Pay Day Weekend for some........
Phew….. Yes I’ve been counting the days I can go and buy decent biscuits for my cup of tea rather than looking at crumbs and there is only so many jacket potatoes you have with leftover from the freezer!     It also means, January is nearly at an end, here’s to a happy, February when we can look forward to reminding our loved ones, how much we do love them.  Not many like Valentine’s Day, but I’m one of those people who like to celebrate everything; it’s about having fun with the good things – buy those chocolates, cakes, treats and have a go and cooking a nice meal.  Time together is so important and if Valentine’s Day is one of those times to give us it, grab it with both hands.
 
We have added new members on this week, 3 lovely ladies from Estetica Permanent Cosmetics, these ladies are 3 individual specialists working out of the salon on Barley Hill Road.  Go and see what they have on offer under our, ‘Make me Beautiful’ category https://www.themaindeal.co.uk/make-me-beautiful.html

 
I had a lovely meeting with Jo at The Station House on Monday; as well as lovely coffee and cake… my meetings can be so good.  Jo has a fantastic community idea she wants to organise for July 2020 and we needed to meet up with the Station House Master and the owners of the building so see if we could get their support and permission to pull off, what could be a great event.  Fingers crossed, it’s looking like a plan – keep following the blog to find out more as we moved forward with ideas in 2019.


Another great offer this week
LS25 and I are working even better together to bring you great deals - We are now able to offer members and followers a great offer on creating their own website and, hosting.  Matt has worked with many of our local businesses, including Beauty and The Beard, Lasercharge, Raw Family Design and Dumouchel.  See here, how he can help you, if you’re a small business wanting your own platform.  This offer this is a great and affordable – working together with the right people to give you more - https://www.ls25webdesign.co.uk/the-main-deal.html
 
Sad to hear confirmation from the owner that the lovely shop, Sugarcraft supplies will be leaving their premises at the end of February – I shop I know I will miss.  Good luck to Susan and her team in whatever they do next.  I’m already hearing another business is interested in the property.

What’s on?

• Saturday 26th January 7.00pm St Marys Church   - What the Dickens - Rehearsed reading of the life and works of Charles Dickens.  Tickets £7 from St Mary’s Church or Garforth Amateur Dramatic Society members.

 

• Monday 28th January – 9.30 – 11.30am Station House Café  - Please join me for one of my sessions at The Station House. Drop in and make a handmade Carta (card) and have a hot bere (drink) either as you craft or before / after - it's your choice! This is a leisurely and social session where you can drop in anytime between 9.30 and 11 am to make your card. All materials to complete your card along with any guidance / support will be provided. Hot drinks can be ordered from the cafe. It will take around half an hour to complete your card so please allow enough time. Why not bring a friend and craft as you chat? The cost of this session is £5, if ordering your drink before you make your card please let the staff know you are here for the carta and bere session; I will collect any monies and settle up with the Cafe once the session is over.

• Monday 28th January - 1.30-2.30pm Garforth Library, Garforth Social-Sage - Supporting Older LGBT people in Leeds.  Join the library for an information talk on LGBT support organisation Sage, part of Leeds MESMAC. Enjoy a cuppa and a chat while you learn about support available to older LGBT people in Leeds and what you can do to help.  No Booking required 

 

• Monday 28th January 5.45pm Garforth Library - Repair Café (2nd Meeting) after our initial meeting a few months ago, it was very nice we had 3 volunteers to come to find out and offer their support for this idea myself and the library team would like to get off the ground.  If you’re not sure what a Repair café is – please click on the button and find out a bit more about who it all started in Amsterdam some years ago

If you can help, come to our next meeting on Monday as we will have Clary from Leeds repair Café popping in to answer some questions about and the ways we could run this in our library.

• Saturday 2nd February – 8.30 – 11.00pm Kippax Legion  Charity Ladies Night – This is being run by a lovely lady called Helen Smith, (who’s also been nominated for a Yorkshire Choice Award) - This will be a great night whilst raising money for a children's Charity.  Please get in contact with Helen for tickets: lickletinkerbell@yahoo.co.uk -   You can also pay on the door in the evening 

Planning
Speaking with the people in the know this week, Garforth Train Station will soon be undergoing some works to increase the car parking capacity to just under 100 more spaces, works will start at the end of April 2019 for a course of 4- 6 months and will not  impact the train station platform.  There is more works schedule for lighting, access and CCTV but this is still needs final approval.   In the meantime, please be assured the rumours about a larger station being built and one shut down, is definitely not something that is happening
 


A very sad day this week when a  poor lady lost her life.  As in most small towns there is always lots of speculation about the details of the accident, please do not put anything up on social media to discuss, as it would not be nice for the grieving members of her family or friends but also the driver of the lorry.  - Just think about the details we don't know.
 
 
I’m off out tomorrow evening to help celebrate our best man’s 50th Birthday; how do I have friend who is 50?   Time, please stop.
 
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Until next week…………… Help each other

Not a Fan, I’m Full, Fat, Fed up and Financially miserable.  I think it’s how most people feel in January, and now the weather is set to change!  I’m quite a positive person, but in the cold, dark mornings of January it’s very difficult to want to get up and find your sixth F, FITNESS.    Once upon a time I used to go skiing; this was BC, (before children)
Meanwhile,  I will just have to keep looking at the January Sales and wishing I had money left.

Mentioning the word fitness, that’s twice in 2 blogs; it must be January.  Kirsty from KW Personal Training is offering an exclusive Main Deal offer for her 8 Week Challenge, weight loss programme and/or a block of personal training sessions.  If you quote: TMDKW you get 5% off,  be quick, it only lasts until 31st January. 

All is not so, miserable......  I’ve had some great meetings this week

Feastival Meeting
Our first Feastival meeting was held this week, yes with a Gin!  Lots of possibilities as usual, pulling things apart from last year and then putting them back together this year.  We’re hoping to expand on what we did last year, so keep your ears to the ground for what’s coming up – Bt for now Put it in your diary, Saturday 13th July.
 
I met with Helen from The Jigsaw Tree today at Cielo.  Helen provides Parent Support Groups and is based in our community.  She supports families of children on the Autism Spectrum (both pre and post diagnosis) She offers support and friendship, advice and strategies, as she is a qualified and very experienced, Autism Support Worker and Chairperson of The Jigsaw Tree.  
Helen has lots of great plans and one of them is to get local businesses behind her campaign to make shopping in Garforth, Autism friendly.  We have some plans of how to do that, so watch this space for more details to follow
You can find out more about the sessions she run locally in Garforth Library and Kid Zone here in Garforth find out more here http://thejigsawtree.org/support-groups



The Main Deal and how it works
Lots of people ask me if this is my full time job, yes!  Lots of people ask how it works.
If you click on our Contact Me link above, you will see how I work and affordable I make it.  Prices have stayed the same for the 5 years I have been running The Main Deal, it’s all about helping.

What’s on?
 

• Friday at 5.30pm - The Gin Shack returns tonight at the newly refurbished Quirky Ales – a few changes here and there
• Monday 21st January 9.00 – 5.30pm am – First Aid at Work Training with Tony Clough at Garforth Country Club  -  Suitable For: Any Workplace (Mandatory for larger & higher risk workplaces)
• Renews the 3 day HSE course (old 4-day course) above. Must be completed within 3 months prior of expiry. NOTE: The 28-day grace period following expiry has now been abandoned. Anyone whose certificate expires must now retake the full 3-day First Aid at Work (FAW) Course.
• Wednesday 23rd -25th January 9.00 – 5.30pm am – 3 Day First Aid at Work Course with Tony Clough at Garforth Country Club Suitable for: Any Workplace (Mandatory for larger & higher risk workplaces).  This is the HSE's gold standard First Aid course for the Workplace and is run over 3-days. In addition to the EFAW course content candidates will learn to deal with common illness and injury including strains, sprains, broken bones, Spinal injuries, burns and much more.

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• Contact Tony online on https://www.tcfirstaidtraining.co.uk/
• Tel. 0113 286 6023
• Mob. 0776 606 6415

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• LUNCH INCLUDED on all courses

 

• Wednesday 23rd January 8.00am-9.00pm Adults Funky Jive class, Garforth Methodist Church with Katherine  - Adults fun, freestyle dance classes. Dance along to some familiar tunes. Have fun waving pom poms and shaking maracas - Message or email for further info funkyjives@gmail.com

 

• Saturday 26th January – What The Dickens, St Marys Church 7.00pm A rehearsal reading of the life and works of Charles Dickens hosted by St Marys Youth Theatre Tickets are £7 available from St Mary’s Church or Garforth Amateur Dramatic Society.

 

Planning
It seems there is a little fight going on between Counsellors and MP’s – "No, really,” I hear you say.  It goes on locally too!  One council is wanting to implement Car parking Charges to Garforth and other local towns and our local Counsellor is, and rightly so, trying to kick that idea away.  Bringing Car parking charges to any town can cause a massive decline in footfall.  I have read about it and, have seen it first hand in Denbigh, North Wales where my husband grew up.   They built out of town shopping areas and then implemented car parking charges on the high street to the shops that were left.  Over time; and I saw this happen over a 12 month period in Denbigh, People just stopped shopping locally, because choice and variety had left and people were not prepared to pay £1 an hour to shop with what was left.  I will keep you up to date with what news comes in over our local counsellors objections; I got my objection in too some weeks ago to add some weight; not sure if it will help!  People who tend to make decisions on towns truly haven’t got a clue; because they don’t live here.   

 Mark Dobson States
“Coun Mark Dobson (Ind), who represents Garforth, one of the areas which would be affected by the new charges, said: "Rarely to we touch on the practicalities of what a proposal will do in practice. "In Garforth this will be an imposition too far."

More details here https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/transport/row-erupts-over-plans-to-introduce-parking-charges-in-town-centres-around-leeds-1-9542265?fbclid=IwAR26Mm8rU1bi193M52bFcnglbOYlUDhacZkXsCuT0hBv2giyuP9zPg-_Y_E

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Until next week…. Let’s hope the white stuff  stays over to the North West.

Happy New Year.  Put your hands up if you have written 2018 and scribbled it out;  It takes a few week to get used to a new year : ) 

I hope you all had a great break,, if for some, it may have only been Christmas Day and Boxing Day.  Time spent with family and friends is precious; unless you have your mother in law with you for a week!  Only kidding, she’s lovely in every way. 

I was hosting all over the holidays, it's not too bad when you have great ingredients to cook with.  We had very a succulent Turkey from Firths that lasted several meals, and a gammon I cooked for our New Year ’s Eve party, with added spices and herbs, cooked in the slow cooker to make splendid sandwiches to help with the alcohol, saying that I rarely drank over the holidays; I’m just as surprised as you!     There was plenty on offer including good gin and good wine, as well as the compulsory bottle of Baileys and Prosescco, but it just wasn't flowing; maybe the delay will be at the end of January! 

As we’re now in January, some of you may now be wanting to make changes for your own health; not necessarily how many cheeses and biscuits you can offload, but a general feeling of fitness and well being.  We have so much on offer locally, joining our Choir on  Wednesday evenings at Garforth Academy, its fabulous for mental health.  Joining one of our Knit and Natter groups, one in the Library and one in Cielo, or going along to Nic Baker's crafting session she holds locally, getting your creative juices going. Try dancing, it's not only great for the body, but also, great for the mind, give Zumba a go or  perhaps adult ballet and tap classes with Caroline Atha School of Dance.  There is also a tea dance that is held every Tuesday afternoon at The Welfare Hall.  And we also have a ladies Gym with some great offers for newbies and our local personal trainers to set your own goals.  It could even be something like looking after your hair, skin or teeth this year, or getting help with slimming.  We have it all here in Garforth, just click on search at the top and find out where you can join. Or ask me more christine@themaindeal.co.uk 



The Main Deal at 5

This week I celebrated 5 years in business, it's thanks to you, I've reached a bit of a goal!

What's on?

• ​It started this evening - Helen O''Grady Yorkshire Drama Academy giving sessions at St Mary's Church Hall, in January, they are offering free sessions

FREE TRIAL SESSIONS EVERY FRIDAY IN JANUARY at St Mary's Church Hall, Garforth
The Helen O'Grady Drama Academy invites you to join them for an hour of fun-filled drama - including a short play!

Classes suitable for children aged 5 - 17 (not all in the same group!)
Friday 4pm - 5pm Lower Primary (aged 5 to school Year 3)
Friday 5pm - 6pm Upper Primary (School Years 4 - 6)
Friday 6pm - 7pm Youth Theatre (School Years 7 and over)

Please contact Caryn Walton-Binns to book on
york@helenogrady.co.uk or 01904 492 998

• Friday Gin Night - is back next week with Rebecca At Quirky's 
• Monday 14th January - Paper Craft Class on the Platform 9.30am - Station House Cafe  - n this class we will use Stampin' Up! stamps, ink, card, papers and tools to make three handmade items. You will get to learn new techniques and card designs. We will make a range of items in these classes, generally two cards and one 3D item which may be some form of gift packaging or home decor.  All materials are provided to make your projects along with as much support and guidance as you require. This class is suitable for people of all abilities, whether you are new to crafting or a seasoned crafter. The cost is £12 which includes a drink from the cafe.  To book please contact me at nicannbaker@gmail.com.
  
• Tuesday 15th Garforth Tigers are holding an OPEN AGE ARLFC  from 7.00pm - Glebelands The all new Garforth Tigers Open Age start pre- season training next Tuesday 7pm at Glebelands. Come on down for a little bit of fitness, a bit of ball work and some banter under the floodlights. Blow away the cobwebs, get that excess Xmas gut shifted and take dry January to the next level.
• Friday 18th Januart at 11.45am Baby/Toddler Signing Classes, Monkey Maze - Book in with Sam www.flutterbabies.co.uk 
• Friday 18th January A Friend of A Friend Coffee morning At Cielo 9.30-11.30   - Go along, pop in at any time, meet local people and business.  A very relaxed affair.
• Friday 18th Emergency First Aid at work with Tony Clough - This 1-day course covers Emergency Life-Saving First Aid that can make a real difference whilst waiting for an ambulance. It meets the requirements of the legislation implemented by the HSE on 1st October 2009.
  Contact Tony for Details Telephone: 0113 286 6023
  Mobile: 07766 066 415 or look on his website www.tcfirstaidtraining.co.uk

Back to it......
I will be attending a lot of meetings over the next few weeks, one with the library with a follow up meeting about the Repair Cafe.  We also have a meeting on Monday 28th January at 5.45pm and Clary from Leeds Repair Cafe is coming over to give us some hints and tips about how we go about getting this off the ground - this is an open meeting so if you couldn't make the one last year, please do come along and volunteer your time or advice.

I'm  going to be talking to Helen from The Jigsaw Tree.  Jigsaw Tree is an online community and resource for everyone involved with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC’s). Helen has some great ideas and we're going to see if we can implement them into our town.

I will also be involved with the first Feastival Meeting which will be happening in the next week or so, more great things to come #watchthsispace

And a couple of review meetings with my lovely members to see how they have been getting on in their initial 3 month membership.




Planning

Parking
As of the 1st February, the car park behind the parade of shops on Main Street will be decreasing its parking times from 1.5 hours to 1 hour.  The landlord feels this will help with shoppers and workers to make a quicker turnaround in order to help with parking!

In my opinion, this is only going to make people park elsewhere, ie. Residential areas. 1.5 hours were plenty and I always got a parking space, no problem, as the time was adequate.  However, decreasing this time will have an impact on how long people spend on Main Street, which is the worry.     The only positive is, it’s still free.  I have always found these landlords to be very short sighted when it comes to Garforth,  people who don’t live in Garforth make decisions that don’t ever suit the people that do.  If you look at these parade of shops alone, we only have Lee left at The Greengrocers as the only independent on the first floor.  #eyestotheceiling 


Keep an eye out on Sticks and Stones' Facebook page, they are playing locally in Swillington and Kippax over the next few months   https://www.facebook.com/GARFUFF/ 
 
Until next week....  Be kind