Janine GriffithsA Harehills funeral home has launched a monthly community café to give local residents a place to meet, chat and make new connections.
Wm Dodgson & Son Funeral Services on Lupton Avenue held its first café event on 5th August.
The event welcomed residents into the Harehills branch for an afternoon of conversation and refreshments.
Visitors were also given the chance to get to know members of the funeral home team.
The café was organised by Funeral Arranger Sinead Hardesty and Funeral Director Lee Austin.
It offers coffee, cake and conversation in a relaxed and welcoming setting.
Following the response to the first event, the team has decided to make the café a regular monthly event.
The next Community Café will take place on Wednesday 2nd September from 1pm to 3pm.
Future cafés are planned for the first Wednesday of every month.
The organisers say the café is intended to strengthen community connections and provide somewhere people can drop in.
Sinead Hardesty, Funeral Arranger at Wm Dodgson & Son, said: “We are really proud to have launched the Community Café.
“Within our jobs we see first-hand how important human connection can be, particularly for people experiencing bereavement or loneliness.
“We wanted to create a welcoming space where anyone from the local community can come in, have a cuppa and a chat and feel comfortable and supported.”
The café is open to everyone, with residents able to attend whether they are looking for company, support or simply the opportunity to meet others.
The next event will be held at Wm Dodgson & Son Funeral Services, 18 Lupton Avenue, Harehills, Leeds, LS9 6EQ.
For more information, residents can contact Wm Dodgson & Son Funeral Services on 0113 249 8849.
Support independent community journalism!
East Side Story covers the people, places and stories in Leeds that are too often overlooked. While national headlines chase conflict and clickbait, we focus on real communities and the issues shaping daily life in East Leeds.
Divisive content, AI noise and online rumours spread faster than ever. At the same time, many mainstream outlets are stretched and rarely spotlight the community organisations and local champions who deserve recognition.
East Side Story was created to change that. We answer only to our readers. We have no corporate owners or billionaire funders. Our journalists report freely, ask difficult questions and hold power to account.
Your support helps us keep this work going. Monthly contributions make the biggest impact because they allow us to invest in deeper reporting and fearless local journalism.
Supporters also receive exclusive updates, behind the scenes insights and other benefits as a thank you for keeping independent journalism alive.
