Working as a central point for community groups this building was established not to run resources…read morebut to supply the actual infrastructure needed to run dedicated working community groups from. In other words the building provided workstations and a quality working environment for community groups as well as good environment for fragmented, vulnerable or disenfranchised members of the community to seek help from. Groups in the centre include help for asylum seekers and refugees, South Leeds Health for All, Community Action and Support Against Crime and Leeds Development Education Centre.

Despite looking like a bank (it's housed in an old Barclay's building), the Roundhay Road Resource…read moreCentre is in fact a lively hub and an important resource for the community. The idea is to provide a one-stop shop for community services, offering reasonably priced office accommodation to groups working in the social sector. In practice, this means that individuals looking for support can come here and have many of their needs under the same roof. When I visited, it was still new and many of the spaces were unfilled, but already the atmosphere was warm, communal and engaging. Anyone who entered the building was made to feel welcome, which is especially good considering many of the groups operating from here work with vulnerable people, and there were plenty of staff on hand to advise and assist. They are currently advertising for more services to set up their offices here, and in my opinion any groups with social or environmental aims would benefit from being part of this community.

This place is amazing!…read more I have a bike which I regularly take down to service. They have the tools and the expertise and will guide you as much or as little as you need when repairing anythign on your bike. What an amazing idea. They ask that non-members donate between £2 and £10 based on how much help you've had, plus they have spare parts to sell you (lots of secondhand components, and they're not for profit so everything is extremely reasonable). Really well kitted out and nice, welcoming volunteers :)

From the owner: At Pedallers' Arms you can repair your bicycle. We have tools, new & second-hand bike parts & a…read moreworkshop you can use. It is a volunteer run, diy space where we support you to lean cycle maintenance.

I'm not the biggest fan of Oxfam on the whole, as charities go it is the one that has most…read moreobviously become more of a business. In many cases the Oxfam shops sell second hand clothing at ridiculous prices under the guise of vintage, and I've even seen Primark clothing on sale there for a little more than it sells brand new! But Oxfam books is a shade different. Here there are literally hundreds of different books on sale. As with the standard Oxfam shops, some of these are a little overpriced, but with so much variety it's hard not to find a bargain in here. There are lots of popular texts, but also some really quirky old books, which have that lovely antique vibe. I wanted to find some specialist literature based around gender studies and feminist non-fiction and found a far better range and highlighted section than even Borders - which had merged those texts in with lesbian erotica! Oh the irony! Every item that I chose to purchase was super cheap and it was pleasing to know that some of my money, however much, should go to a good cause. A great gem of a bookshop for wee Headingley.

Oxfam Books is jolly good indeed. It is rather large and has clearly labelled sections with areas…read moreincluding gender studies, philosophy, gardening and much, much more. It's the kind of place you could spend forever in, browsing, reading, then curling up in a corner engrossed! It has a lovely, library-like feel to it with many other people flicking through pages and browsing the shelves. For the most part the books are very good value for money and the huge selection means you are absolutely guaranteed to find something you want to take away. They also sell a tasteful range of greetings cards. The staff seem lovely and you get the impression they really enjoy their job. Next time I have some pennies to rub together I'm definitely heading over there to stock up on books in preparation for springtime reading under a tree in my local park! Can't wait!

Though relatively small, this charity shops makes the most of the space, making use of every nook…read moreand cranny to store a wide range of quality products. The shop is well lit and the products appear more varied and interesting than in most charity shops. They have a wide selection of shoes neatly displayed and a large range of quality handbags. They are also very well stocked for trousers and jeans and sell a range of new jewellery that is brightly-coloured, chunky and fun. I bought one of my favourite dresses here a while ago for £9.00 when they used to have an interesting vintagey section at the back with corresponding higher prices...but this section appears to have vanished - I wish they would bring it back! Overall this British Heart Foundation is a quality charity shop and well worth a visit!

There is something about charity shops that makes me feel good. I'm not sure whether it's the…read morebargains, or the pleasure in seeing stuff being given a new life, it might be just that it enables me to feel good about myself..... BHF is one of my regular charities so i try to call in and have a browse rarely leaving without treasure, this branch always has a good selection and the staff seem very pleasant.

Community, community, community. Starting from the very grassiest of grassroots Oblong has survived…read moreyears of battles against bad landlords and the difficulties of securing funding to finally squeezing its way into Woodhouse Community Centre gaining better space provision for its large spread of activities as well as bigger platform from which to demonstrate a none-hierarchical organisation. You pay to become a member then have access to very good sources of IT and knowledge. You can volunteer to help on various projects from green space improvement to helping on the administration side of things or begin your own community-minded project. This is a fantastic place to learn new skills or just as a space to think away from the home or library environments.

Oblong is an excellent community resource centre near to Hyde Park. As soon as you walk in, you…read morefeel comfortable, and there's plenty of things to get involved in. For example, there is a bicycle maintenance workshop, an art group, computer lessons, and yoga classes. See their website for everything you can get involved in. The co-op food group is a terrific idea too.

I don't have much experience with this site…read more Would be helpful to see more photos of the properties available for rent.

Connect Housing is a not for profit organisation in Leeds that is a founder member of Synergy…read more Their tag-line 'homes, communities, cultures' is a great insight into what they, as an organisation, are all about. Working alongside other organisations, Connect help support and regenerate housing. They help people find homes through buying or transferring, repair problems with homes, and encourage community activities. Areas in and around Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield are highly culturally diverse and residents can sometimes be subject to discrimination. Connect understand this and aim to involve their tenants in community based projects which may help decrease any anti-social activity towards people, and to promote a positive out look for the people in the community. Taken from their website: "Our passionate commitment to equality underpins all aspects of our work, as it essential to building strong and inclusive communities."

Volunteering for Hyde Park Source one day a week one summer is one of the best things I have done…read morein Leeds. In the Hyde Park/Burley area they re-develop the bin yards that every 4 houses shares on the streets of narrow back-to-backs that are usually totally unusable for anything and often filled with rubbish. The bin yards - with permission and in-put from the residents - are transformed into spaces that are nice to be in and usable, for growing plants or having bbq's. Mosaics get made, walls get painted and planters filled all with the help of volunteers like me and kids from school who don't necessarily get on in the classroom. It was such a rewarding experience for me. I got to learn how to lay paving, render walls, make mosaics, use a saw, all whilst supporting the young people on the project. Working with people in the community like this also widened my eyes to Leeds beyond the impermanent student bubble; I became aware of an older group of people involved in things such as Unity Day. The gardens really brighten up the area too and sometimes I wish I had a bin yard so they could come and jazz up my space!

I volunteer for Hyde Park Source once a week, and am really glad I do. It is really rewarding and I…read moreget to learn new skills and try out things I have never done before. They started out in 1998 with the idea of improving the local environment through building and renovating spaces that were not safe or just really dirty, into gardens, play areas and social spaces for people to enjoy. Nowadays the organisation is more based around training and development, but integrated with the environmental aspect it was previously surrounding. They provide support and training to disadvantaged young people through the various projects they take on around the community, teaching various construction, gardening, art and design and technology skills. Things such as digging, designing and making mosaics, willow weaving and bird house making are among many of the activities you can expect to find. It is a highly valued part of its community and provides a positive and educational place for people to come and learn or who just want to give something back.

I thought I'd give this five stars because as charity shops go it really is a great shop. It is…read morevery large for a charity shop and has a good range of stock. In the foyer area there are women's clothes, accessories, shoes and jewellery. The main room houses men's clothes, shoes, children's toys and clothes and a large range of crockery, home ware and other bits and bobs. I found many a cute vintage-style china ornament, some lovely jewellery and two pairs of shoes I liked - in most charity shops I find none! The products were mainly of very high quality and you got the impression the staff, who seemed lovely, really take pride in their shop. The beautiful old historic-looking building and large easily visible signage also gives the shop bonus points.

Everyone must have heard of the good old Salvation Army. They are a church and a registered charity…read morethat have been running for nearly 50 years. Now working in over 117 countries worldwide, with over 1.6 million members they have grown immensely and are providing huge support for those who need it. They run programmes helping places such as drug rehabilitation centres, schools, hospitals, community centres and medical centres. Their shops are like any other charity shop, raising that extra bit of cash towards their cause. They are full of random bits and bobs and somewhere you are bound to find something you could do with, and usually for very cheap. I love charity shopping and will be returning to this place in the New Year.

St George's Crypt has been working with disadvantaged, homeless, and vulnerable people of the Leeds…read morecommunity since the 1930s. St George's Crypt offers a massive range of services from the very basic level needs of giving food and shelter to those most vulnerable and in need to developing organisations which work on confidence building, skills training and allowing people to begin to support themselves again and integrate back into society. There are many partners to St George's for funding, skills training and project steering groups. The diverse range of services provided by St George's gives a holistic approach to helping others rather than just temporary help then passing the buck and finding no solution to problems.

I spent just 4 hours at St George's Crypt and quickly got a sense of how important a place it is…read morefor so many people in Leeds. It is a community, it is a support mechanism, it is a temporary home and it is a hot meal for anyone who wants one. St George's Crypt is about making people's lives better and giving them the opportunity to do it for themselves, giving people a purpose to get out of bed and not do the types of things that cause you harm. Everyone was friendly - from staff, to volunteers from the prison, to ex prisoners in full time employment, to clients using the facilities. I felt safe and as though they appreciated the help that anyone and everyone can offer. If you want to help out and support such a useful place in Leeds go get in touch and do anything to help them!