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 Morley Salvation Army.  

How our welcome space is combatting loneliness and social isolation. 

Here are the stories of three people (names have been changed) who have benefitted from our Welcome Space.  

 

Jim was street homeless in January and struggling to keep warm in the snowy weather. His probation officer suggested he came to the Salvation Army for a warm drink and food parcel, as the food bank operates alongside our Welcome Space. We provided food he could eat from the tin or with hot water, a tin opener and some warm clothes. He found warmth and friendship from those who come regularly, and signposting information to help him get back on his feet. Jim says ‘Nobody judged me. I felt stuffy and was very cold but people didn’t seem to notice. An older couple invited me to sit with them and we chatted about how we all coped with the snow.’  

  

Anna is a regular at welcome space, she makes cakes to bring in and is a good listener if people need to talk. She has particularly supported one of the other volunteers who is a young adult with learning disabilities. Anna has terminal cancer and often struggles after treatment. She spends a lot of time on her own, and is very poorly at times, but never complains. On her birthday the Welcome Space bought her chocolate cake and flowers and sang ‘happy birthday’.   

  

Betty came to welcome space with a friend. She is often lonely and looks forward to Wednesdays when she brings her youngest grandchild to our toddler group. The day she came to Welcome Space was a few days after she was attacked in her home and suffered serious injuries to her face. Welcome Space has given her the confidence to ask for help and talk to trusted friends about the problems she faces. 

 

The following is a quote from a young woman who visits the space, she has autism and struggles with forming relationships and finding affordable places to go: 

“Welcome Space is a friendly place where I love to come for a coffee and teacake. I enjoy the crafts and colouring and helping out.”  

 

What would you want to say to funders and organisations who make initiatives like Welcome Spaces possible?
A big thank you for helping us keep going. 

 

Photos below are of our afternoon tea event and pupils from Newlands School who visited welcome space with their donations for the food bank. 

Voluntary Action Leeds