Community Spirit - Arthur France MBE

Meanwhile, back to the Carnival. This picture is of Arthur France, the founder of the event, with two friends. We haven't a record of who he's with or which year of the Carnival the photograph was taken, so, if he or any of his friends read this, please let us know. There's an interview with him on this site, so I'll let him speak for himself.

Arthur believed that the West Indians, scattered across the country, “needed something to bind us together as people of the Caribbean”. By 1967 the first truly Caribbean carnival in the country, under a black British committee, took place in Leeds. It celebrated its Snow, or carnival queen, danced to the Gay Carnival Steel Band and entertained the city with its procession of fantastic troupes.

In 2009 it's estimated that over 150,000 people attended the three day event which takes place in Chapeltown and Harehills over the August Bank Holiday weekend every year.

In 1997 Arthur France was awarded the MBE for his work with the local community.

The embroidery was hand stitched by Sheila Exley and Jean Nichols on printed fabric (26 hours).

Community Spirit - Louise Read

In the early 1990s Louise took up the challenge set by Leeds City Council to undertake a project on the theme of making the most of retirement. After a lifetime of making clothes for her five children she staged three fashion shows with garments made by herself, with a bias towards clothing for the larger woman of the older generation. A farmer's daughter from Jamaica, Louise was one of 20 children, and came to England in 1955, followed one by one by her children who she has single-handedly put through college or university.

One of her greatest delights was being interviewed by Richard Whiteley after one of her fashion shows.

Photograph taken by Jan Wells.

Sheila Exley was awarded 2nd prize in Arts & Crafts section of North Seacroft Garden show in 2000 for this embroidery, hand stitched on printed fabric (20 hours to complete).