Our mission...
is to help people and bring them a better life.
Helping the community
THE TRUSTEES
Judge Norman Jones QC
Mrs Teresa Felton MBE
Mr John Crawley FRICS
Mrs Sheila Goodall
Mr Nicholas Felton
The Leeds Community Trust was founded in 1985 as an independent charity shop in the Meanwood area of Leeds, apportioning profits to local charities. The impetus for helping individual families started with the needs making themselves known and a desire to help with the proceeds of the shop. The first case where the Leeds Community Trust was able to help was with a young woman who had advanced cancer. She lived in a high rise block of flats and she felt very isolated and vulnerable. The Leeds Community Trust paid to install a telephone. The Leeds Community Trust was granted charitable status by the Charity Commission on 29 March 1989.
In 1992 the Leeds Community Trust opened a second shop next door to the original shop to extend the range of items sold. Both the shops provide a wide range of goods at extremely reasonable prices for the large and loyal customer base built up over the years.
The money raised for the Leeds Community Trust comes from the profits made at the 2 shops and various fundraising events together with donations from individuals, businesses and other charitable bodies. That money is then used for the relief of poverty and the assistance of vulnerable people in Leeds. These may be individuals and families suffering from welfare or health problems, the victims of abuse or crime, or those suffering from mental health issues, learning difficulties, disabilities or special needs. The Leeds Community Trust works with social services and other caring agencies to identify then support those who need assistance which may be in the form of new beds, bedding, furniture, kitchen appliances, holidays or other items which many in society take for granted.
In addition to the core areas the Trust raises money for its Leeds Community Trust Christmas Fund which has been running for nearly 20 years. Each year the Trust’s Christmas Fund helps disadvantaged children with gifts, clothing or special Christmas food with those who we help coming from all religious and cultural backgrounds. The Trust also runs a Holiday Grants scheme to enable families with children to go away on holiday.
How we helped in 2015
| Activity | Quantity | Activity | Quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas Grants | 55 | Fridge | 1 |
| Christmas Supplying Cookers | 3 | Removal Costs | 1 |
| Carpets | 28 | Fridge/Freezers | 1 |
| Electric Cookers | 8 | Decorating | 1 |
| Washers and Plumbing | 8 | Arrears | 1 |
| Vacuum | 2 | Safety Equipment | 1 |
| Gas Cookers | 3 | Tumble Dryers | 1 |
| Holiday Grants | 3 | Clothing | 12 |
| Which areas of leeds our families come from | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Armley | 58 | Otley | 5 |
| Bramley/Swinnow | 15 | Harehills | 3 |
| Seacroft/Crossgates | 15 | Chapletown | 3 |
| Burmantofts | 11 | Morley | 3 |
| Meanwood | 8 | Horseforth | 1 |
| Middleton | 6 | Rothwell | 1 |
| Tinshill | 6 | Garforth | 1 |
| Holdbeck/Beeston | 5 | Yeadon | 1 |
| Pudsey | 5 | ||
| Who the trust helped in 2015 | No of families | No of Children |
|---|---|---|
| Mother | 82 | 189 |
| Mum & Dad | 14 | 41 |
| Dad | 5 | 14 |
| Grandmother | 4 | 9 |
| Siblings | 2 | 8 |
| Relatives | 2 | 3 |
| Grandparents | 1 | 1 |
| Single women | 10 | |
| Single man | 7 | |
| Couple | 1 | |
| Carers | 1 | |
| Totals | 129 | 265 |
| Circumstances of people we helped | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| WELFARE | No | HEALTH | No |
| Domestic Violence | 36 | Mental Health | 39 |
| Drug Addiction | 22 | Child with Special Needs | 15 |
| Child Protection Issues | 17 | Mental Illness | 13 |
| Child in Care | 13 | Learning Disabilities | 12 |
| Behaviour Problems | 12 | Chronic Illness | 12 |
| Homelessness | 11 | Physical Disabilities | 9 |
| Physical Abuse | 5 | Profound Mental Disabilities | 2 |
| Bad Housing | 5 | Terminal Illness | 1 |
| Traumatic Childhood | 5 | ||
| Alcohol Abuse | 5 | ||
| Bereavement | 4 | ||
| Violence | 3 | ||
| Victim of Crime | 3 | ||
| Vulnerable | 2 | ||
| Emotional Abuse | 2 | ||
| Fire | 2 | ||
| Asylum Seeker | 1 | ||
Many families fall into more than one category. The circumstances of the families that we help can be very complex. The Trustees do look at situations compassionately, without prejudice, and assess the effect of our donation on the overall situation. The Trustees pay careful attention to the number people who will benefit from the assistance, particularly the children.