Annual General Meeting of HDT

The Annual General Meeting of Headingley Development Trust will be held will be at 7.30 on Wednesday March 27 at HEART
The meeting will be held in the Shire Oak Room. Refreshments will be served from 7pm.

TALKING HEADS MARCH 28

TALKING HEADS at HEART 25 January

TALKING HEADS returns to HEART Nov 23

Yarn Bomb for Headingley

The Big Warm Headingley Welcome

LS6 residents, Headingley Town Team, Groups and Indies are teaming up to decorate our neighbourhood with a GREAT BIG YARN BOMB to welcome all new students to LS6.

GoodGym now at HEART

GoodGym Leeds now meets every Wednesday at 6pm at HEART for a run/walk & a volunteering activity, often followed by a social drink and a bite to eat at the Assembly Bar & Kitchen.  During the last month their activities have included graffiti cleaning, helping the Tribe Youth Group gardening, clearing a store out at Kirkstall Valley Farm and litter picking and hedge trimming at Rosebank. There is a full programme for June, details for which you can find on their page here: Good Gym Leeds. If this sounds like your sort of thing why not join them in their activities from HEART? You can sign up via their website using this link GoodGym Join.

Local Election Hustings at HEART

Headingley Network is hosting a hustings event at HEART on Wednesday 19th April from 6-8 p.m. in the Shire Oak Room at HEART. If you are a voter in this ward, you are welcome to come and hear the candidates answer questions. All of the candidates are invited and we hope that most of them can manage to be there. The event will be chaired by Isobel Mills, Chair of HDT.

If you want to ask a question, please do one of two things:

1.    Send me an email at lesjef56@gmail.com with your question and your name.
2.    Fill in one of the forms available at HEART reception and post it in the box (I hope to have it there today – and possibly also one at the wholefood shop too).

It is important to note that we are asking for questions relevant to the ward, rather than national or global questions, important though they are!

Please do this by 6 p.m. on Tuesday 18th, so that the questions can be grouped into themes and a range of them chosen to represent the topics that are raised.

Isobel will put the questions to the candidates who will each speak on the topic. If we can keep the answers short, there may be time for responses from the floor!

We look forward to a lively evening talking about issues relevant to our lives in Headingley and Hyde Park.

HDT AGM Wednesday March 29

Reminder that we will be holding our AGM and outlining proposals for the future on March 29, 7 pm at HEART.

You can review the Annual Report and Accounts summary here.

Tea/ Coffee 6.45 ~ AGM 7.00, followed by wine and juice.

Get involved in HDT

Are you interested in helping to make Headingley a better place for people to live and work? The Headingley Development Trust (HDT) is looking for board members, and we want you to apply! We are a community interest company with a range of interests including the HEART community and enterprise centre.  We are keen to recruit members from a range of age groups and backgrounds. With your help we can continue and expand our work to improve the local area and nurture our vibrant community.

Please contact us info@headingleydevelopmenttrust.org.uk for an initial chat

HEART Playground  

We have heard back from the Council on our application to remove the historic planning conditions requiring the old school playground to be used solely as a carpark. Unfortunately this was refused on the grounds that “the application to remove the conditions would have resulted in an unrestricted planning permission for the premises in terms of noise and parking/servicing which would not provide adequate safeguards in terms of highway safety and amenity.”

However the Planning Officer went on to say, “I think your justification for wanting to reduce the amount of parking within the site is well reasoned” and he noted that the Highways Officer had agreed that a reduction in parking provision would be acceptable in principle. Any such change would be assessed within the broader plans for how the outside space could be used in the future. So the most appropriate way forward would be to consider making a full planning application.

This is obviously a disappointing outcome. As 329 (84%) of the 391 individuals who responded to our surveys during the summer were in favour of less car-centric uses for the outside space at HEART, this will doubtless be disappointing news to many of you as well. Sadly, one of the consequences is that HEART’s family-centred activities such as Apple Day and Wonder Day may not be able to use the outside space as part of their celebrations in future, as we will have to maintain access for car drivers who wish to park there.

The HEART board will now be considering whether to apply for full planning permission. This would be a not insubstantial task, requiring both time (from staff and volunteers) and money (for professional support) but one for which we have seen that we have a lot of support for from HEART users and HDT members. We will of course keep you informed on this decision.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR NEW DIRECTORS TO JOIN THE HEART BOARD

As most of you will know, HEART opened in 2011, thanks to the hard work of Headingley Development Trust (HDT) and local residents who strived to keep this wonderful building in community use.

We have a team of marvellous staff and volunteers, including a Board of Directors. We are keen to expand the Board further, we are hoping in particular there might be someone out there with HR skills.

Please click here for more information.

The Natural Food Store Limited

Store Manager

An exciting opportunity for an exceptional and committed individual, passionate about the products the store offers, about the wider community it serves and about running a good business!

For a full job description email secretary@naturalfoodstore.coop  or see www.naturalfoodstore.coop

Deadline for applications: Friday 2nd September

Interviews: Wed 7th September after 16.00

Headingley Community Orchard

The fruit on the trees at the St Chad’s orchard is now getting ripe. We donate fruit to local good causes and a lot of the apples are juiced at Apple Day at Heart (this year on 22nd October). The fruit is used for local community purposes but that doesn’t mean that anybody who lives locally (or anywhere else) can help themselves to as much fruit as they want. In past years people have come at night with vans and ladders and stripped whole trees of fruit. Please pick and eat one or two pieces of fruit if you want to know what a particular variety tastes like. But please don’t take more than that.

HEART Playground

You may have noticed that we have had to take two actions with regard to the use of HEART.   The first is that the playground has been returned to its sole use as a car park.  The second is that we can no longer hold live music events outdoors. 

These changes, which we very much hope will be short term, have been made with great sadness.  The reason for them is that on 15 June, HEART received a Planning Enforcement Case letter from Leeds City Council.  This stated that the Council “had received a complaint about the changes to the car park which appear to have occurred over the past year or so”.  It notes, further, that there have also been “complaints that activities are taking place outside the centre which involve amplified music and sound which is contrary to the original planning approval”. 

Of course, we are not in the business of deliberately flouting rules and we are investigating options to remove the relevant planning conditions in place since HEART opened.  Until that becomes possible – assuming it does – we will be complying with the enforcement letter.  But it may be we have got users’ views completely wrong, and that there is an appetite for the full car-park to come back into use.  We would like to know what you think. 

Over the coming weeks we will be providing various opportunities for you to have your say including  at the HDT stand at the Farmer’s Market, the HDT newsletter, a survey of HEART users and the “postcards from the future” that you will be seeing around HEART shortly.

In the meantime if you have any immediate comments please get in touch at  ideas@alanbeswick

Please tell us what you think. Completing the short survey here would provide valuable evidence to guide our thinking in our response to the Council. Thank you!

The Boards of HDT and HEART

Headingley Enterprise & Arts Centre

CENTRE MANAGER VACANCY AT HEADINGLEY ENTERPRISE AND ARTS CENTRE (HEART)

After six and a half years, Mike Bird, our Centre Manager, is leaving.  We are looking for an energetic and resourceful successor who will not just build on Mike’s legacy, but will help steer HEART on its continuing journey.

Since 2011, and due to the fantastic efforts of staff and volunteers and the loyalty of the community, HEART has become an iconic and much-loved destination.  Its vision has always been to create a vibrant and welcoming space for a wide range of people to meet, mix, work and play.  

To lead HEART into the future, we are looking for someone:

  • With strong organisational skills, including forecasting, prioritising, problem-solving and budget setting
  • With demonstrable people and resource management skills, and in particular the ability to give individuals and teams a clear sense of their roles and how their contribution matters
  • With experience of the day-to-day running of a busy multi-functional organisation, building, or space
  • With a track record of delivering excellent customer service
  • Who is able to show how they have responded to the needs of a diverse range of users and customers, and contributed to the success of the enterprises where they have worked
  • Who can thrive in a collaborative environment which requires the continual review of what is working, and a tough-minded approach to re-ordering priorities when necessary
  • With a passionate commitment to community development and the principles of a social enterprise.

The closing date to apply is 10.00 am on Monday 6 June 20022.  For more information and a full Application Pack please contact Mike Bird at centremanager@heartcentre.org.uk

Do you want to be part of a local independent business in Headingley

The Headingley Greengrocer is a successful independent business run as part of Headingley Development Trust. It provides high quality produce and an excellent service to the local community.

We seek an enthusiastic and hard-working individual to join its staff team. The post will be for approximately 15 hours per week, including most Saturdays. Some flexibility will be required. The postholder will be responsible to the manager. Pay will be £7.50-9.70 per hour according to age/experience.  

A full job description is available on the Headingley Greengrocer’s website www.theheadingleygreengrocer.co.uk

Interested candidates should email Kathy Beels krbeels@yahoo.co.uk explaining why they would be suitable for the post and attaching a CV and the names of two referees by first thing Tues 3rd May, or they can leave the information at the shop in an envelope marked ‘new post’ addressed to the Manager. Interviews will be on Friday 6th May.

Do you live in LS6? 

Would you like to help move forward an exciting new community initiative?

Have you project management skills / experience?

Do you have some time to volunteer to help manage the delivery and development of Buy Nowt LS6 Library of Things?

In October 2021, a group of local residents opened the pay-as-you-feel library, believing that we can deliver a sustainable service by mobilising the resources of local residents and by managing overheads. 

Since opening, fantastic local support means that we already have 700 pending memberships and the library offers over 700 donated items.

To deliver and develop the library, we are putting together a Project Management Group. If you would like to find out more then please contact leeingh@gmail.com

Required personal qualities: 

  • A commitment to the Library of Things and the values of BN LS6 CIC
  • An ability to work as part of a team
  • The vision to take a long term view and plan for the future of the library
  • A connection with the locality

What you can expect:

  • An induction and support from the Board of BN LS6 CIC
  • Access to volunteer expenses
  • Thanks and recognition

Tribute to Matthew Hill

Matthew Hill, who died on 8th February, was a passionate advocate of the sustainability agenda, a believer in the power of the community to help tackle the climate emergency and an expert ready to use his skills and knowledge to effect change and make things happen. He was also a lovely man, kind and thoughtful, whose gentle demeaner hid a steely determination.

He was a member of the HDT board from 2017 until his retirement through ill health in December 2021 and co-chair of HDT throughout the covid pandemic. He was central to the design and specification of the energy efficiency measures built into HEART, led the energy efficiency upgrade specifications for our house at 50 Headingley Mount and founded and ran the Low Carbon Homes certification scheme for landlords in conjunction with Unipol.

With Tony Herrmann he founded Zero Carbon Headingley and was centrally involved in their transport and Greening Up Headingley initiatives, as well as leading the planning and delivery of the Annual Car-Free Street Fair on North Lane. In addition, he led and managed the last two Open Gardens days.

He was an enthusiastic singer and performer in Headingley Voices and in Sound Company, for whom he co-write their last production ….Without a Paddle, and he loved playing the piano and tending his beautiful garden. He will be much missed. Our best wishes and condolences go to his partner Marilyn Crook and his son, Jim Wild and family.

Please click here for details of THE MATTHEW HILL SUSTAINABILITY FUND and how to make a donation.

Matthew Hill

Ever thought of becoming a director of HDT?

You may have seen the announcement of our AGM on 16th March at HEART asking for Members to consider standing for positions on the Board. This is a great opportunity to get involved and help shape the future of Headingley. We are keen to attract representation from across the local community and are also looking to add certain skills including financial expertise to the Board. If this sounds like you and you would like to find out more about what is involved please contact us at this email address, info@headingleydevelopmenttrust.org.uk. Closing date Feb 21.

Apple Day is back on Saturday, 23rd October

Come to Heart for Apple Day on Saturday, 23rd October. There will be juicing from 1.00 to 4.00pm and a host of other apple-related activities. If you’ve got surplus apples we’d love to have them to juice. Ideally drop them off at Heart the day before, or bring them on the day. Include a litre bottle (or smaller) with your name on it and we’ll fill it with juice for free. No apples? No problem – there will be freshly pressed juice for all to buy.

Car Free Street Fair

As you will see from the photograph the Car Free Street Fair on North Lane was a great success. HDT had a stall and received a big response to our request for ideas for the future. We will be reporting on these soon, but if you would like to contribute, please email ideas@hdtleeds.org.uk

Film at HEART Open Meeting

Thursday September 16 7:00 pm at HEART

AGENDA
Introductions
Apologies
Background to the meeting. Brief History of Films at HEART
Discussion whether to agree that HEART taking over as an activity is the correct way forward
When:
When will it restart
Which night or nights
Timings
‘Membership’: Are we still wanting a membership
Tickets:
Through TicketSource (our usual HEART ticket site) or as now
Price
Organising group: what should that look like, how many people, what roles etc
Additional volunteers:
People to take tickets on the night, run the projections, etc
Ideas for screenings:
Palestinian Film Festival
Film and Food
Seasons
Any others
Programming meeting:
Need to set a date for this.
Open to all, or only the organising group?
AOB
Date for any follow-up meeting

Car Free Street Fair

Sunday September 19

Two years ago Zero Carbon Headingley celebrated International Car Free Day by closing North Lane to traffic and holding a street fair. Many of you will remember this as the day you could walk along the middle of North Lane without a car or lorry in sight! We are planning to hold the event again this year on Sunday September 19th

We’ll post more details in the next HDT Newsletter, but there will be stalls from a wide range of local environmental groups, fun activities for children, food for sale and live music to enjoy. Put the date in your diary and if you’d like to book a stall at the event or have any ideas to help make this a special day please get in touch. zerocarbonheadingley@gmail.com

Headingley Open Gardens

Sunday September 12

Our Open Gardens day, which had to be cancelled last year, is going ahead on the afternoon of Sunday September 12th.

There will 15 gardens open to visit, both small and large, and we have the added bonus of live music  from the Fern String Quartet at our tea and cakes venue. This is a great opportunity to see some of the hidden gardens around central Headingley . Tickets will be on sale nearer the time from HEART and the Oxfam Bookshop.Further information will be posted on the HDT website.

Car Free Street Fair

Sunday September 19

Two years ago Zero Carbon Headingley celebrated International Car Free Day by closing North Lane to traffic and holding a street fair. Many of you will remember this as the day you could walk along the middle of North Lane without a car or lorry in sight! We are planning to hold the event again this year on Sunday September 19th

We’ll post more details in the next HDT Newsletter, but there will be stalls from a wide range of local environmental groups, fun activities for children, food for sale and live music to enjoy. Put the date in your diary and if you’d like to book a stall at the event or have any ideas to help make this a special day please get in touch. zerocarbonheadingley@gmail.com

Headingley Farmers’ Market Needs You

Do you want to contribute to the vibrancy and sustainability of the Headingley community? Are you keen to work to promote good quality local food? Are you interested in the provenance of food? 

Headingley Farmers’ Market is looking for volunteers to join our organising group.  This means

o             Being at the market in all weathers

o             Taking part in the monthly organising meeting

o             Taking on tasks to make the market happen

o             Meeting stallholders …..and having fun.

If that’s you, contact a member of the team on 07788 190589 for an informal chat or talk to one of the organising group at the next market.

The next market is on Saturday 10th July, 9-12.30 at the Rose Garden. Come and support your favourite stallholders!

News of Reopenings!

HEART is reopening!
 
From 29th March we will have takeaway food and drink available from Assembly Bar + Kitchen operating from 10am-3pm. (Please note we will be closed over the Easter weekend).Our workspace, Pulse, has desks available. We have a new day-rate as well as our usual monthly memberships if people want to join and have a break from working from home.From 12th April we are able to welcome you back to sit outside in the ‘Playground’. We have bought a large marquee to ensure there is plenty of shelter for you but still plenty of space outside if you prefer to face the elements! From this date you are able to meet in groups of up to 6, or two households although social distancing does remain in place. We’ll be open from 9am to 9pm from Monday to Saturday and would recommend booking a table through our website as we hope we’ll be busy. The menu has been updated and the team are ready and looking forward to serving  our community again.We believe the marquee will prove a popular addition to HEART which is why we have invested in this. We do have a Crowdfunder running to help with the costs of this, and any donations massively appreciated. https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/your-support-keeps-us-going
Headingley Farmers’ Market is back!
 
We are delighted to announce the relaunch of Headingley Farmers’ Market on Saturday 10th April. Our stallholders can’t wait to see you again!Most of your favourites will be there: Swillington Organic Farm, Mario Olianas, Yiannis Kardamakis, Johnson’s fish from Scarborough, Linconshire Poacher Cheese, Stickey’s Honey and a dozen more.There are a few changes: we’re very sorry that Thistlemist Farm will no longer be coming, though you can buy her soups and sauces at various farm shops. In her place near the exit will be our (new-ish) vegan stall, Honest Edibles.The layout of the Market will be very similar to that of last year. The entrance is on North Lane, there will be a one-way system and you will be asked to wear masks unless medically exempt. A maximum of only 5 customers (or households) will be allowed to queue at each stall. This is to ensure social distancing on our small site so you are encouraged to ‘shop don’t stop’.We look forward to good weather and we know that our great musicians, Kilburn, Coles and Rendell, will help to make it go with a swing. The market is from 9am until 12.30.Also…Headingley Country Markets is looking for a new baker/maker. If interested talk to them at the stall on April 10th.The HFM organising group is also seeking new members – it’s hard work but fun. Find out more from one of the group at the market or email gillredfearn@yahoo.co.uk

AGM, Annual Reports and Accounts

Our Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 16th March is fast approaching. This year, for obvious reasons, we are unable to meet and we will be holding it on-line via Zoom. Look out for more details on how to join the meeting, plus the agenda and background papers in an email that we will be sending out to members in the next few days.

We hope to see many of you there on the evening as we have a lot to tell you about an eventful year and about our plans for the year ahead. We would love to hear what else you think we should be doing.

To whet your appetite you can read our brand new Annual Report and Accounts on our website by following this link. As an added bonus we have again produced a separate report for HEART and this can also be read on-line here.

Job Opportunity

Headingley Enterprise & Arts Centre (HEART)
Bookkeeper (Approximately 15-20 hours per month)
Hourly rate dependent on experience

Headingley Enterprise and Arts Centre is looking for an enthusiastic and flexible person to join our team as our Bookkeeper. You will be the primary person dealing with financial processes for HEART. You will be responsible for the timely and accurate financial reporting for HEART on a monthly and annual basis. Duties include bank reconciliations, processing of invoices and ensuring suppliers are paid in a timely fashion, as well as ensuring any client debt is chased and recovered.

We are seeking someone who has experience of financial or bookkeeping processes as well as the ability to produce accurate and timely monthly management accounts, and annual accounts.

The role is suitable both for a freelancer or for someone wishing to join the HEART team. Remote working is possible but some work –including attending Finance Meetings–is better undertaken in the building.

Full details of the post and how to apply are available on the HEART website at www.heartcentre.org.uk/about/jobs or you can email Mike at centremanager@heartcentre.org.uk

Closing date for applications is midday on Sunday 28 th February 2021. Interviews will be held via Zoom.

As a Disability Confident and Mindful Employer, we welcome applications from anybody within our community that meets the requirements of the role.

Notice of AGM and invitation for nominations to the Board

The Annual General Meeting of Headingley Development Trust will be held on Tuesday 16th March 2021 at 7.00 p.m.  This year, for obvious reasons, we were not able to plan with confidence for the meeting to be held at HEART. We will instead be holding it on Zoom, which hopefully most of you will be familiar with – or at least aware of – by now. For those of you who wish to attend or who would like to find out about how to join a Zoom meeting we will send out more details in a follow-up to this notification in mid February.

Board nominations 
Despite the challenges resulting from the pandemic HDT has continued to thrive. Our success comes from our members who have continued to support our projects and initiatives throughout these uncertain times. The Board  oversees all this activity and drives forward HDT’s development. We are always looking for new people to bring fresh thinking and energy to the Board and remain conscious that our Board lacks diversity. We would particularly encourage younger, black and ethnic minority members and those bringing up young families in Headingley to join us  and if you have some financial acumen that would be an additional benefit.. 

It is not necessary to have previous experience in a director or board role. This is a great opportunity to gain experience and develop these skills. If you have commitment to the aims of HDT, enthusiasm for working with others on our projects, and the wish to help Headingley thrive, please consider standing for election to help steer the organisation over the coming years.

Deadline for nominations
If you wish to stand for the Board, please complete the relevant nomination form(s) and return by 5.00 p.m. on Monday 15th February 2021. These have to be signed both by the candidate and a sponsor. Normally we ask for them to be returned to HEART but to avoid unnecessary contact this year they can be scanned (or photographed) and returned to this email address. 
 
Election process
If we have more candidates than there are places available for the Board, elections will take place on 16th March at the AGM. If we have the same number or fewer candidates, then the AGM will be asked to declare them elected.
 
Further information
We would be very happy to discuss membership of the Board. If you would like to arrange to have a confidential discussion to find out more about what the role entails please contact me at info@headingleydevelopmenttrust.org.uk. I can put you in touch with one of our directors who would be delighted to provide you with more details, answer any questions you may have and arrange a sponsor for your application. You may also wish to read of the experience of Liz Jeffery – who was co-opted on to our Board in 2020, which can be found on the membership page.
 

ZERO CARBON HEADINGLEY

Headingley -Towards a 15 Minute Neighbourhood. Sunday November 22nd

This is the title of a conference/webinar being run jointly by HDT, Headingley Festival of Ideas and Zero Carbon Headingley. The concept of a 15 minute neighbourhood is a community where everyone can safely walk or cycle to all their day-to day needs (shops, library, school, doctor, green space, etc) within fifteen minutes or so.

There will be guest speakers, workshops and open discussion around this theme. The conference is being held on Sunday November 22nd and will be held as an on-line webinar. The full agenda is available on the new zch website zch.hdtleeds.org.uk or as word doc. To book a place please e-mail headingley.festivalofideas@gmail.com

HEART UPDATE

HEART continues to operate Assembly Bar + Kitchen outside. This has proved very popular, with our Tuesday Night gigs a great success.


To ensure that HEART is ready and able to welcome you all during the winter months, we need to do some important works that will enable us to be ready to have people safely back inside again. To do this we have made the decision to close for one week from Sept 28 and reopen on Oct 5.
Hand sanitiser and anti-bac wipes are in plentiful supply and we now ask all visitors to wears face coverings when in the public areas of the building.

Headingley Farmer's Market

Headingley Farmers’ Market

We are delighted that the Farmers’ Market will be running again on Saturday 8th August.

We are back in the Rose Garden but not quite back to our pre lockdown normal. After a rigorous risk assessment all the necessary precautions will be in place: the stalls will be more spaced out and there will be a one-way system around the market.

Please go in to the market from the North Lane side, where there’ll be sanitiser and again at the exit on Ash Rd (where you’ll find John Johnson’s fish van).

We will also be managing the number of people and asking customers to keeping the necessary distance whilst queueing at the stalls. Stall holders will be taking payment by card wherever possible (though cash is acceptable).

Gardening during Lockdown?

Have you been growing during the lockdown? We’d like to expand our Headingley Open Gardens collection of photographs to include images of your plants, be it flowers in a window box or lettuce on your allotment.

Send in your photos to opengardens@headingleydevelopmenttrust.org.uk and we will publish a selection later this summer.

The Headingley Greengrocer – now open

We are delighted to be able to say that the shop is now up and running! We opened on 26th April + grand opening event: Saturday 4th May at 10.15.

The shop aims to provide really good, quality produce whilst keeping an eye on environmental concerns.It will be selling fresh fruit, vegetables and salads, as well as flowers and plants in season.