Culture of Native Americans of the Plains comes to Leeds

Caption: The display will include this image of a Native American of the Plains warrior (top, courtesy of David Robinson) and the belt worn by chief Sitting Bull (above, courtesy of Hastings Museum)

Visitors to Lotherton Hall in Leeds can get an insight into the culture of Native Plains Americans from next week.

Running from Tuesday 1 March to the end of the year at the Leeds City Council-managed attraction in Aberford, a new exhibition ‘Native Americans of the Plains’ offers a fascinating look into the life and culture of First Americans from the era of the ‘Indian Wars’ to the present day.

The exhibition features traditional warrior shirts and headdresses, horse equipment, women’s robes, moccasins, sacred pipes, tipi cloths, horse equipment and animal regalia.

Among the highlights on show will be a belt worn by Lakota Sioux chief Sitting Bull who famously masterminded the defeat of the US Cavalry and Lieutenant Colonel George Custer at the ‘Battle of the Little Bighorn’ in June 1876.

Souvenirs of items used by the legendary showman William Frederick ‘Buffalo Bill’ Cody will also be on display, while visitors will be welcomed by an eye-catching warrior figure riding a horse which is among a range of pieces loaned from Hastings Museum.

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All press are invited to tour the exhibition at Lotherton Hall at 11am on Tuesday 1 March led by curator of world cultures Antonia Lovelace. Lotherton Hall is located Off Collier Lane, Aberford, LS25 3EB.
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Visitors will also be able to try on some traditional Plains American-style costumes, while from June 18 to September 25 Lotherton Hall will also be displaying the British Museum touring exhibition: ‘Warriors of the Plains’, which includes modern Pow Wow costumes and more historical items.

The exhibition ‘Native Americans of the Plains’ has been jointly curated by Leeds City Council and Mark Sykes, a local Leeds collector, restorer, and maker of Plains items. Works from his collection together with those from the collections of Colin Taylor and David Robinson will be shown along with paintings by well-known illustrator Richard Hook and loans from Hastings Museum and Museums Sheffield.

A series of family and youth workshops such as making dolls, dream catchers and dance sticks is planned during the exhibitiion’s run, together with talks by experts.

Leeds City Council curator of world cultures Antonia Lovelace said:

“We are all really looking forward to this exhibition opening. Any fans of First American history will love seeing all the great items on display as well as those with extra special significance like Sitting Bull’s belt and the Buffalo Bill souvenirs. We think visitors will really enjoy it.”

Please call 0113 281 3259 or go to www.leeds.gov.uk/lothertonhall for more information.

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:
Roger Boyde, Leisure media relations officer,
Tel 0113 247 5472, Email: roger.boyde@leeds.gov.uk

Public to have their say on adult social care services for the future in Leeds

People in Leeds will have the opportunity to have their say about proposals to change the way that adult social care services are delivered in the city, at a series of drop-in events starting next week.

The consultation will focus on how the council plans to transform its adult social care services so they deliver the best possible care and support for vulnerable adults.

The need to make changes to the way that these services are delivered has never been greater. People are living for longer and the number needing support is increasing all the time. People’s expectations are changing too - they want to have more control over how they get their services, and for those services to be more flexible in order to meet their own individual needs. These demands together with the financial challenge that all local authorities currently face means that different ways to deliver the key services needed to protect the most vulnerable people in our communities have to be found.

As well as asking people for their views on the future for our services, we will also be giving them the opportunity to tell us what they think about two more specific service changes. The first is about changes we are looking to make to our residential care homes and day centres for older people to provide improved and more flexible services in the future. The second relates to changes we are considering making to the charges for services people receive to support them to live at home.

The council want to engage with as many people as possible to help them shape how services will look in the future, and have arranged roadshow events at four venues across the city. Members of the public will be able to talk directly to officers about the proposals, and give their views. This will include the opportunity to complete questionnaires if people wish.

The events are open to all and will take place as follows:
1 March, 9am to 4pm, Kirkgate Market (stall 91), Leeds
4 March, 9am to 4pm, Otley Market (stall 3)
29 March, 9am to 4pm, Pudsey Market (stall P)
7 April, 9am to 4pm, Wetherby Market

In addition to these events, which are aimed at members of the public, we are also consulting with the people directly affected by the changes we are looking at within residential and day care and the review of our charges.

Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, executive board member with responsibility for adult health and social care said:
“Its our priority to provide the best possible support for our most vulnerable adults and their families.

“However, its simply not an option for us to continue to do things the same way as they always have been done, particularly in light of the ever increasing demand on our services and the major financial challenges we are facing.

“We have to make changes, but we will do this in full consultation with as many people as we can, and I would urge people to attend the events that have been organised for this purpose.

“I know that it can be very difficult and upsetting for vulnerable people when their carers or services are changed, so we will manage the changes very carefully. We are committed to improving our services and delivering better results for the people that need them in the future.”

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Additional info
The questionnaire and a fact sheet on the proposals for residential and daycare services for the elderly can also be found on the consultation section of the council’s website (www.leeds.gov.uk), which is open for anyone to complete. It is also available at all one-stop centres. If you would like a paper copy, please contact Diane Lillevik on Leeds 247 8595. There is a freepost address for returns.

For media enquiries, please contact;
Claire Macklam, Leeds City Council press office (0113) 395 1578
Email: claire.macklam@leeds.gov.uk