Category Archives: Events & Activities

Information from Leeds City Council

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Cost of Living Support and Advice January 2023

Dear resident

As we enter the new year, we know that the increase in cost of living continues to touch many people, and some may only be starting to feel the impact. 

We will continue to do all we can to support anyone affected. As well as our regular email updates, please remember you can visit our Cost of Living website for support and advice on housing, food, fuel and health, as well as details of events taking place across Leeds to support local residents.

Leeds City Council 

A graphic promoting the energy discount for people on pre-payment meters

Energy discount vouchers for pre-payment meters

If you use energy pre-payment meters, you should be receiving energy bill discount vouchers from the first week of the month, through either text, email or the post (using your registered contact details). 

You will need to redeem these at your usual top-up point, such as your nearest PayPoint or Post Office branch.

For more information on receiving the discount, visit the Energy Saving Trust website

A graphic promoting the 'warm spaces' in Leeds

Warm Spaces

Warm Spaces across Leeds offer a welcoming and safe warm place for anyone to use for free, particularly if you’re struggling with the cost of heating your home during cold weather. Opening hours have now returned to normal after the festive period. 

To find your nearest Warm Spaces visit www.leeds.gov.uk/warmspaces

A reminder that community hubs and libraries offer warm spaces and a warm welcome. You can also access additional services including help with job applications, claiming benefits you could be eligible for and money saving tips and budgeting. You can find your local community hub here. 

Free, confidential advice is also available from the Money Information Centres. 

‘Get jabbed’ plea from top doctor 

A leading doctor in West Yorkshire is calling on people who haven’t yet had their flu and COVID vaccinations to come forward as soon as possible. You can read more here

An image promoting the help available with childcare costs

Help with childcare costs

Over a million families in the UK are entitled to support with the cost of childcare from the government. Find out whether you’re eligible for tax-free childcare or 30 hours per week of free childcare at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Could you be a foster carer? 

If you’re considering fostering, joining Foster4Leeds means you can help the council keep Leeds children in their local area, and you’ll receive a huge amount of support from our amazing fostering service and other local foster families.

For more information visit www.leeds.gov.uk/foster4leeds or to speak to a member of the Foster4Leeds team, call 0113 378 3538. 

Free and low cost activities in Leeds

With the cost of living going up, many people are searching for fun things to do that won’t break the bank. For some inspiration, take a look here: Free and low-cost activities for people in Leeds

Leeds 2023 is a year-long celebration of culture. It kicked off earlier this month with The Awakening at Headingley Stadium, featuring music, poetry, dance, comedy and more. You can find out more about Leeds 2023 here.

An image of Rob Burrow and his wife Lindsey

And finally… Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield are made freemen of Leeds

This week Leeds added a new chapter to a remarkable story of courage and comradeship as the city awarded its highest civic honour to Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield.

Rugby league legends Rob and Kevin have both been given the freedom of Leeds in recognition of their heroic campaigning and fundraising for all those affected by motor neurone disease (MND).

You can read more here.

Warm Wednesdays – Soup and a roll

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Our first soup and a roll get-together was very well attended last week and everyone enjoyed the homemade carrot and coriander soup.

There’s another one today and every Wednesday until the end of March. At the Caring Together premises, 127 Woodhouse Street. Drop in any time between 11am and 2pm (soup usually served from around 12 noon) – or come and join us for the full 3 hours if you wish.

Warm soup, warm building and a warm welcome for all!

We won’t tell you what today’s soup is, you will have to come along to find out, but we are sure it will be delicious.

Carers Rights Day 2022

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There are 74,000 unpaid carers in Leeds. If you look after a partner, relative or friend who is disabled or ill due to physical or mental health, you are a carer, even if you don’t think of yourself as one.

Caring Costs unpaid carers in many ways, from carers’ wellbeing and ability to access health services, to costs to their finances and employment options, to the current cost of living crisis which is being felt even more acutely by carers throughout the UK. 

Find out about the emotional, practical and financial support available to you. https://www.carersleeds.org.uk/

Caring Together Winter 2022 Newsletter

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Our latest newsletter is here along with some inserts, lots of information and upcoming activities, events and outings

You can also see previous newsletters here

Issue-98-Winter-2022

Useful-numbers-2022

Winter-Wellbeing

Brittania-Tong-invite

Festive-Get-Together..2022

Winter-Warming-Soup-and-Roll-2023

Light Night Leeds 2020

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Thursday 13th and Friday 14th October

Back to the future as Light Night takes it to the next level: Light Night Leeds 2022

Light Night Leeds is the UK’s largest annual arts and light festival and returns on 13th and 14th October 2022.

For the past 17 years, over two incredible nights in October, some of Leeds’s most recognisable indoor and outdoor spaces have been transformed by spectacular artworks and captivating performances by local, national and international artists.

The streets of Leeds will be transformed into an incredible illuminated playground with more than 50 spectacular light installations, dynamic projections and interactive artworks.T

his year’s event will have the theme of Playful City, with some of Leeds’s most recognisable landmarks and locations hosting spellbinding installations aimed at encouraging visitors to engage and interact with the city in new, fun and innovative ways.

Highlights will include a thrilling, large scale projection on The Queen’s Hotel, which will take the people of Leeds on a futuristic, digital rollercoaster ride.

At Leeds Civic Hall, a homage to the classic video games of the 1980s will see visitors take control of a high tech augmented reality experience, played out across the historic building’s impressive façade.

At Leeds Art Gallery, local artists Akeelah Bertram and Adam Glatherine’s installation will turn sounds into a cascade of colour and light across a network of eight-foot tall pipes, while at the Leeds Playhouse, a giant, luminous slinky will tumble end over end from the rooftops around the city’s famous theatre.

The popular Spark drummers will also be back with a unique performance at Trinity Leeds, while the historic lifting tower on Wellington Place will be the backdrop for a projection that will give a modern twist to the tale of Rapunzel.

See https://www.lightnightleeds.co.uk/ for more details of when, where and what is going on and including details of where you can get a printed guide

Councillors Surgery at Caring Together today

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Headingley, Hyde Park and Woodhouse Councillors will be at Caring Together premises today between 5pm and 6pm for their monthly advice surgery.

This is open to all residents in the area and no appointment is needed so you can just call in if you would like to speak to your local councillor.

Caring Together – 127 Woodhouse Street (Charing Cross), Leeds, LS6 2PY

Free course for over 60s from Leeds Mindfulness Cooperative

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Mindfulness for Health 8 week course – online or in person in East Leeds
Let’s recover together
Aimed at people living in Leeds:
who are over 60 and living with pain, fatigue, long covid or other health difficulties,
or who are over 60 and facing isolation or are bereaved after the pandemic.


You can choose to be online or in person at Space2 in Gipton, Leeds.


Taster session on Monday 3rd October 10.30 am – 12.00
The 8 week course starts Monday 10th October 10.30 am – 1 pm (breaks are built into the morning)


Booking is essential.
Phone Jelena at Space 2 on 0113 320 0159 or mobile 07519 042683 for more info or to book your place.


8 week course teaches the skills to help you support your physical and mental health. Each week introduces key ideas and practices which help us to live well and thrive in the face of health challenges such as chronic pain, fatigue, chronic illness and stress.
What will I learn?
mindfulness and self compassion skills in daily life, how mindfulness can help manage pain, stress and chronic health conditions, to live in the present moment and breathe into your experience, rather than tensing against it, the art of taking joy in simple everyday pleasures, greater concentration and focus, transformative body and breath awareness for relaxation, tranquility and to let go of tension

What is involved?
8 weeks of 2.5 hour sessions with breaks, a mixture of practicing mindfulness, learning ideas and discussion, being in a warm and friendly group where you can choose what to share, led by an experienced accredited mindfulness teacher, resources to practice at home, free membership of an online community of practice to continue after the course.
Information about this and other courses at https://mindfulnesscoop.co.uk/

Leeds Mindfulness Cooperative

Heritage Open Days 2022

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9th – 18th September 2022

Heritage Open Days

Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history and culture, bringing together over 2,000 local people and organisations, and thousands of volunteers. Every year in September, places across the country throw open their doors to celebrate their heritage, community and history. It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – and it’s all FREE.

The events this year are a mix of in-person and online events – many are both so you can choose between getting out and about in the local area or taking part in something further afield without needing to leave home.

Leeds Inspired have pulled together a selection of what is happening in Leeds: https://www.leedsinspired.co.uk/collection/heritage-open-days-leeds-2022

All the events can be found here https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting

Carnival is back!!

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Leeds West Indian Carnival is back for 2022 after a 2 year break because of the pandemic

https://leedscarnival.co.uk/

The main event is BankHoliday Monday 29th August. The Parade leaves Potternewton Park at 2pm turns left down Harehills Avenue, right onto Harehills Lane and right again down Roundhay Road; right onto Barrack Road, right again onto Chapeltown Road before turning right onto Harehills Avenue and back into Potternewton Park.

There will also be lots happening in the park throughout the day and the parade will be live streamed to the screen at the side of the main stage.

Leeds Carnival Parade route

1001 Stories

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Are you over 60 with a story to share?

1001 Stories is a mass-participation project that sits at the heart of Leeds’ 2023 Year of Culture.

“A collaboration between The Performance Ensemble, Leeds Playhouse, LEEDS 2023, Leeds Museums and Galleries and Leeds Older People’s Forum, the joint-project will put the voices, histories and stories of older people centre-stage by gathering 1001 stories from those aged 60 and over and creating new artistic work based on these stories.

We believe that everybody is creative and has a story to tell, this could be anything from a funny anecdote, to a milestone memory. Your story does not have to be a long one; if it is true and means something to you, then we want to hear it. 

Our aim is to present a vast range of experiences from the people of Leeds and to demonstrate that the stories of older people have cultural value – whether that is by making others laugh, think, feel or simply engage with a story that is different from their own.

Anyone over the age of 60 with a connection to Leeds is eligible to take part; whether you were born here, have previously lived or worked here, or currently call Leeds home.

If you are over 60 and have a story you would like to share – no matter how big or small, long or short, wild or everyday, we’d love to hear from you.”

You can find lots of information on The Performance Ensemble website https://theperformanceensemble.com/1001stories/ including a link to submit a story online or you can view some of the stories so far

The team want to make 1001 Stories accessible so that as many people as possible can take part. If you need further assistance in submitting your story, or would like to discuss the project with the team, you can contact them directly using the details below.

Email: 1001stories@leedsplayhouse.org.uk

Call or message: 07846 575377