Cllr Cahal Burke and Barry Jacobsz, Manager and Personal trainer of Pure Fitness.

Lindley Based Pure Fitness to be Sponsor of inaugural Lindley 10K Charity Running Event this Summer

It has been announced that Pure Fitness – the Lindley based Health and Fitness club – are to be the proud sponsors of the inaugural Lindley 10k charity running event.

With health, fitness and well being everywhere in the media these days Pure Fitness want to keep these words at the forefront of the Lindley community via their sponsorship of this event.

Lindley 10K is being organised Lindley Community Group in partnership with local schools, community groups, running clubs and Kirklees Integrated Youth Support. The event will take place on the weekend of Lindley carnival which is on 29 June 2013 this year.

On the day there will bell be 2 runs – one of 10k for over 16s, and a 1.5k fun run for children between 4 and 16 years. Children under 11 will need to be accompanied by an adult.

Full details of the running route and booking forms for the event will be available on the website from 5 April at www.lindley10k.org.uk . People interested in helping with the event and interested parties can reach Cllr Burke at cahal.burke@kirklees.gov.uk.

Cllr Cahal Burke – one of the founding members of the Community Group – said:

“Pure Fitness is the ideal sponsors for Lindley 10K and we are absolutely delighted to have them on board helping to make this a wonderful event for the people of Lindley and Kirklees. It shows a real commitment to the Lindley community and we can’t thank them enough.”

Barry Jacobsz, Manager and Personal trainer, Pure Fitness said

“Sponsoring the Lindley 10k and Fun Run represents a perfect partnership for Pure Fitness. We see ourselves very much as a gym for the community based within the community and so are very excited about supporting such a worthy local cause.”

Based in the Wellington Mills complex in Lindley, Pure Fitness is a gym that wants to be more than a gym to its members. To enable this to occur the gym is in the process of a complete refurbishment. From a complete refit of it amenities, to the increasing of both its main gym and weights areas. Pure Fitness has also invested heavily in new cardio machines and equipment throughout it facility.

www.lindley10k.org.uk
www.purefitness.biz

Elderly council tenants at Fern Lea Flats in Lindley are to protest against Kirklees Cabinet’s decision to remove age restrictions on who can apply to live in different properties across the borough.

With Councillor Cahal Burke, the tenants are planning to attend the meeting of Kirklees Cabinet on the 12 March to formally protest the decision and submit their petition signed by tenants of the flats.

In December 2012 the Council’s Labour Cabinet voted to remove the age designations on properties and move to an “open age policy”. This is scheduled to be implemented from April 2013.

Presently some council properties, such as the flats at Fern Lea have age restrictions in place. Fern Lea, for example, is limited to people over the age of 45, an arrangement that the tenants are keen to see maintained so they can continue to enjoy their peaceful and stable lives. The majority of tenants moved into Fern Lea when the age limitation was 60+ and the majority of residents are over that age with many suffering from health problems.

On a previous occasion when a young person was moved into flats similar to Fern Lea – also in the Lindley ward – it caused great disruption, problems and distress for the tenants. They are fearful of the same thing happening again. Families of the tenants were also greatly upset by the disruption caused from having a much younger tenant in the building. They saw the affect it had on the health and happiness of relatives who did not feel safe and content in their own homes.

The protestors are keen to make it clear that they not suggesting all young people are problematic or that young people shouldn’t have access to social housing, they just know that young and old have different ways of living and different expectations and that needs to be respected and understood when lettings are agreed by the council.

Cllr Cahal Burke who will be presenting the petition on behalf Fernlea tenants said:

“The residents of Fern Lea are absolutely right that some council properties should be retained for people in an older age bracket. Young people and older people have different ways of living their lives and a clash is often inevitable so it’s better to not put tenants through it in the first place. Tenants contacted me when there was a similar issue at Malham Court which became very upsetting for those involved. The tenants at Fern Lea want young people who need social housing to get that help but they need to be housed in the appropriate settings and not where existing older residents would be made to feel unsafe and unhappy in their homes. I am seeking talks with officers to ensure that flats like Fern Lea and their residents will be protected from this policy change as I have seen first hand how mixing age groups in a communal setting can lead to problems for all involved. It would make more sense for the policy to not apply to settings such as Fern Lea”

Ms Pat Downing (Chair of Fernlea TRA) said:

“The tenants of the flats are all really upset at changes the council are planning. We don’t have any grudge against the young people getting housing but the council has to understand that we will have different ways of living our lives. The tenants are all happy and the council shouldn’t spoil something that works well. We hope that council will listen to our concerns. The change will have a big impact on the flats and our lives.”

Cllr Cahal Burke supporting the Mayor Of Kirklees charity appeal for the Yorkshire Regiment Benevolent Trust

Cllr Cahal Burke is set to take on the Greater Manchester Marathon challenge to raise money and awareness for the Mayor’s Charity Appeal which this year is the Yorkshire Regiment Benevolent Trust.

The marathon will take place on 28th April, starting and finishing at Old Trafford stadium. The first Manchester Marathon was run in 1908. This was the first ever amateur marathon to be run using the now established marathon distance of 26 miles 385 yard distance.

Cllr Burke will additionally be taking on a number of half-marathons in support of good causes and charities in preparation for the event in Manchester.

Cllr Burke said

“I will be running to raise money and awareness for the Mayor’s Charity Appeal, which this year is The Yorkshire Regiment Benevolent Trust. The Fund does a remarkable job to support soldiers and their families who are discharged from the army.

In preparation for the Marathon I will be taking part in the Blackpool Half Marathon and the Great North West Half Marathon as part of my training regime. I am keen to use my profile as a councillor to support good causes and charities and the mayors appeals are a natural choice. I also ran for Combat Stress in 2011 which was the mayor’s charity that year.

Cllr David Ridgway, Mayor of Kirklees said:

“ I am really grateful to Cahal for taking up this challenge on behalf of the Mayor’s Charity Appeal. The Yorkshire Regiment Benevolent Trust needs our support more now than at any time. It makes no distinction of age, length of service, theatre of operations, type of award or rank. All monies raised go to help the dependants of soldiers who have died or are so badly disabled that they are unable to do so themselves. This is our Regiment and I am proud to offer my support. I have already donated to Cahal’s efforts via Just Giving”

People who want to support Cllr Burke’s run can do so by sponsoring him online at
www.justgiving.com/C-Burke
or
Text HUDD77 followed by the amount to 70070

Cllr Cahal Burke

Cllr Cahal Burke with Lindley Neighbourhood Policing Team

Lindley Neighbourhood Policing Team collected new patrol bikes from the Velocity Bike Shop in Lindley.

The purchase of the two new patrol bikes was funded by Huddersfield Area Committee in October 2012.

Members of the committee agreed that that the £1221 investment would enable officers to patrol the area more effectively, both in terms of response times and the undertaking of general patrols. They also agreed that the bikes would help residents to feel more secure by allowing police to increase their visibility across the area.

Cllr Cahal Burke (Lib Dem Lindley Ward) who supported the purchase of the bikes said:

“I am delighted Lindley Neighbourhood Policing Team has taken collection to their new patrol bikes and particularly happy that they have been sourced from Velocity which is based in Lindley. I think it is very important that the council supports local retailer and businesses whenever it can. The bikes will have a significant impact on response times but will also give the police more opportunities to be seen by and meet with the public each day which will help people to feel more secure locally.”

Cllr Cahal Burke, supporting Lindley Library

I was pleased to join fellow residents at our local library in Lindley on National Libraries Day.
Lindley is a wonderful place to live and at the heart of it is the Library, which is more than just a library for many residents. Please join if you haven’t and be part of it.

National Libraries Day, is a culmination of a week’s worth of celebrations in school, college, university, workplace and public libraries across the UK.

http://www.nationallibrariesday.org.uk/

http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/events/venuedetails.asp?vID=59

Kirklees Council are set to improve the underpass / subway that runs beneath New Hey Road near to Moorlands Road and Raygate. This underpass falls into both the Lindley and Golcar wards.

Cllr Cahal Burke (Lindley, LibDem) says:

“I very much welcome improvements that will go towards improving the safety of those people who need to use the underpass. The Council’s Streetscene and Housing Department have recently undertaken work to improve the lighting within this underpass with the installation of LED lighting units within the existing fittings.

I have often been approached by local residents to discuss their worries, with many claiming they felt that often they did not feel safe enough to use the underpass.”

This work has been carried out as a trial to determine the quality and suitability of these units. This underpass was chosen for several reasons:

i) The existing lighting was in poor condition

ii) The underpass has been subjected to vandalism and graffiti in the past

iii) It is an important route to the nearby Moorlands Primary School

iv) In comparison to other underpasses there are a small number of fittings so it is better suited for a trial in terms of capital cost

As a result of the new units, the energy consumption for the underpass has been reduced by 66%, and future maintenance will also be greatly reduced as LED’s last much longer than conventional lamps. The quality of lighting is also greatly improved with the use of LED’s.

Cllr Andrew Marchington (Golcar, LibDem) says:

“Local people will hopefully feel happier walking through the underpass, especially parents taking their children to the nearby Moorlands Primary School. The underpass was in a desperate need of improved lighting and a general makeover to remove the unsightly graffiti and damage caused from vandalism, which will now make it a much more pleasant experience to walk through the underpass.”

Liberal Democrat Councillor Cahal Burke welcomes the improved path at Hayfield Avenue, Oakes. The improvement works have been funded from Kirklees StreetScene Budget.

Cllr Cahal Burke (Lindley Ward) says:

“Many local residents have contacted me about the state of this path and the difficulty for residents and school children to get through, especially when the weather has been bad, it was virtually impassable.

I am delighted to say, this path has recently been improved, by having road planings rolled in to form a much more suitable surface. It is a vital link, providing access to both Huddersfield New College and Salendine Nook High School and has had no proper surface for a very long time.

I know there will be a huge sigh of relief from everyone who lives on Hayfield Avenue and surrounding roads and those who use this path regularly, as we have been asking for this to happen for such a long time. I can confidently say that the Council have done an excellent job with the road planing and I am hopeful that this path can be maintained and looked after in future by the Council.”

Lindley Councillor, Cahal Burke has successfully negotiated funding for three additional grit bins for the Lindley area with Huddersfield Area Committee.

The new bins at Fernlea Road (Lindley), Ridge View Drive (Birkby) and Belton Grove (Birchencliffe) are now in place and ready for the next cold snap.

Councillor Burke took up the matter on behalf of residents who were without a grit bin near to their homes.

Cllr Cahal Burke says:

“I was approached by local residents to look at the possibility of extra grit bins in a few areas and I am pleased to say that the Huddersfield Area Committee has agreed to fund the three additional bins which are now in position on Fernlea Road, Ridge View Drive and Belton Grove.

The grit is there for all residents to use on the public highway and pavements. And I urge people to use the grit considerately and to stick to applying it in these areas only. That way the grit will last and there will be enough there to do the job when it is needed.

The two bins for Fernlea Road (Lindley), Ridge View Drive (Birkby) will cost £1,300 each over 5 years. The third bin on Belton Grove (Birchencliffe) has been funded for 3 years at a cost of £900. The costs will cover the purchase, installation, future maintenance and the cost of filling and refilling of the grit bins over the agreed period. Once this period is complete, additional funding will need to be sought to continue maintenance of these grit bins.

Kirklees Council are also on hand to help “self-help groups” :-

Self Help Groups

If there is a vulnerable person/ location (could be a faith centre, old folks home, health centre) and there is a person / small group willing to grit the footpaths nearby they can put themselves forward via their local councillor to set up / lead a “Self Help Group”.

Officers then meet the “Group Leader” to establish and agree the area they want to take responsibility for treating and to carry out a risk assessment before the council and Group Leader agree to go forward.

The Group Leader then rings the Council when there is snow and Rangers deliver an agreed amount of salt to an agreed location. The Group Leader then calls in their Self-Help Group Members and the volunteers undertake the gritting.

The grit is for footpaths not the road as gritting a public road by hand needs professional training.

Cllr Cahal Burke and the Mayor of Kirklees opening the 2012 Carnival

Huddersfield Area Committee has committed to contribute £3,500 to the annual Lindley Carnival which will bring the local community together once again to enjoy a day of more traditional carnival activities.

The funding was sought by the Lindley Community Group which is formed of representation by groups such as the Scouts, youth groups, local schools and businesses each providing different activities and refreshments.

The money will cover costs of hiring essential facilities, such as provision portable toilets for the event, stage and sound equipment and also re-usable publicity materials.

Cllr Cahal Burke said:

“I am pleased that the Committee has agreed the much needed funding. The money will be used to provide essential facilities to make the annual event a success once again.

In previous years, the Lindley Carnival has brought together the community, attracting more than a thousand local residents. Now that the funding is in place, I am looking forward to working with the Lindley Community Group organisers to start preparing for the Carnival early next year.

Earlier this year the annual family event coincided with the two important national events, the Olympic Games of 2012 and the Armed Forces Day. Therefore, events were focussed around these themes. There was something for people of all ages.

However, the next Carnival will have a change of theme and will be more of a musical event. Some local schools and choirs have already come forward and are committing their support; however, more local support is crucial in making the carnival happen.

The Lindley Community Group will welcome enquiries from anyone who may have some time to volunteer or provide support in any other way. You may have particular skills in event organising, publicity, or Health & Safety or are simply keen, you would be most welcome.”

Details for The Lindley Community Group can be found at:

Website: www.lindleygroup.org.uk
Or email at info@lindleygroup.org.uk

The Carnival was started in 1945 and after a gap of 33 years, was revived in 2006 by the Lindley Lib Dem councillor at that time Christine Stanfield. Lindley Community Group was formed and tasked with raising money and all of the many responsibilities involved with setting up and running the event each year. The community group now also assists other groups with their events in the area.