Mac Teas was set up by Dan McTernan from East Ardsley in October last year after welcoming a new baby to the family and whilst his wife was on maternity leave.

They provide a selection of home cooked healthy meals and offer a delivery service to customers across East Ardsley, Tingley, Thorpe, Wrenthorpe, Outwood, Lofthouse and Woodlesford.

They have recently served up their 1000th dish, they supply a range of customers, from young and old to families offering a personal touch to their order – it’s Dan that answers the phone to take the order, it’s Dan that cooks the food and it’s Dan that delivers it to the customers door at a time that suits them.

Mac Teas pride themselves on supporting local and Dan uses local suppliers where possible. He gets his meat from R.H. Binks & Sons Butchers so customers can be assured that what they are eating is good quality, Yorkshire meat!

What Dan and the Mac Teas team have done in 6 months is quite special – well done guys and congratulations!

Keelie is known by all, she’s a friend to many and wears a lot of different hats across our community. In fact, she pops up all over the place! But Keelie’s actual job is running her own business as a makeup artist doing the makeup for brides, dance troupes, people attending events, parties, proms.

Keelie really stood out with the volume we received and the repetition in what was said, her professionalism, patience and skills all make her a wonderful make-up artist.

Many also referred to how Keelie made them feel… One said she takes care to ensure that her clients feel comfortable and great about themselves, makes them laugh and feel relaxed often on a day when they are very nervous.

We knew Keelie had to win this award when we read this comment on one of her many nominations:

"Keelie did make up for my daughter who suffers with severe anxiety…

"She was amazing with her. She made me cry – I know my daughter is amazing and beautiful, but she just doesn’t see it…

"Keelie got through to her and gave her tips on what to do and every single time she puts on makeup she talks about Keelie and says she wants to be like her when she’s older. Keelie won’t think she had this impact on her but she’s magic.

"Thank you for making my daughter realise she is just as beautiful as anyone else!"

Well done Keelie on going above and beyond with your clients and making everyone look and feel wonderful about themselves.

So according to some of Liz’s neighbours who wrote to us, Liz is one of a kind!

She took early retirement so she could volunteer her time to deliver hot meals to the elderly and run a Tuesday bingo club with any money raised going to charity.

She organises street parties and makes sure that all the people who live on the street are included, she’s the glue that makes her street a community and she makes sure that everyone is included.

One of the comments we received about Liz was:

"Liz is everyone's friend, and she is someone that we can all turn to in our time of need, she’s there for everyone and will always help those that need it. It’s a privilege to live on such a lovely street."

Well done Liz on being such a brilliant neighbour.

Betty is our Junior Fundraiser of the Year in recognition of her fundraising efforts for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Walking 15,000 steps every day in January Betty wanted to raise money to fund vital research, care, and support for people and families living with MND and in support of her own Grandma who is battling with the disease.

It took a lot of dedication and commitment, missing out on being with friends and enduring all weather conditions she completed her challenge and raised a brilliant £1,500 for the MND Association.

Claire has won our Fundraiser of the Year for the years of fundraising she has done for lots of charities over many many years!

Claire fundraises constantly. And for all sorts of charities, from local community charities to charities abroad, Claire has done it all; St Georges Crypt in Leeds, Cancer Research, a wing walk for Children’s Heart Surgery Fund and lots of baking for and raffles!

She also supports people in Gulu in Uganda, helping to feed them, clothe kids and she even funds the education for 2 children.

Mosaic community Cafe can be found in the West Ardsley Methodist Church at the bottom of Haigh Moor Road.

It opens every Wednesday from 11am til 1.30pm and is a place that people can go and buy a drink, have a simple lunch and maybe a slice of freshly baked cake. It's a warm space and a friendly place where you can have a chat and meet people.

Whilst this may sound fairly standard for a café, the difference is that it's run entirely by volunteers and any profit made is used to support the West Ardsley Food Pantry which opens its doors to any local people who require it’s support.

One of the nominations said:

"Kathryn and her team have worked in the community opening up every week, they support the food pantry at West Ardsley with any profits made. Over the summer they provided free meals for children and activities.

"The Cafe is full of welcoming people and is a lovely environment to have a chat, sandwich and a slice of cake."

Well done Mosaic!

The Cuppa and Catch Up group was set up by Tracey Cavinder around 6 years ago following a post on a community Facebook group where someone asked if a similar type of group existed in West Ardsley.

Tracey rallied the troops, made some calls and managed to host at The Hare & Hounds pub.

Anyone is welcome to pop along, it combats loneliness and encourages people to come together, have a cuppa and a good old natter. The group has around 15 regulars who have all become friends.

The group is a safe space for people to meet, some have suffered a bereavement or other setback, others have retired and find themselves not knowing what to do and so coming together as a group really helps them make connections and lets them know they are not alone.

Well done Tracey and the group!

Back in the 60’s the Winthorpe estate in Thorpe was set out on its own, with no buses and nothing to do for the children.

Residents of the estate decided to figure out what it would take to build their own community centre where people could come together, share good times and occupy the children. The founding members Joseph Walker, Sydney Holden and Fred Jones came together and achieved something very special for a lot of people…

In 1966 they got permission from the Council for a structure to be placed on derelict land within the estate, this took the form of a wooden chicken hut that was purchased for the sum of £80 (a lot of money back then) which was collected by fundraising within the community.

Over the years, further planning permission was granted to build a brick structure around the original chicken hut, which is still there today but as we know having the infrastructure is only part of the battle – you need volunteers, people that are prepared to stand up and make a difference and John and Julie along with all the committee members are constantly doing their best to keep the community centre open and helping the estate.

One of the nominations said:

"I thank you on behalf of my late father who was the founder member of the association. He would be over the moon that it was still going and keeping the community spirit alive."

East Ardsley Juniors is a new football club offering more than just competitive matches, they organise outings, arrange experiences for the children and regular events to bring all their teams together as one club, this brings the community together too.

One of the nominations said:

"Kyle and the team are doing an amazing job with East Ardsley JFC…

"My son has additional needs and Joe the under 11 coach checks in with him to make sure he is ok and looks to praise and build his confidence. He is a great role model and genuinely cares. I couldn’t ask for a better coach or club."

Tingley Run Fit has been nominated in each our awards since we started.

Tingley Run Fit is a local and inclusive running group, although the common theme through the many nominations said that this group is about more than just running.

One of the nominations said:

"Natalie and the Run Leaders all help motivate, train and encourage people to exercise, they are welcoming, friendly and they support and encourage all abilities.

"The runs are well researched and appropriate to the ability of the people who are booked on to actually do that run."

Liz has been a teacher at Westerton School for over 25 years.

She is a wonderful, kind and caring teacher who goes above and beyond every day., she is now vice principal and is a great role model to all at school.

She does a lot of extra activities with the children, including a choir. Her love for teaching shines through in every lesson and she is admired by all the staff and students alike.

Miss Ruse is an amazing teacher and is respected by all her children, those she has taught previously and their parents.

She was loved that much by the parents of her class that they came together and threw a special party for her and the children when they moved on…. There were lots of tears.

Mrs Stuart was nominated for being such an encouraging, caring and thoughtful teacher.

One of the nominees said that:

"Mrs Stuart taught both our girls with passion and enthusiasm, she is an amazing teacher, funny, kind but most of all she makes learning fun and really cares about each of her children. She can probably tell you something personal about each of them as she takes the time to get to know not only the students but their families too."

Mr Lowe teaches English at Woodkirk Academy and was nominated by a number of parents, one of the nominees said:

"I take my hat off to all secondary school teachers but Mr Lowe is one of a kind.

"He goes above and beyond in everything he does. It’s hard trying to keep a 16-year-old boy interested in school subjects but he does just that. He’s absolutely amazing and I hope he knows how much of a difference he makes to the children at Woodkirk.

"My son's favourite teacher by a country mile. Knows how to get the best out of him and what makes him tick. He’s improved his English greatly during his teaching."

Mr Vernon is from Rodillian Academy. A nomination said:

"Mr Vernon is a very helpful, patient and kind teacher at Rodillian. Both my children have him for different subjects and all they have is praise for what a fantastic teacher he is.

"He helped my daughter progress in English, improving by the equivalent of 3 grades in a short space of time giving her confidence to know she can do it with the right help.

"Mr Vernon also works with my son and teaches him in Boxing class, he teaches my son discipline and respect and gives him the skills and confidence to believe in himself.

"He’s the kind of teacher that makes kids want to be in school and learning, thanks Mr V!"

The Food Pantry at West Ardsley Methodist Church have become a lifeline to local families over the last few years.

It runs every Friday for a couple of hours in the afternoon where a donation of £2 can get people 20 items from a choice of foods.

The team have always had the motto “no one should go hungry” and are led by Sarah Canning who works with a group of amazing volunteers to ensure they can live up to their motto.

The Food Pantry are always welcoming to everyone, they make sure people are looked after and know where to turn. They don’t demand paperwork or referrals; anyone can just turn up on a Friday and get what they need.

Well done to the team!
 

Tracy was nominated for this special award by her friend who said:

"We have been friends for as long as I can remember. We started as colleagues and now we are not only friends, but like family.

"She has supported me through literally everything, working together, during covid, making sure myself and my boys had food and also supporting the children we were working with at school.

She has had my back through thick and thin.

"I sadly lost my stepson to suicide 18 months ago and she has been my absolute rock! During this time, I felt like the world was closing in. Tracy's wise words and advice help me to carry on, do the job I love and get through each day knowing my best friend has my back.

"Tracy is one in a million and I really don’t know where I would be today without her love and support.

"There’s no other way to thank her for all she does other than this nomination."

Maggie is 84 years young and has been volunteering in this area for at least the last 24 years…

Maggie runs the Westerton Road community centre on a Tuesday and Friday, bringing people together so that they can have some fun and enjoy some company!

She organises things for the groups, she’s always helping people, she cooks and makes sure that everyone is happy and safe.

Nothing is too much trouble to her.

Dee was nominated by Maggie in recognition of the work she has done at Westerton Road Community Centre for the last 10 years.

she is a lovely lady that helps with the running of various events and activities, she helps people that need it (like pushing them in wheelchairs) and supporting them both at the centre and with anything else they need.

Kieran has been playing ice hockey for “Leeds Junior Knights” for the last 7 years, training 3 nights a week plus extra gym and cycling sessions to improve his fitness.

He plays matches on a Saturday and Sunday for the under 14’s and 16’s AND he's been invited to train as an under 18s Leeds Knights ‘prospect’ which means he will be coached by the Leeds head coach.

Last year Kieran was diagnosed with a middle fossa arachnoid cyst on the brain and was told to stop all contact sports including his beloved ice hockey until further tests were completed.

Kieran was devastated. He had to deal with serious health concerns and stop taking part in the sport he loves. His life was upside down. But deal with it he did.

Thankfully he’s now been given the “all-clear” and was back at ice hockey training the DAY he was cleared.

Kieran has also since been scouted by England to trial for the under 14 team in a tournament in Finland in April 2024.

Buttercup Lane Childminders bring people together through their wide range of activities.

Karl & Lia not only run a childminding service for Tingley, East Ardsley and Thorpe they do lots for charities such as Cash for Kids, Children’s Heart Surgery Fund and Candleilighters.

Leigh View Patient Group offer a different activity including walks, chair aerobics, coffee mornings, keep fit classes and knitting.

They raise money for charities and have held talks on subjects such as Dementia and Alzheimers and a session by the fire brigade which proved very informative and interesting.

The group are regarded as the flagship Patient Group within the whole of Leeds.

St Mary’s Knit & Natter Group Crochets seasonal and topical post-box toppers to mark special events - they are displayed on the postbox on Batley Road.

The creative group have made lots of brilliant toppers marking events like valentines, Christmas, Remembrance, Easter and the Kings Coronation.

The WF3 Freecycle group on Facebook enables people to post photos of their unwanted belongings which someone else can take… for free.

This helps the environment, reduces waste and helps local people all at the same time. The group have also helped people in the community in need with direct appeals.

Ardsley Windows are highly respected in the area having been nominated in every single one of our awards. They offer fantastic service to people looking for replacement or repair to windows, doors and conservatories.

Stephen & Charlotte also support many community groups and good causes and always put their hand up when help and support is needed. WF3 Kindness would not be what we are today without the help they have given to us since day one.

One of our many nominations for Ardsley Windows said:

"Ardsley Windows are fab, Stephen was really helpful with my elderly parents and rather than replace their full house with new windows (which another firm had suggested), he changed the sealed units and replaced the handles for new ones – Mum and Dad thought they were like new! Thanks Stephen."

Diane Wells is another person that is nominated every year. She not only gets involved with lots of community events, but she runs them from start to finish!

The Little Free Library, Monday movers, kids drawing competitions, Easter egg hunts, the Santa letters and the well-received uniform recycle event at the community hall – she’s part of it all.

She gives so much of her time to our community and she’s a legend!

The Hare & Hounds are more than a drinking hole and a real hub of the community, doing so much across the area.

Jackie, Pat and Keelie are amazing, they welcome everyone, young and old into their pub. They go the extra mile. Supporting many charities and community groups. The team never want the plaudits and just quietly do what a great community hub should be doing.

The team also bring Santa to West Ardsley and Tingley each year and give out treats to the crowds of kids that line the streets, they also host the amazingly popular Easter Trail on Easter Sunday.

One of our many nominations said:

"I'm so comfortable in that pub it's like a warm hug on a miserable day. Funny thing is I don't even drink so I’m rubbish for the business really!

"But Jackie, Pat and Keelie have helped to lay the foundations for me to feel like I belong in this community and the truth is they treat lots of people and groups like this. They're really special. Everyone feels welcome in their pub."

The WF3 Wombles founded by John Calladine and Julie Taffinder in 2021 work across the Ardsley and Robin Hood Ward. They have also been known to collect in parts of Middleton and Rothwell.

They have been nominated in every year of our awards and epitomise everything that our Changing WF3 Award stands for.... They have lots of amazing volunteers who are always willing to do put in effort to benefit the area and make a lasting impact!

The Wombles have collected 1775 bags in 2023 and more than 6,300 bags since they started – that’s a huge amount of rubbish that without the group would be blowing around our area.

Abi is no stranger to WF3 Kindness, our awards or our community in general, infact she’s known all over the world!

Abi makes lovely bracelets in order to spread joy and happiness… She calls them joylets in a nod to her last name and has given out thousands and thousands over the years with help from Mum Gaynor, Dad Richard and big brother Lewis.

One of the nominators said:

"Abi is amazing, as his her Mum and Dad and Lewis. They continue to spread joy through her joylets and she’s a lovely young lady!

"Abi Joy deserves this so much – she is fantastic and what she achieves despite her many health challenges is testament to her and her supportive family.

"We met Abi at your awards last year and we’ve followed her since. She is just amazing."

Another person said:

"Abi is the Ant & Dec of The WF3 Awards – she will be nominated (and she should win) every single year…

"she always has a smile on her face and a great big hug if she recognises you."

Abi – you’re a very special human being!

Ray is a shining light in the Thorpe community and is someone else that has been nominated in each of our awards but has previously come up short.

Ray runs the community centre at Thorpe and gives help to anyone that needs it… including stray cats!

He ran the food bank during covid opening up at all hours to help people, he takes care of local cats and helps out neighbours.

Everyone loves and respects Ray from the young to the old, one of our nominators said:

"Raymond is the King of Thorpe village, he sorts everything out and has done for years. He’s a top bloke that deserves some recognition."

We renamed the former 'Peoples Champion Award' to the “Kate Allen People’s Champion award” following the very sad news that our friend and supporter, Kate Allen lost her battle to cancer and passed away in January this year.

Kate featured herself in our 2023 awards when 'Kates Mates' won the Kevin Sinfield Award of Friendship for the support that Jamie, Tracey and her friends all gave to Kate, her partner Craig and their family. The group even fundraised in order to send Kate on her bucket list dream campervan trip to do the NC500 trip, which is a 500 mile route along the north coast of Scotland.

Kate’s Mates raised £4,497 in total so Kate got her wonderful trip and the rest of the donations went to Breast Cancer UK.

Kate had a great time at our Awards last year and we're honoured that she will feature each year going forward by having this special award in her name.

The Kate Allen People's Champion Award is the only award that is voted for by the public and includes every single nominee, this means that anyone could win this; a nominee, a finalist or even one of our award winners.

The winner of our first ever Kate Allen People's Champion Award is Kieran Smith, who also won The Junior WF3 Local Hero of the Year Award.

Congratulations to Kieran who's amazing sporting achievements despite a couple of setbacks due to some health concerns make you a really wonderful winner of this award.

We hope you enjoy representing England at the ice hockey tournament in Finland this month and we wish you well for the future, you have gained a couple of hundred more fans and we’ll be looking out for you!

Billy is our Patron... But he hasn’t just got this award because of his work with WF3 Kindness…

Billy began his career as a "variety entertainer" and rose to prominence when he appeared in the televised talent show New Faces in 1986, where he reached the final.

Due to his success on the show, Billy began to appear more regularly on stage and TV throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He worked with Danny La Rue and was the compere for comedy double act Cannon and Ball.

He had his own show ‘The Billy Pearce Laughter Show’ at Blackpool's Grand Theatre, he fronted his own BBC series and he appeared regularly as a guest on numerous game, entertainment and chat shows.

He’s appeared in five children's Royal Variety shows and three Royal Variety shows.

In 1994 Billy won the British Comedy Award for "Top Theatre Variety Performer" beating personalities, such as Ken Dodd and also received The Sir James Carreras Award for "Outstanding New Talent".

He’s regarded as 'The King of Panto' after headlining at The Alhambra in the annual panto and when he performs this year in Pinocchio it will be his 24th season.

He’s performed on stage all over the world and for the 3rd year running he's shared a stage with us to recognise and celebrate those across our community that make it a better place to live, work and play.

In the early days of our WF3 Kindness journey we wanted to spread a bit of lighthearted fun on our Facebook page during lockdown, Billy recorded us a video which would later go viral. He’s always done whatever we have asked, from videos in his dressing room at Panto promoting these awards to getting Dr Ranj to record a message for us – he’s always happy to help us.

Billy is a performer – his working day is performing to crowds of people and sold-out theatres – there was no work during the pandemic, he wasn't able to visit loved ones and had the same challenges that we all had but the difference is that he still did what he could to help us and others in our community.

Billy Pearce has won just about every comedy award going, including a British Comedy Award, Solo Comedian of the Year and Best Television Comedy Newcomer at the London Pallodium, he was even presented with the Arts and Entertainment Award at the prestigious Yorkshire Awards in 2013… but tonight he goes home with his very own Best of WF3 Award.

Dan Frank, Founder of WF3 Kindness and The Best of WF3 Awards said:

"Well done Billy and Thank you for everything , you’re described as National treasure and famous talent but you know what, you’re ours, you’re WF3 and we’re so chuffing proud of you!

"Well done my mate!"