South Leeds roundup: Youth theatre appeal, Merlyn Rees garden ‘trashed’ and Cottingley in Bloom

Volunteers at Middleton Railway prepare for their weekend celebration. Photo courtesy Middleton Railway Trust facebook page

Here’s your weekly round-up of what’s making south Leeds tick via other websites and blogs.

The sale of Beeston Methodist Church is being stymied by banks’ reluctance to lend, an estate agent has told the YEP. The paper also reports a five-month sit-in by an elderly pensioner at a Beeston old folks’ home has cost the council more than £110,000. And a picturesque waterside memorial garden, created in tribute to ormer South Leeds MP Lord Merlyn Rees, has been ‘trashed‘.

The Middleton Railway Trust have posted photos on their facebook page of some of the arrivals at this weekend’s celebration of steam. As we reported last week, this year sees the 200th anniversary of steam power and the Middleton Railway will celebrate this historical achievement with an all-steam gala event this weekend.

Holbeck In Bloom blog encourages people to attend a volunteer day tomorrow at  St Matthews Community Centre at 11am.

We received this email from South Leeds Youth Theatre about a charity initiative at Asda:

“South Leeds Youth Theatre has a great opportunity with Asda Living at Crown Point. They are supporting us in their community section. If customers buy products they receive a green coin in which they can place in one of three bins. One bin is South Leeds Youth Theatre. Could you mention this on the blog – asking to support our local charity by choosing us!”

South Leeds Life attended a meeting of Cottingley in Bloom the other day. There was a good turnout – 13 people were at the meeting and decided on a range of new and expanded flower beds to improve the estate. Looks like the group’s got a fresh lease of life – they’ll also have their own blog coming soon thanks to local resident Vikki Blake.

Speaking of Vikki, she’s updated her own Olympic Torchbearer blog ahead of her big day.