St Mary's Church Whitkirk Community Centre

25/07/2024

Congratulations to Whitkirk Arts Guild on their opening night of 9 to 5 the Musical yesterday! Audiences were talking about the "incredible ambiance" and called the show "beyond amazing".

You can still get tickets for the rest of the week either on the door or at whitkirkartsguild.com/9to5 if you don't want to miss out!

Join us for a night of laughter, camaraderie, and toe-tapping tunes from the legendary Dolly Parton as we celebrate the triumph of the underdog in 9 to 5 The Musical.

04/07/2024

It’s election day, and we’re once again a polling place!

If you’re voting today remember that you need photo ID to vote in person. If you want a refresher of the candidates, whocanivotefor.co.uk is the place for you. If you want to double check your polling place, it’s wheredoivote.co.uk. Polls are open until 10pm.

25/06/2024

It looks like the warmer weather might finally be here, and with it we're thinking ahead to the rest of the summer! Here's what's coming up:

On the 6 July starting at 11.00 am, St Mary's Church, Whitkirk is bringing you their annual summer social. Come along, grab some coffee and cake, browse the stalls, play a family game or two and soak up that sunny atmosphere.

On the 12 July at 6.30 pm it's the Whitkirk Family Gathering. An evening with no agenda – grab a drink at the bar, order a takeaway, play games or just sit and have a chat, it's up to you.

On the 24 to 27 July, Whitkirk Arts Guild head back to the 1970s with their production of the hit 9 to 5 the Musical, packed full of music by the one and only Dolly Parton. Performances every evening at 7.30 pm, and a Saturday matinee at 2.30 pm. If you haven't got your ticket yet, mosey on down to whitkirkartsguild.com/9to5 – don't dally though, the best seats are going fast!

02/06/2024

Did you know Whitkirk was the home of the “father of civil engineering” John Smeaton, a man who once designed a lighthouse which outlasted the rock it was built on?

Next weekend would have been his 300th birthday, and to celebrate we’re hosting a series of talks, exhibits and church services. Head to whitkirkchurch.org.uk/smeaton for the full list!

2024 is the 300th anniversary of the birth of John Smeaton, the "father of civil engineering in Britain", who is buried at St Mary's Church, Whitkirk.To mark the occasion, St Mary's is hosting a series of talks and events on John Smeaton, his life and his worksWhat's onFriday 7 June

02/05/2024

It’s polling day for both local and mayoral elections, and we’re a polling station! You’ve got until 10pm today to cast your vote.

You don’t need your polling card, but you do need photo ID (a list of acceptable forms is at www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id/accepted-forms-photo-id) - please double check you’ve got it with you or you’ll be unable to vote.

If you’re not sure who you can vote for head over to whocanivotefor.co.uk and pop in your postcode for a list of candidates. If you’re not sure where your polling station is (it might not be us, and you can only vote at the right one) then wheredoivote.co.uk can help.

09/02/2024

At a loose end this evening? Why not come along to Whitkirk’s Family Gathering, this month with a board games theme!

We’ve got a selection of games for all ages, from quick dice-rollers to longer empire-builders, or you’re welcome to bring your own favourites. Join a game or start a new one - it’s up to you!

Or, if you prefer, just come along and chat. Our bar is open and you’re welcome to order a takeaway or use our kitchen.

You’re welcome any time from 6.30 pm. See you there?

14/01/2024

Did you spot some people working on our roof last week? They were fitting our new solar panels and battery system, which take advantage of our south-facing roof to turn sunlight into an estimated 6,900kWh of emissions-free electricity a year.

That’s enough energy to make around 4,000 roast dinners, fully recharge 150 electric cars, or make a whopping 200,000 cups of tea!

21/12/2023

It was a bit blustery last night! We’re aware of a tree which has fallen and is blocking Colton Road for both pedestrians and vehicles, as well as blocking the path through the churchyard.

For the time being we recommend you avoid the area if you can, and we’ll let you know as things change!

UPDATE: Colton Road is reopen to traffic, but the churchyard is still blocked. It might take us a while to get this sorted as it’s not an emergency, and tree surgeons are very busy with more serious issues following the high winds. Thanks to the Leeds City Council highways and forestry teams for their hard work in getting this safely cleared and the road back in action!

01/11/2023

The paint is nearly dry! Just four weeks left to get your tickets for Whitkirk Arts Guild's magical pantomime, Once Upon a Time in Pantoland.

Visit whitkirkartsguild.com/panto to buy your tickets today.

27/09/2023

Did you know… every one of the toilets in our building has a twin? St Mary's Church, Whitkirk has funded latrines in nations where poor sanitation costs lives every single day, as well as donated to programmes helping people better understand the relationship between water, hygiene and health.

17/07/2023

It’s almost time for Whitkirk Arts Guild to take to our stage with this year’s musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat!

15/06/2023

We’re super excited to share the latest addition to our Community Centre with you; cycle parking!

Our new ‘toast rack’ cycle stand means that you now have somewhere to secure your bicycle after riding to either the Community Centre or the Church. Why not give it a go the next time you visit us?

04/05/2023

It’s local elections day, and polling stations (including us) are open until 10.00 pm for you to cast your vote.

You can find information about the candidates at whocanivotefor.co.uk, and if you’re not sure where your polling station is (it might not be us) then check your polling card or head to wheredoivote.do.uk.

Remember that you now need photo ID to vote - find out the accepted types and what to do if you don’t have one at www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/voter-id.

We build digital tools to support everyone’s participation in UK democracy.

14/03/2023

19/09/2022

Whitkirk’s bells are tolling from 10:00 till 11:00 this morning 19th September 2022 for the funeral of Her Majesty.

09/09/2022

12:00 midday on 9th September and Whitkirk’s bells are tolling in memory of the Queen.

01/11/2021

It’s November! Time to put away those pumpkins (or even better, turn them into a tasty soup) and get ready for the winter ahead.

Speaking of things that are ahead, we’ve got some things coming up we want to tell you about.

First of all, if you want to get your dancing shoes on we’ve got sequence dancing sessions starting on Monday 8 November at 1.00 pm, then every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month. It’s £5 per person, and no matter if you’re a pro or complete beginner you’ll be gliding across the floor in no time.

Looking to December, there’s a Christmas Coffee Morning on the 4th December, from 10.00 am until 1.00 pm. Come join St Mary's Church, Whitkirk for a cuppa, cake and carols, as well as the famous Christmas Raffle and some stalls.

Then, the week after, Whitkirk Arts Guild are taking to the stage with their annual family pantomime The Sword In The Scone from the 8th to the 11th of December. There are still some great seats available; pop to whitkirkartsguild.com/scone to book yours.

13/10/2021

If you’ve been in our Community Centre in the past couple of weeks, you might have been treated to an annoying buzz from our speakers.

The good news is, we fixed it. The better news is we also added a new power button to help save energy!

If you use our sound system just give the button a poke to wake everything up. It’ll turn itself off after a few hours.

06/05/2021

Happy polling day everyone! 🗳

It’s been a while, but we are once again open for you to cast your votes for the local council and - for the first time - mayoral elections.

If you’re coming to vote today please remember your face covering. 😷 If you have symptoms of Covid please don’t try vote in person, but call 0113 222 4411 for an emergency proxy vote.

If you’re not sure who you can vote for or want a reminder of the candidates, head to whocanivotefor.co.uk. Remember that for the mayoral election you can vote for a first and second choice.

If you don’t know where your polling station is (it might not be us) then you can find out at wheredoivote.co.uk.