Voluntary Action Leeds (VAL) is keen to highlight the good news stories coming through from the Leeds Welcome Spaces Scheme. This winter over 180 Third and Faith Sector organisations have opened their doors to the public to offer a safe, warm and welcoming space.  

The next in our 2024/25 blog series features Age UK Leeds.

People enjoy a ‘Social over Soup’ 

Our Social over Soup session grew from 15 to 30 attendees, this doubled the number of attendees in January! 

Word had got round that we were providing a warm and welcome space that enabled people to meet up and enjoy making new friends. 

Mary’s Story – Regaining confidence after a fall 

Mary is 79 years old and attends Ways 2 Wellbeing groups –‘ Social over Soup’ ‘Moving with Confidence’ and ‘Wellbeing Workshop’.  

When Mary was initially referred to Ways 2 Wellbeing from an ‘Enhance Support Worker’ service. She requested a volunteer to come and visit her as she wanted some company and someone to chat to.    

Although her daughter, Michelle was a regular and attentive visitor, Mary knew that she needed to regain her own independence and build the confidence to venture outside the home again. I carried out a home visit to assess her needs and find out more about her circumstances. Mary had suffered a terrible fall and now relied on a walker to help her to stabilise herself. 

The Ways 2 Wellbeing Activities were explained to Mary and she was offered to be matched with a suitable volunteer with a view to attending activities at the hub when she felt able.   

Covered in bruises after hitting her face on the hard surface, Mary still remained positive and determined and wasn’t going to be deterred by her injuries. Mary said that having learned about the variety of activities that we were offering, she would like to try and come along to the hub without the support of a volunteer and said she would take the first step of coming to Social over Soup.  

Accompanied by her daughter who dropped her at the entrance, Mary came along to the Soup Session the following week. Her obvious enthusiasm shone through, and her daughter Michelle remarked on the difference she could see in her mum; “it’s been great! She really looks forward to coming and now has something to say, she has signed up to Moving with Confidence and the Wellbeing Workshop”. 

Voluntary Action Leeds