I’m delighted to have been elected as Labour and Co-operative councillor for Ardsley and Robin Hood ward on Leeds City Council. It’s never easy to win a seat from a sitting councillor and I successfully won it from the Conservatives.

It’s fantastic that We now have a complete team of three Labour councillors working hard together to get the best for Ardsley and Robin Hood.  It’s a huge honour that the people of East and West Ardsley, Robin Hood, Thorpe, Lofthouse, Tingley, Ouzelwell Green and Heritage Village have put their faith in me to work hard and fight the corner for the area.

I’ve already knocked on hundreds of doors over the past year and a half before being your councillor so I can’t wait to get started on some of the issues raised with me. There is a series of inductions and training sessions planned over the coming weeks for the councillors that have just been elected and I’ll hopefully soon have my council email address and systems in place. I’m very excited to get started as your councillor and will always be available to try to help.

I’ve had great support from my now ward colleagues Karen and Stephen and from my family husband Stuart and daughter Esme. Thanks also to the Ardsley and Robin Hood Labour Party members who have worked hard and given valuable support. Thank you to every single person who voted for me.

Some of you might have seen from my social media or seen me out and about that I’ve been spending a lot of time on community campaigning in East and West Ardsley, Lofthouse, Robin Hood, Ouzelwell Green, Tingley, Thorpe and Heritage Village.

That’s because I’m running to be your Labour councillor for the Ardsley and Robin Hood ward of Leeds City Council. You’ve already got two fantastic councillors in Karen Renshaw and Stephen Holroyd-Case and I’d love your support to help me become the third. That’s how I can best serve and support the local community.

I live and work in Carlton, next to Lofthouse, Ouzelwell Green and Robin Hood. I live with my husband, teenage daughter, a lively Labrador and a cute cat. We’ve been part of the community here for more than two decades. I was born and brought up in Wakefield.

I’m out every week with Karen and Stephen visiting local events like the Lofthouse TLC cafe , Friends cafe in Tingley, East Ardsley beer festival, Hill Top good companions, East Ardsley Community centre, Thorpe Christmas Fair, Ouzelwell In Bloom, too many to list them all. I’ve also been knocking on hundreds of doors to listen to people about their concerns. The top issues people raise with me and the team are the cost of living crisis, antisocial behaviour, buses (or lack of!), opportunities for young people, and how hard it is get appointments with GPs and dentists.

My previous experience as a councillor means I can hit the ground running. I’ve already been able to use my experience to support Karen and Stephen in their work as your local councillors.

If elected to represent Ardsley and Robin Hood ward I’ll always be available to help you and your family with casework to get local issues sorted out. Even after I was no longer a councillor I was still an active campaigner – fighting innappropriate planning applications, supporting people facing unfair evictions and more. I can’t wait to get stuck in on new campaigns and will use my voice as a councillor to fight for our community.

As Chair of Leeds City Council’s Outer South community committee I worked with the local police chief inspector to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime locally. I want to make local people feel safe, along with Labour’s plan to put more police back on our streets.

I worked in public transport for 14 years and I want to see Ardsley and Robin Hood get a fair deal, I will work with Tracey Brabin and the local Labour team to get the regular, joined up publicly controlled bus service that we deserve in our area.

I want opportunity for all our young people. I have experience of working with our schools, training providers and employers. Our young people need affordable homes to buy and rent, the right type of homes need to be built in the right place with the right services. New homes must be accompanied with more doctors, dentists, schools and public transport.

The cost-of-living crisis is hitting local people hard. As a trustee of the Leeds South and East Foodbank I see the need in our community. I’ve led food collections in local supermarkets. I’ve persuaded businesses to help.

I’m keen to support local small businesses, as someone who helps run our small family business I know the challenges you face. My role is to manage finance and help with client projects such as developing communications ideas to help people improve the energy efficiency of their homes. 

As a nearby resident I’m campaigning against the battery storage plant on Westfield Road between Carlton and Robin Hood and have objected and backed residents at demos and supported the councillors at local meetings held with residents. A decision is still pending on this, we are hoping it will be defeated.

I’m excited and honoured at the prospect of becoming your councillor in Ardsley and Robin Hood so I can fight hard for local people and stand up for our area. I would love to be part of the fantastic hard working Labour councillor team here.

If you want to help with our campaign then please let me know. I’d love your support.

I thought this snapshot of Labour Party conference might be interesting for local members, supporters of the local Labour Party and the many community minded folk here in Elmet and Rothwell. I finally got around to posting it after just returning from holiday.

It was a fabulous conference.

I really enjoyed attending as Elmet and Rothwell delegate in Liverpool, thanks to local members for giving me the opportunity.

The impression stamped on me as a delegate, and no doubt to the outside world watching, was that of a party which had come together united. A party focussed on and serious about winning the general election whenever it came. A party united behind Keir Starmer. Keir looked like a confident, relaxed and in charge Prime Minister in waiting. Alongside him he has a competent shadow team, which is particularly re-assuring given the complete and utter shambles the Tories are in and dragging the country down with them.

It felt really in tune with the country to kick off with a tribute to the very recently passed Queen Elizabeth. It was an emotional moment to be in the hall with friends and colleagues from across our party.

Labour Party conference isn’t just about listening to speeches. As delegates we also got to vote on important issues. Some key decisions included:

• Capping each CLP’s Annual Conference delegation at six delegates to prevent the conference floor being dominated by very large delegations from wealthy CLPs when the money should be better invested in campaigning (the number of delegates makes no difference to the votes the CLP has).
• Shortlisting in snap elections and by-elections gives flexibility to NEC and takes account of the fact they are nationally, rather than just locally focused.
• Two CLP reps on conference arrangement committee will again be elected by conference, which seems more logical.
• For Disabled Members’ rep on the Conference Arrangements Committee, Katrina Murray, was re-elected with 93% of the vote
• Restoring the “one year rule” for rule changes submitted by CLPs.
• Councillors must withdraw from coalitions with other parties when instructed or lose whip.
• National Constitutional Committee -Sama Tatler, Phil Brickell and Dan Neidle elected.
• Support for proportional representation – I heard some great and valid arguments for and against. It was a great example of why it is so important to listen to and learn from the speeches. It has to be right that everyone’s vote should have the same value.

My favourite speeches

The Labour team did not disappoint with their speeches, showcasing what great talent we have.

Rachel Reeves gave a great speech and has been doing a great job convincing the country that Labour is a safe pair of hands to run the economy again. We have to occupy the ground of economic competence which has been lacking since the days of Gordon Brown.

It was good to hear Yvette Cooper reminding us all that a Labour government will be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime.

The shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, said the party would promise face-to-face GP appointments with any patients who wanted them, adding that the days of waiting on the phone at 8am to book an appointment with your GP will be over. We will bring back the family doctor. Patients will be able to self-refer to specialist services where appropriate, without permission from a GP.

Bridget Phillipson, the fabulous shadow education secretary, said Labour would reform the childcare system for children aged one to 11, starting with the provision of free breakfast clubs at all primary schools.

I hope you got chance to see Keir Starmer’s brilliant speech. If not you can watch it (and all the other speeches) on the Labour Party’s YouTube channel. Keir gave us some impressive major policy announcements to go out and campaign on. It also gave an insight into Keir the person. He spoke about his mum’s illness – she was diagnosed with Still’s disease when he was young – and he recalled going into the intensive care unit to visit, where he found his Mum’s bed was a riot of tubes and devices. He said he could sense the urgency in the conversation of the four nurses on his mum’s bed. “I knew without being told that they were keeping her alive.” He could hardly convey the emotion of seeing his mum in that condition. He praised the nurses who looked after her. And he spoke movingly about his dad, a tool maker, who, he said, gave him a “deep respect for the dignity of work”.

It was electrifying when you were in the room, and it was great that he walked through the audience after to an amazing reception. He even got to shake my hand !

You can read the whole speech here:

Some key policy announcements

• I really cheered at the commitment to substantially increase the percentage of social housing (close to my heart and so important to our Elmet and Rothwell communities).
• Huge welcome for the announcement on publicly owned Great British Energy and zero carbon energy by 2030.
• New powers to regional and local leaders.
• A commitment to R&D spending to support innovation at the heart of a new green industrial strategy.
• Rail re-nationalisation.
• A promise to get 1.5 million additional Britons on the housing ladder. A real step forward in social mobility.

Fringe meetings

Some fringe events

I also got to go to some brilliant fringe events including on such important topics as online harm, social care and the cost of living crisis.

The Open Labour event I attended on ‘the Path to Power’ was excellent, more on Open Labour Open Labour What we stand for – Open Labour. One of our Leeds Labour MPs, Alex Sobel, is a founder of Open Labour and was a speaker.  It also helps when they provide great food when you’re running on empty!

The Yorkshire and Humber reception was a good event to catch up with lots of people in our great region and hear from our MPs including the newest Wakefield MP Simon Lightwood. It was great to catch up after helping in the by-election, we also had a visit from Keir.

All in all, it was a brilliant week. Conference exuded a feeling of optimism. Labour membership increased by more than 2,500 over the party’s conference, fuelled by the Conservatives’ turmoil and polls suggesting it is on course for victory.

It was great to catch up with old friends and meet some great new ones. I came away inspired that a fairer, greener future is possible and ready to fight for it. The country needs us to be in a state to be able to kick the Tories out and as a party every one of us needs to be up for the challenge and play a part however small.

Only Labour can deliver for people in Elmet and Rothwell through a Labour government, together as a united party we can do it!

I feel that as well as using my experience, contacts and skills of being a councillor and community chair in the foodbank area, I can bring some understanding and empathy to what it is like for families who are struggling, having being brought up on a council estate ten miles from the food bank warehouse and being a free school meals kid, I know what it feels like to have to queue in a separate line. We always have to look for better ways of providing for those in need which doesn’t single out or stigmatise those we’re trying to help.  I want a fairer society and it’s shocking and truly tragic that foodbanks are needed in this day and age. Until the day comes when there are true opportunities for all and when food banks are no longer needed I will do all I can to help the foodbank to help those who need it most. The team at Leeds South and East Foodbank are amazing and all go the extra mile for those in dire need.

In the year ending April 2021, South and East foodbank provided food for 9,615 people, consisting of 5,892 adults and 3,723 children. The foodbank recently had an official opening for the larger premises it now requires. It’s tragic that foodbanks are needed by so many to struggle through.

Various reasons cause people to need help from the foodbank, such as low income, benefit changes and delays, delayed wages,  and various other situations.

We work with a number of companies, schools, and organisations, who donate food, money, and also provide volunteers. Some of these are:

Leeds United Supporters Trust, White Rose Centre, Amey, PureGym, Manheim Motors, Tesco, National Powergrid, Amazon, Sky, West Yorkshire Police, Sulzer, Lyreco, and many others, all have our utmost thanks for their help and generosity.

The foodbank is a project founded by local churches and community groups, working together towards stopping hunger in our local area and is supported by the Trussell Trust.

For anyone needing help in a crisis, please call 0113 376 0330 to speak to Leeds Local Welfare Support Scheme, a referral partner of Leeds South & East Foodbank.

I’m standing to be Rothwell’s Labour councillor and part of my vision for Rothwell is to have full pedestrianisation, a safe and welcoming town centre space and a town craft and produce market.

The online survey I carried out shows that 71% of people want Commercial Street to be fully pedestrianised. My idea for a craft and produce market on Commercial Street is supported by 85% of people. Since I announced the idea in Rothwell News (which should now have been delivered to every home in Rothwell, Woodlesford, Oulton and Carlton – let me know if you haven’t had yours) I’ve had lots of people contact me to say how much they support the idea.

When I was a councillor I received lots of complaints about cars and vans using Commercial Street. I knew people wanted it to be fully pedestrianised, so was delighted when almost three quarters of people said this was their favourite option. A small number of people (just 15%) want to fully open the street to traffic. Even fewer people think what we have at the moment is acceptable as just 14% want to maintain the current status with the street partially open to traffic.

Like many local high streets Commercial Street will struggle to get back on its feet without backing, determination and positive partnership working including with the council. I want to see more done to turn it into a thriving place again. A regular local farmers market with craft and produce stalls will bring people back to the centre of Rothwell which will also benefit local traders as people see what great shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants we have. In other local centres we are seeing a surge in outdoor coffee shops and al fresco dining, which is what people want and isn’t expected to stop even when in-door dining is allowed again.

I’ve long believed that fully pedestrianising Commercial Street is a good idea as it means it will be like a proper local centre where people can walk, chat, eat and drink safely.

Unfortunately the Rothwell Liberal Democrat councillors went against the wishes of local people by siding with a giant American owned company to give special permission for Boots’ vans to flout the limited restrictions we already had. Boots is a gigantic company that sends its profits back to the USA. I’d have had more sympathy if it was to support one of our unique local independent businesses who don’t get the same advantages.

In April the Labour Party launched the Rebuilding Our High Streets Commission to explore ideas for the future of local high streets and bring together experts who want to listen to what local people want. It’s also a key pledge of Tracy Brabin who is standing as Labour’s candidate for West Yorkshire mayor. She has pledged to support our local businesses and champion the regional economy.

Despite being ranked higher for economic and social need Rothwell missed out on money from the government’s £1 billion ‘Towns Fund’ which gave £24 million to Morley to invest in revitalising the town centre and local community projects.

There is so much that could be done to support local traders and protect local jobs, not just on Commercial Street, but also in the other parts of Woodlesford, Oulton and Carlton where we have lots of amazing independent local businesses.

Local people have also commented to me on what a good idea it is to call for the Rothwell Children’s day celebrations to be brought back. Local children have been impacted by the pandemic in ways we couldn’t have imagined as children, including not being able to go to school for so long and being away from their friends and family. They have been little heroes too! Let’s show them we care by holding a special day for them.

I love Rothwell. For more than 30 years I’ve lived in Rothwell and nearby villages.

I love it here. I live with my husband and now teenage daughter in Carlton. From 2011 to 2019 I served our community as a Labour councillor representing local people in Rothwell, Woodlesford, Oulton and Carlton.

I get knocked down. But I get up again. I loved being your local councillor for eight years and was devastated to lose in 2019. Not for me, but for all the people I couldn’t help and all the local services I couldn’t protect any more.

I was right to be worried as our Liberal Democrat councillors have failed to stand up for local people, so services have been lost. It’s not surprising that being relentlessly negative and talking our area down to criticise the council doesn’t work.

In Rothwell there are three serious contenders to be your local councillor – myself for Labour and candidates from the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. Whoever wins they will have an incredibly hard job as the council’s budget has been slashed in half since 2010. Most of the cuts were under the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition government.

That’s why my experience as a councillor, knowledge of how the council works and relationships with senior councillors and council officers is so important.

If you vote for me, I will hit the ground running. The council is complicated and the cuts mean there simply isn’t time to learn on the job as while a councillor is learning how to do it we will lose vital local services.

When I was a councillor, I worked with the community to save our fire station (and build a new one!), to keep Windmill youth club open and save Dolphin Manor. Thanks to more government cuts and the failure of our local councillors some of our services are again under threat.

We have a Labour run council and none of our councillors (who are all Liberal Democrat) talk to them sensibly to ensure we get a fair deal. We need rational conversations not political shouting on social media and leaflets. 

Post-pandemic we need to get Rothwell back on its feet. I‘m excited to get started on my idea for full pedestrianisation of Commercial Street, including outdoor street dining and a new produce and craft market to revitalise and bring in trade to support local shops. Local people want hybrid working so I want to see co-working places in places like the old council offices. I’m determined that local young people get the new school building they deserve at Royds. As a Mum at a local school I experience the same challenges as you and will never stop fighting for Rothwell, Woodlesford, Oulton and Carlton.

Why do you want to stand as a councillor again?

I first stood to be a councillor as I love Rothwell and wanted to give back to the community. I didn’t stop working for local people when I lost my seat, but I’m frustrated I can’t achieve as much as when I was a councillor. I still get people contacting me for help with everything from finding a local home to potholes, parks and planning.

It’s frustrating to see the Liberal Democrats squander so many opportunities by playing political games rather than working with the council to help local people and save services.

I’m excited about the opportunity to put into action the ideas for improving our community.

What qualifies you to be a councillor?

Recovery after Covid-19 will be hard. It’s urgent we start working now. There is no time to spend a year learning how to be a councillor when people need help today. I know how the council works. i will hit the ground running and talk to senior councillors and directors with realistic ideas for our community.

When I was a councillor I was able to save our fire station, Dolphin Manor care home and Windmill youth club. Because of the failure of our local Liberal Democrat councillors we see services like WIndmill and Home Lea care home under threat again.

What do you think are the most important local issues?

Commercial Street should be thriving. I want it pedestrianised with a regular craft and produce market. our old council offices could be a coworking hub for people who don’t want to travel to an office, but don’t want to be stuck at home all day. We need better footpaths and cycleways, alongside cheap, reliable public transport. We need local jobs. We need affordable homes, while protecting our fields from developers. I want to see Royds school rebuilt urgently.

Why is it better to have a Labour councillor rather than a Liberal Democrat?

We already have two Liberal Democrat councillors who will still be there after this election. This is a chance to also have a Labour councillor rather than another Liberal Democrat. We’ve seen over the last two years what happens if councillors refuse to work with the council leadership to get the best deal. Everywhere in Leeds is suffering because of government cuts, but we don’t get a say because our Liberal Democrat councillors just blame the council instead of doing anything about it. Rothwell suffers as we only have Liberal Democrat councillors and they are too small a party to make a difference.

We’ve all been going for more walks during lockdown, getting out for our exercise near home and it’s been striking how much more dog poo is being left in our local streets and parks. There has been a spate of complaints on local social media on the subject as the problem has become even worse than it used to be.

When I was a councillor I got extra bins and signs put up in various places around the Rotwhell ward and also had the idea for the poo bags, but didn’t have chance to do it before I lost my council seat in the last local elections.

Local people and other dog walkers have raised this with me whilst I’ve been out walking locally and contacting me about it. It seems to have increased with more people getting dogs as pets during the pandemic. I know it can be a pain to pick up after your dog, but really it’s quick, clean and easy and most of us do it! It seems to be mostly my job in our house! Me and my daughter always have to check we’ve got some bags before setting off with our spaniel. This should be a regular routine for all dog walkers. There’s no excuse not to be a responsible, considerate dog owner. Let’s just pick it up, bag it up and bin it.

I’ve got quotes to get 10,000 dog poo bags and the idea is to get them printed with We love Rothwell and a list of local businesses who have sponsored them. They’ll then all have a supply so can give them free to people who will come in to the shop or cafe to get some. I managed to get enough businesses signed up within days through my Facebook post and by getting in touch with a few local business contacts straightaway. A huge thank you to all the community spirited businesses who have said they will sponsor the bags: The Pavillion Springhead park cafe, Greys of Rothwell, Glamorous Gifts, Peggy Tub launderette, The Co-op Woodlesford, Allens Newsagent, Digs for Dogs Lofthouse, Flower Power, Wendy’s Cakes and Bakes and Rhubarb Triangle Farm Shop.

There has been lots of discussion on social media about Skelton Grange Bridge. The problem is the Trans Pennnine cycling trail is effectively blocked at the bridge because of the need to climb up and down a set of steep narrow steps. This makes it difficult for many cyclists and families with buggies and near to impossible for some others such as wheelchair users. At busy times it even means that long queues form as people wait to cross.

Local people have also contacted me directly about the problem. I didn’t want to say much on the social media discussions as I knew that Labour councillor Peter Carlill has been working for a long time to try to solve the problem and I wanted to be able to provide a proper update about what is actually happening rather than just agreeing that it needed sorting out.

I’ve talked to Peter about how complicated an issue it is to solve. One problem is that the bridge is privately owned so organisations like the council or the Canals & Rivers Trust which you’d expect to fix the problem can’t do it on their own.

Last Friday Peter held yet another meeting with the many organisations involved and the good news is there is now light at the end of the tunnel – or at least a way along the trail!

The most likely plan is to create a new safe route through the Thwaite Mills museum site. This would give better access than the alternative solution of a new pedestrian and cycling bridge. The tow-path is currently blocked as it is actually part of the Thwaite Mills museum site, so finding a way to open this up could be the solution.

I’m eager to see this solved as opening up the trail will not only be great for people wanting to use it for leisure and exercise, but also provides a safe cycling route for people who want to commute into the city centre. The steep steps are particularly difficult for electric bike users as these are much heavier than ordinary cycles, but are often favoured by people who want to commute by bike. This is something people have been asking me about, especially those who live in Woodlesford who have easy access to the trail.

I’ll continue to talk with my Labour colleague Cllr Peter Carlill and provide updates as to how close we are to solving it.

Picture courtesy of Leeds Cycling Campaign.

It is hoped that work can start in April on a new housing and care scheme with 59 spacious self-contained apartments for older people who need care and support. I haven’t had word of any delays due to the pandemic but will keep people posted.

Leeds City Council is working with partners to build and run the new care home at Windlesford Green on Holmsley Lane. The new community wellbeing centre will create a new development providing the type of supported living that local people are wanting for their future care needs.

Community wellbeing centres are also sometimes known as extra care homes because they are designed to ensure that older people are still integrated into the local community and have access to the extra care they need as their needs change. The Windlesford Green development is for 59 spacious self-contained apartments made up of 41 one and 18 two-bed apartments. It means people can continue to live independent lives in their own apartments while having round the clock care on site when they need it.

The development also includes a restaurant, café, hair and beauty salon, communal lounges, hobby areas, assisted spa, guest suite and landscaped gardens. These provide a better environment for residents and make it more attractive for visitors and the community to ensure residents aren’t isolated.

The council chose its new partners after a rigorous procurement process and the partners are led by the Home Group, one of the UK’s largest housing associations, and some smaller private sector experts in providing homes and care for the elderly.

I lobbied to get this for Rothwell

Cllr James Lewis, Kippax and Methley councillor and leader-elect of Leeds City council said: “We are building a series of new homes and lots of councillors wanted them in their wards. When Karen Bruce was a Labour councillor for Rothwell she lobbied hard to present a compelling case why one should be built in her ward. She set up a local community involvement group to make sure that Rothwell’s bid for the home was based on what local people really wanted for their older people.”

The Windlesford Green development is the next generation of care for older people. Traditionally the options have been limited to care at home, sheltered housing or a residential care home. The evidence shows that it is best for older people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. It’s possible to extend this period with carers calling in to provide limited care. As care needs increase eventually many older people are forced to leave their homes and move into a care home. This means they are often moving when they are weaker and more vulnerable to the challenges of changing where they live.

Community wellbeing centres mean they can move into their own apartments and enjoy lots of independence while still benefiting from on-site care and support when they need it. As their needs increase it is much easier to give them extra care as they are already on-site and don’t need to move home when they are more vulnerable.

I spent a lot of time researching to find out what community wellbeing centres and extra care homes were and if they were as good as council officers were telling me. I didn’t want to support something unless I knew it was going to be better for local older people. That’s one reason I set up the community involvement group and we visited other extra care homes so we could see for ourselves.

I was impressed that people can have a proper home and still benefit from excellent support and healthcare. Today many people don’t want to live in a traditional care home where they only have a small bedroom. The reason many older, traditional care homes are closing is they don’t have enough residents as not enough older people want to live in them and their families want them to live where they will be happier. Extra care means they have more space and somewhere private to welcome friends and family. They can bring their own furniture. It helps them to maintain their independence and remain healthier for longer. It’s important to have that choice.

Home Lea House consultation

The council is currently consulting on the possible closure of Home Lea House. I desperately want it to stay open and have spoken to several senior councillors to tell them this. However, I also understand that in the future more and more people want to live in modern purpose built communities like this new one at Windlesford Green. In a perfect world we’d have both, but the government has cut the council’s budget by about half because it wants them to cut services for people in places like Home Lea House.

The input of the Rothwell extra care community group, which I set up when I was a councillor, helped inform the council’s tender process. It means that a key aspect of Windlesford Green is how it is being built as part of the local community. It will have an open inclusive space where older people living in the home can come together with people in the wider community, rather than be isolated in a closed off care home.

Making sure older people living there and the wider community come can together in a hub to combat isolation was a key part of our vision. Hopefully, by the time Windlesford Green opens then society will have opened up again and we will all be able to come together again.

The apartments will be allocated on criteria usually based on people’s age, care and support, housing need and if people are already living in the area or have a local connection.

The delivery partners are the Home Group, Ashley House and Morgan Ashley. The Home Group is a social enterprise and one of the UK’s largest housing associations providing homes to more than 116,000 people. Ashley House specialises in delivering health and community-based construction projects, while Morgan Ashley is its specialist finance joint venture company with investment company Morgan Sindall.

I thought it might be helpful to give an update on the work of the Rothwell Foodbank, which I originally helped to set up so take a keen interest in and will help them to relocate. I was actually looking into whether the foodbank might be able to have their base at the Windmill centre before I heard the news on consultation on closure of the centre. The foodbank’s latest home was at Rothwell fire station, until the pandemic hit in March, and the room there was no longer available to use and some of the helpers there were shielding and referral agencies closed.

What a lot of people might not realise is that the Rothwell foodbank has continued throughout to provide an emergency food parcel delivery service directly to local people at home during the most difficult time, many whilst self-isolating. Rothwell is part of the Trussell Trust Leeds South and East Foodbank and it has actually seen a 45% increase in demand for food parcels in the community, compared to the same period last year. Those vulnerable members of the community served by the foodbank are all still there, but they have been joined by many others recently made unexpectedly redundant and not covered by any of the Government’s financial assistance schemes.

With winter approaching and local residents facing additional challenges, the foodbank will continue to deliver directly to Rothwell residents’ homes until we can find a suitable venue to relocate to in Rothwell.

If you or someone that you know needs an emergency food parcel, please email your name, address and telephone number to c19@leedssouthandeast.foodbank.org.uk or telephone 0113 3450850 and the foodbank can make a parcel available to you within 48 hours. Local people can receive up to three referrals in a six-month period.

In the meantime, people may be aware that a food hub is operating from Blackburn Hall on Wednesday mornings providing a service where food can be collected by those in need during the pandemic, which is separate from the Rothwell food bank and the Trussell Trust.