rights to your picture, don’t worry, we’re not vultures!

Organised by Kirsty Ware, who also did the People’s Exhibition at 2011 Light Night, the Kirkstall Festival Photo Forest will display your photos in an innovative setting in the festival grounds, its going to be incredible and we’d love your photos to be part of it – remember, your photos can be anything and everything!

(photo right by Dawn Cobe)

We went along to the open session on 24th January to see what is happening on the numerous schemes in Kirkstall. Here’s what we heard.

The Tesco scheme was submitted to back in December and the planning panel have raised  a number of concerns with the proposals. Not surprisingly these are principally the traffic issues and the height and scale of the development and its impact on the surroundings, echoing the concerns of local residents. The proposal for the Post Office members club on the main crossroads also came in for some criticism, with the design being called “uninspiring”.

Tesco is reviewing the feedback and is expected to resubmit their proposals in the coming months. It is clear that most local residents want the site to be developed as it has been an area neglected over a number of years, but that any development must be sympathetic to the local area. It sounds like this issue will be ongoing for much of 2012, and the improvements that it may bring for the local area and residents must be balanced against the impacts it will have.

The Plans Panel position statement can be found here https://publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk/online-applications/files/9EDC1C8BE35BBDE4633C61C856356332/pdf/11_04253_FU-WEST_PANEL_8_12_2011-522605.pdf and you can find all the details about the development on the council website via https://publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk/online-applications/ by searching on reference number  11/04253

You can offer feedback (either in support or objection) directly via email (please quote the reference number 11/04253) to planning@leeds.gov.uk

Come along to the BTCV Hollybush Christmas Fair on Sunday 4th December from 12-4pm. There will be stalls, gifts, arts and crafts and refreshments! You can also soak up the festive atmosphere on our Winter trail around the garden. Come and join the fun!

For more information, please contact Jess Kandola on 0113 2742335 or at leeds@btcv.org.uk

Saturday 19th November and Sunday 20th November 11am – 3pm

One of Britain’s best preserved abbeys, Kirkstall Abbey was founded in 1152 by Cistercian monks. The Abbey Visitor Centre provides the unique setting for our
Christmas Fayre, a chance to stock up on unusual Christmas crafts, toys and gifts:

Wooden toys, cakes, herbal bath and body products, candles, jewellery, gift baskets, felt craft, Christmas cards and decorations, stained glass, wreaths, paintings, baby soft furnishings, quilts and clothes, jams and pickles…

Free entry for visitors.

The  weather didn’t put people off from attending the Remembrance Service led by Revd Rosemarie Hayes of Kirkstall St Stephen’s. A short, moving service at Kirkstall Cenotaph to remember all those who have fallen.

Kirkstall Valley Community Association are starting a Kirkstall In Bloom group to bring together members of the Kirkstall community to improve local communal areas. One of the first projects suggested is by the “drink and be grateful” fountain on Kirkstall Road and to plant some bulbs ready for spring and a “welcome to Kirkstall” sign.

It is anticipated that the Kirkstall in Bloom group will meet to discuss ideas soon, so if you are interested in getting involved in the meetings or if you just fancy coming and doing some bulb planting one sunday afternoon please get in touch with Cllr Lucinda Yeadon or Daisy Davey.

You can contact us by email at kirkstallinbloom@gmail.com, on Twitter @kirkstallbloom or phone us on 0113 2177330.

Did you know that libraries are still active in Kirkstall? Well, I’ve just had a lovely chat with the lady running the mobile library van which is currently parked outside the Children’s Centre on Norman Street. The mobile libraries have been visiting Kirkstall every week since the library closed in July and are open to everyone. Each of the mobile libraries carries computers with free internet access! There are three different mobile libraries (times now added to our calendar):

Community mobile – offering a wide range of materials (weekly)

• Kirkstall Leisure Centre – Fri 09.00 to 12.00
• Morrisons Car Park – Sun 11.00 to 15.00
• Queenswood Road – Thu 09.30 to 11.00

Children and Family mobile – offering a wide range of children’s materials and some adult books (weekly)

• Kirkstall Leisure Centre – Thu 18.15 to 19.15
• Kirkstall Children’s Centre (Norman St) Sun 11.00 to 12.00
• Hawksworth Wood Children and Family Centre – Sun 12.15 to 15.00

Older people mobile – visiting care homes in the area (fortnightly from w/c 7 Nov 2011)

• Sayers Close – Tue 09.00 to 10.00
• Aire Vew Care Home – Tue 10.15 to 11.45
• St Anns Square – Tue 13.45 to 14.45
• Kirkstall Court Care Home – Wed 09.00 to 10.00

Children with a Breeze card can borrow materials straight away, and if you’re not a library-card holder already you only need to bring two proofs of address to join.

They also offer an “at home” service for people who find it difficult to get out, where they will visit every three weeks to bring books to you.

For more details on these services, visit www.leeds.gov.uk/mobilelibraries or phone 0113 2476016

Its a shame that Kirkstall Library has been shut due to underuse, but only if we use our libraries more can we preserve them for the future. If you don’t use and support them we may lose them forever.