garforth, kippax & district newsletter
TRANSCRIPT
News & Events in August and September 3
Local Interest Groups 3
August Speaker report 3-5
Local History Titbits 5
Down Memory Lane 5-6
Events 6-8 Garden Corner from Incredible Edible 8
Puzzle Corner 9-11
Information from Speaker talks &
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10th Issue Welcome to this issue.
Throughout this newsletter we refer to our Garforth, Kippax & District UA website.
Important Message from the Committee
Our AGM will be held on Wednesday 1st September at 1:30 via Zoom. This decision is due to
the rise in infection rates. The meeting will contain short reports supplied by the interest
groups, reports from key committee roles, election of committee, short quiz and general dis-
cussion.
Important note: All committee members must be nominated and elected each year and
generally serve for a lifespan of three consecutive years. At least two of the committee are
not standing for re-election this year, therefore it is essential that new volunteers please
come forward to assist in the running of our u3a. New members will be mentored by
another committee member.
The committee are also looking for a minute taker (who does not have to be a full committee
member). Anyone interested in this—please talk to Susan Isley, our committee Secretary .
Please remember all nominations must be with the Secretary at least 28 days prior to the
AGM, which this year would mean no later than 4th August .
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Zoom events in August and September include:
Wednesday 4th August: General Meeting, our speaker will be from Carers Leeds, giving us an insight to their services; a general invite will be sent to all UA members. 1.30pm
Wednesday 18th August: Quiz, hosted by the Quiz group: a general invite will be sent to all UA members. 1.30pm
Wednesday 1st September: General Meeting & AGM: a general invite will be sent to all UA members. 1.30pm
Wednesday 15th September: Quiz, hosted by the Quiz group: a general invite will be sent to all UA members. 1.30pm As all of the interest groups have access to the paid version of Zoom, can convenors please contact Graham Isley to book a time and to organise ID and passwords that will be required to be sent to all participants. If any of our members have a suggestion for speakers at our monthly meeting please con- tact our Speaker Co-ordinator Sandra Daly via the website. If contact details are available, or where you have seen the topic/presenter, then please include these in your email.
Our local Interest Groups Round-Up
For information on any of our interest groups, check the website, speak with, or, send a message to the group convenor via the web- site For Convenors: Any updates for any of your groups? Drop us a line or two please. Entries for our next newsletter need to be with one of the Editors by Wednesday 22 August 2021.
Art Group: Topics for August are: 10 Aug 21 Autumn Woodland 24 Aug 21 Cute : Bookworms: If you follow our fb group, you will be aware that Bookworms have been meeting in mem- bers gardens as per Covid guidelines. Please contact their convenor Judith Huntridge, via the website, if you wish to know more. Easy Cycling Group
We have now had 6 group rides around the Garforth area and further afield. We average between 3 to 6 riders each time and vary the days and times that we go, to try and make sure everyone is included. Our mileage varies from 5 to 12 miles and we focus on off-road cycling, on bridleways and tracks wherever possible, although do use quiet roads when needed. If anyone wants to give it a try but is unsure, do get in touch. Everyone is welcome and no-one is left behind! Dave Swindells, Convenor Walking Netball The sports hall at Kippax Leisure Centre, is not currently available (it was being utilised as part of the city Covid Response purposes). The manager advises it is anticipated the hall will be available from September.
Monthly Meeting Talk by Martin Lee from Active Leeds
Martin Lee is the Health Programme Manager for ‘Active Leeds’ with responsibility for deliv- ering a number of programmes throughout Leeds City Council areas, including the Gar- forth based Active Travel Project that some may know about. Active Leeds manages all Leisure centres across the city, which forms 80% of their work.
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‘Active Leeds for Health’ has four main areas: Health Referral, Falls Prevention, Keep Mov- ing, Enhanced Weight Management. Referrals to programmes are around good mental well- being, social connectivity and improving physical health. The team look specifically at walking and structured activities linked to re- habilitation pathways supporting ‘cardiac re- hab’, weight management, falls programme and mental problems.
‘Health referral’ is a Health Coaching pro- gramme, supporting and coaching individuals to enable people to make changes. Referral is via healthcare professionals, but self- referrals can be accepted. The major referral partners in the programme are One You Leeds and Live Well Leeds. ‘Falls Prevention’, normally run at Garforth NET, is specifically for people who have either had a fall, are frail and fear falling or have re- duced mobility due to COVID. Aqua and Hydrotherapy classes were added for those that are severely frail.
‘Keep Moving’ is a combination of gentle ex- ercise programmes aimed at people with health or musculoskeletal conditions, re- duced mobility or COVID rehab; they run for a number of weeks and then hopefully the individuals graduate to mainstream activity. The nearest programme to Garforth is at John Smeaton. Programmes were delivered re- motely during lockdown; initially by leaflet, moving to personal support via telephone/ Zoom, DVD and classes via Zoom.
‘Enhanced Weight Management’, their new- est programme, is planned to start in Sep- tember, with funding for a year. This may in- volve referral to local weight management groups.
Martin addressed a few member questions about the nature of activities and how these have been affected by the infection preven- tion measures
‘The Active Travel Project’ is looking to im- prove active travel in LS25/26. The aim being to try to get people to make a ‘mode shift’ from cars towards walking/cycling/scooting and is based on a ’20-minute neighbourhood concept’, allowing people to be able to access all healthcare, supermarkets/shops, schools and leisure in that time. Barriers to these were said to be poor health, inability to carry shopping, time, traffic, poor bus timings and poor infrastructure including lack of cycle lanes and paths. Solutions thought possible within the limited funds available were iden- tified as encouraging Walking and cycling groups, installing Bike locks in public, ‘Time to’ signposting, encouraging health improve- ments places, campaign for kids and families and advertising walking /cycle programmes. Martin asked what our top 3 would be. There were a few comments which Martin has not- ed. This also raised discussion around a leaflet issued by Kippax Co-op/Kippax Parish Council including walks/paths around the Parish. Following on from Martin’s talk: - Dave Swindells and his wife Marion made en- quiries at Garforth Leisure Centre where they met Gary, one of the duty managers. Gary was enthusiastic about encouraging mature adults to use the centre and interested to hear about the workings of u3a. Gary offered some suggestions from the cur- rent activities programme that might be of interest to our members: Hatha Yoga, Kettle- bells and perhaps Clubbercise. He also point- ed out two sessions on Fridays: Active Bal-
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ance and Functional Fitness, and mentioned that, in addition to the centre led activities, an indoor bowls group meets regularly on the upper floor viewing platform. Links to Active Leeds and other helpful advice on walking/cycling around the local are in- cluded at the end of the newsletter.
Blue Plaques Around Leeds
This issue’s Blue Plaque feature is very well known, following Leeds City Varieties gain-
ing national fame as the venue for the long- running BBC TV programme The Good Old Days. This was broadcast live from there be- tween 1953 and 1983, as a recreation of an old-time musical hall evening, with Leonard Sachs as the voluble and effervescent Chair- man. The venue still presents ‘Good Old Days’ music hall evenings in the Spring and Autumn each year, as well as a yearly pantomime and a regular programme of stand-up comedy and music events.
Famous artists who have appeared at Leeds City Varieties include, Harry Houdini, Charlie Chaplin, Marie Lloyd, Eartha Kitt, Les Dawson, Ken Dodd and John Inman. More recently, the film star Russell Crowe had a seat named in his honour, when visiting Leeds. (You might be interested to know Russell is also a keen Leeds United footballer supporter!)
The City Varieties was built in 1865, as an extension to the White Swan Inn in Swan Street, just off Briggate, in the ‘old centre’ of Leeds by local pub landlord and benefactor Charles Thornton. It underwent several name changes over the years as the venue was bought and sold and is a rare surviving exam-
ple of a Victorian era music hall. In fact the City Varieties has remained virtually un- changed since the late 19th century and is re- garded as a Leeds hidden gem and has the Guinness World Record for the nation’s long- est running music hall. The ‘Clog Dancing World Championship has also been held at City Varieties in the past!
City Varieties is a Grade II Listed Building and the Theatres Trust says, ‘What is seen today would appear to be the 1865 hall, possibly incorporating earlier fabric, and still more or less in its 1888 form. It is one of the most im- portant early grand music survivals, compara- ble in rarity and completeness with both Hox- ton Hall and Wilton’s Hall in London and the Glasgow Britannia’.
The City Varieties Hall is 72 feet long, 36 feet wide and 30 feet high and has been described as having excellent acoustical properties. There’s a spacious retir- ing room for perform- ers, plus various dress- ing rooms immediately behind the stage. Barring a much-needed facelift in 2009-11 and the current pandemic, Leeds City Varie- ties has never closed her doors. Audiences from far and wide still flock to see stars from comedy, music, variety and pantomime con- tinue to perform on her stage. The Leeds Civ- ic Trust blue plaque is sited on the wall by the entrance to this truly ‘one off’ historic venue.
Down Memory Lane In this issue, we’re concentrating on just one year, to test your memory! Pop Music in 1965 – did you know? • Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones came up with the famous guitar riff for
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‘Satisfaction’ when he woke up from a deep sleep and sang the riff into a tape recorder and then went back to sleep again! • The unofficial anthem ‘Flower of Scot- land’ was only written in 1965. • In the same year Bob Dylan said if he ev- er sold out to a commercial interest, it would be in ‘ladies’ garments’. In 2007 he and his music appeared in the lingerie company Vic- toria’s Secret commercial! • The pop singer Bobby Darin was an ad- vocate for civil rights in the US and participat- ed in a civil rights march to Alabama. • In 1965 Pete Best (the original Beatles drummer before Ringo Starr) released an al- bum called ‘Best of the Beatles’, which con- tained no Beatles music but fooled so many people into buying it that it was investigated for consumer fraud. The case was dropped, because no fraud had been committed, as he was actually ‘Best, of the Beatles’. • Hit pop songs of 1965 included ‘Unchained Melody’ by the Righteous Broth- ers, ‘California Girls’ by the Beach Boys and most popular of all was ‘Satisfaction’ by the Rolling Stones. • One of Aretha Franklin’s most popular songs ‘Respect’ is actually a cover, as it was originally recorded by Otis Redding. • The Beatles’ album ‘Rubber Soul’ was released in 1965. • Other hit songs in 1965 included ‘Crying in the Chapel by Elvis Presley, ‘I’ll Never Find Another You’ by the Seekers, ‘Tears’ by Ken Dodd, ‘Go Now’ by the Moody Blues’ and ‘Tired of Waiting for You’ by The Kinks. • The lyrics of the song ‘Turn, Turn, Turn, by the US group the Byrds are taken almost exactly from the Book of Ecclesiastes, in the Old Testament, in the King James Bible. • The Who released their first single ‘I Can’t Explain’ • The Animals recorded ‘We Gotta Get Out Of This Place’ in 1965, as a follow-up to their hit ‘House Of The Rising Sun’ of the year before.
Cover page Icons
August, the eight month of the year and the sixth month of the Roman cal- endar. The Romans called the month Sextilis, which means six. Eight years before the birth of Jesus the name of the month was changed to
Augustus in honour of the Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar because many of the im- portant evets in his life happened around that time of year. Anglo-Saxons called it ‘Weod monath,’ which means weed month (because it is the month when weeds and other plants grow rapidly). In a standard year, no other month begins on the same day of the week as August, except in leap years when it begins same day of the week as February. In the northern hemisphere, August is consid- ered to be the last month of summer. August the 1st is Lammas Day - the start of the Lammas Festival (Thanksgiving/Harvest time). The name comes from Anglo-Saxon word Hlafmaesse which means Loaf Mass. Lammas Day also used to be a time for fore- telling marriages and trying out partners. Two people would agree to a trial marriage lasting the period of the fair (usually 11 days) to see whether they were really suited for wedlock. At the end the fair if they didn’t get on they could part! People would go to church to give thanks for the first crops be- ing harvested and Farmers mak- ing loaves from the new wheat crop, giving these to the church where they were used as the Communion bread during special mass of
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thanks. The custom ended when Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church. Today, harvest festivals are at the end of the season. (Michaelmas Day – 29 September is tradition- ally the last day of the harvest season. Other UK festivals include:
Firstly, the most important to many of our members -’Yorkshire Day’ ! on 1st August, the start of the Grouse season (the glorious 12th), Edinburgh Festival and the Royal Na- tional Eisteddfod—
And, last but not least, Leeds and Nottinghill Carnivals .
‘Yorkshire Day ‘originated as a military holiday with its roots stemming the emanci- pation of slaves in 1834, a few military cus- toms and some protests about losing York- shire’s cultural identity. The military custom involves light infantry (originally as Minden Day), although later joined by five other regi- ments in this tradition. The military permitted the regiments to wear a rose in their head- dress; although the original Light Infantry use a white rose instead of the standard red rose.
The emancipation anniversary is cel- ebrated in the honour of William Wilberforce, whom successful- ly campaigned for the emancipation. The cultural iden- tity protests were against the Local Government re-organization of Yorkshire in 1974. Yet with such a long and diverse history of changes, Yorkshire has kept itself from changing, keeping it’s old world appeal and aesthetic as the Day has become more and more known world-wide.
To follow tradition, the ‘Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity’ needs to be read out to declare the boundaries of which the County, and City, of Yorkshire, exist and prosper. The entire declaration is aimed towards solidifying the ties to one’s compatriots, to uphold tradition and not let any person or body change that. In the City of York, the Declaration is made four times by the Yorkshire Ridings Society. Other historical August events: 55BC: Julius Caesar and his army landed in Britain 79AD: Mount Vesuvius erupted burying the city of Pompeii and its remaining residents 1492: Columbus set sail from the Canaries 1762: The first-ever sand- wich was created. 1774: Joseph Priestly discov- ered Oxygen in the Laboratory at Bowood House, Wiltshire 1914: The start of WW1 1945: End of WWII & VJ Day (victory over Ja- pan) 1962: Jamaica gained independence after be- ing a British Colony for 300 years
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1963: In the UK - Great Train Robbery, and in the in US: Martin Luther King Jr gave his famous “I have a dream” speech.
1964: Josef Jakob, a German spy during WWII is the last person to be executed at the Tower of Lon- don, and Britain carried out the last executions of convicted mur- derers in Liverpool and Manches- ter prisons before the abolition
of capital punishment. 1966: Francis Chichester left Plymouth on the first successful attempt to sail single handed around the world on his yacht Gypsy Moth IV 1977: Elvis Presley left the world behind.
1987: Corporal punishment was banned in schools 1997: Princess Diana sadly lost her life fol- lowing a car accident in Paris
Garden Corner: From Incredible Edible
Now is a great time to be thinking about what veg to sow to keep you going over the winter months and get sowing. Veg like har- dier brassicas (sowing cabbage now avoids the cabbage white butterfly peak) and are then ready in Spring. There's also spring greens, turnips, Chinese greens (Pak choi, mi- zuna, leaf mustard etc). Keep things well watered during the hotter weather and reflect on what does well with
less water and where. This is a great tip for future years facing climate issues where wa- ter might be minimal. Planting leafy greens densely, such as broad- cast sowing bulls blood beetroot leaf or sorrel will help shade the soil and reduce evapora- tion. Look into tree guilding to provide areas of different habitats and beneficial compan- ion planting too. Keep an eye out for ladybirds moving in to protect your plants from greenfly. Try to find balance in your garden and let nature move in to help. Keep picking sweet peas to keep them flowering and keep picking any fruit such as tayberries and raspberries. You can al- ways freeze them for topping porridge in winter. If you find it hard to sit still when you can see all the tasks that need doing, take a moment to breathe and make a list. It's so important to be a mindful gardener - it helps you to en- joy just being surrounded by the beautiful space you've created and learn for future years too.
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Puzzle Corner
Quick Quiz Questions Quiz by Penny Brighten from Quiz Group. An- swers will be published in our next issue.
Answers from Issue 9
Sudoku - Issue 10
Charles I?
probocscis?
3 Which actress starred in the films ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’ and A Room with a View’?
4 Who had a 1986 hit with Addicted To
Love?
5 What is the latitude of the equator?
6 Who is the hero of John Buchan’s novel The Thirty-Nine Steps?
7 Of which Central American country is
Managua the capital?
8 Who said: ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ in the Bible?
9 What is a moving staircase called?
10 Trent Bridge is the home ground of
which county cricket team?
5 3 6 7
8 5 2 4
9 1 3 2 6
3 1
4 5 9 3 8
1 5 7 2
8 1 4 7
Crossword solution for Issue 9
Now, have you wanted to formulate a puzzle? Please contact us via the links on the website and we will publish it in a future issue! Quiz: Submit 10 questions and answers Sudoku: Submit a completed puzzle, clearly marking the numbers you wish placed as a
starting point in red Crossword: Submit your crossword grid with clues and answers
F R A N C I S C A P R I
A L O A S H S O N
C L O W N E D A L O O F
E N I I R D E
D E A F S A M P L E R
C E M E R
A M P E R E C H A S T E
V R R O D
A C O N I T E O W L S
L N C K O D
I R O N S A M E N I T Y
E U U R N R R E
R I N S E T A S S E L S
Crossword solution for Issue 8 (included with issue 9 owing to an error in issue 8)
M Y S T E R I O U S P
O A O D E I
B U R N C O D I C I L S
N G K I R O
I G N O R E T R E A T Y
E D R Y T
F R E S H T E M P O
T M A D R
G R O U S E O P E N E R
U D D C D S
M I L I T A N T G L E N
N E L O E N
S D I S C R E D I T S
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Crossword Issue 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9
10 11
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CRYPTIC Across 1 Film manufacture (10) 8 Use spoon and Jug (4) 9 Fashionable and well-known (notorious in fact!) (8) 10 Short of cash – difficult acquiring increase (4,2) 11 Competitor often flat out? (6) 12 Tuber available in many a market (3) 13 He has right to performing bird (5) 15 Thick – needs to be sorted out (5) 17 To relieve thus won’t evoke appreciation! (3) 19 Is felt to have suffocating effect (6) 21 Time of year flower should be on the way (6) 23 Unattached and, it’s said, tactful (8) 24 Forget to order it (4) 25 Determinedly organise trolley use (10) Down 2 Fierce struggle – deciding first to leave sinking ship? (3.4) 3 Challenged, are confined by theologian (5) 4 What cheerful and lively bird sounds like? (6) 5 Failing in business (6) 6 Someone must think he’s suitable (7) 7 Put out, but nothing used? (5)
14 Policeman one with major re- sponsibility? (7) 16 Place is maybe exceptional (7) 17 Is revolting – they all are! (6) 18 Happened to be a stretch of moorland (6) 20 They can be very similar links (5) 22 Descriptive of a fatty drink (5) COFFEE-TIME Across 1 Making (10) 8 Get Moving (4) 9 Of ill-repute (8) 10 Lacking money (4,2) 11 Carpet Strip (6) 12 Sweet potato (3) 13 Wading Bird (5) 15 Stupid (5) 17 Steal from (3) 19 Suppress (6) 21 Festival (6) 23 Separate (8) 24 Miss out (4) 25 Firmly (10) Down 2 Competitive battle (3,4) 3 Was bold enough (5) 4 Perky (6) 5 Weak (6) 6 Candidate (7) 7 Quench (5) 14 Forces man (7) 16 Particular (7) 17 Rises against (6) 18 Came about (6) 20 Pair born together (5) 22 Kind of beer (5)
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Garforth, Kippax & District U3A - Using our Facebook pages
Garforth, Kippax & District U3A has two presences on Facebook – Our Facebook page and our
Facebook group.
The page address is https://www.facebook.com/garforthkippaxu3a and following this link will take you initially to the Home page as shown here.
The page, which is visible to any Facebook user, is intended primarily to present Gar- forth, Kippax & District U3A to the outside world. So, if anyone (typically one of our interest groups but any U3A member may do this) wants to put something out to the whole Facebook world then this is where it should go. Please ensure that this is something that people outside our U3A should see.
The best way to do this would be to post the material to the page yourself. Do this by clicking/tapping the Create Post button seen the lower-right of the illustration and then typing or pasting the text content as usual on Facebook. Photos and other graphics may also be added in the usual way. Note that your post won’t be visible to anyone else until it has been approved by page admin.
The page administrators are currently:
Heather Dobson
Graham Isley
Isobel Todd
You may contact page admin by clicking/tapping the Send Message button which is visible to the right of the illustration.
See next page for details of the Facebook Group
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The group address is https://www.facebook.com/groups/348310975725681 and following this link will take you initially to the Discussion page as shown here.
Unlike our Facebook page described above, our Facebook group is a private group so is visible only to Facebook mem- bers who have applied to join and have been admitted to it.
Important
Only members of Garforth, Kippax & Dis- trict U3A are admitted as members of our Facebook group and anything posted on there will be visible only to our U3A mem- bers. It is therefore intended for private sharing and conversation between our own U3A members so if you want to post something that is intended only for our members then this is where to put it but, you have to be a member of the group to do this.
To join our Facebook group, which is open to all our U3A members, then go to the group ad- dress at the top of this section and apply to join.
Feel free to invite someone to join our facebook group (not our U3A which is another matter) and you may do this as for any Facebook group by clicking/tapping the Invite button. However, please remember that only members of Garforth, Kippax & District U3A are admitted as mem- bers of our Facebook group so invite only our U3A members. If you invite a non-member to join the group then sorry but the invitation will be declined by admin.
Once you have joined our Facebook group then you’ll find that this works like any other. To post something click/tap What’s on your mind [your name] and proceed as described above for posting on our page but unlike our page, your post will be visible to all members of the Face- book group once you have click/tapped the Post button.
Important
Before posting on our group for the first time please read our rules and bear them in mind when posting or commenting on a post. To see the rules click/tap About and scroll down to Group rules from the admin. These are the “standard” rules recommended by Facebook. Hope you enjoy using our Facebook page and group.
Hope you enjoy using our Facebook page and group.
Garforth, Kippax & District Facebook Admin.
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https://u3asites.org.uk/garforth-kippax/ welcome
Active Leeds:
https://active.leeds.gov.uk/active-leeds-for- health Click on the various icons for more infor- mation, register interest in a programme, to make a self- referral, or download the Keep- ing Well at home booklet. Cycle pathways in West Yorkshire (part of City Connect).
https://www.cyclecityconnect.co.uk
From Rachel Unsworth (Leeds City
Walking Tours):
www.leedscitywalkingtours.co.uk
Several new tour routes are coming up. This year it’s 200 years since John Barran’s
birth and 150 years since he had the foresight to acquire the Roundhay estate to make a park for Leeds. 10:00am Sunday 1 Aug: Walk in Roundhay Park on Yorkshire Day, followed by picnic OR
12:30 Sunday 1 Aug: join in the picnic and then come on the tour after lunch
'The route of the Middleton Railway' Sunday 15 August and probably also Sunday 29 Au- gust: a walk from Leeds Bridge to Moor Road station. With some slight wiggles, we’ll follow the route of the Middleton Railway. Initially a wagonway with horses pulling carts of coal into Leeds, it became a delivery service bene- fiting from the first ever steam locomotive. You’ll reach Moor Road in time to take the steam train ride up to Middleton on the short stretch of line that remains. Special price for train tickets on the day and also a special offer for the walking tour tickets
From ua’s National Learning Pro- gramme Further information on the following free talks is available on https://www.u3a.org.uk/ learning/national-programmes
If you check the above website you’ll see there are also many other ideas, themes and topics you can apply to join in with. Please note events which require members to book are at https://www.u3a.org.uk/events/ educational-events
Endnote:
Please note that any contributions from our general membership and Convenors will need to be with us by Wednesday 22nd August for inclusion in the next edition.
Thanks!
Newsletter Editors
Local Interest Groups 3
August Speaker report 3-5
Local History Titbits 5
Down Memory Lane 5-6
Events 6-8 Garden Corner from Incredible Edible 8
Puzzle Corner 9-11
Information from Speaker talks &
2
10th Issue Welcome to this issue.
Throughout this newsletter we refer to our Garforth, Kippax & District UA website.
Important Message from the Committee
Our AGM will be held on Wednesday 1st September at 1:30 via Zoom. This decision is due to
the rise in infection rates. The meeting will contain short reports supplied by the interest
groups, reports from key committee roles, election of committee, short quiz and general dis-
cussion.
Important note: All committee members must be nominated and elected each year and
generally serve for a lifespan of three consecutive years. At least two of the committee are
not standing for re-election this year, therefore it is essential that new volunteers please
come forward to assist in the running of our u3a. New members will be mentored by
another committee member.
The committee are also looking for a minute taker (who does not have to be a full committee
member). Anyone interested in this—please talk to Susan Isley, our committee Secretary .
Please remember all nominations must be with the Secretary at least 28 days prior to the
AGM, which this year would mean no later than 4th August .
3
Zoom events in August and September include:
Wednesday 4th August: General Meeting, our speaker will be from Carers Leeds, giving us an insight to their services; a general invite will be sent to all UA members. 1.30pm
Wednesday 18th August: Quiz, hosted by the Quiz group: a general invite will be sent to all UA members. 1.30pm
Wednesday 1st September: General Meeting & AGM: a general invite will be sent to all UA members. 1.30pm
Wednesday 15th September: Quiz, hosted by the Quiz group: a general invite will be sent to all UA members. 1.30pm As all of the interest groups have access to the paid version of Zoom, can convenors please contact Graham Isley to book a time and to organise ID and passwords that will be required to be sent to all participants. If any of our members have a suggestion for speakers at our monthly meeting please con- tact our Speaker Co-ordinator Sandra Daly via the website. If contact details are available, or where you have seen the topic/presenter, then please include these in your email.
Our local Interest Groups Round-Up
For information on any of our interest groups, check the website, speak with, or, send a message to the group convenor via the web- site For Convenors: Any updates for any of your groups? Drop us a line or two please. Entries for our next newsletter need to be with one of the Editors by Wednesday 22 August 2021.
Art Group: Topics for August are: 10 Aug 21 Autumn Woodland 24 Aug 21 Cute : Bookworms: If you follow our fb group, you will be aware that Bookworms have been meeting in mem- bers gardens as per Covid guidelines. Please contact their convenor Judith Huntridge, via the website, if you wish to know more. Easy Cycling Group
We have now had 6 group rides around the Garforth area and further afield. We average between 3 to 6 riders each time and vary the days and times that we go, to try and make sure everyone is included. Our mileage varies from 5 to 12 miles and we focus on off-road cycling, on bridleways and tracks wherever possible, although do use quiet roads when needed. If anyone wants to give it a try but is unsure, do get in touch. Everyone is welcome and no-one is left behind! Dave Swindells, Convenor Walking Netball The sports hall at Kippax Leisure Centre, is not currently available (it was being utilised as part of the city Covid Response purposes). The manager advises it is anticipated the hall will be available from September.
Monthly Meeting Talk by Martin Lee from Active Leeds
Martin Lee is the Health Programme Manager for ‘Active Leeds’ with responsibility for deliv- ering a number of programmes throughout Leeds City Council areas, including the Gar- forth based Active Travel Project that some may know about. Active Leeds manages all Leisure centres across the city, which forms 80% of their work.
4
‘Active Leeds for Health’ has four main areas: Health Referral, Falls Prevention, Keep Mov- ing, Enhanced Weight Management. Referrals to programmes are around good mental well- being, social connectivity and improving physical health. The team look specifically at walking and structured activities linked to re- habilitation pathways supporting ‘cardiac re- hab’, weight management, falls programme and mental problems.
‘Health referral’ is a Health Coaching pro- gramme, supporting and coaching individuals to enable people to make changes. Referral is via healthcare professionals, but self- referrals can be accepted. The major referral partners in the programme are One You Leeds and Live Well Leeds. ‘Falls Prevention’, normally run at Garforth NET, is specifically for people who have either had a fall, are frail and fear falling or have re- duced mobility due to COVID. Aqua and Hydrotherapy classes were added for those that are severely frail.
‘Keep Moving’ is a combination of gentle ex- ercise programmes aimed at people with health or musculoskeletal conditions, re- duced mobility or COVID rehab; they run for a number of weeks and then hopefully the individuals graduate to mainstream activity. The nearest programme to Garforth is at John Smeaton. Programmes were delivered re- motely during lockdown; initially by leaflet, moving to personal support via telephone/ Zoom, DVD and classes via Zoom.
‘Enhanced Weight Management’, their new- est programme, is planned to start in Sep- tember, with funding for a year. This may in- volve referral to local weight management groups.
Martin addressed a few member questions about the nature of activities and how these have been affected by the infection preven- tion measures
‘The Active Travel Project’ is looking to im- prove active travel in LS25/26. The aim being to try to get people to make a ‘mode shift’ from cars towards walking/cycling/scooting and is based on a ’20-minute neighbourhood concept’, allowing people to be able to access all healthcare, supermarkets/shops, schools and leisure in that time. Barriers to these were said to be poor health, inability to carry shopping, time, traffic, poor bus timings and poor infrastructure including lack of cycle lanes and paths. Solutions thought possible within the limited funds available were iden- tified as encouraging Walking and cycling groups, installing Bike locks in public, ‘Time to’ signposting, encouraging health improve- ments places, campaign for kids and families and advertising walking /cycle programmes. Martin asked what our top 3 would be. There were a few comments which Martin has not- ed. This also raised discussion around a leaflet issued by Kippax Co-op/Kippax Parish Council including walks/paths around the Parish. Following on from Martin’s talk: - Dave Swindells and his wife Marion made en- quiries at Garforth Leisure Centre where they met Gary, one of the duty managers. Gary was enthusiastic about encouraging mature adults to use the centre and interested to hear about the workings of u3a. Gary offered some suggestions from the cur- rent activities programme that might be of interest to our members: Hatha Yoga, Kettle- bells and perhaps Clubbercise. He also point- ed out two sessions on Fridays: Active Bal-
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ance and Functional Fitness, and mentioned that, in addition to the centre led activities, an indoor bowls group meets regularly on the upper floor viewing platform. Links to Active Leeds and other helpful advice on walking/cycling around the local are in- cluded at the end of the newsletter.
Blue Plaques Around Leeds
This issue’s Blue Plaque feature is very well known, following Leeds City Varieties gain-
ing national fame as the venue for the long- running BBC TV programme The Good Old Days. This was broadcast live from there be- tween 1953 and 1983, as a recreation of an old-time musical hall evening, with Leonard Sachs as the voluble and effervescent Chair- man. The venue still presents ‘Good Old Days’ music hall evenings in the Spring and Autumn each year, as well as a yearly pantomime and a regular programme of stand-up comedy and music events.
Famous artists who have appeared at Leeds City Varieties include, Harry Houdini, Charlie Chaplin, Marie Lloyd, Eartha Kitt, Les Dawson, Ken Dodd and John Inman. More recently, the film star Russell Crowe had a seat named in his honour, when visiting Leeds. (You might be interested to know Russell is also a keen Leeds United footballer supporter!)
The City Varieties was built in 1865, as an extension to the White Swan Inn in Swan Street, just off Briggate, in the ‘old centre’ of Leeds by local pub landlord and benefactor Charles Thornton. It underwent several name changes over the years as the venue was bought and sold and is a rare surviving exam-
ple of a Victorian era music hall. In fact the City Varieties has remained virtually un- changed since the late 19th century and is re- garded as a Leeds hidden gem and has the Guinness World Record for the nation’s long- est running music hall. The ‘Clog Dancing World Championship has also been held at City Varieties in the past!
City Varieties is a Grade II Listed Building and the Theatres Trust says, ‘What is seen today would appear to be the 1865 hall, possibly incorporating earlier fabric, and still more or less in its 1888 form. It is one of the most im- portant early grand music survivals, compara- ble in rarity and completeness with both Hox- ton Hall and Wilton’s Hall in London and the Glasgow Britannia’.
The City Varieties Hall is 72 feet long, 36 feet wide and 30 feet high and has been described as having excellent acoustical properties. There’s a spacious retir- ing room for perform- ers, plus various dress- ing rooms immediately behind the stage. Barring a much-needed facelift in 2009-11 and the current pandemic, Leeds City Varie- ties has never closed her doors. Audiences from far and wide still flock to see stars from comedy, music, variety and pantomime con- tinue to perform on her stage. The Leeds Civ- ic Trust blue plaque is sited on the wall by the entrance to this truly ‘one off’ historic venue.
Down Memory Lane In this issue, we’re concentrating on just one year, to test your memory! Pop Music in 1965 – did you know? • Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones came up with the famous guitar riff for
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‘Satisfaction’ when he woke up from a deep sleep and sang the riff into a tape recorder and then went back to sleep again! • The unofficial anthem ‘Flower of Scot- land’ was only written in 1965. • In the same year Bob Dylan said if he ev- er sold out to a commercial interest, it would be in ‘ladies’ garments’. In 2007 he and his music appeared in the lingerie company Vic- toria’s Secret commercial! • The pop singer Bobby Darin was an ad- vocate for civil rights in the US and participat- ed in a civil rights march to Alabama. • In 1965 Pete Best (the original Beatles drummer before Ringo Starr) released an al- bum called ‘Best of the Beatles’, which con- tained no Beatles music but fooled so many people into buying it that it was investigated for consumer fraud. The case was dropped, because no fraud had been committed, as he was actually ‘Best, of the Beatles’. • Hit pop songs of 1965 included ‘Unchained Melody’ by the Righteous Broth- ers, ‘California Girls’ by the Beach Boys and most popular of all was ‘Satisfaction’ by the Rolling Stones. • One of Aretha Franklin’s most popular songs ‘Respect’ is actually a cover, as it was originally recorded by Otis Redding. • The Beatles’ album ‘Rubber Soul’ was released in 1965. • Other hit songs in 1965 included ‘Crying in the Chapel by Elvis Presley, ‘I’ll Never Find Another You’ by the Seekers, ‘Tears’ by Ken Dodd, ‘Go Now’ by the Moody Blues’ and ‘Tired of Waiting for You’ by The Kinks. • The lyrics of the song ‘Turn, Turn, Turn, by the US group the Byrds are taken almost exactly from the Book of Ecclesiastes, in the Old Testament, in the King James Bible. • The Who released their first single ‘I Can’t Explain’ • The Animals recorded ‘We Gotta Get Out Of This Place’ in 1965, as a follow-up to their hit ‘House Of The Rising Sun’ of the year before.
Cover page Icons
August, the eight month of the year and the sixth month of the Roman cal- endar. The Romans called the month Sextilis, which means six. Eight years before the birth of Jesus the name of the month was changed to
Augustus in honour of the Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar because many of the im- portant evets in his life happened around that time of year. Anglo-Saxons called it ‘Weod monath,’ which means weed month (because it is the month when weeds and other plants grow rapidly). In a standard year, no other month begins on the same day of the week as August, except in leap years when it begins same day of the week as February. In the northern hemisphere, August is consid- ered to be the last month of summer. August the 1st is Lammas Day - the start of the Lammas Festival (Thanksgiving/Harvest time). The name comes from Anglo-Saxon word Hlafmaesse which means Loaf Mass. Lammas Day also used to be a time for fore- telling marriages and trying out partners. Two people would agree to a trial marriage lasting the period of the fair (usually 11 days) to see whether they were really suited for wedlock. At the end the fair if they didn’t get on they could part! People would go to church to give thanks for the first crops be- ing harvested and Farmers mak- ing loaves from the new wheat crop, giving these to the church where they were used as the Communion bread during special mass of
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thanks. The custom ended when Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church. Today, harvest festivals are at the end of the season. (Michaelmas Day – 29 September is tradition- ally the last day of the harvest season. Other UK festivals include:
Firstly, the most important to many of our members -’Yorkshire Day’ ! on 1st August, the start of the Grouse season (the glorious 12th), Edinburgh Festival and the Royal Na- tional Eisteddfod—
And, last but not least, Leeds and Nottinghill Carnivals .
‘Yorkshire Day ‘originated as a military holiday with its roots stemming the emanci- pation of slaves in 1834, a few military cus- toms and some protests about losing York- shire’s cultural identity. The military custom involves light infantry (originally as Minden Day), although later joined by five other regi- ments in this tradition. The military permitted the regiments to wear a rose in their head- dress; although the original Light Infantry use a white rose instead of the standard red rose.
The emancipation anniversary is cel- ebrated in the honour of William Wilberforce, whom successful- ly campaigned for the emancipation. The cultural iden- tity protests were against the Local Government re-organization of Yorkshire in 1974. Yet with such a long and diverse history of changes, Yorkshire has kept itself from changing, keeping it’s old world appeal and aesthetic as the Day has become more and more known world-wide.
To follow tradition, the ‘Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity’ needs to be read out to declare the boundaries of which the County, and City, of Yorkshire, exist and prosper. The entire declaration is aimed towards solidifying the ties to one’s compatriots, to uphold tradition and not let any person or body change that. In the City of York, the Declaration is made four times by the Yorkshire Ridings Society. Other historical August events: 55BC: Julius Caesar and his army landed in Britain 79AD: Mount Vesuvius erupted burying the city of Pompeii and its remaining residents 1492: Columbus set sail from the Canaries 1762: The first-ever sand- wich was created. 1774: Joseph Priestly discov- ered Oxygen in the Laboratory at Bowood House, Wiltshire 1914: The start of WW1 1945: End of WWII & VJ Day (victory over Ja- pan) 1962: Jamaica gained independence after be- ing a British Colony for 300 years
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1963: In the UK - Great Train Robbery, and in the in US: Martin Luther King Jr gave his famous “I have a dream” speech.
1964: Josef Jakob, a German spy during WWII is the last person to be executed at the Tower of Lon- don, and Britain carried out the last executions of convicted mur- derers in Liverpool and Manches- ter prisons before the abolition
of capital punishment. 1966: Francis Chichester left Plymouth on the first successful attempt to sail single handed around the world on his yacht Gypsy Moth IV 1977: Elvis Presley left the world behind.
1987: Corporal punishment was banned in schools 1997: Princess Diana sadly lost her life fol- lowing a car accident in Paris
Garden Corner: From Incredible Edible
Now is a great time to be thinking about what veg to sow to keep you going over the winter months and get sowing. Veg like har- dier brassicas (sowing cabbage now avoids the cabbage white butterfly peak) and are then ready in Spring. There's also spring greens, turnips, Chinese greens (Pak choi, mi- zuna, leaf mustard etc). Keep things well watered during the hotter weather and reflect on what does well with
less water and where. This is a great tip for future years facing climate issues where wa- ter might be minimal. Planting leafy greens densely, such as broad- cast sowing bulls blood beetroot leaf or sorrel will help shade the soil and reduce evapora- tion. Look into tree guilding to provide areas of different habitats and beneficial compan- ion planting too. Keep an eye out for ladybirds moving in to protect your plants from greenfly. Try to find balance in your garden and let nature move in to help. Keep picking sweet peas to keep them flowering and keep picking any fruit such as tayberries and raspberries. You can al- ways freeze them for topping porridge in winter. If you find it hard to sit still when you can see all the tasks that need doing, take a moment to breathe and make a list. It's so important to be a mindful gardener - it helps you to en- joy just being surrounded by the beautiful space you've created and learn for future years too.
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Puzzle Corner
Quick Quiz Questions Quiz by Penny Brighten from Quiz Group. An- swers will be published in our next issue.
Answers from Issue 9
Sudoku - Issue 10
Charles I?
probocscis?
3 Which actress starred in the films ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’ and A Room with a View’?
4 Who had a 1986 hit with Addicted To
Love?
5 What is the latitude of the equator?
6 Who is the hero of John Buchan’s novel The Thirty-Nine Steps?
7 Of which Central American country is
Managua the capital?
8 Who said: ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ in the Bible?
9 What is a moving staircase called?
10 Trent Bridge is the home ground of
which county cricket team?
5 3 6 7
8 5 2 4
9 1 3 2 6
3 1
4 5 9 3 8
1 5 7 2
8 1 4 7
Crossword solution for Issue 9
Now, have you wanted to formulate a puzzle? Please contact us via the links on the website and we will publish it in a future issue! Quiz: Submit 10 questions and answers Sudoku: Submit a completed puzzle, clearly marking the numbers you wish placed as a
starting point in red Crossword: Submit your crossword grid with clues and answers
F R A N C I S C A P R I
A L O A S H S O N
C L O W N E D A L O O F
E N I I R D E
D E A F S A M P L E R
C E M E R
A M P E R E C H A S T E
V R R O D
A C O N I T E O W L S
L N C K O D
I R O N S A M E N I T Y
E U U R N R R E
R I N S E T A S S E L S
Crossword solution for Issue 8 (included with issue 9 owing to an error in issue 8)
M Y S T E R I O U S P
O A O D E I
B U R N C O D I C I L S
N G K I R O
I G N O R E T R E A T Y
E D R Y T
F R E S H T E M P O
T M A D R
G R O U S E O P E N E R
U D D C D S
M I L I T A N T G L E N
N E L O E N
S D I S C R E D I T S
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Crossword Issue 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9
10 11
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CRYPTIC Across 1 Film manufacture (10) 8 Use spoon and Jug (4) 9 Fashionable and well-known (notorious in fact!) (8) 10 Short of cash – difficult acquiring increase (4,2) 11 Competitor often flat out? (6) 12 Tuber available in many a market (3) 13 He has right to performing bird (5) 15 Thick – needs to be sorted out (5) 17 To relieve thus won’t evoke appreciation! (3) 19 Is felt to have suffocating effect (6) 21 Time of year flower should be on the way (6) 23 Unattached and, it’s said, tactful (8) 24 Forget to order it (4) 25 Determinedly organise trolley use (10) Down 2 Fierce struggle – deciding first to leave sinking ship? (3.4) 3 Challenged, are confined by theologian (5) 4 What cheerful and lively bird sounds like? (6) 5 Failing in business (6) 6 Someone must think he’s suitable (7) 7 Put out, but nothing used? (5)
14 Policeman one with major re- sponsibility? (7) 16 Place is maybe exceptional (7) 17 Is revolting – they all are! (6) 18 Happened to be a stretch of moorland (6) 20 They can be very similar links (5) 22 Descriptive of a fatty drink (5) COFFEE-TIME Across 1 Making (10) 8 Get Moving (4) 9 Of ill-repute (8) 10 Lacking money (4,2) 11 Carpet Strip (6) 12 Sweet potato (3) 13 Wading Bird (5) 15 Stupid (5) 17 Steal from (3) 19 Suppress (6) 21 Festival (6) 23 Separate (8) 24 Miss out (4) 25 Firmly (10) Down 2 Competitive battle (3,4) 3 Was bold enough (5) 4 Perky (6) 5 Weak (6) 6 Candidate (7) 7 Quench (5) 14 Forces man (7) 16 Particular (7) 17 Rises against (6) 18 Came about (6) 20 Pair born together (5) 22 Kind of beer (5)
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Garforth, Kippax & District U3A - Using our Facebook pages
Garforth, Kippax & District U3A has two presences on Facebook – Our Facebook page and our
Facebook group.
The page address is https://www.facebook.com/garforthkippaxu3a and following this link will take you initially to the Home page as shown here.
The page, which is visible to any Facebook user, is intended primarily to present Gar- forth, Kippax & District U3A to the outside world. So, if anyone (typically one of our interest groups but any U3A member may do this) wants to put something out to the whole Facebook world then this is where it should go. Please ensure that this is something that people outside our U3A should see.
The best way to do this would be to post the material to the page yourself. Do this by clicking/tapping the Create Post button seen the lower-right of the illustration and then typing or pasting the text content as usual on Facebook. Photos and other graphics may also be added in the usual way. Note that your post won’t be visible to anyone else until it has been approved by page admin.
The page administrators are currently:
Heather Dobson
Graham Isley
Isobel Todd
You may contact page admin by clicking/tapping the Send Message button which is visible to the right of the illustration.
See next page for details of the Facebook Group
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The group address is https://www.facebook.com/groups/348310975725681 and following this link will take you initially to the Discussion page as shown here.
Unlike our Facebook page described above, our Facebook group is a private group so is visible only to Facebook mem- bers who have applied to join and have been admitted to it.
Important
Only members of Garforth, Kippax & Dis- trict U3A are admitted as members of our Facebook group and anything posted on there will be visible only to our U3A mem- bers. It is therefore intended for private sharing and conversation between our own U3A members so if you want to post something that is intended only for our members then this is where to put it but, you have to be a member of the group to do this.
To join our Facebook group, which is open to all our U3A members, then go to the group ad- dress at the top of this section and apply to join.
Feel free to invite someone to join our facebook group (not our U3A which is another matter) and you may do this as for any Facebook group by clicking/tapping the Invite button. However, please remember that only members of Garforth, Kippax & District U3A are admitted as mem- bers of our Facebook group so invite only our U3A members. If you invite a non-member to join the group then sorry but the invitation will be declined by admin.
Once you have joined our Facebook group then you’ll find that this works like any other. To post something click/tap What’s on your mind [your name] and proceed as described above for posting on our page but unlike our page, your post will be visible to all members of the Face- book group once you have click/tapped the Post button.
Important
Before posting on our group for the first time please read our rules and bear them in mind when posting or commenting on a post. To see the rules click/tap About and scroll down to Group rules from the admin. These are the “standard” rules recommended by Facebook. Hope you enjoy using our Facebook page and group.
Hope you enjoy using our Facebook page and group.
Garforth, Kippax & District Facebook Admin.
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https://u3asites.org.uk/garforth-kippax/ welcome
Active Leeds:
https://active.leeds.gov.uk/active-leeds-for- health Click on the various icons for more infor- mation, register interest in a programme, to make a self- referral, or download the Keep- ing Well at home booklet. Cycle pathways in West Yorkshire (part of City Connect).
https://www.cyclecityconnect.co.uk
From Rachel Unsworth (Leeds City
Walking Tours):
www.leedscitywalkingtours.co.uk
Several new tour routes are coming up. This year it’s 200 years since John Barran’s
birth and 150 years since he had the foresight to acquire the Roundhay estate to make a park for Leeds. 10:00am Sunday 1 Aug: Walk in Roundhay Park on Yorkshire Day, followed by picnic OR
12:30 Sunday 1 Aug: join in the picnic and then come on the tour after lunch
'The route of the Middleton Railway' Sunday 15 August and probably also Sunday 29 Au- gust: a walk from Leeds Bridge to Moor Road station. With some slight wiggles, we’ll follow the route of the Middleton Railway. Initially a wagonway with horses pulling carts of coal into Leeds, it became a delivery service bene- fiting from the first ever steam locomotive. You’ll reach Moor Road in time to take the steam train ride up to Middleton on the short stretch of line that remains. Special price for train tickets on the day and also a special offer for the walking tour tickets
From ua’s National Learning Pro- gramme Further information on the following free talks is available on https://www.u3a.org.uk/ learning/national-programmes
If you check the above website you’ll see there are also many other ideas, themes and topics you can apply to join in with. Please note events which require members to book are at https://www.u3a.org.uk/events/ educational-events
Endnote:
Please note that any contributions from our general membership and Convenors will need to be with us by Wednesday 22nd August for inclusion in the next edition.
Thanks!
Newsletter Editors