Week ending Saturday 20th April 2024
With only 10 days to go to this yearโs Local Elections and for the West Yorkshire Mayor, the date to remember is Thursday 2nd May or as soon as you like if you have a Postal Vote. Whichever way you vote, please make your โXโ count. Hopefully, youโll be voting for Darren to allow him, along with Deb & Gwen to continue their great work.
Polling Stations are open from 7am until 10pm and details of you Polling Station are shown on your Polling Card. Remember youโll need an approved piece of Photo ID to vote in person at your local Polling Station. You can find out more information at โ https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id
Your three Local Labour Councillors, Darren, Deb & Gwen have been working out โnโ about across the whole of the Horbury & South Ossett community. We thought we would use this Weekly Blog to show 10 things we have been involved in and helped to make a difference.
๐ดTEN - In January, the installation of a new Nest Swing and safety flooring were installed in Reid Park in Horbury Bridge. This simple, but much needed addition to the play area came about from a request by a resident, who had a child with limited mobility. Working with the Pride in Horbury Bridge Group and Friends of Horburyโs Park, we obtained funding and completed the job!
๐ดNINE - We started to work with the Wakefield Street Kitchen and were able to collect and distribute much needed food items to our local Food Bank in South Ossett. The regular weekly donations have included 1000โs of cans of soft drinks, 1000โs of tea bags and many more kitchen cupboard items. These simple donations have really helped our local Food Bank and we are so happy to be able to help them.
๐ดEIGHT - We have reported many, many potholes and re-lining of roads and junctions. By being out โnโ about and โWalking the Wardโ we are able to see the issues and report them to the Council for action. If you know of an issue in Horbury & South Ossett, let us know and weโll do our best to sort it!
๐ดSEVEN - In February, we continued our work with the Senior Citizensโ Support Group and helped out at their afternoon of entertainment. The lunch that day was pizza; Darren & Deb collected 30+ pizzas from Dominos & helped serve them to the hungry diners. A great afternoon was had by all. Darrenโs car was perfumed by pizza for the next two weeks!
๐ดSIX - Supporting the Illingworth Park Friends Group Easter Egg Hunt. We three sponsor this event and we were there on the days, selling raffle tickets and helping as required. We even got to meet the Easter Bunny, who was doing a roaring trade giving away free Easter goodies. Darren, Deb & Gwen support other friendโs groups who work tirelessly to improve our parks and open greenspaces across Horbury & South Ossett
๐ดFIVE - Supporting local businesses from Cafes across both towns to local shops. Every โยฃโ spent in one of our independent shops, helps them to support their families and grow their business. It will not go into the pockets of big businesses. Horbury & Ossett have an amazing range of shops, and we try to use them.
๐ดFOUR - We restarted our Community Litter Picking sessions. We have managed to complete two sessions โ the wet weather has not been kind to the group! With more to come. The first session was in Horbury Town Centre, followed by the Quarry Hill area. Around 20 bags of assorted detritus was removed from the roadside, verges and gutters. Our session for Storrs Hill was postponed due to very wet weather but should happen in the next week or so.
๐ดTHREE - Darren, Deb, Gwen and our Ward friend Tony, planted 2 new Rowan trees on the grass verge of the A642, close to the Daw Lane junction. These two trees were donated by a resident, who had them in very large pots on her drive.
We have lost count of the number of trees we have planted over the last 8 years, but it must be in the region of 750. This included over 400 saplings we have planted at Horbury Lagoons, the late Queenโs Platinum Jubilee flowering cherry trees, the World War One commemorative Oak Trees and the living Christmas trees in South Ossett, Horbury Bridge, High Street Horbury and Southfield Close with another two for Christmas 2024.
๐ดTWO - Bringing to the attention of our local MP, landlords and the Police that many community groups and residents from across Horbury & South Ossett, have issues that arise and we as local Councillors need additional help. The MP for Wakefield, Simon Lightwood has always been there to help us and to support residents.
๐ดONE - We are happy to help! Whether itโs with a pothole, neighbourhood issue, a community event or you just want someone to give advice โ weโll always do our best.
So far this year, Darren Deb and Gwen have committed to help with the Illingworth Park Summer Gala, Horbury Craft & Street Fayre, the Horbury Show, The Whit Walk from Horbury Bridge, as well as supporting many smaller activities across the whole of the Ward. Always happy to help and muck in.
Here is a list of diary events for your information.
โข Thursday, 2nd May โ Polling Day for Local Elections & Mayoral Elections
โข Sunday, 19th May โ Whit Walk from Horbury Bridge to St Peterโs Church Horbury
โข Sunday, 2nd June โ Illingworth Park Summer Gala
โข Monday, 10th June - Ladies fashion Show at Horbury WMC
โข Saturday & Sunday, 15 & 16th June โ Horbury Craft & Street Fayre
โข Sunday, 30th June โ Horbury Show in Carr Lodge Park
Darren, Deb & Gwen
Working for our Communities, throughout the whole year!
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