Jessica Bumby - Author at North Leeds - News | A Hyperlocal website

Cheesy grins all-round at Homage2Fromage night

Local events February 26, 2012 1 Comment

Do you know your Fine Fettle from your Feta or your Barncliffe Brie from your Buffalo Blue?

I didn’t. But regardless, I decided to attend a night at the Adelphi pub with Leeds-based cheese appreciation society, Homage2Fromage.

As I walked up the stairs of the lively Adelphi pub, I was unsure of what to expect from my first Homage2Fromage experience. Having a very basic knowledge of cheese, I was a little concerned that more seasoned visitors would be able to sniff me out like a bad stilton! I could not have been more wrong. Club founders Vickie Rogerson and Nick Copland were there to greet everybody upon arrival and were so welcoming that you could not help but feel at ease. Every guest was told to grab a plate and help themselves to the six different Yorkshire cheeses around the room, which of course, we were all happy to do!

Monthly club

Nick and Vickie founded Homage2Fromage back in October 2011. The Yorkshire cheese night was their fifth monthly club and saw the largest turnout of visitors to date, with thirty-five members and twenty-five non-members (or as Nick preferred to call us, ‘pre-members’!) With music on, drinks flowing and plenty of cheese, everybody was able to socialise and take in some great food in a relaxed environment.

The cheese itself was cut into chunks piled up generously on different tables around the room. On each table there was also a mouth-watering selection of crackers, grapes, olives and various delicious relishes. In-keeping with the Yorkshire theme of the night, the relishes were all made by Pudsey Pickles, and included flavours such as roast onion and jalapeno, cider apple, chilli jam and red onion and cranberry with port.

There was a real mix of people in the room. City-slickers came to unwind after work with friends in a fun atmosphere, couples cosied up with cheese and wine, foodies came to expand their knowledge and there were those who simply wanted to discover a new taste sensation!

The cheeses

After everyone had time to eat, we proceeded to gather round as Vickie and Nick talked us through the cheeses. Although informative, this was far from a lecture. With their bubbly personalities and quick wit, passers-by wouldn’t be far wrong in thinking that there was a stand-up comedy show inside! Amongst the six Yorkshire cheeses were: Barncliffe Brie (the only Yorkshire-made brie); the award-winning Buffalo Blue; the Yorkshire Fine Fettle (as only cheese made in Greece can be called feta); the luxurious (and calorific) Fountain’s Gold and the traditionally Yorkshire Wensleydale Smoked. The star of the show however, was the Swaledale with Theakston’s Old Peculiar Ale. This cheese combined two Yorkshire favourites- cheese and beer. At this point, Vickie and Nick paid tribute to award-winning cheesemaker Mandy Reed, who has recently very sadly passed away. Since 1987, Mandy ran the Swaledale Cheese Company with her husband David, and took over running the business in 2005 after his death. The wonderful Swaledale with Theakstons Old Peculiar Ale was a firm favourite all-round.

Mystery Guest

Often, Nick and Vickie arrange for a mystery guest to make a special appearance during Homage2Fromage’s monthly meet-ups. Past guests have included Blur singer and cheesemaker Alex James. This month, special guest Richard Holmes came along to talk about his successful Cheesemonger business, which started back in 1997 with the launch of his local rhubarb cheese-

Ruby Gold. Since then, business has boomed and awards have kept on coming for this fantastic family-run Yorkshire business. Click www.cryerandstott.co.uk to visit Cryer&Stott’s website.

It is not essential to have a wealth of specialist knowledge in order to attend Homage2Fromage- as Vickie and Nick put it themselves: ‘we are not cheese experts, we are cheese enthusiasts!’ Overall, a great venue, great people, gorgeous cheese, and thankfully no nightmares! If you love cheese, I would definitely recommend Homage2Fromage. To learn more, click here www.homage2fromageleeds.ning.com to visit Nick and Vickie’s website. You can also follow @Homage2Fromage on Twitter to keep updated with the latest events around Leeds.

Artbugs Art for Kids studio opens to satisfy demand in Horsforth

Businesses, Local News February 15, 2012 1 Comment

Jessica Bumby profiles award-winning Mumpreneur Catherine Corfield as she opens the ArtBugs studio for West Yorkshire kids.

Whether they are mini Monets or messy pups, children absolutely love arts and crafts. Such activities are a great way to develop their motor skills, hand-eye co-ordination, imagination and creative thinking, as well as being a whole lot of fun!

Catherine Corfield, a mum of two and international fine-artist, knows all too well about the benefits of early-years art. Driven by her passion for art and understanding of its importance in childhood development, Catherine created ArtBugs- a Leeds-based business which provides exciting art classes for children (with busy mums in mind). Almost one year on, ArtBugs has seen so much success that a studio in Horsforth has recently opened to deal with demand.

Catherine explains: ‘I started running the classes in my dining room but soon started working in children’s centres delivering parent and toddler art classes, and then schools delivering after school art clubs.’ She is now working full-time to deliver art classes in clubs and schools as well as in the ArtBugs studio.

First art experience

Television shows such as Art Attack and Mister Maker are becoming increasingly popular with young viewers. The ArtBugs studio has facilities which allow crafty kids to discover the creativity these programmes encourage. Catherine tells North Leeds News: ‘I believe a child’s first experience of art and creativity plays a huge part in their development and the way they interact with the world around them. Giving children a good first art experience is the first step to engaging them and channelling that creativity.’ What’s more, all the mess is taken care of so no need to worry about glitter in the carpets and paint on the pets!

Many talents

Mumpreneur Catherine is a lady of many talents. As well as being a mother, a Patron of Yorkshire and managing director of ArtBugs, the registered childminder is also a successful fine artist: ‘I have been regularly selling my artwork since 2005 which has allowed me to stay at home with my children whilst still earning a living.’ Catherine has a BA in Fine Art and a Masters in Arts Management. Her artwork has been used internationally for book covers and jazz radio logos. The success does not stop there, as she tells us: ‘I have also been accepted into national art exhibitions and exhibited my work in and around West Yorkshire in group exhibitions and more commercial art galleries’.

To take a look at some of Catherine’s impressive artwork, click here . For more information about ArtBugs click here to visit the website, which has recently been awarded a silver award by Mumpreneur UK. You can even listen to some of the original ArtBugs singing into their paintbrushes to the official song, and see if you catch the art bug too!

Local duo Rita Payne heading for Live and Unsigned

Local News, Music February 4, 2012 5 Comments

Just three months ago, childhood friends Rhiannon Scutt and Pete Sowerby decided to showcase their musical talents by forming an acoustic ‘nu-folk’ duo called Rita Payne.

After recently finishing their first album, Big Wheel, the pair are set for big things as they prepare to battle it out at the UK’s largest music competition – Live and Unsigned.

Graduates

For all the folk-loving folk out there, Big Wheel is sure to tickle your fancy. The album is comprised of eleven spellbinding tracks, all of which are written by Leeds University music graduate Rhiannon and drama graduate Pete. Along with their finely tuned vocal chords, the talented duo play several instruments. Rhiannon plays acoustic guitar, mandolin, melodica and bass, while Pete plays cajon, piano, accordion, glockenspiel and drums (though tells North Leeds News that he is particularly proud of this ‘spectacular’ triangle playing skills!) Such an eclectic mix of instruments combined with male and female vocals gives Rita Payne their unique sound. The band themselves define their music as ‘kind of “nu-folk” with a splash of blues and a cheeky little sprinkle of country thrown in’. Pete’s influences include Oasis, The Civil Wars, Mumford & Sons and Simon & Garfunkel. Rhiannon’s influences include Fleetwood Mac, Big Country, Ani Di Franco, Regina Spektor and MC Hammer!

Cafe Nero

From busking on the streets to performing at one of the UK’s most prestigious music venues, Rita Payne are already experiencing a whirlwind of success. They have some upcoming gigs in Doncaster and Lincoln, as well a folk festival in Harrogate to look forward to. They are also soon to be performing their perfect latte-sipping soundtrack at several Café Nero locations across the region.

Live and Unsigned debut

On the 5^th of February 2011, Rita Payne will step out in front of some of the music industry’s best judges for their performance at Live and Unsigned in Sheffield. The down-to-earth duo hope that the experience will open doors, as they tell North Leeds News: ‘From Live & Unsigned, we ideally would love to gain some recognition in the industry, the whole experience will hopefully allow us to network with insiders and fellow artists, and of course, getting signed to a label with connections to the BBC would be a dream!’ They also tell us: ‘Our plans for the future are to continue working hard gigging around the North, and to further build our internet presence through social networking, so please find us and add us on Facebook, Mypsace & Twitter.’ Here at North Leeds News, we are backing them every step of the way!

To visit Rita Payne’s website click here and check out some of their album tracks. If you like what you hear, you can also follow @TheRitaPayne on Twitter to keep up-to-date with the latest band news and upcoming gigs.

Photo courtesy of Steve Oatway Photography.

Leeds Athlete Umar Is On Track For The 2012 Olympics

Local News, Sport September 7, 2011 6 Comments

Jessica Bumby profiles one of Leeds biggest athletic talents as he prepares for the 2012 Olympics next July

With tickets selling for thousands of pounds and the stadium over 200 miles away from home, London’s 2012 Olympic Games seem untouchable for most of us Northern folk! However, for Morley athlete Umar Hameed, the Olympic dream is very much within reach.

Umar, aged 22, is hopeful of securing a place to compete for Pakistan in the 200m sprint next year. He is currently under sponsorship from Morley-based garage Auto-Tech, giving him a much needed boost to help him in achieving his goals.

Aspiring Umar aims to be one of the best athletes in Europe, and, as currently one of the best UK athletes in his age group he right on track. He tells North Leeds – News: “My long term aim is to make major championships like the Olympics, Commonwealth games and World championships.” Umar is the current Yorkshire 200m champion and the City of Leeds 200m record holder.

The young athlete has just returned from a 200m race in Sweden which, you guessed it, he won, yet will find very little time to relax. Training for the Olympics is no sprint in the park, as Umar explains: “Training is hard, 2 times a day up to 6 days a week sometimes. It includes weights, running and jumping.”

It appears that Umar is a frontrunner not only in athletics, but also in his academic achievements, proving that brains and brawn actually can co-exist! After sixth form, the ex Woodkirk High pupil was given a scholarship at Leeds Metropolitan University where he studied Business for three years while training. He now has a scholarship at Leeds University, where he will study for a Masters in MSc International Business starting next week. Studying for a Masters while training up to 6 days per week will be no easy task, but multi-talented Umar seems to be taking it all in his (rather speedy) stride.

Years of dedication and rigorous training do not guarantee a place in the Olympics, as all athletes must win a qualifying competition for their country before they can compete. This has its problems, as Umar explains: “Even some of the best athletes in the world go to their qualifying competition and mess up, and therefore don’t get selected to go to the Olympics”.

With so much riding on his forthcoming IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federation) qualifier Umar is remaining realistic. He says: “My aim has always been to be successful in whatever I do. The Olympics would be nice but I am not pinning all my hopes on them. If I go it will be a bonus, but my aim is to be one of the best athletes in Europe first.” However, judging by his track record, Umar could well be rocketing his way to success on the Olympic tracks next year!