Over 200 Welcome Spaces Open in Leeds to Offer Warmth and Connection

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February 2, 2025
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More than 200 Welcome Spaces have opened across Leeds, providing a warm and welcoming environment for people to enjoy hot drinks, activities, and social connection. 

The initiative, which runs until 31 March 2025, includes several venues in East Leeds, such as Cross Gates Good Neighbours, The Old Fire Station, and Burmantofts Community Friends.

The scheme, launched in 2022, brings together Leeds City Council, community groups, and faith organisations to ensure people have safe spaces to spend time, access services, and meet others. 

Last year, 58,000 people visited Welcome Spaces across the city, with many taking part in activities such as chair exercises, crafts, and board games.

Councillor Mary Harland, executive member for Communities, Customer Services and Community Safety, praised the initiative, saying: The Welcome Spaces initiative is a really great example of Leeds coming together as a city to ensure people have somewhere warm, safe and welcoming they can go to spend some time with other people or just some time away from home where they can access services such as free wi-fi.”

Leeds City Council’s hubs and libraries are among the venues offering Welcome Spaces. Nick Hart, Head of Customer Contact at Leeds City Council, said that the hubs will allow people to access a range of services and access refreshments.

He added: “Staff at all our hubs and libraries will always be on hand to provide a warm welcome and can also help visitors to find support if needed.”

The initiative is backed by funding from the Department for Work and Pensions’ Household Support Fund, which is managed and distributed by Voluntary Action Leeds. 

Hannah Bailey, Chief Officer at Voluntary Action Leeds, emphasised the importance of community involvement, stating: Welcome Spaces are here to support local communities this winter and we are proud to be working with more than 180 community and faith organisations this year to support them as they offer this vital service. 

“Welcome Spaces offer more than a warm welcome; like our city’s voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations do all year round, they are there to support the people of Leeds in so many ways and are at the heart of their local communities.”

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