YEP Letters:September 17

Leeds Music Trust backing local bands

Dave Kelly, by email

Leeds Music Trust provides development opportunities for young bands in Leeds, based in Old Chapel Studios, home of the city’s great bands including Kaiser Chiefs, Pulled Apart By Horses, Pigeon Detectives, Titans Troubadours and Eureka Machines.

Cloth Cat, also based there, are key in providing opportunities for musicians and can support artist development.

Nick Hodgson’s solo stuff is superb, up there with the best. The fact they have all passed through the same local studio is testament to how local music studios can support local talent.

Health workers are stretched to the limit

Dr Rob Harwood, Chair, British Medical Association consultants committee.

a RECENT survey of BMA members found that two-thirds had been asked to act up into more senior roles or cover for more junior colleagues, while eight in 10 said that individuals at their hospital were encouraged to take on the workload of multiple staff.

As doctors and other healthcare workers are forced to spread themselves more thinly, the cost to patient care is clear.

However, with hospitals relying more heavily on temporary workers, the financial implications are also huge.

At a time when an under-resourced NHS is operating at capacity, millions are spent plugging rota gaps – and this cannot be allowed to become a long-term solution.

The Government must urgently address the recruitment crisis across medicine and the wider NHS if the health service is to keep up with rising demand.

Better workforce planning with commissioners and employers is a start, but Ministers also need to address the underlying reason for the shortage.

Trusts must be supported in improving the working lives of doctors and ensure they are made to feel valued. Such pressures put doctors at higher risk of stress and burnout, and this can ultimately lead to deteriorating patient care.

While these worrying trends show no signs of reversal in the short term, Brexit is also likely to have a profoundly negative effect on the NHS workforce, with almost half of EEA doctors telling the BMA they are considering leaving the UK, 40 per cent of whom have already made plans to go.

This is just one area in which Brexit presents a real danger to the nation’s health, and why voters must be given a say on any final Brexit deal.

Dreading thought of winter

Tarquin Holman, Farsley

I am wondering if I am on my own getting vexed with our politicians and their total lack of any commitment to the problems in our country, NHS, crime.

Watching the TV interview of the health minister, September 10, giving his word to solve all the problems within our NHS with no mention of deeds other than extra money. I am remembering the wartime posters ‘Careless talk costs lives’. What can we expect with all the extra winter demands on the way. I am dreading the thought of it! Are you?

Prompted by our recent coverage of Leeds-based YouTube singer-songwriter Hannah Trigwell’s debut album we asked YEP readers who their favourite Leeds area musicians are and why and here’s what some of them said on social media...

Dennis Appleyard

We’re blessed with venues and musicians to suit all tastes in Leeds. The thing to remember is to support local live music.

Eva Slingsby

This question has made me feel really bad I because I’ve realised I listen to almost no local artists!

I really like the band Alt-J, and I also like Corinne Bailey Rae but, other than that, my knowledge of Leeds musicians is poor. Leeds has lots of great places to go and see people though like the O2 Academy. Even the Arena isn’t too huge, so a big gig can still feel intimate.

Jordan Kennedy

Al Doyle, part of Hot Chip. Their songs are class. Leeds isn’t really blessed with to many great musicians and bands, in comparison to some other cities, but Hot Chip are as good as anyone I reckon.

Nigel Birkett

The Grumbleweeds. My Leeds born wife remembers them, I think fondly!

Pete James Denton

Cube & Kid Symphony (Chris Langdon, LA record producer, & Pete Denton, The Kooks), Spacehog (Royston Langdon), The Glitterati, Helen (Corinne Bailey Rae) and Zoot and the Roots - great bands and great memories.

Denny Green

Chumbawamba (from other side of border, but based in Leeds) just for Tubthumping. Heard it got to number one in America, and that’s a big achievement. Not many British bands or singers get a number one over there. And the words “I get knocked down but I get up again, you’re never gonna keep me down” are very positive. Keep fighting and be defiant is best attitude. “It’ll be reyt!”

Glenny Vee

Be-Bop Deluxe, expertly straddling glam, prog and pop - and what a guitar player!

Martin Brennan

The Music, four school mates from Kippax and Garforth, who probably made it bigger abroad than in the UK. They made some excellent stuff though.

Sean Mcdonald

On the local music scene, The Four Horsemen and The Prowlers. Superb blues, both groups featuring the brilliant Andy Prowler.

Many top nights watching them at numerous venues in the city.

Brian Laycock

Charlie Speed, great nights at the Roscoe.

Simon Donnelley

Wedding Present, still touring.

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