The University of Leeds Ladies' Club
Spring 2024
So how did we get our hands on a Bafta?
Read on....
University of Leeds Ladies’ Club
Monthly Newsletter - February 2024
Dear Ladies,
Welcome to the February edition of the monthly newsletter. Apparently, yesterday was the first day of meteorological spring although, judging by the rain and hailstones outside my window at the moment, we have a way to go yet.
Forthcoming Events and Dates for your Diary
Informal Coffee Morning.
As you are aware the Lawnswood Arms, which has hosted all our coffee mornings to date, has now closed. Therefore, we have had to find a new venue for our meetings.
We have been fortunate in managing to book the Wetherspoon restaurant, The Golden Beam, on the Otley Road in Headingley, for our coffee mornings for the foreseeable future and the first meeting at the Golden Beam will take place on Tuesday 12th March from 10.30am onwards.
For a picture of The Golden Beam, see Home page.
The coffee morning will be held, in a section of the Golden Beam known as ‘The Library’ which has been reserved for our exclusive use and we hope as many members as possible will be able to attend.
For those of you who are not familiar with The Golden Beam, it is situated in the former Elinor Lupton Centre of the Leeds Girl’s High School on the Otley Road in Headingley. There is a car park at the rear of the restaurant (access from Richmond Avenue), which includes two Blue Badge spaces and there is on-street parking in Richmond Avenue and the surrounding roads. If you travel by car, you MUST REGISTER YOUR CAR at the terminal on the bar on arrival to get free parking, otherwise you will be liable for a fine.
In addition, all the buses which travel along the Otley Road (Nos.1, 6, 8, 27, 28, and X84) stop outside with the exception of the X84 which, being a limited stop service, may not allow you to disembark at the stop if travelling to and from the city centre, as it may be deemed to be too short a journey. If you wish to travel on the X84, please check with the driver that you will be able to alight at the restaurant stop.
As this is a drop-in session no payment is required in advance, just pay for what you have on the day.
Thursday 21st March 2024
‘Spinning in the West Riding’
Our meeting on 21st March will be held at the Headingley Golf Club from 2pm and will take the form of a talk by Dr John Cruikshank on ‘Spinning in the West Riding’
I expect many of you will know of Dr Cruikshank, who as Mr Cruikshank, was a leading consultant Orthopaedic surgeon in Leeds until his early retirement. You may indeed have been one of his patients and owe your new knee/hip to his expertise in the operating theatre.
After his retirement, he decided that he would like to follow another course of study, in a totally different discipline to medicine, and he embarked on a degree in History at the University. After graduating he undertook further study and obtained a PhD, hence he is now Dr Cruikshank.
Monday 15th April 2024
‘Television, how it works….and sometimes doesn’t!’
This illustrated talk will be presented by Patrick Titley, a retired television producer and director, and also lecturer at the University of Leeds and the University of York.
The talk will be held at the Headingley Golf Club at 2pm as usual. The cost will be £7, payable on the door, and includes refreshments.
Please note that the meeting will be on a Monday and not Thursday as in previous events. This is to because of other commitments at the Golf Club which preclude our use of the TV Lounge on any other day in April.
A Flyer and Booking form will be sent out in mid-March so do watch your inbox.
Recent Events
On Thursday 29th February, 36 members and guests were treated to a most informative and entertaining afternoon on the ancient art of Origami.
The afternoon took the form of a talk by Rev Melvyn Kelly on the history of Origami which he followed with a short workshop at which we all had the opportunity to try our hand in making a piece of our own.
Melvyn was a very patient and inspiring teacher and everyone managed to make a very attractive paper box, ideal for small sweets or trinkets, which we were able to keep.
In addition, as a leaving gift to the members, Melvyn presented everyone with an Origami Crane, which he had made himself, and which is a symbol of peace and harmony.
A very thoughtful souvenir of a most enjoyable afternoon.
News of Members.
I am pleased to say that I have not heard of any members with acute health issues this month, except that I understand that Mary Donovan has had a nasty fall and is currently in the LGI undergoing treatment for a damaged Femur. A most painful and debilitating accident and we send her all our good wishes for a speedy recovery.
However, I do know that several members, and their spouses or family members, are suffering from more chronic health issues and to them we send all our best wishes for successful treatments and a positive improvement in their conditions.
To all our members, and their families, who are not well, or awaiting treatment, we send our very best wishes for a speedy and successful recovery.
Report from Book Group 2
Book Group 2 met on 22nd February and Chris Roy has sent me the following report.
It was lovely to get together again after a break since Christmas due to injury and weather. As previously agreed, we had no specific book to discuss but, as planned, produced a list of books to read in 2024.
We have agreed on titles, presenters and hosts for March and April but the other books are still to be assigned to months. The afternoon was hosted by Candy and our thanks to her for her usual excellent hospitality
A personal thank you to all in the group for all the cards and good wishes since my argument with an icy pavement.
********
And finally!
As you know, I am only able to include in the newsletter information I have received from members. I hope to send the next issue out on or around 31st March. If you have any items for inclusion, please let me have them by no later than 28th March.
I hope you have enjoyed reading the newsletter.
With all good wishes,
Carole
Monthly Newsletter - January 2024
Dear Ladies,
Welcome to the January edition of the monthly newsletter. I hope you are all well despite the miserable weather.
**********
Forthcoming Events
Lawnswood Coffee Mornings
The first informal coffee morning of the year was held on Tuesday 9th January and it was good to meet up again after all the festivities of the Christmas period.
The next coffee morning at the Lawnswood Arms will, sadly, be the last as regular attenders of the Coffee mornings will be aware that the Lawnswood Arms is due to close at the end of February. This last meeting will be held on Tuesday 13th February at 10.30am and it is hoped that as many members as possible will be able to be there as we say farewell to all the staff at the Lawnswood. I am sure I am not alone in thinking that the staff have looked after us very well and have at all times made us most welcome. We are sorry to see our association with them, and with the Lawnswood come to an end.
So, we have had to find another venue.
After much deliberation and investigation, it has been decided to move the venue for the coffee mornings from March onwards to
The Golden Beam on Headingley Lane.
This is a Wetherspoons pub and is one of the very few, easily accessible, places that can accommodate us for a coffee morning, followed by a lunch if required.
The Golden Beam is situated in the former Elinor Lupton Building of the Leeds Girls High School on Headingley Lane. There is a car park at the rear of the building (turn into Richmond Road from Headingley Lane and it is through the gate immediately behind the building on the left-hand side). The car park has a couple of blue badge spaces and also there is on-street parking in the immediate vicinity. All the buses which travel up and down Headingley Lane stop outside.
The staff of the Golden Beam have agreed to section off one area of the pub for our use and the ordering system is the same as that at the Lawnswood. Members should order their drinks and food (if required) at the bar, pay for what they order. Hot drinks are available at the drinks’ dispenser, with cold drinks at the bar. Food will be delivered to the table. There is an extensive menu, and food is served all day, all at reasonable prices. Tea or Coffee is available on a refillable basis and some catering offers also include a drink in the price.
As this is a ‘drop-in’ session there is no need to book in advance but I hope as many members as possible will be able to attend.
We have booked the first ‘Golden Beam’ meeting for Tuesday 12th March, with provisional dates for April and May. We hope that this change of venue will not cause too many problems for members but this seems to be the best solution at the present time.
After the first meeting, I would be very pleased to have any comments you may have.
**********
Thursday 29th February - “Paper Magic”
A short talk on the history of Origami followed by a demonstration of the art and an opportunity to try your hand at making a model yourself to take home.
The talk will be given by Rev. Melvyn Kelly who is a member of the British Origami Society and some of whose work is shown on the Flyer. This Flyer and Booking form were sent out separately to the newsletter. The cost of the afternoon to include refreshments and all materials will be £7 and is payable on the door.
Bookings are being taken by the Club Secretary, Gillian Roche. Details are on the booking form and if you wish to attend, please could you return your completed booking form to Gillian by no later than Thursday 22nd February.
Members and guests are invited to what promises to be a most interesting and entertaining afternoon.
**********
Tuesday 12th March – Coffee Morning at the Golden Beam**
Tuesday 8th April – Coffee Morning at the Golden Beam**
If responses are favourable we will book for the rest of the year, if not, we will investigate the possibility of finding another venue.
********
Monday 15th April – Talk by Patrick Titley –
‘How Television Works…and sometimes doesn’t!’
Patrick is a retired television producer and director and has worked extensively in Yorkshire Television and other providers.
He will give the talk together with his wife, Susan Walls, who also spent 30 years or so as a TV producer. (Her claim to fame is that Danni Minogue once wore her bikini!). Nowadays, whilst still working on occasion in TV, Patrick is a guest lecturer at the University of York (where he was full time senior lecturer for 9 years). Prior to that he was a lecturer at Leeds. Susan works for a charity, but also still does professional writing on subjects related to TV.
This should be a most amusing and enlightening afternoon. Further details will be sent out nearer the time.
********
Several other events are in the planning stage and details will be sent out as soon as dates and times have been finalised. Meanwhile, please do make a note that the Annual General Meeting will be scheduled for the end of June and that we hope to hold another Christmas Lunch in mid-December. Both dates are yet to be confirmed with the Golf Club but we will let you know as soon as possible so that you can put them in your diary.
*******
News of Members
I have heard that Christine Roy fell victim to the dreadful icy weather a couple of weeks ago and had a bad fall. She sustained a broken arm and extensive bruising and spent a couple of nights in hospital. We are very sorry to hear of your misfortune, Christine, and send all our good wishes for a speedy recovery.
I understand that Pat Dixon-Lewis also had a nasty fall in December, whilst staying in Sutton Coldfield with her family. She too was hospitalized and then convalesced in a residential home near her family. She has subsequently decided to move permanently to the home to remain near her family. She has been a long-standing and much loved, member of the Ladies’ Club and has been an Honorary member for some years.
I have heard on the grapevine that Doreen Smith will be 95 in February and we send her all our good wishes for a very happy birthday.
I am pleased to say that I have not heard of any other members being taken ill this month although I do know that several members, or their spouses, have on-going chronic health issues and to them we send our very best wishes.
**********
Book Group
The January meeting of Book Group 2 did not take place as planned. The weather was very inclement and indeed Christine had had a very bad fall resulting in a broken arm and extensive bruising. The original meeting had been convened to plan the next year’s reading matter and this meeting has now been postponed to February. We hope that the weather will be kinder to us then and that Christine will be recovered enough to join in the deliberations. We send all our best wishes to her for a speedy recovery. Get Well Soon !
**********
Garden Group
Our final meeting in 2023 was in November. Sadly, at the last minute our annual December festive lunch meeting was cancelled, due to hard ice on roads and pavements.
To counteract this disappointment, our New Year meeting in January took the form of a buffet lunch. Almost all members were able to attend, and the various dishes contributed to the occasion gave us a most enjoyable treat. The after-lunch entertainment included a quiz provided by Gill Moore. This required some thinking outside the box in order to find the named flower in answer to each question. We also watched a beautiful short time lapse film of splendid flowers opening to the sound of fireworks - pop, bang, whoosh.
Vuurwerk met bloemen, paddestoelen.mp4
I now have my ears to the ground beside my emerging snowdrops, ear defenders at the ready. Thanks to Sian for the film.
An excellent start to another year of friendship and shared interest in the Garden and the world of plants beyond.
********
Last but not least - The ULLC Centenary Celebration.
2024 heralds 100 years since the formation of the University of Leeds Ladies’ Club, albeit as the University Ladies’ Tea Club. The actual anniversary is in October and your committee are anxious to hold a celebratory function to mark the occasion.
I am writing now to open the discussion to members to ascertain how members feel we should mark the occasion.
We have had several suggestions so far, these include a formal Dinner, a formal Lunch or a Sparkling Afternoon Tea. We hope to invite our Patron and possibly also the Lord Mayor of Leeds, who will be a lady this coming year, thus rekindling our ‘Town and Gown’ link with the city.
We are also in the process of trying to negotiate access to university premises on which to hold whatever sort of function we decide upon. There are lots of things to be considered and we would be grateful for your thoughts on the matter.
If you have any comments, please let me have them on my email as below and I can then pass them on to the committee for discussion.
********
I will be sending out next month’s issue on the last day of the month. If you have any items for inclusion, please could you let me have them by no later than 27th February.
I hope you have enjoyed reading the newsletter and send all my good wishes to you and your families,
Carole